Lithuanian wrestler strikes gold at European Junior Championships

Greta Degutytė clinched a gold medal at the European Junior Wrestling Championships, marking a significant achievement in her wrestling career. Her path to the final was hard-fought, culminating in a close 3-2 victory over Zahra Karimzada from Azerbaijan in the semifinals. This win was particularly sweet, serving as retribution for a loss Degutytė experienced two years prior at the European U17 Championships.

Recalling the past defeat, coach Justinas Kvietelaitis noted the painful circumstances of their previous encounter. "Then Greta equalized the score with 30 seconds left in the match and took the lead on criteria. But the Azerbaijani managed to hook her right leg in par terre and score two points. It was frustrating," Kvietelaitis remembered, highlighting the close nature of their past bouts.

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Then Greta equalized the score with 30 seconds left in the match and took the lead on criteria. But the Azerbaijani managed to hook her right leg in par terre and score two points. It was frustrating.

However, Kvietelaitis emphasized that Degutytė decisively settled the score this time. Her ascent to the top of the podium began earlier in the quarterfinals, where the seventeen-year-old defeated Ilayda Cin, the reigning 2024 European U17 champion from Turkey, by pinning her.

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But today Greta put everything in its place.