BUDAPEST, Hungary -- University of Michigan graduate student Myles Amine captured the 86kg/189-pound gold medal at the European Championships on Wednesday (March 30) at the BOK Sports Hall. It was Amine's first international gold and his fourth straight European medal. He is also the first wrestler from San Marino to win a European title.
Amine, who is just 11 days removed from wrapping up his collegiate career with an NCAA runner-up finish at 184 pounds, went 3-0 at the event and defeated Azerbaijan's Abubakr Abakarov, 9-5, in the gold-medal final. Abakarov is a 2021 world bronze medalist at 86kg and took 79kg silver at the 2019 World U23 Championships.
Amine scored first in the championship bout, earning a takedown and a caution point for fleeing in the opening 90 seconds, but had to rally in the second period after giving up takedowns late in the first and early in the second. He ran down a go-behind to retake the lead with less than 90 seconds remaining then tacked on two more takedowns off a single-leg sequence in the closing minute.
His closest match came in the semifinals, which he won 6-6 on the last-score criteria over Turkey's Osman Gocen. Amine rallied from a four-point deficit in the first period and, after giving up another counter and the lead in the second, used a single leg to earn late exposure and hold on for the win.
Amine, an Olympic bronze medalist last summer in Tokyo, has now medaled at four straight European events, adding to his silver at the 2020 championships and bronze medals at the 2021 championships and 2019 games.
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