In a day dominated by wrestlers from Russia and Azerbaijan, it was the Russians who took the early initiative, sealing three of the four titles on offer to get their week off to almost the best possible start.

Stadnky proved to be the Russian party-pooper however, as she knocked out Nadezhda Fedorova in the women's 48 kilogram round of 16 before storming to her fourth European title with victory over Ukraine's Nataliya Pulkovska in the final.

Despite this slight blip, the opening day of action in the Trio Arena proved a golden one for Russian wrestlers as Valeria Koblova-Zholobova and Magomed Kurbanaliev secured their first European titles, while Adbusalam Gadisov walked away with his second.

Abdusalam Gadisov secured his second European title with victory in the men's 97kg final in Finland, the Russian had won the title in the 96kg event in 2012 ©AFP/Getty Images



Koblova-Zholobova's first European title came in the women's 58kg event as she converted a pair of single-leg to seal a 5-0 victory over Azerbaijan's Universiade bronze medalist Irina Netreba, one of three Azerbaijani wrestlers to make it to a final.

Kurbanaliev's win came in the men's 65kg final, where he dominated Turkey's Servet Coskun with a 10-0 technical fall to take the European crown on his first time of asking.

This category was also home to the biggest upset of the day when London 2012 gold medallist Toghrul Asgarov of Azerbaijan was felled by Borislav Novachkov in the round of 16 to seal an early exit for the Olympic champion.

Gadisov secured his second European title in the men's 97kg division with a 5-1 victory over Khetag Gazyumov, another Azerbaijani finalist.

Action from Finland is set to continue tomorrow with competition running through until Sunday (April 6).

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