IKBFU Student Wins Bronze at European Wrestling Championships

Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University congratulates Ekaterina Radysheva, a student at the Higher School of Sports, on winning a bronze medal at the European Wrestling Championships for athletes aged 21 and under. The international competition was held in Skopje, North Macedonia.

In a thrilling and tense match for third place, the Kaliningrad native faced Hungarian athlete Barbara Báger. Until the end of the bout, Ekaterina was trailing 6–8 — but with 23 seconds remaining before the final whistle, she executed a four‑point move, then added another point to secure victory with a score of 11–8. For the IKBFU athlete, this bronze marked her second consecutive medal at the European Championships. The Russian national team finished first overall in the tournament's team standings.

Ekaterina Radysheva, Higher School of Sports Student:
The European Championships were special for me — it was the first time since 2022 that our team was allowed to compete under our own flag and with our national anthem. After the draw, I won my first bout early against a Polish opponent, 10–0. I then lost in the round of 16 to the eventual finalist from Azerbaijan, 0–4. The following day, after winning the consolation bout against a Spanish opponent, I had the chance to compete for third place. The bronze medal match was the most emotional and spectacular of all. I'm pleased to have contributed to the team's overall result, but I know I could have done better. There's still time to correct my mistakes ahead of the upcoming World Championships, which will take place from 16 to 23 August in Bratislava, Slovakia. I would like to thank the entire national team coaching staff and my personal coach, Alexander Podobedov, as well as my family and everyone who supported me. Special thanks go to IKBFU for enabling me to combine top‑level sport with my studies and for supporting my ambitions. This is our shared victory.

Ekaterina Radysheva, Higher School of Sports Student:

The European Championships were special for me — it was the first time since 2022 that our team was allowed to compete under our own flag and with our national anthem. After the draw, I won my first bout early against a Polish opponent, 10–0. I then lost in the round of 16 to the eventual finalist from Azerbaijan, 0–4. The following day, after winning the consolation bout against a Spanish opponent, I had the chance to compete for third place.

The bronze medal match was the most emotional and spectacular of all. I'm pleased to have contributed to the team's overall result, but I know I could have done better. There's still time to correct my mistakes ahead of the upcoming World Championships, which will take place from 16 to 23 August in Bratislava, Slovakia.

I would like to thank the entire national team coaching staff and my personal coach, Alexander Podobedov, as well as my family and everyone who supported me. Special thanks go to IKBFU for enabling me to combine top‑level sport with my studies and for supporting my ambitions. This is our shared victory.

We congratulate Ekaterina and her coaching staff on this outstanding result — and wish them every success in their preparations and further victories at the upcoming World Championships in Bratislava.