#WrestleZagreb

European Championships entry list

Tuesday, March 28, 2023 - 11:06 By Eric Olanowski & Vinay Siwach

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ZAGREB, Croatia (March 28) -- The 2023 European Championships will see the return of 27 defending champions as we enter the Paris Olympics cycle.

Zagreb, Croatia will play host to the tournament from April 17 to 24 with all 10 Greco-Roman returning champions, nine freestyle champions and eight women's wrestling gold medalists. The three who are not entered are Zurabi IAKOBISHVILI (GEO) at 70kg, Taybe YUSEIN (BUL) at women's 62kg and Anna SCHELL (GER) at 72kg.

The number of countries participating in the tournament will be eligible to participate in the World Championships, the first event which will offer quotas for Paril Olympics.

Once again, Azerbaijan, Turkiye, and Georgia will be the biggest threat to the team title in freestyle with Azerbaijan begin led by Olympic silver medalist Haji ALIYEV (AZE) at 65kg.

Turkiye has Taha AKGUL (TUR) at 125kg while Suleyman ATLI (TUR) and Soner DEMIRTAS (TUR) are also part of the team.

It is expected to come down to 125kg final between Akgul and Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO), another chapter in their storied career. Akgul won the final over Petriashvili last year.

A similar story is expected in Greco-Roman as the three countries are bringing top squads. Last year, Azerbaijan won both the team title with Turkiye finishing second and Georgia finishing third.

Greco-Roman will see a few rivalries also be resumed as both Eldaniz AZIZLI (GEO) and Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO) are entered at 55kg. So are the finalists at 60kg -- Kerem KAMAL (TUR) and Edmond NAZARYAN (BUL). The finalists from 63kg, 77kg, 82kg, 87kg, 97kg and 130kg are also entered.

World champion Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) is returning to European Championships after three years. He is a six-time European champion -- five continental and one Games title.

In women's wrestling, Turkiye and Ukraine will once again be fighting for the team title like last year.

Ukraine has a stronger team than last year with the return of the Olympic bronze medalist at 62kg Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR) and former world champion Yuliia TKACH (UKR) at 59kg. However, the absence of world silver medalist Oleksandra KHOMENETS (UKR) may hurt the nation.

Turkiye will be led by the world and European champion Yasemin ADAR (TUR) with Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR), Zeynep YETGIL (TUR), Nesrin BAS (TUR) and Bose TOSUN (TUR) also part of the team.

Mariya STADNIK (AZE) will be returning for yet another European Championships in her career and for the first time since 2021. She is a nine-time European champion which includes two Games titles.

Taha AKGUL (TUR)Taha AKGUL (TUR) defeated Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) in the 125kg final last year. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Freestyle

57kg
Manvel KHNDZRTSYAN (ARM)
Aliabbas RZAZADE (AZE)
Ivaylo TISOV (BUL)
Levan METREVELI (ESP)
Valentin DAMOUR (FRA)
Roberti DINGASHVILI (GEO)
Horst LEHR (GER)
Simone PIRODDU (ITA)
Amir MAGOMEDSULTANOV (MDA)
Besir ALILI (MKD)
Razvan KOVACS (ROU)
Thomas EPP (SUI)
Suleyman ATLI (TUR)
Andrii YATSENKO (UKR)

61kg
Zelimkhan ABAKAROV (ALB)
Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM)
Intigam VALIZADA (AZE)
Georgi VANGELOV (BUL)
Arman ELOYAN (FRA)
Shota PHARTENADZE (GEO)
Niklas STECHELE (GER)
Gamzatgadzsi HALIDOV (HUN)
Daniel POPOV (ISR)
Andrei VITAN (MDA)
Vladimir EGOROV (MKD)
Nikolai OKHLOPKOV (ROU)
Emrah ORMANOGLU (TUR)
Valentyn BLIASETSKYI (UKR)

65kg
Islam DUDAEV (ALB)
Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM)
Haji ALIYEV (AZE)
Mikyay NAIM (BUL)
Carlos ALVAREZ (ESP)
Marwane YEZZA (FRA)
Edemi BOLKVADZE (GEO)
Andre CLARKE (GER)
Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN)
Joshua FINESILVER (ISR)
Colin REALBUTO (ITA)
Maxim SACULTAN (MDA)
Krzysztof BIENKOWSKI (POL)
Stefan COMAN (ROU)
Stevan MICIC (SRB)
Nino LEUTERT (SUI)
Hamza ALACA (TUR)
Erik ARUSHANIAN (UKR)

70kg
Arman ANDREASYAN (ARM)
Magomed KHANIEV (AZE)
Muhammad ABDURACHMANOV (BEL)
Ramazan RAMAZANOV (BUL)
Giorgi ELBAKIDZE (GEO)
Kevin HENKEL (GER)
Daniel ANTAL (HUN)
Gianluca TALAMO (ITA)
Nicolai GRAHMEZ (MDA)
Fati VEJSELI (MKD)
Patryk OLENCZYN (POL)
Marc DIETSCHE (SUI)
Daniel CHOMANIC (SVK)
Servet COSKUN (TUR)
Ihor NYKYFORUK (UKR)

74kg
Hrayr ALIKHANYAN (ARM)
Simon MARCHL (AUT)
Dzhabrail GADZHIEV (AZE)
Ali UMARPASHAEV (BUL)
Erik REINBOK (EST)
Avtandil KENTCHADZE (GEO)
Murad KURAMAGOMEDOV (HUN)
Mitchell FINESILVER (ISR)
Frank CHAMIZO (ITA)
Vasile DIACON (MDA)
Rasul SHAPIEV (MKD)
Szymon WOJTKOWSKI (POL)
Iakub SHIKHDZHAMALOV (ROU)
Malik AMINE (SMR)
Hetik CABOLOV (SRB)
Tobias PORTMANN (SUI)
Tajmuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK)
Soner DEMIRTAS (TUR)
Semen RADULOV (UKR)

79kg
Arman AVAGYAN (ARM)
Sabuhi AMIRASLANOV (AZE)
Mihail GEORGIEV (BUL)
Kreso SKUGOR (CRO)
Gabriel IGLESIAS (ESP)
Saifedine ALEKMA (FRA)
Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO)
Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE)
Csaba VIDA (HUN)
Eugeniu MIHALCEAN (MDA)
Ahmad MAGOMEDOV (MKD)
Maxim VASILIOGLO (ROU)
Akhsarbek GULAEV (SVK)
Muhammet AKDENIZ (TUR)
Vasyl MYKHAILOV (UKR)
Iman MAHDAVI (UWW)

86kg
Mushegh MKRTCHYAN (ARM)
Benjamin GREIL (AUT)
Abubakr ABAKAROV (AZE)
Ilia HRISTOV (BUL)
Taimuraz FRIEV (ESP)
Aimar ANDRUSE (EST)
Ruslan VALIEV (FRA)
Tariel GAPHRINDASHVILI (GEO)
Lars SCHAEFLE (GER)
Angelos KOUKLARIS (GRE)
Patrik PUESPOEKI (HUN)
Uri KALASHNIKOV (ISR)
Akhmedkhan TEMBOTOV (ITA)
Ivars SAMUSONOKS (LAT)
Domantas PAULIUSCENKO (LTU)
Ivan ICHIZLI (MDA)
Uvejs FEJZULAHU (MKD)
Sebastian JEZIERZANSKI (POL)
Andrei FRANT (ROU)
Myles AMINE (SMR)
Boris MAKOEV (SVK)
Fatih ERDIN (TUR)
Vladyslav PRUS (UKR)

92kg
Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE)
Ahmed BATAEV (BUL)
Akhmed AIBUEV (FRA)
Miriani MAISURADZE (GEO)
Joshua MORODION (GER)
Matthew FINESILVER (ISR)
Ion DEMIAN (MDA)
Redjep HAJDARI (MKD)
Radoslaw MARCINKIEWICZ (POL)
Strahinja DESPIC (SRB)
Ermak KARDANOV (SVK)
Feyzullah AKTURK (TUR)
Illia ARCHAIA (UKR)

97kg
Sergey SARGSYAN (ARM)
Magomedkhan MAGOMEDOV (AZE)
Georgi DIMITROV (BUL)
Givi MATCHARASHVILI (GEO)
Erik THIELE (GER)
Vladislav BAITSAEV (HUN)
Benjamin HONIS (ITA)
Egzon SHALA (KOS)
Lukas KRASAUSKAS (LTU)
Radu LEFTER (MDA)
Magomedgadji NUROV (MKD)
Zbigniew BARANOWSKI (POL)
Samuel SCHERRER (SUI)
Batyrbek TSAKULOV (SVK)
Ibrahim CIFTCI (TUR)
Murazi MCHEDLIDZE (UKR)

125kg
Paris KAREPI (ALB)
Johannes LUDESCHER (AUT)
Giorgi MESHVILDISHVILI (AZE)
Georgi IVANOV (BUL)
Jose CUBA VAZQUEZ (ESP)
Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO)
Gennadij CUDINOVIC (GER)
Azamat KHOSONOV (GRE)
Daniel LIGETI (HUN)
Abraham CONYEDO (ITA)
Ivan NEDEALCO (MDA)
Robert BARAN (POL)
Magomedgadzhi NURASULOV (SRB)
Taha AKGUL (TUR)
Oleksandr KHOTSIANIVSKYI (UKR)

Kiril MILOV (BUL)Kiril MILOV (BUL) is the defending champion at 97kg. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Greco-Roman

55kg
Rudik MKRTCHYAN (ARM)
Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE)
Stefan GRIGOROV (BUL)
Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO)
Fabian SCHMITT (GER)
Artiom DELEANU (MDA)
Denis MIHAI (ROU)
Muhammet CAKIR (TUR)
Viacheslav BAIRAKTAR (UKR)

60kg
Bajram SINA (ALB)
Gevorg GHARIBYAN (ARM)
Nihat MAMMADLI (AZE)
Edmond NAZARYAN (BUL)
Nikolai MOHAMMADI (DEN)
Daniel BOBILLO (ESP)
Helary MAEGISALU (EST)
Leo TUDEZCA (FRA)
Pridon ABULADZE (GEO)
Christopher KRAEMER (GER)
Erik TORBA (HUN)
Melkamu FETENE (ISR)
Justas PETRAVICIUS (LTU)
Vitalie ERIOMENCO (MDA)
Michal TRACZ (POL)
Razvan ARNAUT (ROU)
Georgii TIBILOV (SRB)
Ardit FAZLJIJA (SWE)
Kerem KAMAL (TUR)
Viktor PETRYK (UKR)

63kg
Hrachya POGHOSYAN (ARM)
Aker SCHMID AL OBAIDI (AUT)
Taleh MAMMADOV (AZE)
Abu AMAEV (BUL)
Ivan LIZATOVIC (CRO)
Leri ABULADZE (GEO)
Krisztian KECSKEMETI (HUN)
Jacopo SANDRON (ITA)
Aleksandrs JURKJANS (LAT)
Victor CIOBANU (MDA)
Perica DIMITRIJEVIC (SRB)
Virgil BICA (SWE)
Ismail CULFA (TUR)
Oleksandr HRUSHYN (UKR)

67kg
Slavik GALSTYAN (ARM)
Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE)
Ivo ILIEV (BUL)
Luka IVANCIC (CRO)
Elmer MATTILA (FIN)
Tigran GALUSTYAN (FRA)
Joni KHETSURIANI (GEO)
Witalis LAZOVSKI (GER)
Krisztian VANCZA (HUN)
Shon NADORGIN (ISR)
Zaur KABALOEV (ITA)
Alexei HAHLOVSCHI (MDA)
Haavard JOERGENSEN (NOR)
Mateusz BERNATEK (POL)
Pedro DE MATOS (POR)
Mihai MIHUT (ROU)
Sebastian NAD (SRB)
Mate NEMES (SRB)
Andreas VETSCH (SUI)
Niklas OEHLEN (SWE)
Murat FIRAT (TUR)
Parviz NASIBOV (UKR)

72kg
Shant KHACHATRYAN (ARM)
Ulvu GANIZADE (AZE)
Deyvid DIMITROV (BUL)
Pavel PUKLAVEC (CRO)
Jakub BIELESZ (CZE)
Matias LIPASTI (FIN)
Ibrahim GHANEM (FRA)
Ramaz ZOIDZE (GEO)
Michael WIDMAYER (GER)
Robert FRITSCH (HUN)
Kristupas SLEIVA (LTU)
Valentin PETIC (MDA)
Roman PACURKOWSKI (POL)
Ali ARSALAN (SRB)
Michael PORTMANN (SUI)
Selcuk CAN (TUR)
Andrii KULYK (UKR)

77kg
Kevin KUPI (ALB)
Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM)
Sanan SULEYMANOV (AZE)
Aik MNATSAKANIAN (BUL)
Antonio KAMENJASEVIC (CRO)
Oliver KRUEGER (DEN)
Marcos SANCHEZ (ESP)
Mikko PELTOKANGAS (FIN)
Johnny BUR (FRA)
Iuri LOMADZE (GEO)
Samuel BELLSCHEIDT (GER)
Christos KOUTSOURIDIS (GRE)
Zoltan LEVAI (HUN)
Luca DARIOZZI (ITA)
Paulius GALKINAS (LTU)
Alexandrin GUTU (MDA)
Juan AAK (NOR)
Patryk BEDNARZ (POL)
Aleksa ILIC (SRB)
Viktor NEMES (SRB)
Denis HORVATH (SVK)
Per Albin OLOFSSON (SWE)
Yunus BASAR (TUR)
Serhii KOZUB (UKR)

82kg
Samvel GRIGORYAN (ARM)
Michael WAGNER (AUT)
Rafig HUSEYNOV (AZE)
Rosian DERMANSKI (BUL)
Filip SACIC (CRO)
Bozo STARCEVIC (CRO)
Ranet KALJOLA (EST)
Gela BOLKVADZE (GEO)
Roland SCHWARZ (GER)
Georgios PREVOLARAKIS (GRE)
Erik SZILVASSY (HUN)
Mihail BRADU (MDA)
Exauce MUKUBU (NOR)
Branko KOVACEVIC (SRB)
Marc WEBER (SUI)
Kristoffer BERG (SWE)
Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR)
Yaroslav FILCHAKOV (UKR)

87kg
Vigen NAZARYAN (ARM)
Lukas STAUDACHER (AUT)
Islam ABBASOV (AZE)
Semen NOVIKOV (BUL)
Ivan HUKLEK (CRO)
Turpal BISULTANOV (DEN)
Andreas VAELIS (EST)
Lasha GOBADZE (GEO)
Hannes WAGNER (GER)
Nikolaos VARKAS (GRE)
David LOSONCZI (HUN)
Mirco MINGUZZI (ITA)
Martynas NEMSEVICIUS (LTU)
Marcel STERKENBURG (NED)
Arkadiusz KULYNYCZ (POL)
Nicu OJOG (ROU)
Zarko DICKOV (SRB)
Zurabi DATUNASHVILI (SRB)
Damian VON EUW (SUI)
Alex KESSIDIS (SWE)
Ali CENGIZ (TUR)
Artem MATIASH (UKR)

97kg
Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM)
Markus RAGGINGER (AUT)
Arif NIFTULLAYEV (AZE)
Kiril MILOV (BUL)
Filip SMETKO (CRO)
Artur OMAROV (CZE)
Richard KARELSON (EST)
Arvi SAVOLAINEN (FIN)
Loic SAMEN (FRA)
Roberti KOBLIASHVILI (GEO)
Peter OEHLER (GER)
Laokratis KESIDIS (GRE)
Alex Gergo SZOKE (HUN)
Nikoloz KAKHELASHVILI (ITA)
Vilius LAURINAITIS (LTU)
Tyrone STERKENBURG (NED)
Felix BALDAUF (NOR)
Gerard KURNICZAK (POL)
Mario VUKOVIC (SRB)
Mihail KAJAIA (SRB)
Aleksandar STJEPANETIC (SWE)
Metehan BASAR (TUR)
Vladlen KOZLIUK (UKR)

130kg
David OVASAPYAN (ARM)
Sabah SHARIATI (AZE)
Marcel ALBINI (CZE)
Eerik PANK (EST)
Konsta MAEENPAEAE (FIN)
Iakobi KAJAIA (GEO)
Jello KRAHMER (GER)
Dariusz VITEK (HUN)
Danila SOTNIKOV (ITA)
Mantas KNYSTAUTAS (LTU)
Oskar MARVIK (NOR)
Rafal KRAJEWSKI (POL)
Alin ALEXUC CIURARIU (ROU)
Boris PETRUSIC (SRB)
Delian ALISHAHI (SUI)
Riza KAYAALP (TUR)
Mykhailo VYSHNYVETSKYI (UKR)

Mariya STADNIK (AZE)Mariya STADNIK (AZE) is eyeing her 10th European title. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Women’s Wrestling

50kg
Mariya STADNIK (AZE)
Miglena SELISHKA (BUL)
Aintzane GORRIA GONI (ESP)
Julie SABATIE (FRA)
Szimonetta SZEKER (HUN)
Emanuela LIUZZI (ITA)
Gabija DILYTE (LTU)
Veronika RYABOVOLOVA (MKD)
Anna LUKASIAK (POL)
Emilia VUC (ROU)
Svenja JUNGO (SUI)
Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR)
Oksana LIVACH (UKR)

53kg
Elnura MAMMADOVA (AZE)
Marina RUEDA FLORES (ESP)
Anastasia BLAYVAS (GER)
Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE)
Stalvira ORSHUSH (HUN)
Vestina DANISEVICIUTE (LTU)
Iulia LEORDA (MDA)
Marija SPIRKOVSKA (MKD)
Roksana ZASINA (POL)
Marija IGNJATOVIC (SRB)
Jonna MALMGREN (SWE)
Zeynep YETGIL (TUR)
Liliia MALANCHUK (UKR)

55kg
Ilona DYDIAK SEMKIV (AZE)
Tatiana DEBIEN (FRA)
Annika WENDLE (GER)
Erika BOGNAR (HUN)
Laura STANELYTE (LTU)
Mariana DRAGUTAN (MDA)
Katarzyna KRAWCZYK (POL)
Andreea Beatrice ANA (ROU)
Bediha GUN (TUR)
Mariia VYNNYK (UKR)

57kg
Zhala ALIYEVA (AZE)
Evelina NIKOLOVA (BUL)
Lana NOGIC (CRO)
Graciela SANCHEZ (ESP)
Jenna HEMIAE (FIN)
Mathilde RIVIERE (FRA)
Elena BRUGGER (GER)
Anna SZEL (HUN)
Jowita WRZESIEN (POL)
Evelina HULTHEN (SWE)
Elvira KAMALOGLU (TUR)
Alina HRUSHYNA (UKR)

59kg
Alyona KOLESNIK (AZE)
Kelsey BARNES (GBR)
Sandra PARUSZEWSKI (GER)
Nikolett SZABO (HUN)
Morena DE VITA (ITA)
Anastasia NICHITA (MDA)
Othelie HOEIE (NOR)
Anhelina LYSAK (POL)
JOVANA RADIVOJEVIC (SRB)
Eda TEKIN (TUR)
Yuliia TKACH (UKR)

62kg
Elis MANOLOVA (AZE)
Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL)
Lydia PEREZ TOURINO (ESP)
Viktoria VESSO (EST)
Ameline DOUARRE (FRA)
Luisa NIEMESCH (GER)
Elena ESPOSITO (ITA)
Mariana CHERDIVARA ESANU (MDA)
Grace BULLEN (NOR)
Magdalena GLODEK (POL)
Amina CAPEZAN (ROU)
Sara LINDBORG (SWE)
Selvi ILYASOGLU (TUR)
Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR)

65kg
Birgul SOLTANOVA (AZE)
Mimi HRISTOVA (BUL)
Iva GERIC (CRO)
Nerea PAMPIN BLANCO (ESP)
Kendra DACHER (FRA)
Elma ZEIDLERE (LAT)
Natalia KUBATY (POL)
Kriszta INCZE (ROU)
Masa PEROVIC (SRB)
Busra EFE (TUR)
Tetiana RIZHKO (UKR)

68kg
Albina DRAZHI (ALB)
Nigar MIRZAZADA (AZE)
Yuliana YANEVA (BUL)
Gia KASTELAN (CRO)
Adela HANZLICKOVA (CZE)
Koumba LARROQUE (FRA)
Eyleen SEWINA (GER)
Noémi SZABADOS (HUN)
Danute DOMIKAITYTE (LTU)
Irina RINGACI (MDA)
Natalia STRZALKA (POL)
Zsuzsanna MOLNAR (SVK)
Tindra SJOEBERG (SWE)
Nesrin BAS (TUR)
Alla BELINSKA (UKR)

72kg
Sofiya GEORGIEVA (BUL)
Milla ANDELIC (CRO)
Pauline LECARPENTIER (FRA)
Lilly SCHNEIDER (GER)
Ilana KRATYSH (ISR)
Dalma CANEVA (ITA)
Patrycja SPERKA (POL)
Alexandra ANGHEL (ROU)
Emilija JAKOVLJEVIC (SRB)
Buse TOSUN (TUR)
Liudmyla PAVLOVETS TYCHYNA (UKR)

76kg
Martina KUENZ (AUT)
Marta BESEK (CRO)
Epp MAE (EST)
Cynthia VESCAN (FRA)
Francy RAEDELT (GER)
Christina PAPADOPOULOU (GRE)
Enrica RINALDI (ITA)
Kamile GAUCAITE (LTU)
Marion BYE (NOR)
Catalina AXENTE (ROU)
Fanni NAGY NAD (SRB)
Yasemin ADAR (TUR)
Anastasiia SHUSTOVA (UKR) 

#WrestleParis

Paris 2024 Wrestling Day 2 Preview: GR 77kg, 97kg; WW50kg

Tuesday, July 23, 2024 - 09:25 By Ken Marantz

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PARIS (July 23) -- Yui SUSAKI (JPN) and Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) are at different stages in their storied careers as they both head to Paris with the aim of winning a second Olympic gold medal.

Susaki, at 25, is one of the biggest stars of the generation now in its prime, having four world titles at women's 50kg to go with the gold she won at the Tokyo Olympics. The endearing dynamo has still never lost to a non-Japanese opponent in nearly 100 matches.

PARIS 2024 SCHEDULE | PARIS 2024 NEWS

The 32-year-old Aleksanyan could be regarded as being on the tail end of a career that includes an Olympic medal of every color, with the gold having come at Rio 2016, and with four world golds of his own. He remains the face of the Greco 97kg weight class.

The two will command the spotlight when those divisions begin action on Day 2 at the Paris Games along with Greco 77kg, in which an unheralded compatriot of Susaki's has suddenly emerged as a gold-medal contender.

"To win consecutive Olympics, or to win just one, is not something that comes easily," Susaki said in an interview with Japanese media in April after returning from a tougher-than-expected title run at the Asian Championships in Bishkek.

"It makes me again aware that [wrestling] is a tough world. How I spend the next three months will decide what happens in three months. I will prepare so that I can win a wonderful gold and leave with a smile."

Mariya STADNIK (AZE)Four-time medalist Mariya STADNIK (AZE) will wrestle at her fifth Olympics. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

While Susaki will enter as the overwhelming favorite to flash her pearly whites on top of the medal podium, sentiment will be on the side of veteran Mariya STADNIK (AZE), the 35-year-old mother of two who is a good bet to make history by winning an unprecedented fifth Olympic medal.

Can this one finally be a gold for Stadnik? That would likely entail having to pull off a major upset of Susaki, an opponent she has not beaten in three career meetings, most recently in the semifinals at the Tokyo Olympics.

Aleksanyan would have been going to Paris as a five-time world champion had he not been dealt a stunning last-second defeat in the final at last year's World Championships in Belgrade by Gabriel ROSILLO (CUB). Look for the Armenian to avoid any more mistakes like that.

Nao KUSAKA (JPN)Nao KUSAKA (JPN) is a strong gold medal favorite in Paris. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

At Greco 77kg, top seed Nao KUSAKA (JPN) seems to be peaking at just the right time after winning a surprising bronze medal in Belgrade, which he followed up by stunning two-time reigning world champion and Tokyo Olympic silver medalist Akzhol MAKHUMUDOV (KGZ) before the latter's home crowd at the Asian Championships.

Makhmudov, the Tokyo Olympic silver medalist, will look to bounce back and become Kyrgyzstan's first-ever Olympic champion -- assuming compatriot Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) doesn't beat him to it at Greco 60kg.

Here's a look at each weight class:

 

WW 50kg: Susaki, the one to beat

When a longtime champion is dealt a rare defeat, they are often told, "It may be the best thing that could have happened," because they become less complacent and more determined. They go back to the basics and come back even stronger.

That's the experience that Susaki went through at the Asian Championships, except that it didn't entail actually losing. Just having fallen behind in a match for the first time in who knows how long was enough of a wake-up call in her declared quest to eventually win four Olympic gold medals.

In the final against Ziqi FENG (CHN), Susaki got stopped on an attempted front headlock roll to put her behind 4-2. From her gold-medal run at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics to that point, Susaki had given up a total of only 11 points in 41 matches, and no one had scored four points on her.

Susaki being Susaki, she managed to come back and win the match and the gold 8-4. That gave her three wins in three career meetings with Feng, who will be in Paris after winning a world bronze in 2023. Susaki would say that while happy with the victory but far from satisfied with the performance, it made her aware of issues that she needed to address.

 

"I think that more of my opponents will use the strategy of trying to keep the score low and have the match come down to the last 30 seconds," Susaki said. "I want to practice so that my wrestling will get me past that type of opponent."

Susaki said she is not concerned that opponents are studying her every move, looking for any cracks in the armor. "The opponents will be doing that, but first, it's a problem with myself. I have to look into myself and to be assured of winning the gold in Paris, I have to decide what I need to do. I have to set a straightforward goal and advance toward it."

Since her first international tournament -- the 2014 Klippan Lady, in the cadet division -- Susaki has compiled a 94-0 record against non-Japanese foes while piling up 24 consecutive tournament titles. In fact, she has lost only three times in her entire career dating back to junior high school, all of which came at the hands of the same opponent, compatriot Yuki IRIE (JPN).

Stadnik showed she could still hold her own on the world stage by capturing a third straight European title in February. She was dealt a surprising loss by Oksana LIVACH (UKR) at the European Olympic Qualifier, but earned her ticket to Paris at the World Qualifier, although that venture included a defeat by 2023 Asian Games silver medalist Son Hyang KIM (PRK). Both Livach and Kim will also be in Paris.

 

The most intriguing entry is Vinesh PHOGAT (IND), whose path to Paris was filled with pain and adversity. For years a top competitor at 53kg, she was forced by circumstances to drop down to 50kg for the first time since 2018 in a desperate bid to win an elusive medal at her third Olympic Games.

A 2022 world bronze medalist at 53kg, her conflict with the Indian federation over accusations of sexual harassment by its president and a subsequent public protest with other top wrestlers drew vilification from within and without the federation. As if that wasn't bad enough, she suffered a severe knee injury in August 2023 that required surgery.

Vinesh was just able to recover in time for the Olympic qualifiers, but the 53kg slot had already been filled by world bronze medalist ANTIM (IND). She decided to take the extreme route of moving down to 50kg, where she prevailed at the Asian Qualifier.

 

"I have fought two battles -- one regarding weight cut and the other is the competition,” Vinesh told UWW after winning the quota from the Asian Olympic Qualifiers in Bishkek. "Many people had suggested not to take part at 50kg because it might lead to an injury relapse, but I didn’t have an option. It was a do-or-die situation for me."

For the seven-time Asian medalist, the desire to become India's second female wrestling medalist has been a powerful driving force. "The focus will be on trying my best," she said. "I’ve been doing this for 20 years and the hopes of winning an Olympic medal keeps me going. It’s been difficult so far, but when you win, it seems like all the struggles were worth it."

Others with viable medal ambitions are Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist and three-time world medalist Sarah HILDEBRANDT (USA), two-time world silver medalist Otgonjargal DOLGORJAV (MGL) and world bronze medalist Anastasia BLAYVAS (GER).

Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM)Gabriel ROSILLO (CUB) scored a late takedown to beat Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) at the World Championships. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

GR 97kg: Aleksanyan looks to go out in blaze of glory

It wasn't the food that left a bad taste in Aleksanyan's mouth when he left Tokyo with a silver medal. The combination of being visibly hampered by a leg injury and giving up a 2-point penalty that he is still not convinced about made it hard to swallow a 5-1 loss in the final to Musa EVLOEV (ROC).

"I got a very serious injury during the fight with the Iranian in the semifinals of the Olympic Games in Tokyo. And in the final I fought on one leg," Aleksanyan said in an interview with
Armenpress. "But even in this state, I was ready to win, if not for the bias of the judges.

"To this day, I tell everyone that I did not touch my opponent's leg with my hand. There is no one in the world who would show me that I touched his leg with my hand. If it hadn't been for the injury, I'm sure I would have won."

That has motivated him to make sure nothing goes wrong as he attempts to add a second gold to the one he captured at the 2016 Rio Olympics. "I know exactly what I am preparing for, what path I have traveled, what path I am going through now and how I will go to the end to achieve my goal," he said.

 

Aleksanyan will also have to avoid letting down his guard, as he did in the final at last year's World Championships in Belgrade, where he lost to unheralded Gabriel ROSILLO (CUB) 3-3 on last-point criteria after giving up an arm-drag takedown with 21 seconds left.

For Aleksanyan, Paris could mark the end of an illustrious career that includes an Olympic bronze from London 2012 and four world titles, most recently from 2022. If he leaves, he wants to go out in triumph.

"I'm thinking to end my career after the Games, but I still can't imagine myself without wrestling," he said. "I put my life into this sport. However, I am striving to end my career with a victory, but I cannot say when this will happen."

Rosillo will be on hand to try to prevent that, but Aleksanyan's main competition is expected to come from Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI), a bronze medalist at the Tokyo Olympics and a former world champion. The two have met three times, most recently in the semifinals at the 2022 World Championships, with Aleksanyan winning all three by decisions.

 

Also in the medal hunt will be world bronze medalist Artur OMAROV (CZE), five-time Asian medalist Uzur DZHUZUPBEKOV (KGZ), and 40-year-old Rustan ASSAKALOV (UZB), who has a pair of eighth-place Olympic finishes on his long resume.

Aleksanyan, asked how he would like to be remembered after he retires, replied, "As a two-time Olympic champion. But I would like the next generations to strive to surpass these results... For me, wrestling is a way of life, and what I like most about this sport is the sense of kinship that is present both in our generation and among our elders."

 

GR 77kg: 'Ordinary' Kusaka aims for extraordinary achievement

It was quite a proud and unexpected moment for host Japan when Shohei YABIKU (JPN) won a Greco 77kg bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics that few if any had foreseen. It was just as surprising that within two years, he would no longer even be the best in the country due to the rapid rise of Kusaka.

Kusaka, like Yabiku a product of powerhouse Nippon Sports Science University, added two strong results at UWW Ranking Series tournaments -- a third place at the Zagreb Open and a gold in Budapest -- to his Asian title to secure the top seed in Paris.

It's been quite a whirlwind ride for the 23-year-old, who credits his new-found success to going the extra mile in training. "I'm just an ordinary person," he said in an interview with broadcaster NHK Takamatsu in his hometown in western Japan. "I have no more talent than anyone else."

He started wrestling at age 3 but never really stood out until he got to high school, where he blossomed under the tutelage of a coach who instilled words of wisdom that he lives by to this day.

"He taught me, 'Effort will always surpass talent,'" he said. "He would always say that giving your all in practice is a given. If you don't give extra in all the other things, you will never become stronger than the others."

Among the "extra" things Kusaka does is stay behind after practice to work out on his own and cook for himself to ensure proper nutrition. He also boldly ventured to Germany -- and on his own dime -- for a month of intense training late last year. He competed in the Bundesliga and traveled to Hungary, where he practiced with Tokyo Olympic champion Tamas LORINCZ (HUN) and 2022 world silver medalist Zoltan LEVAI (HUN).

Levai, who defeated Kusaka at the Zagreb Open, is among the 15 others in the Paris field who will be aiming for the gold themselves. As the No. 7 seed, he will not be able to face Kusaka except in the final.

Makhmudov is the third seed, and looks headed for a semifinal encounter with No. 2 seed Sanan SULEYMANOV (AZE), the Zagreb Open champion and 2021 world silver medalist.

Makhmudov still feels the sting of his loss in the Tokyo Olympic final to Lorincz. Asked what his biggest regret has been during a UWW interview, he replied, "The fact that I relaxed in Tokyo
before the final. I was quite ready to win the Olympics. I lost because I relaxed."

He added that he expects to have a "minimum of four" Olympic medals before he retires, which means he will need to start the collection in Paris.

 

Others worth watching will be three-time European champion Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM), former Asian champion Amin KAVIYANINEJAD (IRI) and four-time Asian medalist Demeu ZHADRAYEV (KAZ).