#WrestleRome

European Championship Entries

By Eric Olanowski

*Updated entries are listed in bold.

ROME, Italy (February 3) --- The European Championships kick off February 10-16 in Rome, Italy, and there are seven reigning world champions and 16 returning European champions that highlight the list of 515 entries. 

Here are the returning world and European champions that'll be in action in Italy:

Freestyle 

2019 World Champions
61kg - Beka LOMTADZE (GEO)
97kg - Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RUS)
125kg - Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO)

2019 European Champions
61kg - Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM)
74kg - Frank CHAMIZO MARQUEZ (ITA)
97kg - Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RUS)

Women’s Wrestling 

2019 World Champions
65kg  - Inna TRAZHUKOVA (RUS)
72kg - Natalia VOROBEVA (RUS)

2019 European Champions
50kg - Oksana LIVACH (UKR)
53kg - Stalvira ORSHUSH (RUS)
53kg - Iryna HUSYAK (UKR)
59kg - Bilyana Zhivkova DUDOVA (BUL)
62kg - Taybe Mustafa YUSEIN (BUL)
65kg - Elis MANOLOVA (AZE)
68kg - Alla CHERKASOVA (UKR)
72kg - Alina BEREZHNA STADNIK MAKHYNIA (UKR)
76kg - Yasemin ADAR (TUR)

Greco-Roman

2019 World Champions
55kg - Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO)
130kg - Riza KAYAALP (TUR)

2019 European Champions
55kg - Vitalii KABALOEV (RUS)
63kg - Victor CIOBANU (MDA)
82kg - Rajbek Alvievich BISULTANOV (DEN)
130kg - Riza KAYAALP (TUR)

Reigning world silver medalist Suleyman ATLI (TUR) is registered at 57kg. (Photo: Gabor Martin)

Freestyle

57kg
Mihran JABURYAN (ARM)
Afgan KHASHALOV (AZE)
Dzimchyk RYNCHYNAU (BLR)
Georgi Valentinov VANGELOV (BUL)
Levan METREVELI VARTANOV (ESP)
Valentin DAMOUR (FRA)
Otari GOGAVA (GEO)
Horst Justin Junior LEHR (GER)
Ioannis MARTIDIS (GRE)
Givi DAVIDOVI (ITA)
Anatolii BURUIAN (MDA)
Andrei DUKOV (ROU)
Azamat TUSKAEV (RUS)
Stevan Andria MICIC (SRB)
Suleyman ATLI (TUR)
Taras MARKOVYCH (UKR)

61kg
Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM)
Intigam VALIZADA (AZE)
Uladzislau KOIKA (BLR)
Vladimir DUBOV (BUL)
Anvar SUVINIITTY (FIN)
Beka LOMTADZE (GEO)
Viktor Viktorowitsch LYZEN (GER)
Georgios PILIDIS (GRE)
Daniel POPOV (ISR)
Simone Vincenzo PIRODDU (ITA)
Leomid COLESNIC (MDA)
Vladimir EGOROV (MKD)
Nikolai OKHLOPKOV (ROU)
Aleksandr BOGOMOEV (RUS)
Randy Adrian VOCK (SUI)
Hamza ALACA (TUR)
Ivan BILEICHUK (UKR)

65kg
Valodya FRANGULYAN (ARM)
Gabriel JANATSCH (AUT)
Ali RAHIMZADE (AZE)
Niurgun SKRIABIN (BLR)
Stefan Ganchev IVANOV (BUL)
Juan Pablo GONZALEZ CRESPO (ESP)
Marwane Ahmed YEZZA (FRA)
George Anthony RAMM (GBR)
Vladimer KHINCHEGASHVILI (GEO)
Niklas Dietmar DORN (GER)
Fotios PAPADAKIS (GRE)
Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN)
Abdellatif MANSOUR (ITA)
Maxim SACULTAN (MDA)
Nicolai GRAHMEZ (MDA)
Krzysztof BIENKOWSKI (POL)
George BUCUR (ROU)
Kurban SHIRAEV (RUS)
David HABAT (SLO)
Malik Michael AMINE (SMR)
Selahattin KILICSALLAYAN (TUR)
Erik ARUSHANIAN (UKR)

70kg
Eriglent PRIZRENI (ALB)
Gevorg MKHEYAN (ARM)
Aghahuseyn MUSTAFAYEV (AZE)
Viktar SERADA (BLR)
Mihail Iliev GEORGIEV (BUL)
Nicolae COJOCARU (GBR)
Mirza SKHULUKHIA (GEO)
Kevin Christopher HENKEL (GER)
Roman ASHARIN (HUN)
Gianluca TALAMO (ITA)
Alban SOPA (KOS)
Artem AUGA (LTU)
Mihail SAVA (MDA)
Fati VEJSELI (MKD)
Magomedmurad GADZHIEV (POL)
Israil KASUMOV (RUS)
Marc DIETSCHE (SUI)
Haydar YAVUZ (TUR)
Oleksii BORUTA (UKR)

Frank CHAMIZO MARQUEZ (ITA), a two-time world champion, will look to win a European title in his home country of Rome. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

74kg
Hrayr ALIKHANYAN (ARM)
Khadzhimurad GADZHIYEV (AZE)
Andrei KARPACH (BLR)
Miroslav Stefanov KIROV (BUL)
Jonatan ALVAREZ DIAZ (ESP)
Aimar ANDRUSE (EST)
Charles André AFA (FRA)
Charlie James BOWLING (GBR)
Avtandil KENTCHADZE (GEO)
Kyrillos BINENMPAOUM (GRE)
Murad KURAMAGOMEDOV (HUN)
Mitchell Louis FINESILVER (ISR)
Frank CHAMIZO MARQUEZ (ITA)
Valentin BORZIN (MDA)
Patryk Krzysztof OLENCZYN (POL)
Zurab KAPRAEV (ROU)
Magomedrasul GAZIMAGOMEDOV (RUS)
Zaur EFENDIEV (SRB)
Jakub SYKORA (SVK)
Soner DEMIRTAS (TUR)
Denys PAVLOV (UKR)

79kg
Arman AVAGYAN (ARM)
Simon MARCHL (AUT)
Jabrayil HASANOV (AZE)
Mahamedkhabib KADZIMAHAMEDAU (BLR)
Dzhemal Rushen ALI (BUL)
Erik REINBOK (EST)
Saifedine ALEKMA (FRA)
Zurabi ERBOTSONASHVILI (GEO)
Alexandros TSANTIKIDIS (GRE)
Hanoc RACHAMIN (ISR)
Salvatore DIANA (ITA)
Andrius MAZEIKA (LTU)
Evgheni NEDEALCO (MDA)
Gheorghi PASCALOV (MDA)
Omaraskhab NAZHMUDINOV (ROU)
Magomed Eldarovitch RAMAZANOV (RUS)
Akhsarbek GULAEV (SVK)
Batuhan DEMIRCIN (TUR)
Vasyl MYKHAILOV (UKR)

86kg
Hovhannes MKHITARYAN (ARM)
Abubakr ABAKAROV (AZE)
Rasul TSIKHAYEU (BLR)
Akhmed Adamovitch MAGAMAEV (BUL)
Taimuraz FRIEV NASKIDAEVA (ESP)
Ville Tapani HEINO (FIN)
Akhmed AIBUEV (FRA)
Dato MARSAGISHVILI (GEO)
Lars SCHAEFLE (GER)
Georgios SAVVOULIDIS (GRE)
Mihaly NAGY (HUN)
Uri KALASHNIKOV (ISR)
Aron CANEVA (ITA)
Ivars SAMUSONOKS (LAT)
Piotr IANULOV (MDA)
Denis BALAUR (MDA)
Radoslaw MARCINKIEWICZ (POL)
Artur NAIFONOV (RUS)
Myles Nazem AMINE (SMR)
Stefan REICHMUTH (SUI)
Boris MAKOEV (SVK)
Fatih ERDIN (TUR)
Illia ARCHAIA (UKR)

92kg
Marzpet GALSTYAN (ARM)
Aslanbek ALBOROV (AZE)
Amarhajy MAHAMEDAU (BLR)
Irakli MTSITURI (GEO)
Angelos KOUKLARIS (GRE)
Bendeguz TOTH (HUN)
Simone IANNATTONI (ITA)
Edon SHALA (KOS)
Georgii RUBAEV (MDA)
Zbigniew Mateusz BARANOWSKI (POL)
Batyrbek TCAKULOV (RUS)
Samuel SCHERRER (SUI)
Suleyman KARADENIZ (TUR)
Roman RYCHKO (UKR)


Wrestling's biggest star Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RUS) will wrestle at 97kg. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

97kg
Sargis HOVSEPYAN (ARM)
Nurmagomed GADZHIYEV (AZE)
Dzianis KHRAMIANKOU (BLR)
Georgi Genadiev DIMITROV (BUL)
Alejandro CANADA PANCORBO (ESP)
Elizbar ODIKADZE (GEO)
Gennadij CUDINOVIC (GER)
Christos PETRIDIS (GRE)
Pavel OLEJNYIK (HUN)
Abraham de Jesus CONYEDO RUANO (ITA)
Lukas KRASAUSKAS (LTU)
Nicolai CEBAN (MDA)
Magomedgadji Omardibirovich NUROV (MKD)
Radoslaw BARAN (POL)
Albert SARITOV (ROU)
Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RUS)
Ibrahim BOLUKBASI (TUR)
Murazi MCHEDLIDZE (UKR)

125kg
Paris KAREPI (ALB)
Levan BERIANIDZE (ARM)
Johannes LUDESCHER (AUT)
Jamaladdin MAGOMEDOV (AZE)
Elhad HUKIC (BIH)
Ibragim SAIDOV (BLR)
Jose CUBA VAZQUEZ (ESP)
Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO)
Nick MATUHIN (GER)
Daniel LIGETI (HUN)
Ryan John MALO (ITA)
Egzon SHALA (KOS)
Alexandr ROMANOV (MDA)
Samhan JABRAILOV (MDA)
Boban DANOV (MKD)
Robert BARAN (POL)
Rares Daniel CHINTOAN (ROU)
Baldan TSYZHIPOV (RUS)
Tanju GEMICI (TUR)
Oleksandr KHOTSIANIVSKYI (UKR)

Riza KAYAALP (TUR) is one of two reigning Greco-Roman world champions that are set to compete in Rome. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

Greco-Roman

55kg
Rudik MKRTCHYAN (ARM)
Sargis GEVORGIZYAN (AUT)
Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE)
Edmond Armen NAZARYAN (BUL)
Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO)
Fabian Bernhard SCHMITT (GER)
Maksym VYSOTSKYI (ISR)
Giovanni FRENI (ITA)
Artium DELEANU (MDA)
Snorre Harsem LUND (NOR)
Florin TITA (ROU)
Vitalii KABALOEV (RUS)
Dogus AYAZCI (TUR)
Koriun SAHRADIAN (UKR)

60kg
Gevorg GHARIBYAN(ARM)
Murad BAZAROV(AZE)
Yahor BELIAK (BLR)
Avgustin Boyanov SPASOV (BUL)
Helary MAEGISALU (EST)
Juuso Aleksi LATVALA (FIN)
Amiran SHAVADZE (GEO)
Krisztian KECSKEMETI (HUN)
Jacopo SANDRON (ITA)
Przemyslaw PIATEKI (POL)
Teodor HORATAU (ROU)
Zhambolat LOKYAEV (RUS)
Dimitar Ivaylov SANDOV (SUI)
Kerem KAMAL (TUR)
Zhora ABOVIAN (UKR)

63kg
Sahak HOVHANNISYAN (ARM)
Taleh MAMMADOV (AZE)
Maksim NEHODA (BLR)
Rumen Boyanov SAVCHEV (BUL)
Levani KAVJARADZE (GEO)
Christos THEODORAKIS (GRE)
Erik TORBA (HUN)
Justas PETRAVICIUS (LTU)
Victor CIOBANU (MDA)
Stig-Andre BERGE (NOR)
Dawid KARECINSKI (POL)
Mihai Radu MIHUT (ROU)
Ibragim LABAZANOV (RUS)
Perica DIMITRIJEVIC (SRB)
Rahman BILICI (TUR)
Lenur TEMIROV (UKR)

67kg
Karen ASLANYAN (ARM)
Islambek DADOV (AZE)
Aliaksandr LIAVONCHYK (BLR)
Deyvid Tihomirov DIMITROV (BUL)
Danijel JANECIC (CRO)
Ott SAAR (EST)
Elmer Joakim MATTILA (FIN)
Yasin OZAY (FRA)
Giorgi SHOTADZE (GEO)
Witalis LAZOVSKI (GER)
Manrikos THEODORIDIS (GRE)
Krisztian Istvan VANCZA (HUN)
Ignazio SANFILIPPO (ITA)
Aleksandrs JURKJANS (LAT)
Kristupas SLEIVA (LTU)
Donior ISLAMOV (MDA)
Morten THORESEN (NOR)
Roman PACURKOWSKI (POL)
Nazir Rachidovitch ABDULLAEV (RUS)
Mate NEMES (SRB)
Andreas VETSCH (SUI)
Oskar Simon ERLANDSSON (SWE)
Enes BASAR (TUR)
Denys DEMYANKOV (UKR)
Aker AL OBAIDI (UWW)

Frank STAEBLER(GER), a three-time world champion, will compete at the non-Olympic weight of 72kg. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

72kg
Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM)
Christoph BURGER (AUT)
Ulvu GANIZADE (AZE)
Agron SADIKAJ (BIH)
Yury KANKOU (BLR)
Stoyan Stoychev KUBATOV (BUL)
Dominik ETLINGER (CRO)
Mikko Petteri PELTOKANGAS (FIN)
Ibrahim Mahmoud Hamed Hassan GHANEM (FRA)
Iuri LOMADZE (GEO)
Frank STAEBLER (GER)
Petros MANOUILIDIS (GRE)
Robert Attila FRITSCH (HUN)
Riccardo GLAVE (ITA)
Anatolie POPOV (MDA)
Valentin PETIC (MDA)
Juan Sebastian AAK (NOR)
Mateusz Lucjan BERNATEK (POL)
Adam KURAK (RUS)
Davor STEFANEK (SRB)
Leos DRMOLA (SVK)
Selcuk CAN (TUR)
Andrii KULYK (UKR)

77kg
Karapet CHALYAN (ARM)
Sanan SULEYMANOV (AZE)
Pavel LIAKH (BLR)
Aik MNATSAKANIAN (BUL)
Pavel PUKLAVEC (CRO)
Oldrich VARGA (CZE)
Ranet KALJOLA (EST)
Tero Antero Matias HALMESMAEKI (FIN)
Evrik NIKOGHOSYAN (FRA)
Demuri KAVTARADZE (GEO)
Pascal EISELE (GER)
Georgios PREVOLARAKIS (GRE)
Zotlan LEVAI (HUN)
Roman ZHERNOVETSKI (ISR)
Matteo MAFFEZZOLI (ITA)
Paulius GALKINAS (LTU)
Daniel CATARAGA (MDA)
Alexandrin GUTU (MDA)
Marcel STERKENBURG (NED)
Per Anders KURE (NOR)
Edgar BABAYAN (POL)
Islam OPIEV (RUS)
Viktor NEMES (SRB)
Nicolas Peter CHRISTEN (SUI)
Denis HORVATH (SVK)
Alex Michel BJURBERG KESSIDIS (SWE)
Yunus Emre BASAR (TUR)
Volodymyr YAKOVLIEV (UKR)

82kg
Ruben GHARIBYAN (ARM)
Michael WAGNER (AUT)
Rafig HUSEYNOV (AZE)
Stanislau SHAFARENKA (BLR)
Daniel Tihomirov ALEKSANDROV (BUL)
Filip SACIC (CRO)
Rajbek Alvievich BISULTANOV (DEN)
Lasha GOBADZE (GEO)
Hannes WAGNER (GER)
Ilias PAGKALIDIS (GRE)
Laszlo SZABO (HUN)
Igor PETRISHIN (ISR)
Ciro RUSSO (ITA)
Mihail BRADU (MDA)
Tyrone STERKENBURG (NED)
Mateusz Lukasz WOLNY (POL)
Shamil Letkaevitch OZHAEV (RUS)
Bogdan KOURINNOI (SWE)
Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR)
Andrii ANTONIUK (UKR)

Viktor LORINCZ (HUN), Greco-Roman's "Wrestler of the Year" could gain the No. 1 ranking in the world with a win in Rome. He'll wrestle at 87kg. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

87kg
Maksim MANUKYAN (ARM)
Islam ABBASOV (AZE)
Kiryl MASKEVICH (BLR)
Tarek Mohamed ABDELSLAM SHEBLE MOHAMED (BUL)
Vjekoslav LUBURIC (CRO)
Petr NOVAK (CZE)
Jesus GASCA FRESNEDA (ESP)
Erik INT (EST)
Tornike DZAMASHVILI (GEO)
Viktor LORINCZ (HUN)
Mirco MINGUZZI (ITA)
Eividas STANKEVICIUS (LTU)
Arkadiusz Marcin KULYNYCZ (POL)
Aleksandr Andreevitch KOMAROV (RUS)
Nikolaj Georgiev DOBREV (SRB)
Zurabi DATUNASHVILI (SRB)
Ramon Rainer BETSCHART (SUI)
Emil SANDAHL (SWE)
Metehan BASAR (TUR)
Semen NOVIKOV (UKR)

97kg
Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM)
Markus RAGGINGER (AUT)
Orkhan NURIYEV (AZE)
Dzmitry KAMINSKI (BLR)
Kiril Milenov MILOV (BUL)
Artur OMAROV (CZE)
Matti Elias KUOSMANEN (FIN)
Mélonin NOUMONVI (FRA)
Revazi NADAREISHVILI (GEO)
Anestis ZARIFES (GRE)
Alex Gergo SZOKE (HUN)
Nikoloz KAKHELASHVILI (ITA)
Vilius LAURINAITIS (LTU)
Tadeusz MICHALIK (POL)
Aleksandr GOLOVIN (RUS)
Mihail KAJAIA (SRB)
Damian VON EUW (SUI)
Cenk ILDEM (TUR)
Oleksandr SHYSHMAN (UKR)

130kg
David OVASAPYAN (ARM)
Sabah Saleh SHARIATI (AZE)
Pavel RUDAKOU (BLR)
Radoslav Plamenov GEORGIEV (BUL)
Stepan DAVID (CZE)
Arvi Martin SAVOLAINEN (FIN)
Levan ARABULI (GEO)
Jello KRAHMER (GER)
Adam VARGA (HUN)
El Mahdi ROCCARO (ITA)
Romas FRIDRIKAS (LTU)
Oskar MARVIK (NOR)
Rafal Andrzej KRAJEWSKI (POL)
Alin ALEXUC CIURARIU (ROU)
Zurabi GEDEKHAURI (RUS)
Riza KAYAALP (TUR)
Mykola KUCHMII (UKR)

Mariya STADNIK (AZE), the No.1-ranked wrestler in the world at 50kg, is on a quest to win her tenth European gold medal (European Championships: Seven, European Games: Two). (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

Women's Wrestling

50kg
Turkan NASIROVA (AZE)
Kseniya STANKEVICH (BLR)
Miglena Georgieva SELISHKA (BUL)
Aintzane GORRIA GONI (ESP)
Julie Martine SABATIE (FRA)
Emanuela LIUZZI (ITA)
Emilia CIRICU BUDEANU (MDA)
Maria LEORDA (MDA)
Ramona ERIKSEN (NOR)
Anna LUKASIAK (POL)
Emilia Alina VUC (ROU)
Milana DADASHEVA (RUS)
Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR)
Oksana LIVACH (UKR)

53kg
Tatyana VARANSOVA (AZE)
Vanesa KALADZINSKAYA (BLR)
Sezen Behchetova BELBEROVA (BUL)
Marina RUEDA FLORES (ESP)
Hilary Ysaline HONORINE (FRA)
Annika WENDLE (GER)
Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE)
Mercedesz DENES (HUN)
Sara ETTAKI (ITA)
Violeta PONOMARJOVA (LAT)
Iulia LEORDA (MDA)
Jessica Cornelia Francisca BLASZKA (NED)
Silje Knutsen KIPPERNES (NOR)
Katarzyna KRAWCZYK (POL)
Suzanna Georgiana SEICARIU (ROU)
Stalvira ORSHUSH (RUS)
Zeynep YETGIL (TUR)
Iryna HUSYAK (UKR)

55kg
Evelina Georgieva NIKOLOVA (BUL)
Ellen RIESTERER (GER)
Ambra CAMPAGNA (ITA)
Mariana DRAGUTAN (MDA)
Alicja CZYZOWICZ (POL)
Andreea Beatrice ANA (ROU)
Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (RUS)
Sofia Magdalena MATTSSON (SWE)
Bediha GUN (TUR)
Solomiia VYNNYK (UKR)

57kg
Alyona KOLESNIK (AZE)
Iryna KURACHKINA (BLR)
Tanya Dobromirova TENEVA (BUL)
Lenka HOCKOVA MARTINAKOVA (CZE)
Maria Victoria BAEZ DILONE (ESP)
Mathilde Hélène RIVIERE (FRA)
Arianna CARIERI (ITA)
Grace Jacob BULLEN (NOR)
Magdalena Urszula GLODEK( POL)
Marina SIMONYAN (RUS)
Sara Johanna LINDBORG (SWE)
Mehlika OZTURK (TUR)
Alina AKOBIIA (UKR)

59kg
Elmira GAMBAROVA (AZE)
Yuliya PISARENKA (BLR)
Bilyana Zhivkova DUDOVA (BUL)
Laura MERTENS (GER)
Ramona GALAMBOS (HUN)
Teresa LUMIA (ITA)
Anastasia NICHITA (MDA)
Dominika Ewa KULWICKA (POL)
Liubov OVCHAROVA (RUS)
Elif YANIK (TUR)
Anhelina LYSAK (UKR)

Taybe YUSEIN (BUL), last year's European champion and world runner-up, will wrestle at 62kg. (Photo: Gabor Martin)

62kg
Tetiana OMELCHENKO (AZE)
Veranika IVANOVA (BLR)
Taybe YUSEIN (BUL)
Lydia PEREZ TOURINO (ESP)
Luisa Helga Gerda NIEMESCH (GER)
Marianna SASTIN (HUN)
Aurora CAMPAGN A(ITA)
Kornelija ZAICEVAITE (LTU)
Mariana CHERDIVARA ESANU (MDA)
Katarzyna MADROWSKA (POL)
Inna TRAZHUKOVA (RUS)
Elif Jale YESILIRMAK (TUR)
Yuliia TKACH OSTAPCHUK (UKR)

65kg
Elis MANOLOVA (AZE)
Yauheniya ANDREICHYKAVA (BLR)
Mimi Nikolova HRISTOVA (BUL)
Petra Maarit OLLI (FIN)
Gabriella SLEISZ (HUN)
Veronica BRASCHI (ITA)
Ramina MAMEDOVA (LAT)
Kriszta Tunde INCZE (ROU)
Mariia KUZNETSOVA (RUS)
Henna Katarina JOHANSSON (SWE)
Asli TUGCU (TUR)
Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR)

68kg
IrIna  Petrovna NETREBA (AZE)
Hanna SADCHANKA (BLR)
Sofiya Hristova GEORGIEVA (BUL)
Adela HANZLICKOVA (CZE)
Koumba Selene Fanta LARROQUE (FRA)
Anna Carmen SCHELL (GER)
Ilana KRATYSH (ISR)
Dalma CANEVA (ITA)
Danute DOMIKAITYTE (LTU)
Agnieszka Jadwiga WIESZCZEK KORDUS (POL)
Khanum VELIEVA (RUS)
Kadriye AKSOY (TUR)
Alla CHERKASOVA (UKR)

Reigning 72kg world champion Natalia VOROBEVA (RUS) will comete back down at the non-Olympic weight class after bumping up to 76kg for the Matteo Pellicone. (Photo: Tony Rotundo)

72kg
Anastasiya ZIMIANKOVA (BLR)
Kendra Augustine Jocelyne DACHER (FRA)
Maria SELMAIER (GER)
Enrica RINALD I(ITA)
Catalina AXENTE (ROU)
Natalia VOROBEVA (RUS)
Merve PUL (TUR)
Alina BEREZHNA STADNIK MAKHYNIA (UKR)

76kg
Martina KUENZ (AUT)
Sabira ALIYEVA (AZE)
Vasilisa MARZALIUK (BLR)
Mariya Gerginova ORYASHKOVA (BUL)
Pauline Denise LECARPENTIER (FRA)
Georgina Olwen NELTHORPE (GBR)
Aline ROTTER FOCKEN (GER)
Aikaterini Eirini PITSIAVA (GRE)
Zsanett NEMETH (HUN)
Eleni PJOLLAJ (ITA)
Kamile GAUCAITE (LTU)
Svetlana SAENKO (MDA)
Iselin Maria Moen SOLHEIM (NOR)
Kamila Czeslawa KULWICKA (POL)
Ekaterina BUKINA (RUS)
Yasemin ADAR (TUR)
Alla BELINSKA (UKR)

*Please note that entries are subject to change and are not official until 24 hours before the start of competition.

#JapanWrestling

Otoguro set to start on tender foot down last path to Paris

By Ken Marantz

TOKYO (December 18) -- The last time the wrestling world saw Tokyo Olympic champion Takuto OTOGURO, he was leaving Belgrade with no medal from the World Championships and, more importantly, without a qualifying spot for Japan at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

This week, Otoguro will start on the lone path to Paris remaining for him, hoping the foot injury that plagued him throughout the year has recovered enough to prevail at the Emperor's Cup All-Japan Championships, to be held December 21-24 in Tokyo.

Otoguro, the Tokyo gold medalist at freestyle 65kg, will need to win his second straight title and fourth overall to earn a ticket to the Asian Olympic qualifying tournament in Bishkek in April, and, if unsuccessful there, the World Olympic qualifier in May in Istanbul.

"He has had less time to recover from the injury at the World Championships than he did leading up to it," said national freestyle coach Shozo MAEDA, who also works privately with Otoguro. "But the current state of his foot is much better than at the World Championships."

The other weight class in the spotlight will be women's 68kg, where a power-packed lineup will look to nudge Ami ISHII out of the Olympic spot that she secured for Japan by winning the fifth-place playoff in Belgrade.

Japan clinched 10 berths in Paris in Belgrade -- two each in the two men's styles and all six in women's wrestling -- but the entries in the nine others have been decided as those wrestlers won medals in Belgrade to fulfill the Japan federation criteria that allows them to automatically fill the spot themselves.

The nine with tickets to Paris are: Rei HIGUCHI (57kg) and Daichi TAKATANI (74kg) in freestyle; Kenichiro FUMITA (60kg) and Nao KUSAKA (77kg) in Greco; and Yui SUSAKI (50kg), Akari FUJINAMI (53kg), Tsugumi SAKURAI (57kg), Sakura MOTOKI (62kg) and Yuka KAGAMI (76kg) in women's wrestling.

None are entered in the Emperor's Cup, but each will have the first option of deciding whether to compete at the Asian Championships, to be held the week before the Asian Olympic qualifier in Bishkek.

Otoguro suffered the right foot injury at a national team camp in early January, which caused him to pull out of this year's Asian Championships and hampered him at the Meiji Cup All-Japan Invitational Championships in June, which he still won to make the team to Belgrade.

The plan was to win a medal there and secure his place in Paris, but the injury worsened as he was dealt a second-round loss by fall by eventual champion Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN), whom Otoguro had beaten at the Tokyo Olympics. Otoguro defaulted in the repechage, giving up his chance for a medal or a Paris berth.

Maeda said that Otoguro started full-fledged practice in November and all has been going well so far. "Of course, I can't say he's 100 percent, but he's close to it," he said. "He's got in his mind what the limits of his movement are, and he's adjusted his wrestling style a little. By covering for that, I don't think the foot is going to be a problem."

With a Paris ticket on the line, there is no shortage of wrestlers ready to take on the top-seeded Otoguro, some going up or down as many as two weight classes. There are 27 entries at 65kg, meaning Otoguro's foot will have to hold up for four matches.

Maeda said he's psychologically ready for the challenge.

"At the World Championships, he had the injury and he felt he did not train enough," Maeda said. "This time, he created a good training environment. Although he's not the type who usually leaves his base, he went back to his alma mater Yamanashi Gakuin University  and other places so he could have strong practice partners and do more sparring. Because of that, his mental state is good."

Leading the attempt to upend Otoguro will be Ryoma ANRAKU, the 2022 world U23 bronze medalist who won a bronze at the Asian Championships in Otoguro's absence. Anraku lost to Otoguro in the final at both last year's Emperor's Cup and this year's Meiji Cup, and will be determined to finally turn the tables.

Kaiki YAMAGUCHI, the Asian Games bronze medalist, will be looking to regain the Emperor's Cup title that he won back-to-back in 2020-2021 -- also in Otoguro's absence. He lost a close 3-2 decision to Otoguro at the Meiji Cup, although the Olympic champ was definitely not at his best.

Among the more intriguing entries are Toshihiro HASEGAWA and Yuto MIWA, who would be 17 kilograms apart if they were wrestling in their usual weight classes.

Hasegawa, this year's Asian Games gold winner at 57kg, has experience at a heavier weight as a 2021 world bronze medalist at 61kg, but this will be his first-ever tournament at 65kg. Miwa will be coming from the other direction -- he was the runner-up to Takatani at 74kg at the Meiji Cup, and then won a playoff to make the Japanese team to Belgrade at 79kg. The 25-year-old last wrestled under 70kg  as a high schooler in 2015.

Also worth watching is 18-year-old Rin SAKAMOTO, who became just the second high schooler in history to win a Meiji Cup freestyle title when he triumphed at 61kg.

68kg features who's who of top wrestlers

As the lone women's spot in Paris still up for grabs, the 68kg division may not have the quantity of entries as freestyle 65kg, but it certainly does not lack the quality. In fact, it may just be the greatest aggregation of talent in one weight class in tournament history.

Of the 12 entries, half have won a senior world gold or silver medal over the past three years. Three others are past national champions. Another won a world U20 gold medal this year.

Can Ishii claim the ticket to Paris that she brought back to Japan? A title will make it hers; a loss and the 2022 world silver medalist will then face the eventual champion in a playoff at a date to be determined.

The main rivals looking to get through the door to Paris that Ishii reopened will be Miwa MORIKAWA, Nonoka OZAKI and Yukako KAWAI, with Masako FURUICHI and Rin MIYAJI regarded as outside threats.

Morikawa, the 2022 world 65kg champion who lost to Ishii at last year's Emperor's Cup, beat her in the semifinals en route to gold at the Meiji Cup to set up a playoff between the two for the world team spot. Ishii pulled off a close 2-1 victory to earn the trip to Belgrade.

Morikawa had a front-row seat to Ishii's failure that suddenly rekindled her Olympic dream as she competed at 72kg in Belgrade, where she took home a bronze medal.

Also in Belgrade was Ozaki, who had lost out at 62kg to Motoki, but like Morikawa, made the team in a non-Olympic weight. She moved up to 65kg and took the gold. She has the skill and desire, but it will be interesting to see how she handles the additional weight at 68kg.

While past performance does not ensure future success, Ozaki may get a boost in confidence knowing that she is 3-0 in career meetings with Ishii, her most recent win coming in 2020, and 2-0 against Kawai.

Kawai will also be punching above her weight, as she won the gold medal at 62kg at the Tokyo Olympics. She also failed to displace Motoki in the race to Belgrade and then gave 68kg a shot, but came up short when she lost in the Meiji Cup final to Morikawa.

Furuichi, the oldest in the group at 27, is also a member of the world "grand slam" club, having added the senior 72kg title in 2021. She also has a pair of world bronzes from 2019 and 2022.

Miyaji drew global attention at the 2021 World Championships in Oslo, where she stunned Olympic champion Tamyra MENSAH STOCK (USA) in the 68kg semifinals before suffering a serious knee injury in the final and having to settle for the silver. The collegian has struggled to regain her form after a long rehab, but cannot be counted out.

While there are no other Olympic places at stake, two other women's weight classes are worth noting.

Kawai's older sister Risako KINJO, while denied a chance at a third Olympic gold, will be defending her 59kg title as she continues her wrestling career while being the mother of a toddler.

At 50kg, a potential final between 2021 world champion Remina YOSHIMOTO and current world U23 champion Umi ITO could be regarded as a de facto world silver-medal match. Since 2020, neither has lost to anyone, either in Japan or abroad, other than the unbeatable Susaki. They have met each other four times in that span, with Yoshimoto, two years older at 23, winning all four.

Takatani chases legends, 4th Olympics

In other men's weight classes, veteran Sohsuke TAKATANI will be looking to tie a pair of legends for most career national titles -- and keep alive his bid to appear at a fourth Olympics -- when he takes the mat at freestyle 86kg.

The 34-year-old Takatani, the older brother of the Paris-bound Daichi at 74kg, has won 12 consecutive golds at the Emperor's Cup over four weight classes, the last three at 92kg. A victory would tie him with Saori YOSHIDA and Kaori ICHO for third on the all-time list for overall titles. In terms of consecutive titles, a 13th in a row would break a tie for second with Kyoko HAMAGUCHI.

But going down a weight class in no way makes things easier. The biggest obstacle in Takatani's path to Paris is defending champion Hayato ISHIGURO, who beat him 3-0 in the final of the Meiji Cup in June. That earned Ishiguro, an Asian bronze medalist, a ticket to Belgrade, where he made the fourth round and placed 13th.

Winning an Olympic medal remains an obsession for Takatani, a world silver medalist in 2014 at 74kg. His highest finish at an Olympics was a seventh place at the 2016 Rio Games.

Among the others who could pose problems for those two is Tatsuya SHIRAI, who became Japan's heaviest male world champion on any level when he won the U23 gold at 86kg in 2022. Ironically, he broke the record set by Ishiguro, who captured the world U20 gold at 79kg in 2018.

Also worth watching are collegians Fumiya IGARASHI, who established his credentials this year by taking a silver medal at the World U20 Championships, and Yudai TAKAHASHI, who made the first of his two appearances at a senior World Championships as a high schooler in 2019 and has always seemed on the brink of a breakout performance.

There is an added incentive at 86kg. The odds of the winner earning one of the two Paris tickets available at the Asian Olympic qualifier are quite high, as three Asian nations, including Iran, secured berths in Belgrade.

Interestingly, Takatani is also entered at Greco 87kg. He qualified by winning the title at the National Non-Student Open in October in the first-ever foray into Greco of his career.

At freestyle 97kg, rising star Arash YOSHIDA and older brother Keiwan could take the term sibling rivalry to a new level as they could face each other in an attempt to dethrone defending champion Takashi ISHIGURO, Hayato's older brother.

The 19-year-old Arash, whose father is Iranian and runs the kids wrestling club where he got his start in the sport, turned heads when he won the gold medal at 92kg at the Asian Championships last April -- beating an Iranian in the first round in his first-ever international match -- then finished fifth at the worlds in Belgrade.

With Japan still not qualified at 86kg or 97kg for Paris, many wondered which way Yoshida would go. In the end, he decided to go up in weight, and prepared by winning the national collegiate title at 97kg last month.

Keiwan, five years his senior, was also a collegiate star, but never had the success on the global level that his younger brother has already enjoyed. He made the final of the Emperor's Cup once, losing in 2021 to Ishiguro, and qualified this year by winning the second-tier National Games tournament in September.

The most enticing Greco division on tap will be 67kg, which looks to come down to another clash between world team member Kyotaro SOGABE and Asian Games gold medalist Katsuaki ENDO, who are both part of the training group at Nippon Sports Science University.

Endo, 26, has a 5-3 lead in head-to-head meetings dating back to 2019, but the 22-year-old Sogabe has won two of the last three, including a playoff in June to make the squad to Belgrade. There, Sogabe won over fans by taking Olympic champion Mohammad Reza GERAEI (IRI) to the limit before suffering a heartbreaking 11-10 loss in the second round.

Sogabe heads into the tournament as the defending champion, while Endo will be looking to regain the crown he first captured in 2018 and won again in 2021.

The wild card in the weight class could be Taishi NARIKUNI, the maverick who won the world gold in freestyle 70kg in 2022 before deciding to try to repeat the feat in Greco. An injury forced him to withdraw from that year's Emperor's Cup, and his bid to make it to Belgrade ended when he lost badly to Endo in the semifinals at the Meiji Cup.

Also worth watching will be Kensuke SHIMIZU, a 2021 world bronze medalist at 63kg who has yet to find success at the Olympic weight.

The tournament is returning to Tokyo's Yoyogi No. 2 Gym, which was originally built for the 1964 Tokyo Olympics and then closed for several years as the area was renovated for the 2021 Games. The Olympic weight classes will follow the same two-day format as at the World Championships, with action through the semifinals on the first day and the repechage round and finals on the second. Non-Olympic weight classes will start and finish on the same day.

Schedule

Thursday, December 21

Through semifinals: FS 74kg, FS 125kg; GR 87kg, GR 97kg, GR 130kg; WW 53kg, WW 62kg, WW 76kg

Through finals: FS 61kg; GR 55kg, GR 72kg; WW 72kg

Friday, December 22

Through semifinals: FS 57kg, FS 86kg; GR 60kg, GR 77kg

Through finals: FS 92kg; GR 63kg; WW 55kg, WW 65kg

Finals: FS 74kg, FS 125kg; GR 87kg, GR 97kg, GR 130kg, WW 53kg, WW 62kg, WW 76kg

Saturday, December 23

Through semifinals: FS 65kg, FS 97kg; GR 67kg; WW 50kg, WW 57kg, WW 68kg

Through finals: FS 70kg, FS 79kg

Finals: FS 57kg, FS 86kg; GR 60kg, GR 77kg

Sunday, December 24

Through finals: GR 82kg; WW 59kg

Finals: FS 65kg, FS 97kg; GR 67kg; WW 50kg, WW 57kg, WW 68kg