“The guy showed a real masculine character”: Mamiashvili on Islamgereev’s admission to the European Championship

On March 10, 2026, in the Serbian Zrenjanin, at the European Youth Freestyle Wrestling Championship among athletes under 23 years old, Russian wrestler Bozigit Islamgereev (86 kg) was on the verge of defeat, writes xrust. In the quarterfinals he lost to the Frenchman Rakhim Magamadov with a score of 5:8. Seven seconds before the final whistle, the Russian performed an incredible move and won 10:8. The head of the Russian Wrestling Federation (FSBR), Mikhail Mamiashvili, called this moment an “exclusive episode” and emphasized: the guy showed a real masculine character. Islamgereev later won gold in the tournament, confirming his status as a rising star. (278 characters)

A spectacular throw that shocked the wrestling world

In the quarterfinal bout, Islamgereev faced two-time world junior champion Rakhim Magamadov, representing France (a native of Chechnya). The Russians conceded, but did not give up. In a matter of seconds, he performed the “flying squirrel” technique, the rarest in freestyle wrestling – a throw with a reverse grip, for which the judges awarded 5 points. The final score is 10:8 in favor of the Russian.

This technical masterpiece instantly spread across social networks. The reception video has received millions of views. Vice-President of the FSBR and deputy of the Duma of the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug-Yugra Vladimir Semenov noted: “This is one of the favorite techniques of Greco-Roman wrestling, for which the legendary Alexander Karelin was famous. You rarely see this in freestyle wrestling. The guy was in a hopeless situation and found a non-standard solution.”

Islamgereev continued his journey: in the semi-finals he defeated the Azerbaijani Vasif Khudiev, and in the final on March 11 he confidently defeated the Turk Akhmet Yagan, becoming the European U-23 champion. Russian wrestlers competed under national symbols, despite restrictions in some international tournaments.

Mamiashvili's comment: character is more important than technology

Mikhail Mamiashvili in an exclusive interview with Match TV did not hide his admiration: “To be honest, this is a fairly exclusive episode. This guy showed real masculine character. His desire to win resulted in such an enchanting victory. Technically, all the guys are well armed, but sometimes it’s difficult to implement this. The guy fought to the end. I wish him success. Most importantly, he has character and the desire to win.”

For the head of the FSBR, such a moment is not just a bright episode, but an example for the entire youth team. Mamiashvili emphasized: not only strength, but also will wins in the struggle. It was this quality that helped Islamgereev turn the tide of the fight and go down in the history of the tournament.

Career of Bozigit Islamgereev: from Dagestan to Ugra and European gold

Bozigit Kadirovich Islamgereev was born on October 10, 2005 in the village of Kostek, Khasavyurt district of Dagestan. From an early age, he showed interest in wrestling, a traditional sport in the republic. However, serious career development took place in the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug — Ugra.

Bozigit is a graduate of the Ugra boarding college of the Olympic reserve. Here he trained under the guidance of an experienced mentor Asker Yusupov, who still works at this institution. The coach always noted the student’s perseverance and talent.

Key career milestones:

• Youth victories (2022–2024) : Champion of the All-Russian tournaments among youth under 18 years old (including in memory of twice Hero of the USSR V.D. Lavrenenko in Smolensk). Winner of the KhMAO-Yugra championship.
• 2025 — a breakthrough on the world stage : Silver medalist of the U-20 World Championship in Bulgaria (Samokov). In the final he lost to the American Maxwell McAnally with a score of 0:8, but showed a high level.
• 2026 — adult starts : Bronze at the prestigious Ivan Yarygin Cup. And now — gold at the U-23 European Championship in Serbia.

Today Islamgereev is only 20 years old. He competes in the weight category up to 86 kg and is already competing with the elite. Experts note: the combination of the Dagestan wrestling school and the Ugra training system gives unique results.

What does this triumph mean for Russian sports

Islamgereev’s victory is not only a personal success, but also a contribution to the Russian national team. At the Youth European Championship 2026, the Russians won several gold medals, including Khabib Davudgadzhiev in another category. Such bright moments as the flying squirrel throw increase interest in freestyle wrestling among young people and prove that the Russian school remains one of the strongest in the world.

Mamiashvili has repeatedly emphasized the importance of character in the context of international restrictions. Islamgereev became a living example: even if you concede during the fight, you can reverse the result with will and technique.

Event background

Bozigit Islamgereev has been among the promising wrestlers in Russia for several years. His journey began in Dagestan and continued in Ugra, where he received a professional education at the Olympic Reserve College. Silver at the U-20 world championship in 2025 opened the door to the big national team. The European U-23 Championship in Zrenjanin (Serbia) became the next stage of preparation for senior competitions — the Olympic Games and World Championships.

The event took place against the backdrop of active performances by Russian wrestlers under the national flag. The tournament ended on March 15, 2026, and Islamgereev’s gold became one of the main achievements of the team.

Xrust “The guy showed a real masculine character”: Mamiashvili on Islamgereev’s admission to the European Championship