#UWWAwards

End of the year freestyle rankings

Friday, November 11, 2022 - 11:18 By Eric Olanowski & Vinay Siwach

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CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (November 11) -- The final set of rankings for the freestyle wrestlers is out. With more than six ranking events and two championships, wrestlers had the opportunity to finish in the top three and collect the prize money.

The wrestlers managed to claim the points from the four Ranking Series events, continental championships and the World Championships. Two Games were also included in the Rankings Series but a total of only four events were counted for awarding the points.

Here are the rankings after the 2022 season.

Thomas GILMAN (USA)Thomas GILMAN (USA) claimed the top spot at 57kg. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

57kg 
1. Thomas GILMAN (USA) - $5000 
2. Zelimkhan ABAKAROV (ALB) - $3000 
3. Zanabazar ZANDANBUD (MGL) - $2000

Thomas GILMAN (USA) earned the top billing at 57kg after medaling in three point-earning events. He won the Pan-American Championships and the Zouhaier Sghaier Ranking Series event before closing the season with a runner-up finish at the World Championships. Altogether, the Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist was 10-1 on the season.

Zelimkhan ABAKAROV (ALB) grabbed gold in Belgrade and collected 45,000 Ranking Series points, which was good enough to catapult him to the No. 2 spot in the 57kg rankings. With his win over Gilman in the 57kg world finals, the 29-year-old Albanian made history for his country, becoming the first wrestler to win a world title.

Abakarov’s gold in Belgrade also earned a berth on the All-World team for the 2022 Freestyle World Cup, which will take place in Coralville, Iowa, USA, December 10-11.

Zanabazar ZANDANBUD (MGL) finished the season tied with Abakarov with 45,000, but due to the Albanian’s higher placement at the World Championships, the Mongolian ended up in the third position in the 57kg rankings. His 2022 body of work included fifth-place finishes at the Asian Championships and Yasar Dogu Ranking Series event, before finishing the season with a bronze medal at the 2022 World Championships.

Rei HIGUCHI (JPN)Rei HIGUCHI (JPN) won the world title and the top spot at 61kg. (Photo: UWW /Kadir Caliskan)

61kg 
1. Rei HIGUCHI (JPN) - $5000 
2. Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) - $3000 
3. Suleyman ATLI (TUR) - $2000 

Rei HIGUCHI (JPN) went 8-0 during his 2022 season and finished the year as the 61kg’s top guy. He won four matches in each of his outings and submitted to the podium at the Asian Championships and World Championships.

Armenian youngster Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) rounds out the year ranked second in the world at 61kg after collecting European gold and a world bronze.

Harutyunyan had his handed raised in 11 of the 12 bouts he competed in this season, and only fell to eventual world champion Higuchi in the world quarterfinals. Despite it not counting towards his senior-level point total, the 23-year-old native of Masis, Armenia, won his second consecutive U23 world title.

Suleyman ATLI (TUR) ended the year ranked third in the world at 61kg with 39,120 points. He was a runner-up at the European Championships and a bronze-medal finisher at the Zouhaier Sghaier Ranking Series. Although he didn’t win a medal, he did finish in the top ten of the World Championships and Yasar Dogu Ranking Series event.

Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI)Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI) won the Asian and world titles to leapfrong his opponents for the number one rank at 65kg. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

65kg
1. Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI) - $5000 
2. Bajrang BAJRANG (IND). - $3000 
3. Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN) - $2000

Belgrade world champion Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI) topped the rankings at 65kg after snagging golds at the Continental and World Championships. During his 2022 campaign, the 20-year-old Iranian youngster beat Tokyo Olympic medalists Haji ALIYEV (AZE) and Bajrang BAJRANG (IND).

Amouzad took out Bajrang, a Tokyo bronze medal winner, to win the Asian title. Then, he cruised to a 9-2 win over three-time world champion and two-time Olympic medalist Aliyev in the world semifinals.

Bajrang edged Hungary’s Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN) by 200 points for the No. 2 spot at 65kg.

Bajrang earned a silver medal at the Asian Championships and bronze medals at the Bolt Turlykhanov Cup and World Championships and finished the season with 44,200 points.

Muszukajev won the European Championships and took home a bronze from the World Championships, completing the year with 44,000 points.

Sebastian RIVERIA (PUR) also had 44,000 points but he did not win a medal at the World Championships while Muszukajev did to finish ahead of Riveria.

Zurabi IAKOBISHVILI (GEO)Zurabi IAKOBISHVILI (GEO) finished with 57720 points to claim the top rank at 70kg. (Photo: UWW / Kostadin Andonov)

70kg
1. Zurabi IAKOBISHVILI (GEO) - $5000
2. Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ) - $3000
3. Taishi NARIKUNI (JPN) - $2000

At 70kg, 2,720 points were the difference between the first and third-ranked wrestlers.

Zurabi IAKOBISHVILI (GEO) edged Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ) and Taishi NARIKUNI (JPN) for the top spot with three medals in point-based events. He won European gold in Hungary and finished with bronze medals at the World Championships and Yasar Dogu Ranking Series events.

Akmataliev laid it on the line at a pair of Ranking Series events, and the Asian and World Championships. He medaled in three of those events, finishing with gold, silver and bronze at the Bolat Turlykhanov Cup, Asian Championships and World Championships, respectively. He fell short of the top spot by 2,200 points – which could have happened with a mere 10th place or better finish at a Ranking Series event. 

Despite winning Asian and world gold, Narikuni fell 2,720 points -- equivalent to a ninth-place finish at a Ranking Series event -- short of claiming the top spot at the weight.

Tajmuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK)Tajmuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK) and Kyle DAKE (USA) finished 1-2 respectively at 74kg. (Photo: UWW / Kostadin Andonov)

74kg 
1. Tajmuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK) - $5000 
2. Kyle DAKE (USA) - $3000 
3. Soner DEMIRTAS (TUR) - $2000 

Tajmuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK) grabbed the No. 1 spot in the world rankings after winning 15 consecutive matches before falling in the world finals to No. 2 Kyle DAKE (USA).

Salkazanov won his second consecutive European title and grabbed Ranking Series titles at the Matteo Pellicone and the Bolat Turlykhanov Cup. He competed in two more competitions than his American foe and outscored him by 13,000 points.

This season, Dake competed at the World and Pan-American Championships and won gold at both events. It was his fourth consecutive gold-medal finish at the World Championships and second title-winning effort at the Pan-Am C’ships. He finished the season with 58,000 ranking points, which was 11,000 points ahead of the third-ranked wrestler.

Soner DEMIRTAS (TUR) rounded out the season ranked No. 3 in the world after a trio of top ten finished. He started the season with a gold-medal win at the Yasar Dogu, then finished in fifth and eighth place at the World and European Championships, respectively.

Jordan BURROUGHS (USA)Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) remained untouched at the top spot at 79kg. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

79kg
1. Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) - $5000
2. Arsalan BUDAZHAPOV (KGZ) - $3000
3. Mohammad NOKHODI (IRI) - $2000

There was no one challenging Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) for the top spot at 79kg and he never gave anyone a chance as well. In Belgrade, Burroughs won a record sixth world title. He finished at the top of the rankings with 63000 points with 45000 points coming from the gold in Belgrade. Apart from that, he won the Yasar Dogu event at the beginning of the year for 13000 points before the Pan-Am gold awarded him 5000 points.

The second spot sees a surprise as Arsalan BUDAZHAPOV (KGZ) jumped from 14th to second. He has 51700 points with 31000 points coming from the bronze medal at the World Championships. He was also a bronze medalist at the Yasar Dogu for 10200 points. Another bronze at the Asian Championships awarded him 6500 points. He decided to participate in the Bolat Turlykhanov Cup as well and finished fifth for 4000 points.

But his participation in various events helped him finish better than World Championships silver medalist Mohammad NOKHODI (IRI) who has 45000 points. The silver in Belgrade was worth 37000 points and the other 8000 points were won at the Zouhaier Sghaier event as he finished that with a gold medal.

Boris MAKOEV (SVK)Boris MAKOEV (SVK) outclassed other acclaimed wrestlers at 86kg and won the top spot. (Photo: UWW / Martin Gabor)

86kg
1. Boris MAKOEV (SVK) - $5000
2. Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ) - $3000
3. David TAYLOR (USA) - $2000

There was little separating the top two at 86kg but Boris MAKOEV (SVK) clinched the top spot with 100 points more than Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ). Makoev finished with 49100 points thanks to his participation in four events. He began with a ninth-place finish at the European Championships for 6500 points before winning silver at Bolat Turlykhanov Cup and bronze at Matteo Pellicone. The two medals were worth a combined 11600 points. He finished the season with a bronze medal at the World Championships for 31000 points.

Dauletbekov also participated in four events with Asian Championships being his first. He won gold at 86kg for 10000 points before adding 4000 points for a fifth-place finish at the Bolat Turlykhanov Cup, perhaps the most crucial tournament in hindsight.

The Kazakhstan wrestler did win the Zouhaier Sghaier event but the gold was worth only 4000 points for him. He matched Makoev for the bronze at the World Championships but failed to overtake him for the top rank.

The third spot was claimed by world champion David TAYLOR (USA) who finished with 45000 points, all of which came from the gold he won in Belgrade.

Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) also finished with 45000 points but in fourth place as Taylor won gold in Belgrade while Yazdani won silver.

Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI)Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI) finished with 53000 points in 2022. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

92kg
1. Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI) - $5000
2. Miriani MAISURADZE (GEO) - $3000
3. Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE) - $2000

World champion Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI) was the clear favorite to finish at the first spot and he did that by winning the gold medal in Belgrade at 92kg. He got 45000 points for the win and 8000 points more from the gold he won at the Bolat Turlykhanov Cup for a total of 53000 points.

Miriani MAISURADZE (GEO) made a big jump from the 11th spot to the second by winning a bronze medal at the World Championships. With 49700 points, the made sure he was clear of the other bronze medalist Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE). In the three events he participated in for points, Maisuradze won bronze at the European Championships for 6500 points, the same as Nurmagomedov who also won a bronze.

At the Matteo Pellicone, the two met in the final that was won by Nurmagomedov who got 8000 points while Maisuradze got 6400 points. Both then went on to win the bronze medals at the Worlds.

Maisuradze's 5800 points more than Nurmagomedov came from the Yasar Dogu event in which he finished ninth.

Kyle SNYDER (USA)Kyle SNYDER (USA) and Batyrbek TSAKULOV (SVK) were in the world finals and finished number one and two in the rankings. (Photo: UWW / Kostandin Andonov)

97kg
1. Kyle SNYDER (USA) - $5000
2. Batyrbek TSAKULOV (SVK) - $3000
3. Magomedkhan MAGOMEDOV (AZE) - $2000

The world finalists Kyle SNYDER (USA) and Batyrbek TSAKULOV (SVK) were in a close battle for the top spot and the former clinched it with 500 points more than Tsakulov.

Snyder won the Pan-Am gold medal for 10000 points before winning the Zouhaier Sghaier gold and World gold for 8000 points and 45000 points respectively to finish with 63000 points.

Tsakulov began with a bronze medal at the European Championships for 6500 points before winning two rankings series -- Bolat Turlykhanov and Matteo Pellicone -- for 8000 points and 11000 points respectively. His silver at World Championships was worth only 37000 points as he fell short of Snyder's tally.

Magomedkhan MAGOMEDOV (AZE) claimed the third spot with 47520 points which he accumulated by winning the European Championships for 10000 points, finishing seventh at Matteo Pellicone for 6520 points and winning bronze at World Championships for 31000 points.

Taha AKGUL (TUR)Taha AKGUL (TUR) claimed the world gold and the first rank at 125kg. (Photo: UWW / Kostandin Andonov)

125kg
1. Taha AKGUL (TUR) - $5000
2. Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) - $3000
3. Lkhagvagerel MUNKHTUR (MGL) - $2000

Taha AKGUL (TUR) and Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) exchanged the top two spots for a long time but the former raced ahead after winning the European and World Championships. The two gold medals were worth 55000 points and he also won the gold at Yasar Dogu for 13000 points, taking his total to 63000 points.

Petriashvili won silver at the European Championships for 8000 points but won the Matteo Pellicone and Zouhaier Sghaier rankings events, for 8000 points each. With 24000 points, gold at World Championships would have taken him to the top but he finished with bronze and 31000 points to settle for the second spot with 55000 points.

The third spot went to Lkhagvagerel MUNKHTUR (MGL) who stunned Petriashvili to reach the World Championships final at 125kg. He reach the final at Yasar Dogu and got 11400 points. A bronze medal at the Bolat Turlykhanov Cup added 5200 points more to his account. With 37000 points from the World Championships, he finished with 53600 points and the third spot.

#WrestleParis

Japan gold medalists meet fans, looking to inspire their successors

Thursday, August 29, 2024 - 14:15 By Ken Marantz

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TOKYO (August 29) -- It may not compare to the punishing six minutes on the mat in an Olympic final, but standing for over two hours shaking hands, taking photos and signing autographs can take its toll -- and be rewarding in its own way.

Rei HIGUCHI was among five of Japan's eight gold medalists at the Paris Olympics who participated in a meet-and-greet on Sunday in Tokyo, where over 500 people turned out to see this new group of heroes.

"I don't want this to be the last event, so we can help make wrestling more popular," Higuchi said at a press conference following the session. "That's one of the responsibilities of the top athletes. I want to do all that I can."

Higuchi, the freestyle 57kg champion, was joined by fellow freestyle gold medalist Kotaro KIYOOKA (65kg), Greco winner Nao KUSAKA (77kg) and women's champions Tsugumi SAKURAI (57kg) and Sakura MOTOKI (62kg), as well as freestyle 74kg silver medalist Daichi TAKATANI.

The adoring fans came in all ages and sizes, from parents with toddlers to schoolkids sporting their wrestling club t-shirts to senior citizens, all waiting patiently in line for the chance to get up close and personal with a handful of the stars who had brought glory to their country.

For the wrestlers themselves, it was a way to express their thanks for the support they received, and to help inspire the next generation that can hopefully someday match or exceed the wrestling squad's outsized performance in Paris, where it won 11 medals in the 13 weight classes in which it had entries.

"It's amazing, more people showed up than I thought would," Sakurai said. "It really shows the value of the Olympics. I get a sense of how it gives the children dreams to shoot for.

"When I was little, I saw an Olympic gold medal and it really inspired me to work hard in wrestling. In the same way, it makes me happy if it inspires others by seeing my medal."

The event was held in the entranceway at the Komazawa Indoor Ball Sports Arena (Komazawa Gym is being renovated) in conjunction with the third day of the national collegiate championships. Many of the collegians came out for a peek at the medalists, some of whom are still, or until recently were, their teammates.

With the six lined up against a backdrop of posters of the Olympic squad, each person or group would hand their phone to a volunteer, who would snap photos as they were surrounded by the wrestlers.

The wrestlers flashed a smile and held up their medal for each shot, and sometimes one would put their medal around a young fan's neck. They all had no qualms about letting the fans touch the medal and feel its weight (and it's heavy, alright).

"I'm really happy to have so many people come to this and get a chance to touch the medal," Higuchi said. "Kids who are wrestling also came, and I am happy if this helps nurture those who will follow us. It seems that a lot of people watched the Olympics. I wanted to put [the medal] around the neck of every one, and I felt bad that there was a problem with time.

After the photos, they all took a few steps over to a table, where the wrestlers would sign autographs on t-shirts, notebooks or "shikishi," the traditional white cardboard used for such occasions. In some cases, they signed their names directly on a t-shirt that the fan was wearing.

Keito Ota, a 12-year-old from Tokyo whose mother allowed him to stay up and watch the Olympic finals that started at 4 a.m. Japan time, came to meet his favorite wrestler, Kiyooka.

"Kiyooka-san is so cool, so that's why I came to this autograph session," said Ota, a national schoolboy fifth-grade champion who was wearing his Figure Four Club t-shirt. "I was really glad [they are here], I'll work hard to become an athlete like them. The team that will be made up from my generation, we'll try to get more than eight medals."

The six medalists, from left, Rei HIGUCHI, Kotaro KIYOOKA, Tsugumi SAKURAI, Sakura MOTOKI, Nao KUSAKA and Daichi TAKATANI, pose together after the event. The six medalists, from left, Rei HIGUCHI, Kotaro KIYOOKA, Tsugumi SAKURAI, Sakura MOTOKI, Nao KUSAKA and Daichi TAKATANI, pose together after the event.

Needing to spread the word

It some ways, the event could be considered a case of preaching to the choir. There is no way of knowing how many came who had no interest in wrestling prior to the Olympics, but the Japan federation does have a problem when it comes to raising the popularity of the sport to match the country's achievements in it.

Overall, Japan won 20 gold medals in Paris, which means that nearly half were won in wrestling. But the media leans toward highlighting Gen-X favorites like skateboarding and rock-climbing, or gymnastics and table tennis in which the top competitors have become household names.

Going into Paris, the main focus when it came to wrestling was on women's 50kg star Yui SUSAKI, mainly because she was the only Japanese champion from the Tokyo Olympics who was defending her crown in Paris.

The national championships have not been regularly televised since the years when three-time Olympic champion Saori YOSHIDA was a media darling back in the early 2000s. In recent years, the only time it made the airwaves was when Rio Olympic champions Kaori ICHO and Risako KAWAI squared off to make the team to Tokyo.

"We wrestlers won eight of the 20 gold medals [won by Japan in Paris], and overall, we had 13 wrestlers and 11 won medals," the 28-year-old Higuchi said. "But it's not just about that result. From now, we have to use opportunities like this to make more people aware of the sport of wrestling.

"If wrestling stays unknown and is just a sport that comes up once every four years, there will be nobody coming up to follow us. We need to do activities that spread the word.

"It's because of those who support these events and tournaments that we were able to become wrestlers. We appreciate them, which includes the media, as we continue to do everything in our power to promote the sport."

Higuchi pointed out the vast difference between the crowd at the Japan college championships, which was maybe in the hundreds, and those at the U.S. NCAA tournament, which draws in the tens of thousands. "The intensity is completely different," he said.

During and after the Olympics, the wrestlers got valuable chances to publicize the sport on news programs and variety shows, which were only too happy to capitalize on the Olympic enthusiasm by booking appearances from the Paris medalists.

In one segment, Greco 60kg gold medalist Kenichiro FUMITA demonstrated to an unsuspecting host just how tight the waist hold of a gut wrench can be. He also got on the bottom of par terre to show how he resisted his opponents in Paris and kept from being turned. The host could barely budge him.

"The way we are treated, they are so nice, it's like we've become a celebrity," Takatani said. "Even if I made an unusual request, they listened to it. It showed just how highly regarded the Olympics is. It's like I saw a whole new world."

Sakurai, who had won a third straight world title heading to Paris (at 55kg in 2021 and conseeutive titles at 57kg in 2022 and 2023), said she had never gained much attention from the general public for her previous exploits.

"It was very different from the World Championships," Sakurai said. "The responses and the excitement from everyone after the World Championships and after the Olympics are different.

"The Olympics were broadcast on television and everyone knows the results. People [at this event] were so happy, like they were meeting their idols, even just to shake hands...I'm not the talkative type and it's hard for me to respond, but I'll do what I can to make them happy again."

With the abundance of golds, Kiyooka fell under the radar and lamented that he had not been invited onto any TV shows. But he still got some well-deserved recognition back in his hometown, where he was honored with a Citizen's Certificate of Honor from both Kochi Prefecture and Kochi City.

"They even came to greet me at the airport," Kiyooka said, adding that there is a parade planned for him and fellow Kochi native Sakurai -- they both started wrestling in the kids club coached by her father -- in September.

Kiyooka appears to have the fine makings for an ambassador for the sport. Asked what he attributed the success of Japan's team in Paris to, Kiyooka replied, "On the wrestling team of Team Japan, every one of us loves wrestling from the bottom of our hearts. We all want to have an influence and uplift others, and in doing so, it produced this result."

What lies ahead

So what will the champions do for an encore? For the moment, they are content to relish the adulation and take some time for a well-deserved rest.

It looks like Kiyooka and Kusaka will be the first ones to get back on the mat in earnest, as both plan to participate in the German Bundesliga in October.

"It's a place I've always wanted to go and give me a new dream," Kiyooka said. "Then I will get down to the job of defending my title in four years."

Kusaka had prepared for the Paris Olympics by traveling solo using his own money to train in Germany and Hungary. He also took part in the Bundesliga, where now he will have more name recognition as an Olympic champion.

Higuchi said that at 28, he does not feel his age is a barrier at all. He is undecided on trying next year to add to the world gold that he won last year at 61kg, but would like to arrange visits to top U.S. colleges like Iowa in the winter.

More than the World Championships, he said his focus is on the 2026 Asian Games, which remains the only major laurel missing from his collection. Adding to the incentive is that the Games will be held in the central Japan city of Nagoya.

"The one thing that is still missing is the Asian Games title, so I will aim to qualify for that," Higuchi said.

Motoki will be taking a break for awhile, but has her sights on someday completing the Grand Slam of age-group world titles.

She won the world U17 in 2018 and U20 in 2022, but has come up just short on the senior level, winning a bronze in 2022 and silver in 2023. She has yet to enter the world U23, and will still be eligible to enter next year's tournament.

"I went through a tough year up to the Olympics and I like wrestling, so I will take a break," Motoki said. "I don't want to train for records or to win consecutive titles or things like that, but I do want to take a stab at completing the Grand Slam. That gives me a new challenge and it will be nice if I can get it."

Higuchi calls for weight allowance

Higuchi also talked from first-hand experience about the sad saga of Vinesh PHOGAT (IND), and called for some kind of weight allowance for second-day weigh-ins.

Phogat had handed Susaki her first-ever international loss en route to the women's 50kg final, only to be disqualified for failing to make weight on the second day.

Higuchi can certainly sympathize. Looking to make up for his loss in the final at the 2016 Rio Olympics, he infamously failed to make weight for the Asian Qualifier for the Tokyo Games, which indirectly led to him missing out.

"I certainly understand her feelings of despair," Higuchi said. "But we are competing under rules, and you can't reverse a decision that has been made. The second day weigh-in is more difficult than the first, and it's something I would like to have changed."

Higuchi said that giving the wrestlers an allowance of one or two kilograms would make a huge difference, both physically and mentally.

"After the matches are over on the first day, you have to lose two or three kilograms," Higuchi said. "It's tough after the matches, and if you lose in the first or second round, you have to prepare without knowing if you will have a match or not. It's really grueling. I'd really like them to do even a little to help us out.

"But that's something for UWW to decide. All I can do is go along with [the rules]."