European Championships entry list

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

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) 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) 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) 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)

#WrestleAmman

U20 stars gear up for Japan test in Women's Wrestling

Thursday, August 10, 2023 - 01:26 By Vinay Siwach

AMMAN, Jordan (August 10) -- Among the 663 wrestlers competing at the U20 World Championships in Amman next week, 187 are women. But wrestling fans around the world will be looking up to 10 women wrestlers who are expected to not only win a medal, but gold.

Japan will be entering the U20 World Championships as the defending team champion, a title it has won 10 times out of 11. The only time Japan did not win was when it skipped the 2021 edition of the tournament due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Last year, Japan won eight gold and two bronze medals and two of the eight gold medalists, Moe KIYOOKA (JPN) and Ayano MORO (JPN) are returning to defend their titles.

China, among the best in Women's Wrestling, will be returning to the U20 Worlds after four years as it missed the 2021 and 2022 editions citing travel restrictions during the pandemic.

The only other country to win the women's team title ever in 2021, the United States is sending a strong squad led by senior world champion Amit ELOR (USA) who is also a two-time defending champion.

India, a team that has shown constant progress, will look to improve on its performance from Sofia where it won one gold, three silver and two bronze medals.

Women's wrestling will begin August 16 and all action will be live on uww.org and the UWW App.

Audrey JIMENEZ (USA) is a returning silver medalist at 50kg. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

50kg
The lightest weight class will see returning silver medalist Audrey JIMENEZ (USA) lead the challenge for the U.S. Jimenez has participated in two senior-level international tours this year and won a medal in both. She would like to make amends after losing in the final to Umi ITO (JPN) last year.

Taking Ito's place is Miruko SAKANE (JPN), an 18-year-old on her first international trip. In the selection trials in Japan, she won four bouts.

Among the continental champions, 17-year-old Yu ZHANG (CHN) won the U17 and U20 Asian Championships and will be looking to make her mark at the world level along with Viktoriia SLOBODENIUK (UKR) who won the U20 European Championships.

For India, Priyanshi PRAJAPAT (IND) will hope to win back-to-back medals after finishing with a bronze medal last year. But challenges include Sviatlana KATENKA (AIN) who won a silver medal at the U17 World Championships last week and also the U17 European champion, 2021 U17 Worlds bronze medalist Elvina KARIMZADA (AZE) and fellow U20 Asian bronze medalist Laura GANIKYZY (KAZ).

53kg
Perhaps one of the few weight classes in which a Japanese may not be the favorite on paper. Mariia YEFREMOVA (UKR), an internationally unbeaten wrestler in seven competitions and a two-time champion at the U20 European, U17 World, U17 European and U15 European Championships makes her the top contender for gold.

At last year's U17 World Championships, she defeated Sakura ONISHI (JPN) who won the gold last year without surrendering a point. Yefremova also won the U20 European gold without giving up a point in four bouts.

But winning the gold in Amman will not be easy. Nagisa HARADA (JPN) was dominant in Japan's selection trials with three technical superiority wins. Harada is also a 2019 U17 world champ and won a silver medal at the 2023 Klippan Lady's Open, losing European champion Jonna MALMGREN (SWE).

ANTIM (IND) won the gold medal at the 2022 U20 World Championships. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

And also in the fray is defending champion ANTIM (IND), the first women's U20 world champion from the country. A silver medalist at the senior Asian Championships this year, Antim will aim to defend her title from Sofia.

The U.S. will be banking on returning bronze medalist and 2021 U17 world champ Katie GOMEZ (USA). She suffered a fall in the quarterfinals last year to Altyn SHAGAYEVA (KAZ) who is also returning for another run for the gold medal. At the U20 Asian Championships, Shagayeva finished with a bronze medal after a close 5-4 loss to the eventual champ Liuxuan CHEN (CHN). The Chinese wrestler will be in Amman to try and win a world title.

Mihaela SAMOIL (MDA), who won a silver medal at the 2022 U23 World Championships, would like to win a medal in Amman after missing it last year as she suffered a loss in the quarterfinal.

A darkhorse will at 53kg will be Polina LUKINA (AIN) who won the 2021 U20 Worlds silver medal and also has a silver medal from the Istanbul Ranking Series in 2022. U20 European silver medalist Gultakin SHIRINOVA (AZE) and Emine CAKMAK (TUR), a former U20 Worlds bronze medalist, would like to make their mark as well.

Moe KIYOOKA (JPN) is a U20 and U23 world champion at 55kg. (Photo: UWW /Kostandin Andonov)

55kg
Defending champion Moe KIYOOKA (JPN) will be the hot favorite to repeat. She won four of her bouts via technical superiorities last year and added a U23 world gold in November. In February this year, the former U17 world champion won the Zagreg Open Ranking Series and finished second to Akari FUJINAMI (JPN) in Japan's selection trials for the senior World Championships.

Hoping to upset Kiyooka will be returning silver Albina RILLIA (UKR) after she suffered a 10-0 loss in the final to Kiyooka. Rillia, however, will have to be careful as U20 European champ and returning bronze medalist Tuba DEMIR (TUR) is waiting to avenge her quarterfinals loss from Sofia.

Demir will be tested by another returning bronze medalist Roza SZENTTAMASI (HUN), who lost to Demir via fall at the U20 European Championships. Georgiana LIRCA (ROU), who will be in Amman, lost to Demir in the final.

Representing India will be JYOTI (IND) who won a silver medal at the U20 Asian Championships but forfeited her final. She is also joined by U20 Asian bronze medalist Zeinep BAYANOVA (KAZ) who wrestled at 57kg last year and finished fifth.

Alina FILIPOVYCH (UKR), the U20 European champion, will be one of the favorites at 57kg. (Photo: UWW / Kostandin Andonov)

57kg
Since 57kg has been included in the U20 Worlds program, Japan has won all gold medals barring one. In 2021, when Japan skipped the tournament, Nilufar RAIMOVA (KAZ) won the gold medal in a historic final against Aurora RUSSO (ITA). Amman may present an opportunity for a non-Japanese wrestler to win the gold.

Ichika ARAI (JPN) will be on her first international trip after winning the Junior Queen's Cup in Japan. To keep the gold at home which Ruka NATAMI (JPN) won last year, Arai will have to go through some tough wrestlers including U20 Asian and European champions.

REENA (IND) won the gold in Amman last month and she will fancy her chances to go all the way at 57kg. European champ Alina FILIPOVYCH (UKR) has the caliber to win the title along with Gerda TEREK (HUN) who finished second to her in the continent. Terek also has silver from the 2022 U17 Worlds.

Joining them in a bid to win gold is U17 Asian champion Jin ZHANG (CHN), two-time U20 African champion Louji YASSIN (EGY), U20 Pan-Am silver medalist Bertha ROJAS (MEX), U20 European bronze Sevval CAYIR (TUR), former U17 world silver medalist Cristelle RODRIGUEZ (USA), who lost to Kiyooka in 2019 and Ulmeken ESENBAEVA (UZB) who won bronze at U20 Asia and is a 2022 U17 world bronze medalist.

Can Aurora RUSSO (ITA) become Italy's first world champion in Women's Wrestling. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

59kg
All four continental champions are entered at 59kg along with a former U20 world champ. In 2021, Alesia HETMANAVA (AIN) had a dream run and won the 55kg gold at the U20 World Championships as a 17-year-old. She will be back to win another U20 title, this time 59kg.

Trying to stop her are U20 Pan-Am champ Camila AMARILLA (ARG), U20 African champ Farah HUSSEIN (EGY), U20 Asia champ NITIKA (IND) and U20 European champ Russo who won silver at 57kg in the same World Championships.

Japan will be sending 18-year-old Kanami YAMANOUCHI (JPN) who won the U15 Asia gold in 2019. In the selection trials, she won three bouts to clinch the spot. Madina AMAN (KAZ) is a returning bronze medalist and will look to improve. She won her bronze after beating Aleksandra WITOS (POL) who also returns.

Klippan Lady's Open and U20 European silver medalist Annatina LIPPUNER (SUI) will be a wrestler to keep an eye on after her run at the continent tour in which won three bouts before losing the final to Russo.

Both U20 Euro bronze medalists Sevim AKBAS (TUR) and Yuliia PAKHNIUK (UKR) are entered along with U20 Asia silver medalist Sarbinaz JIENBAEVA (UZB).

Suzu SASAKI (JPN) will look to avenge her U17 World Championships loss against SAVITA (IND). (Photo: UWW / Martin Gabor)

62kg
Suzu SASAKI (JPN) had to mount a comeback after trailing 6-0 in the final of the Junior Queen's Cup to seal her spot for the U20 World Championships. While winning the gold medal is her top priority, she also wants to avenge her 2022 U17 World Championships loss to eventual champion SAVITA (IND).

Savita, who won defended her U17 Worlds gold at 61kg last week in Istanbul, will be looking to add to her U20 Asia title but has to deal with Sasaki, who won the Klippan Lady's Open earlier this year, along with a host of other stars who will try to win the gold.

The biggest names include returning bronze and U20 and U23 European champion Iryna BONDAR (UKR) who lost to Nonoka OZAKI (JPN) last year. She later went on to win a silver at the U23 World Championships as well, once again losing to Ozaki in the final.

But Bondar will be one of the top prospects to win the gold even as Savita and Sasaki renew their rivalry. The other returning bronze medalist Adaugo NWACHUKWU (USA) too will try to find a way to the final.

Two-time U20 Pan-Am champion Melanie JIMENEZ (MEX), silver to her Mayara RAMOS (BRA), U20 European silver medalist Iris THIEBAUX (FRA) and U23 Worlds bronze medalist Astrid MONTERO (VEN) can cause upsets.

Eniko ELEKES (HUN) will be looking for her first U20 world title. (Photo: UWW / Kostadin Andonov)

65kg
Eniko ELEKES (HUN) suffered a first-round loss last year in Sofia but could have been a one-off. She was the 2021 U17 world champ and is now a U20 European champion going into the U20 Worlds in Amman. A medal looks like a big possibility for Elekes at 65kg.

Alicja NOWOSAD (POL) was second to Elekes in Europe and will be in Amman with a medal and revenge on her mind. She will be joined by U20 Euro bronze medalists Nikoleta BARMPA (GRE) (68kg) and Maria PANTIRU (ROU).

Returning bronze medalist and senior African champ Khadija JLASSI (TUN) will look to become the first Tunisian wrestler to reach the final at the age-group World Championships.

Duygu GEN (TUR), who won the U17 Europeans, will turn up in Amman, 10 days after winning a silver medal at the U17 Worlds in Istanbul. A medal in Amman will be a huge success for the youngster.

U20 Asian silver medalist ANTIM (IND) and U20 Pan-Am silver medalist Gleymaris BERIA (VEN) are also entered.

68kg
She was not able to do it last year at 65kg but Manola SKOBELSKA (UKR) will look to win the title this year at 68kg. A three-time U20 European champ Skobelska, who won a bronze at the U23 Worlds as well, will be one of the favorites at 68kg. Returning bronze medalist Sophia SCHAEFLE (GER) who lost to Skobelska in the final, will try to reverse the result on the world stage.

All three U20 Asian medalists in silver medalist Gulnura TASHTANBEKOVA (KGZ) and two bronze medalists Zhibekzhan SABYRZHANOVA (KAZ) and ARJU (IND), who finished fifth last year in Sofia, will be in Amman.

The U.S. is sending Isabella MIR (USA) who won the Spain Grand Prix this year and will be a trouble for other wrestlers. She is the daughter of Frank MIR.

Amit ELOR (USA) is the U20, U23 and senior world champion. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

72kg
We'll take Amit ELOR (USA)!

Ayano MORO (JPN), blue, and PRIYA (IND) finished first and second respectively at the last U20 World Championships. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

76kg
Amman will see the return of the phenomenal Kennedy BLADES (USA) who won the U20 world title in 2021 at 72kg. This year, she has already won the Alexandria Ranking Series at the senior level and finished second in the U.S. world team trials.

She will be joined by three returning medalists including champion Ayano MORO (JPN), silver medalist Priya MALIK (IND) and bronze medalist Veronika NYIKOS (HUN).

Moro will defend her title after she dominated the Japan selection trials, winning both bouts 10-0. She will be tested by two-time U17 world champ Malik who lost 3-1 in the final last year. Malik won the U20 Asian gold in Amman in July.

U20 European champ Nyikos will hope to reach the final which she missed last year after a close loss to Malik in the semifinals, her second to the Indian.

Laura KUEHN (GER), however, will look to avenge her U20 Euro final loss to Nyikos while Yuqi LIU (CHN) hopes to do the same against Malik who won against the Chinese wrestler twice at the U20 Asia.

Myah PHILLIPS (CAN) is the U20 Pan-Am silver medalist while Daniela TKACHUK (POL) will have her last opportunity to win a medal after finishing fifth at the last two U20 Worlds.

European Championships entry list

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U20 stars gear up for Japan test in Women's Wrestling