Bulgaria concluded its participation at the European Wrestling Championships in Tirana with a silver medal secured by Ahmed Bataev. Bataev competed in the 92 kg freestyle category final, where he was defeated by Azerbaijan’s Ali Tcokaev with a score of 3-5. Overall, the national team achieved a total of six medals during the tournament.
These accolades included a gold medal for Kiril Milov in the 97 kg Greco-Roman category, as well as silver medals for both Bataev and Semen Novikov, alongside three bronze medals. Bataev advanced to the final after defeating world silver medalist Amanula Gadzhimagomedov in the semifinals, winning the match 3-2 with a two-point score in the final second. The final itself was highly competitive.
Bataev initially countered an attack from Tcokaev and forced him out of bounds for a point, but he was subsequently penalized for passivity. As time expired, an additional point penalty was incurred, giving Tcokaev a 2-1 lead. Bataev managed to narrow the gap to one point in the final minute by scoring two points against Tcokaev, but subsequent attacks were unsuccessful.
Tcokaev’s victory marks his first senior European title, following his success as the U23 European champion in 2024 and his third-place finish in 2025. The achievement contributes to Bulgaria’s overall tally of medals at the championships.
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