UPDATE - Turkish wrestler wins gold in European championships

ADDS SPORTS MINISTER’S MESSAGE

By Fatih Erel

ISTANBUL (AA) - Turkey's Taha Akgul won a gold medal Wednesday in the 2019 European Wrestling Championships in Romania.

In the men's 125-kg freestyle final, Akgul beat Georgian Geno Petriashvili to claim the gold in the capital, Bucharest.

“I congratulate Taha Akgul, who has become the best in Europe for the 7th time and made us proud,” Turkey’s Minister of Youth and Sports, Mehmet Muharrem Kasapoglu, said on Twitter.

Turkey's Fatih Erdin, Ibrahim Bolukbasi and Recep Topal are also set to compete for bronze medals.

On Tuesday, Turkey's Muhammet Nuri Kotanoglu beat Ukraine’s Oleksii Domanytskyi to claim the bronze in the men's 79-kg freestyle final.

With Akgul's victory, Turkish wrestlers have won a total of three gold medals at the international event, which ends Sunday.

Turkey's Mustafa Kaya won a gold medal by beating Azerbaijan's Aghahuseyn Mustafayev 6-2 in the men's 70-kg freestyle final.

Turkish wrestler Suleyman Atli also earned a gold medal by beating Russia's Muslim Sadulaev 8-3 in the men's 57-kg freestyle final.

Turkey's Selahattin Kilicsallayan clinched a silver medal in the men’s 65-kg freestyle final after being bested by Azerbaijan's Haci Aliyev.

*Writing by Erdogan Cagatay Zontur