#BeachWrestling

Beach Wrestling World Series sees 30 percent rise in participation

Monday, October 16, 2023 - 23:59 By United World Wrestling Press

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(Left to right): Rui MARTA (POR), Mohamed MAHMOUD ALY (EGY), Ed DUNCAN (USA), Pedro SILVA, Jean-Daniel REY, Marian BERBEC (ROU), Jian WANY (CHN), Erol KARACA (UKR), Papakonstantinou KONSTANTINOS (GRE).

SARIGERME, Turkiye (October 16) --- After four stops on three continents, the Beach Wrestling World Series came to an end in Sarigerme, Turkiye this weekend.

The World Series began in Buenos Aires (ARG) before travelling to Singapore (SGP), returning to Saint-Laurent-du-Var (FRA) and Constanta (ROU) and the final stop in Sarigerme.

The 2023 edition of the series saw both the number of participating countries and wrestlers grow exponentially. The number of participating nations doubled from last year with more than 50 nations participating from five continents. There was a growth of 30 percent in the number of wrestlers, both men and women, on the beach.

The Beach Wrestling Committee organized its yearly meeting on the sidelines of the final stop in Turkiye with committee President and United World Wrestling Bureau member Pedro SILVA headed the meet.

Silva presented the report to the committee members, underlining the continuous growth of Beach Wrestling. The report noted the participation of additional countries like Venezuela, Columbia, Argentina, Bangladesh, Singapore, Senegal, Australia, among others, highlighting that Beach Wrestling being on the right path.

“We are very happy with the progress, growth and development that we are witnessing worldwide regarding Beach Wrestling,” said Silva, Beach Wrestling Committee President. "This must leave us all proud of our achievements and also very confident about our future.”

The meeting reviewed the current rules and regulations of Beach Wrestling and Committee members agreed that a few minor adjustments need to be made.

From the next season of Beach Wrestling will see an activity period being added to avoid any subjective decision by the refereeing body in case of negative wrestling with a 0–0 score.

It was also noted that wrestlers should be paired better in a situation with three groups. Bleeding time in Beach Wrestling was also increased to four minutes.

The Beach Wrestling calendar for 2024 was also discussed in the meeting as UWW received many proposals. UWW will do its best to publish the 2024 calendar by the end of this year.

The Committee also spoke about the potential collaborations that can be finalized for next season (producers of rings, wrestlers’ apparel).

Members also brought up the topic of sustainability and climate change and it was unanimously approved that Beach Wrestling should spearhead these projects.

The World Series in 2023, especially the final stop, showed that the discipline has the dedication of people associated with it. With the support of each National Federation, the future is full of hope and bright.

Follow Beach Wrestling on Instagram: @uwwbeachwrestling or on Youtube: @BeachWrestlingWorldSeries.

#WrestleZagreb

Zagreb Open FS, GR Preview: Stars try to find space in Olympic weights

Thursday, January 4, 2024 - 08:08 By Vinay Siwach

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ZAGREB, Croatia (January 4) -- More than 550 wrestlers will reach Zagreb for the season-opening Ranking Series event and it's no surprise that the Olympic weight classes have higher entries than the non-Olympic ones.

As the qualification for the Paris Olympics this year begins two months later, wrestlers are trying to fit in the respective Olympic weight classes for the Games in August.

That has led to two-time 92kg world champion Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI) jump to 97kg on his return to the mat after an absence of more than a year. He last competed at the World Cup in December 2022. His debut there at 97kg ended in a loss to world champion Kyle SNYDER (USA). The two may face again as Snyder is also coming to Zagreb.

Ghasempour will have to make sure he is in peak fitness as he may have to battle with compatriot Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI) for the spot on the team.

Another former world and Olympic champion was expected to return to an Olympic weight class but Jordan BURROUGHS (USA), who last competed at 74kg internationally four years ago, pulled out Wednesday.

But the USA will still see a good representation as Jason NOLF (USA) is headed to Zagreb to challenge international stars. The challengers include Dzhabrail GADZHIEV (AZE), Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE), Yones EMAMI (IRI) among others.

Zelimkhan KHADJIEV (FRA) is returning at 74kg as his ban for a doping violation is over.

Amirreza MASOUMI (IRI)Amirreza MASOUMI (IRI) will challenge world champion Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI) at 125kg. (Photo: UWW / Amirreza Aliasgari)

At 125kg, Iran has sent both Amirreza MASOUMI (IRI) and world champion Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI) as it looks to finalize the team for the Olympics using international competitions. Other world medalists entered in the weight class are Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) and Mason PARRIS (USA).

As usual, the 65kg weight class will see some big names trying to upset each other. World silver medalist Sebastian RIVERA (PUR) and bronze medalist Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM) are both entered along with former world champion Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI) who will look to beat Abbas EBRAHIMZADEHSAVADKOUHI (IRI) to cement his place in the Iran national team.

Other mini battles include John DIAKOMIHALIS (USA) and Joseph MCKENNA (USA). The latter defeated Diakomihalis in Taraz in November. Azerbaijan may be trying to push Ziraddin BAYRAMOV (AZE) at 65kg after Haji ALIYEV (AZE) failed to win the Olympic quota at the World Championships.

92kg world silver medalist Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE) is going down to 86kg where he will also have U20 world champion Rakhim MAGAMADOV (FRA), 79kg world silver medalist Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO), world bronze medalist Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ), Osman GOCEN (TUR), Zahid VALENCIA (USA) and Chandler MARSTELLER (USA).

Luis ORTA (CUB)Luis ORTA (CUB) and Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) are likely to meet in Zagreb again. The bout will be a rematch of the World Championships final at 67kg. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

Greco-Roman

A World Championships final rematch is on the cards at 67kg as world champion Luis ORTA (CUB) and Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) are entered. But the weight class also has HUSIYUETU (CHN) who defeated Orta twice last year, Tokyo bronze medalist Mohamed ELSAYED (EGY), Danial SOHRABI (IRI), former world champion Sebastian NAD (SRB) and Tokyo silver medalist Parviz NASIBOV (UKR).

The 87kg will also see some big names as Islam ABBASOV (AZE) and 82kg world champion Rafig HUSEYNOV (AZE) challenge for that one spot on the Azerbaijan team. Former world silver medalist Kiryl MASKEVICH (AIN) is also entered.

Hungary has decided to go with Istvan TAKACS (HUN) and joint-world champion David LOSONCZI (HUN) while Iran is sending Alireza MOHMADIPIANI (IRI). Marcel STERKENBURG (NED), Exauce MUKUBU (NOR) and Milad ALIRZAEV (AIN) can challenge the big names.

Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR)Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR), a regular at 82kg, is going down to the Olympic weight class of 77kg. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Turkiye is trying to find a representative for the qualifiers at 77kg with Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR), Yunus BASAR (TUR) and Ahmet YILMAZ (TUR) entered for the competition. Basar lost in the Turkish national competition while Yilmaz won gold.

World silver medalist Sanan SULEYMANOV (AZE) is entered along with 72kg world champion Ibrahim GHANEM (FRA), Idris IBAEV (GER), former world silver medalist Zoltan LEVAI (HUN), Amir Ali ABDI (IRI), world bronze medalist Nao KUSAKA (JPN), former 72kg world champion Ali ARSALAN (SRB) and Kamal BEY (USA).

At 97kg, Murat LOKIAYEV (AZE) and Murad AHMADIYEV (AZE) are battling for one spot for Azerbaijan while U20 world champion Abubakar KHASLAKHANAU (AIN) and U23 world champion Pavel HLINCHUK (AIN) are also entered. Hungary is sending Tamas LEVAI (HUN) and Alex SZOKE (HUN).

World bronze medalist Artur OMAROV (CZE), Tokyo fifth-placer Arvi SAVOLAINEN (FIN), former Asian champion Mehdi BALIHAMZEHDEH (IRI) and Tyrone STERKENBURG (NED) are also in.

Like last year, Oscar PINO (CUB) will be the favorite to win the 130kg world medal as he competes alongside Sabah SHARIATI (AZE), Beka KANDELAKI (AZE), Lingzhe MENG (CHN), Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI), Sergei SEMENOV (AIN) and Adam COON (USA) among others.

At 60kg, Edmond NAZARYAN (BUL) will be looking to get back to form after a disappointing World Championships. He will be joined by Nihat MAMMADLI (AZE), world bronze medalist Liguo CAO (CHN), 55kg world silver medalist Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO), former world champion Victor CIOBANU (MDA) and Anvar ALLAKHIAROV (AIN).