Kateryna Zelenykh, silver with repetition at the European Fighting Championships, after last year's
Article by Luminița Paul – published on Friday, April 11, 2025, 13:52 / Updated on Friday, April 11, 2025 13:53
Romanian fighter Kateryna Zelenykh (24 years old), of Ukrainian origin, won the silver medal in the 68 kg category in the European Fighting Championships in Bratislava. She had achieved the same result in 2024, in Bucharest.
Kateryna Zelenykh has increased her European silver dowry with another precious money, obtained at this year's edition, hosted by the capital of Slovakia.
The athlete who received the Romanian citizenship in the fall of 2023 and began to represent last year's tricolor ceded in a final in the category 68 kilograms in front of the Belarus Alina Shauchuk (19 years old). Final score: 2-2, decision VPO1, the opponent pointing the last and thus returning its victory.
Zelenykh entered the painting directly in the quarterfinals, where he started with a successful success, at the favorable score of 6-0, in front of the German Sophia Schaefle (21 years old), the 10th place in the world hierarchy of the category.
Then, in the semifinals, 11-3 was imposed, VPO1, in the confrontation with the experienced Czech fighter Adela Hanzlickova (30 years old), bronze medal in 2024 in both European and World Cup for non-Olympic categories and possessor of a continental silver in Bucharest, in 2019.
For Kateryna, it is the fifth distinction conquered under the colors of Romania. In 2024, she also won silver at the World Championships for non-Olympic categories plus bronze at the World and European Championships.
Alina Vuc returned, 5th place to 50 kg
Alina Grigore Vuc (31 years old), returned this year in competitions after an injury, ranked 5th in the 50 kg category. She was defeated in the final for Bronze by Belarusa Natallia Varakina (23) with 4-1, VPO decision. Vuc had given up in the semifinals for medical reasons, at 7-5 for her opponent, Turkish Evin Demirhan, the future silver medal.
Alina has two places in World Cup, two in European and two continental bronze medals.
Beatrice Ferent (23 years old) stopped in the quarterfinals in the 55 kg category, defeated by 8-4 (VPO) by Ukrainian Oleksandra Khomenets, who then conquered the bronze. To 62 kg, Capesan amine (23 years old) was overcome in re-qualifications by Selvi Ilyasoglu from Turkey, 6-2, VPO1 decision.
In the 76 kg category, Cătălina Axente (29 years) lost in the quarterfinals against the Austrian Martina Kuenz (30 years), the European vice-champion of 2023. This was imposed by superiority, VSU decision, score 12-0.
