Modest results at European Wrestling Championships

Moldovan wrestlers obtained unimpressive results in the first days of the European Championships in Serbia, Info-Prim Neo reports. Vladimir Gotison was defeated in his first fight against Italy’s Raimondo Campagna in the 66kg weight category. He was ranked 15th among 21 participants. The leader of the national team Nicolae Ceban (96kg) was defeated as well. He lost at the hands of Georgia’s George Goshelidze, occupying the same place as his teammate. On Wednesday, March 7, other 4 athletes will defend Moldova’s colors. Alexandru Chirtoaca (55kg) will face Switzerland’s Urs Wild and Pavel Negru (60kg) will take on Hungary’s Jozsef Molnar. In women’s contest, Natalia Budu (51 kg) will meet Russia’s Katia Krasnova and Ludmila Cristea (59kg) will wrestle Latvia’s Anastasia Grigorieva. Last year, Cristean won the silver medal and Budu obtained the bronze. The European Championships in Serbia is a preliminary stage which offers qualification quotas for the London Olympics. Only the finalists of each weight category will go to this summer’s Olympic Games.