The U17 and U20 World Championships had run in the days preceding the senior event, and the atmosphere never dipped. The future of the sport had already been on full display, now it was time for the best in the world to step in.

A record 107 senior athletes took to the rings, making it the biggest leg of the season so far. Familiar faces, rising stars, and a few surprise returns added extra weight to an already loaded field. Three rounds of group-stage action have now shaped the brackets, and with it all on the line tomorrow, the focus shifts to Sunday night, where the elimination rounds will decide who get crowned Kings and Queens in Greece. 

Among the most composed competitors on the sand, Alevtyna Liashenko (UKR) looked razor sharp once again, storming through her group with three confident wins in the 50kg category, never looking in danger. On the other side, all eyes were on the return of Stefania Priceputu (ROU). The Princess of Power made her comeback after time away from the sandy circle but didn’t miss a beat. Explosive as ever, she swept through her group without giving up a point, taking out three Greek opponents with her trademark aggression and tempo.

Sofiia Kushnir (UKR) looked back to her best too. A dominant showing in the 60s, with a 3–0 group run that included a shutout win over fellow Ukrainian Moskalova, reestablished her as the one to watch. Anastasiya Kravchenko (UKR) looked in good form as well, finding some rhythm and navigating a tricky group that included Spain’s Perez Tourino.

Another name rising fast is Irina Ringaci from Moldova in the women’s under 70kg. A technical masterclass saw the bronze medal winner at the recent UWW World Championships in Zagreb control every exchange on her way to topping her group. In the other bracket, Romana Vovchak (UKR) was simply untouchable with three wins, all in under 30 seconds, including a clinical finish over teammate Nikitinska, who herself bounced back with a key win later in the round.

Ukraine’s grip on the +70kg division remains strong. Iryna Pasichnyk (UKR) never looked under pressure and barely gave up a point across her three group matches. Ukrainians Daria Konstantynova was just as assured in the other bracket. Angelique Gonzalez (FRA) did enough to stay in the mix after a strong showing early on.

On the men’s side, Oleksii Boruta (UKR) stayed cool and clinical. Three wins, clean execution, and a reminder of why he remains at the top of the men’s 70kg division. But Aliakbar Mohammad Bagher Zaroudi is coming for him. After the Iranian’s breakout performance in Poreč, Croatia, he followed up with three more wins here with no fuss, no frills, just focused wrestling. Pavel Graur (MDA) and Ryotaro Fujinami (JPN) also impressed, both finishing unbeaten in their respective groups to add more firepower to an already stacked bracket.

Vasile Diacon (MDA) topped a tough 80kg field with three solid wins, while Vusal Aliyev (AZE) made a statement with an eight-second VFA, the fastest of the weekend so far. Iran’s Abdollah Sheikhazami and Nika Kentchadze from Georgia both brought intensity, racking up fast finishes and controlling their groups with confidence.

Ibrahim Yusubov (AZE) remains the man to beat at 90kg. Three more wins in Katerini, zero hesitation. Amirhossein Kavousi (IRI) matched that intensity, closing his group with three of his own. Oleksii Yakovchuk (UKR) steadied the ship after a slow start to the season, while Traian Capatina (MDA) brought grit and clean technique to control his side of the draw.

At +90kg, it’s still Mamuka Kordzaia (GEO) setting the pace. He looked dominant again, including a technical shutout win that made light work of Argentina’s Juan Magallanes. Soheil Gholipourgoudarzi (IRI) held firm in the opposite group, taking out Mykola Kuchmii (UKR) along the way. The Ukrainian rebounded well, while Vazha Daiauri (UKR) went 3–0 in Group C to round off team Ukraine’s strong showing across the heavyweight class.

With the group stages now in the books, the tension builds for Sunday night when the circle narrows, and the pressure hits a whole new level. The Kings and Queens of the Greek sand will be crowned, and nobody wants to miss it. If you can’t join sandside then all the action is streamed live on the Beach Wrestling World Series YouTube channel