Bulgarian Wrestler Semen Novikov Moves to Semifinals with Strong Performance at Paris Olympics

Bulgaria's Semen Novikov has advanced to the semifinals of the Olympic Games in Paris after securing his second victory for the day. The 2020 European champion defeated Lasha Gobadze from Georgia, earning a spot in the final rounds.

Gobadze began the match aggressively, pushing Novikov to the edges of the mat. Novikov was placed on the ground first, similar to his previous bout. Despite initially conceding a point to Gobadze, the naturalized Ukrainian quickly reclaimed the lead with a skilled maneuver.

The second period saw an intense struggle in the center of the mat, with neither wrestler able to dominate. Gobadze attempted a "shoulder" throw but was unsuccessful. Novikov capitalized on Gobadze's position on the ground, turning the score with a carry. He followed up with an additional point from a push out of the yellow zone. Novikov scored two more points towards the end of the match, concluding with a score of 8-3, bolstered by a lost appeal from Gobadze's corner.

Novikov will face Dávid Losonczi from Hungary in the semifinals. Losonczi, the reigning world champion since 2023, will be Novikov's opponent in a match scheduled to start after 19:15 Bulgarian time.

Earlier today, Semen Novikov began his campaign at the Paris Summer Olympics with a solid 5:1 victory over Denmark's Turpal-Ali Bisultanov, the 2020 European champion. This win secures Novikov a spot in the quarter-finals.

The national champion in classic style wrestling (Greco-Roman) quickly established dominance, starting the match on the ground. The 26-year-old Bulgarian showed strong defensive skills, preventing any additional points for his opponent. Although Bisultanov was more aggressive and sought to control the grips and execute takedowns, Novikov's defense...