Danish wrestler Turpal Bisultanov won European Championship gold on Saturday night in such convincing style that the final was decided before it even began.
The battle between the Dane and Romanian wrestler Nicu Ojog only lasted six minutes but it was intense. In fact, Bisultanov scored his first two points after seven seconds. In all, it took him less than a minute to secure the win and his first European Championship gold medal – in his first season as a senior.
“It’s fantastic. I don’t think I’ve realised it yet. It’s hard for me to put into words because it’s something I’ve dreamed of since I was a little kid,” says Bisultanov.
Taking every win
A year ago Bisultanov won the European Championship gold for Greco-Roman wrestlers under 21.
And just two weeks ago, he won silver in the U23. But now, across all ages, the Dane is Europe’s best in his weight class.
To celebrate his last win, the 20-year-old Dane threw himself into a backwards somersault – a jubilant scene his coach told him to repeat when he won gold.
Before the final, the Danish wrestler had been on the mat three times. He first won by a score of 9-0, then 8-0. In the semi-finals he crushed Italian Mirco Minguzzi by a full 10-0. In his debut on the senior scene, he has not conceded a single point with an overall score of 35-0.
A family affaire
When the Bisultanov family fled war-torn Chechnya, they brought two wrestling champions to Denmark.
Just three years ago, Denmark also won European Championship gold courtesy of Bisultanov’s older brother, Rajbek.
Big brother won senior gold at the European Championships a year after triumphing in the juniors – just like Turpal has done now.
“I can’t take anything away from him. Everything I know and have learned comes from him. It is because of him that I am standing here today.
The newly crowned European champion is already looking forward to the next big goal: the World Cup in Belgrade in September.
