Vladimir Egorov earned his maiden European title in Budapest ©Getty Images

Vladimir Egorov became the first North Macedonia to win gold at the European Wrestling Championships for 23 years by triumphing in the men’s 57 kilograms freestyle event in Budapest.

Egorov had yesterday become the first wrestler from the nation to reach a final at the event since 1999, when Magomed Ibragimov topped the podium in the men’s 85kg freestyle event.

He matched the achievement by overcoming under-23 world champion Aliabbas Rzazade of Azerbaijan 8-6 in the gold-medal match today.

Armenia’s Manvel Khndzrtsyan and Beka Bujiashvili of Georgia won the bronze-medal bouts in the weight division.

Greece’s Georgios Kougioumtsidis graduated from the under-23 European title to the senior version in the 79kg event.

Kougioumtsidis earned a narrow 7-6 win over Ashraf Ashirov of Azerbaijan in the final, with Turkey’s Muhammet Akdeniz and Georgia’s Vladimeri Gamkrelidze winning bronze.

The Azerbaijan team had seen four of their wrestlers reach finals yesterday, but three suffered defeats today.

Hungary’s Iszmail Muszukajev won gold in front of a home crowd in the 65kg final, with the local wrestler beating his Azeri opponent Haji Aliyev 12-1.

Turkey’s Munir Aktas and Islam Dudaev of Albania clinched bronze medals.

Magomedkhan Magomedov ended Azerbaijan’s frustration by winning the 97kg freestyle title.

Magomedov recorded an 11-5 victory over Hungary’s Vladislav Baitcaev in the final at the BOK Sports Hall.

Poland’s Zbigniew Baranowski and Slovakia’s Batyrbek Tsakulov completed the podium places.

Georgia’s Zurabi Iakobishvili, a World Championship gold medallist in 2017, claimed the first European title of his career.

Iakobishvili was a narrow 2-1 winner against Armenia’s Arman Andreasyan in the 70kg final, while Ramazan Ramazanov of Bulgaria and Moldova’s Nicolai Grahmez won bronze-medal bouts.

The remaining men’s freestyle titles will be determined tomorrow, with five further finals scheduled.

Armenia’s Arsen Harutyunyan and Turkey’s Süleyman Atlı will contest the 61kg final, while Slovakia’s Tajmuraz Salkazanov and Italy’s Frank Chamizo meet in the 74kg event.

Azerbaijan will have a further chance for gold in the men’s 86kg competition, with Abubakr Abakarov facing San Marino’s Myles Amine in the final.

Bulgaria’s Akhmed Bataev and Turkey’s Feyzullah Akturk will compete for 92kg gold, while the 125kg event will see Georgia’s Geno Petriashvili face Turkey’s Taha Akgul.

The preliminary stages of the women’s freestyle events will also begin tomorrow.