Suleyman Atli, right, of Turkey clinched gold on the opening day of the European Under-23 Wrestling Championships ©UWW

Rio 2016 Olympian Suleyman Atli of Turkey clinched gold on the opening day of the European Under-23 Wrestling Championships in Szombathely in Hungary.

Atli, who was beaten in the last 16 in the Brazilian city, claimed a pair of technical falls in the morning session of the 57 kilograms event at Arena Savaria.

The 2013 junior world champion then eased to a 13-0 victory over last year's bronze medal winner Ivan Zamfirov of Moldova in the semi-finals.

The Turkish wrestler then secured the gold medal with a 4-2 win against Russia's Azamat Tuskaev, the 2014 junior world champion, in the final. 

Zamfirov eased to one of the bronze medals as he defeated home favourite Tamas Roman 11-0 while the second was collected by Ukraine's Andrii Yatsenko after he overcame Parviz Ibrahimov of Azerbaijan 13-2. 

In the 97kg competition, Georgia's Givi Matcharashvili improved on his bronze medal at last year’s event to win gold. 

The Georgian defeated 2014 junior world champion Georgi Gogaev of Russia 12-9 this evening.

Murazi Mchedlidze of Ukraine defeated Turkey's Yunus Emre Dede 9-1 to win one bronze while Gennadij Cudinovic of Germany also secured third place after he defeated Hungary's Balasz Attila Juhasz 11-0.

Teymur Mammadov of Azerbaijan claimed the gold medal in the 65kg division ©UWW
Teymur Mammadov of Azerbaijan claimed the gold medal in the 65kg division ©UWW

Avtandil Kentchadze of Georgia claimed the 74kg gold medal with a narrow 4-2 victory over Zelimkhan Khadjiev of France in the final.

Henri Aleksi Selenius of Finland overcame Bulgaria's Engin Rashid Ismail to secure one bronze medal while Azerbaijan's Ismail Abdullaev snatched the second with an 11-10 success against Andrei Karpach of Belarus.

In the 65kg division, Teymur Mammadov of Azerbaijan claimed the gold medal after his opponent, Turkey's Haydar Yavuz, was forced to withdraw before the final through injury.

Returning champion Imam Adzhiev of Russia moved up from 61kg to 65kg and was vindicated in his decision to do so by coming through the repechage rounds to win a bronze medal. 

He defeated Switzerland's Marc Dietsche 13-2 in the first bronze medal match while Iveriko Julakidze of Georgia also secured third place after beating Frenchman Ilman Mukhtarov 6-0.

Action is due to resume tomorrow with competition in the 61kg, 70kg, 86kg and 125kg men's freestyle events.