Ranking Series

European Nations Own Nine of Ten Top Spots in Greco-Roman

Monday, May 13, 2019 - 14:18 By Eric Olanowski

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CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (May 1) – United World Wrestling has released their latest point-based Greco-Roman world rankings, and European nations own nine of the ten top spots heading into the final pair of Ranking Series events before the Nur-Sultan World Championships.

Even more impressive, the Russian Federation owns five of Europe’s nine top spots. The five No. 1-ranked Russian wrestlers are Sergey EMELIN (60kg), Stepan MARYANYAN (63kg), Artem SURKOV (67kg), Musa EVLOEV (97kg), and Sergey SEMENOV (130kg). 

In addition to the Russian-five, Azerbaijan’s Eldaniz AZIZLI (55kg), Germany’s Frank STAEBLER (72kg), Turkey’s Emrah KUS (82kg), and Ukraine’s Zhan BELENIUK (87kg) also hold the top spot int their respective weight classes.

The lone non-European top-ranked wrestler is Korea’s Olympic champion Hyeonwoo KIM who is ranked No. 1 at 77kg. 

Azizli Lock up Top-Two Seed at 55kg 
Azerbaijan’s reigning world champion Eldaniz Azizli (76 points) fell in the semifinals of the European Championships but held onto the No. 1 ranking after collecting 16 Ranking Series points with his 8-0 win over Turkey’s Serif KILIC in the bronze-medal bout in Bucharest. 

Azizli, who has 76 points, has locked up a top-two seed at the World Championships. 

The only wrestler that has a chance to pass Azizli for the top spot at 55kg is Uzbekistan’s Ilkhom BAKHROMOV (46 points). If the Asian champion wins the final two Ranking Series events (in brackets with 20+ entries) and Azizli sits out, Bakhromov will have a six-point advantage over the Azeri with 82 points. 

Kyrgyzstan's 2018 world runner-up Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV sits in third with 40 points. Sharshenbekov will receive 36 points if he were to win the final two Ranking Series events, tieing him with Azizli, but the Azeri would hold the first criteria - which is the highest placement at the World Championships, where Azizli defeated Sharshenbekov to win the gold medal last October.

Turkey’s Budapest bronze medalist Ekrem OZTURK is the fourth-ranked wrestler with 37 points. 

55kg Potential Semifinals 
SEMIFINAL – No. 1 Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE) vs. No. 4 Ekrem OZTURK (TUR)
SEMIFINAL – No. 2 Ilkhom BAKHROMOV (UZB) vs. No. 3 Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ)

Emelin Remains No. 1 at 60kg Despite Falling in European Finals 
Russia's Sergey Eemlin, the reigning 60kg world champion, holds the top-seed despite falling in the European finals. Emelin, with his 78 points, has an 18 and 36 point advantage over No. 2 Victor CIOBANU (MDA) and No. 3 Ivan LIZATOVIC (CRO), respectively, and has locked up at least a top-two seed. 

The second-ranked wrestler, Ciobanu, avenged his loss from the world finals by dethroning Emelin at the European Championships and became Moldova’s first-ever European champion. The Moldovan will overthrow the Russian for the top seed if he makes it on the podium at the final two Ranking Series events.

The third-ranked wrestler at 60kg is Croatia’s Ivan Lizatovic. The Croatian currently has 42 points and will be tied with Emelin for the No. 1 seed if he wins out in brackets with 20+ wrestlers, but the Russian holds the criteria because of his world-title performance in Budapest. 

China’s WALIHAN Sailike sits in the fourth slot with 39 points after his world bronze-medal finish that was worth 25 points and a fifth-place finish at the Asian Championships that was worth 14 points. 

60kg Potential Semifinals 
SEMIFINAL – No. 1 Sergey EMELIN (RUS) vs. No. 4 WALIHAN Sailike (CHN) 
SEMIFINAL – No. 2 Victor CIOBANU (MDA) vs. No. 3 Ivan LIZATOVIC (CRO) 

Maryanyan Follows up 63kg World Gold With European Title 
The second straight top-ranked Russian comes at 63kg where reigning world and European champion Stepan Maryanyan sits atop of the world rankings.

Maryanyan, who has 80 points, is coming off a continental title-winning performance after bulldozing the competition in Budapest to reach the top of the European Championship podium for the first time in his career. Because Maryanyan has a 52 point lead over the fourth-ranked wrestler, he could sit out of the final two Ranking Series events and still earn a top-three seed in Nur-Sultan. 

The second-ranked wrestler at 63kg is world and Asian runner-up Elmurat TASMURADOV (UZB). Tasmuradov, who has 56 points after the Asian Championships, had to pull out of the Asian finals in Xi’an, China, after suffering a lower-body injury. 

TUO Erbatu (CHN) and Slavik GALSTYAN (ARM) round out the top-four respectively at 63kg. 

Tuo, the Asian champion and world fifth-place finisher is ranked third with 50 points, and European fifth-place finisher Slavik Galstyan is ranked fourth with 28 points.

63kg Potential Semifinals 
SEMIFINAL – No. 1 Stepan MARYANYAN (RUS) vs. No. 4 Slavik GALSTYAN (ARM) 
SEMIFINAL – No. 2 Elmurat TASMURADOV (UZB) vs. No. 3 TUO Erbatu (CHN)

Surkov the Third Russian No.1-Ranked Wrestler 
Artem Surkov, the third top-ranked Russian sits atop the 67kg rankings with 78 Ranking Series points. Surkov, the reigning world champion at 67kg, fell to eventual champion Atakan YUKSEL (TUR) in the European finals and fought back to win the bronze medal - which was worth 18 Ranking Series points. This gives the Russian a 38 point lead over fourth-ranked Davor STEFANEK (SRB), meaning Surkov has locked up at least a third seed heading into Nur-Sultan. 

World bronze medalists Gevorg SAHAKYAN (POL) and Meiirzhan SHERMAKHANBET (KAZ) leaped over Budapest world runner-up Davor Stefanek and owns the second and third spots respectively. 

Entering the European Championships, Gevorg Sahakyan had 25 points and earned 20 points by making it to the finals. Though he fell to Turkey’s Atakan Yuksel, Sahakyan was able to leap to the second spot with his 45 points.

The third-ranked wrestler Meiirzhan Shermakhanbet also fell in the continental finals but still jumped Stefanek. Shermakhanbet dropped his Asian finals bout to Korea’s Hansu RYU and was awarded 18 points, catapulting him to the third spot with 43 points.

Davor Stefanek is ranked fourth at 67kg but hasn’t competed this season. 

67kg Potential Semifinals 
SEMIFINAL – No. 1 Artem SURKOV (RUS) vs. No. 4 Davor STEFANEK (SRB) 
SEMIFINAL – No. 2 Gevorg SAHAKYAN (POL) vs. No. 3 Meiirzhan SHERMAKHANBET (KAZ) 

Staebler Ranked First at 72kg But Moving Down to 67kg 
Germany’s three-time world champion Frank Staebler (60 points) holds the top-ranking at 72kg but will forfeit his top seed at the World Championships to European bronze medalist Aik MNATSAKANIAN (BUL) (55 points) because of his decision to move down to the Olympic weight of 67kg.

With Mnatsakanian moving up to the one seed, that’ll also bump up Balint KORPASI (HUN) (40 points), Abuiazid MANTSIGOV (RUS) (40 points), and Tarek BENAISSA (ALG) (38 points) to the second through fourth spots respectively.

72kg Potential Semifinals 
SEMIFINAL – No. 1 Frank STAEBLER (GER) vs. No. 4 Abuiazid MANTSIGOV
SEMIFINAL – No. 2 Aik MNATSAKANIAN vs. No. 3 Balint KORPASI

Kim Wins Asian Title, Skyrockets to Top Spot at 77kg 
Korea’s Olympic champion KIM Hyeonwoo has been one of the most active and consistent wrestlers in the world since his bronze-medal finish at the World Championships. Kim has wrestled in the first two Ranking Series events and the Continental Championships. The Korean wrestler won the Asian Championships, and finished with bronze medals at the Zagreb Open and the Hungarian Grand Prix, giving him the No.1  ranking with 71 Ranking Series points. 

Serbia’s world and European bronze medalist Viktor NEMES won the first Greco-Roman Ranking Series event, the Zagreb Open and gained the one-point advantage in the latest rankings over reigning world champion Aleksandr CHEKHIRKIN (60 points) with his 61 points. 

Budapest world bronze medalist Tamas LORINCZ (HUN) slid down to the fourth spot with his 40 points.

77kg Potential Semifinals 
SEMIFINAL – No. 1 KIM Hyeonwoo (KOR) vs. No. 4 Tamas LORINCZ (HUN)
SEMIFINAL – No. 2 Viktor NEMES (SRB) vs. No. 3 Aleksandr CHEKHIRKIN (RUS) 

Bacsi Reties, Kus Moves into Top Spot at 82kg 
Turkey’s world runner-up Emrah KUS, with help from his bronze-medal finish at the European Championships, overthrew Hungary’s reigning world champion Peter BACSI for the No.1 ranking at 82kg. 

But, since Bacsi’s won his world title on home soil in Budapest, the Hungarian has retired. With Bacsi going out on a high note, this leaves the second spot open, moving up the third through fifth-ranked wrestlers.

Come Nur-Sultan, Kus will remain in the first spot, but Saeid ABDVALI (IRI) (38 points), Viktar SASUNOUSKI (BLR) (37 points), and Rajbek BISULTANOV (DEN) (34 points) each receive a bump from Bacsi’s retirement and will be the second through fourth-ranked wrestlers respectively at 82kg. 

82kg Potential Semifinals 
SEMIFINAL – No. 1 Emrah KUS (TUR) vs. No. 4 Viktar SASUNOUSKI (BLR) 
SEMIFINAL – No. 2 Peter BACSI (HUN) vs. No. 3 Saeid ABDVALI (IRI) 

Beleniuk Bumps out Basar for First Ranking at 87kg 
After two-time reigning world champion Metehan BASAR fell to a twelfth-place finish at the European championships and failed to collect any Ranking Series points, Ukraine’s world runner-up Zhan BELENIUK jumped over the Turkish wrestler for the No. 1 spot at 87kg with his European-title performance in Bucharest. 

Hungary’s U23 world champion Erik SZILVASSY finished in third place at the European championships and is ranked No. 3 in the world with 44 points. But, Hungary has a difficult decision to make heading into the World Championships because fifth-ranked Viktor LORINCZ has a pair of wins over Szilvassy and has won the first two Ranking Series events. 

Azerbaijan’s European runner-up Islam ABBASOV finds himself sandwiched between both of the Hungarian wrestlers in the fourth spot. Abbasov would benefit from Lorincz getting the starting spot, as he’ll move up to the third seed, with Lorincz coming into the fourth seed. 

87kg Potential Semifinals 
SEMIFINAL – No. 1 Zhan BELENIUK  (UKR) vs. No. 4 Islam ABBASOV (AZE) 
SEMIFINAL – No. 2 Metehan BASAR (TUR) vs. No. 3 Erik SZILVASSY (HUN) 

Evloev Remains No. 1 at 97kg After Adding European Title to Resume 
Russia’s Musa Evloev kept his top-ranking after adding a European title to his resume with a win over Kiril MILOV in the European finals. Evloev has come out on the winning end of the world and European gold-medal bouts against Milov and owns the eight-point lead over the Bulgarian wrestler. Evloev has 82 points and Milov has 74 points heading into the final pair of Ranking Series events. 

America’s Tracy HANCOCK and Iran’s Mahdi ALIYARIFEIZABADI are ranked third and fourth respectively. 

Hancock, the Pan-American runner-up, has a pair of Ranking Series medals on his resume from this year and has 48 points. The American won the Hungarian Grand Prix and finished with a bronze medal at the Zagreb Open and owns a nine-point lead over fourth-ranked Mahdi Aliyarifeizabadi. 

Aliyarifeizabadi, the world and Asian bronze medal finisher, has 39 points heading into the final pair of Ranking Series events. 

97kg Potential Semifinals 
SEMIFINAL – No. 1 Musa EVLOEV (RUS) vs. No. 4 Mahdi ALIYARIFEIZABADI (IRI) 
SEMIFINAL – No. 2 Kiril MILOV (BUL) vs. No. 3 Tracy HANCOCK (USA) 

Semenov Sits Atop of Rankings At 130kg 
Russia’s reigning world champion Sergey SEMENOV fell in the European semifinals to Georgia’s Iakobi KAJAIA and battled back for a bronze medal – but holds the top ranking with 76 points after the conclusion of the Continental Championships.

Semenov has a 39 point lead over Korea’s fourth-seeded KIM Minseok (37 points) and has locked up at least a top-four seed in Nur-Sultan. 

The second-ranked wrestler at 130kg is American Adam COON, who added to his 40-point world silver medal with a Pan-American gold medal. Coon sits 16 points behind Semenov with 60 points.

Estonia’ Heiki NABI and Korea’s Kim Minseok round of the top four of the 130kg ranking with 52 and 37 points respectively. 

130kg Potential Semifinals 
SEMIFINAL – No. 1 Sergey SEMENOV (RUS) vs. No. 4 Minseok KIM (KOR)
SEMIFINAL – No. 2 Adam COON (USA) vs. No. 3 Heiki NABI (EST)

#WrestleIstanbul

World Olympic Qualifier Freestyle Paris 2024 Qualification Bouts

Saturday, May 11, 2024 - 07:46 By Ken Marantz & Vinay Siwach

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ISTANBUL, Turkiye (May 11) -- Freestyle takes the stage at the World Olympic Qualifier in Istanbul. After the 18 quotas of Greco-Roman and 12 of Women's Wrestling were decided, 12 Freestyle Paris 2024 spots will be handed out on Saturday and 6 more on Sunday.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER

The Paris 2024 Qualification bouts will begin at 2000 hours local time in Istanbul

18:24: Taimuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK) caps the 8 1/2-hour session with a 3-0victory over  JAIDEEP (IND) at 74kg. The three-time world medalist scores a takedown in the first period and gets an activity point in the second to move one win away from his first trip to the Olympics.

18:18: For once, it was Frank CHAMIZO (ITA) coming up on the short end of a dramatic, down-to-the-wire match. Chermen VALIEV (ALB) pulled off a stunning 5-5 win on criteria at 74kg over the Italian star, who had posted nail-biting wins in his previous two matches. With Chamizo leading 3-2 in the second period, Valiev scores a stepout off a scramble, but Chamizo goes back ahead 5-3 with a stepout and fleeing point. But with time running out, Valiev lunges for an ankle and latches on, which Chamizo responds to by heading out of Dodge. That gives Valiev a stepout and fleeing point to go up 5-5 on last point. In the final seconds, Chamizo forces Valiev to the edge, but the Albanian slips out of danger to clinch the win.

18:02: Viktor RASSADIN (TJK), aiming to become Tajikstan's first Olympic wrestler since 2012, keeps the pressure on and it pays off with two activity points and a 2-0 victory over Vadym TSURKAN  (UKR) at 74kg. He will face the winner of Frank CHAMIZO  (ITA)-Chermen VALIEV (ALB), which is next up on Mat B.

17:52: The dynamo known as Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL) continues his impressive run at 65kg, shucking and spinning his way to a 9-0 victory over Abdulmazhid KUDIEV (TJK). The Asian silver medalist scores a stepout and a takedown-gut wrench combo for a 5-0 lead in the first period and adds two takedowns in the second. He will face SUJEET (IND) for the ticket to Paris.

17:45: European champion Islam DUDAEV (ALB) saved by the challenge! Kwang Jin KIM (PRK) led 2-0 with Dudaev on his legs. Dudaev tried a takedown but the referees did not score it. However, Albania challenged it and won as Kim had three points touching on the mat with Dudaev in control. Dudaev wins 2-2 and advances at 65kg

17:41: Tokyo Olympian Vasyl MYKHAILOV (UKR), a two-time world bronze medalist at 79kg, scores the go-ahead takedown with 47 seconds left and adds a gut wrench to defeat Zushen LIN (CHN) 6-3 and advance to the qualification match at 86kg.

17:32: In a clash of the two losers of the Paris qualification matches at the Asian Qualifier, Zhiwei DENG (CHN) scores a takedown on a counter of his opponent's attack and holds on for a 3-0 victory over Shamil SHARIPOV (BRN) at 125kg. Deng, a 2019 world bronze medalist, finished fifth in Tokyo in his second Olympic appearance.

17:22: Daniel LIGETI (HUN) moved one win away from earning a third Olympic appearance with a 4-0 victory over Zyyamuhammet SAPAROV (TKM) at 125kg. A second-period takedown with Saparov on the activity clock clinched the win for the 34-year-old Ligeti.

17:12: Chongsong HAN (PRK) advances to tonight's Paris qualification match at 57kg by outclassing Horst LEHR (GER) 16-4. Han's speed and strength ruled the day as he scored a takedown and gut wrench to lead 5-0 in the first period. Han scores a takedown, then pads the lead with four points in a scramble in which Lehr finally gets on the board. A 4-point takedown, in which Lehr scores 2 in the flow, ends the match.

17:05: Spencer LEE (USA) is in the Paris qualification bout at 57kg! He needs just 54 seconds to beat former European champion Vladimir EGOROV (MKD) 12-2 using a mix of lace and gut.

AMAN (IND) follows Lee into the Paris qualification bout after he beats Andri YATSENKO (UKR) 12-2. He will wrestle Chongsong HAN (PRK) for the spot

16:58: Rio 2016 bronze medalist Soner DEMIRTAS (TUR) gives the home crowd another win, holding off Mohammad MOTTAGHINIA (ESP) for a 5-2 win at 74kg. Demirtas scores a takedown, a stepout and two activity points, with only a second-period takedown by his opponent marring an otherwise perfect performance.

16:50: Two-time Asian medalist Rakhat KALZHAN (KAZ) deals Iran a serious blow in its hopes of fielding a full freestyle lineup in Paris when he notches a solid 7-2 win over Alireza SARLAK (IRI) at 57kg. Kalzhan gains a lift-and-trip takedown in the first period and a smooth duck under in the second. Sarlak manages a pair of stepouts, but Kalzhan stops a late takedown with a pancake for his final 2.

16:55: Viktor RASSADIN (TJK) led Zelimkhan KHADJIEV (FRA) 5-3 in the last 30 seconds but Khadjiev scored exposure to make it 5-5. But he failed to get another point and dropped his 74kg bout 5-5. France challenged asking for two more points but lost which added one more point to Rassadin's score to make it 6-5. 

16:44: Frank CHAMIZO (ITA) must be relieved after that outcome. With 10 seconds left in his bout against Orozobek TOKTOMAMBETOV (KGZ), Chamizo was down 1-1 on criteria but Toktomambetov, who had been warned for fleeing, was docked a caution and one point for fleeing again with 3 seconds left, giving Chamizo a 2-1 lead. Kyrgyzstan challenges the call but the fleeing call is held. Kyrgyzstan lose the challenge and Chamizo wins 3-1 to advance at 74kg.

16:38: SUJEET (IND), a 2022 world U20 bronze medalist, keeps the pressure on from the get-go and gradually piles up points while shutting his opponent down to score a 10-0 victory over Tokyo Olympian Junsik YUN (KOR) at 65kg. Next up for the Indian is Lachlan MCNEIL (CAN).

16:30: That will be a 7-2 win for Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL). 70 world champion Zain RETHERFORD (USA) was up 2-2 on criteria with the clock down to the final minute but Tumur Ochir hit a single leg and exposure to make the score 6-2. The U.S. challenged the call but lost the challenge.

16:17: Asian Games bronze medalist Kwang Jin KIM (PRK) scores three 4-point moves and defeats two-time world U23 bronze medalist Maxim SACULTAN (MDA) 12-4 to advance at 65kg. Kim will face Islam DUDAEV (ALB) for a place in the Paris qualification match, as the DPR Korea looks to gain an Olympic freestyle spot after being shut out at the Asian Qualifier.

15:42: Veteran Jose DIAZ (VEN), looking to get back to the Olympics after appearing at London 2012 and Rio 2016, pulls a stunner by beating Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist Abraham CONYEDO (ITA) 4-1 at 125kg. Diaz is trailing 1-0 in the second period with Conyedo on the activity clock when the 35-year-old pancakes Conyedo to his back for 2, then clinch the win with a stepout.

15:29: Shamil SHARIPOV (BRN), who won a bronze medal at the Asian Championships before losing in the first round of the Asian Olympic Qualifier, advances at 125kg with a 5-2 win over Oleksandr KHOTSIANIVSKYI (UKR). Khotsianivskyi was on the activity clock in the first period when Sharipov scored a takedown and lace-lock roll to account for his points.

15:27: Two-time Olympian and five-time European medalist Daniel LIGETI (HUN) proves too much for Georgi IVANOV (BUL), finishing up a 12-1 win early in the second period at 125kg. Ligeti scores four takedowns in the first period, then ends the match with a 4-point counter throw as Ivanov drove him to the edge on a tackle attempt.

14:53: Ahmed BATAEV (BUL), a 2022 European silver medalist at 92kg, gets a low takedown with nine seconds left to stun young 2023 Asian champion Arash YOSHIDA (JPN) 4-3 at 97kg. In the first period, Yoshida gets in on a single and lifts it up, but Bataev reaches down and grabs Yoshida's ankle, then drives him back for a takedown. Yoshida avoids making the same mistake in the second period, then adds an activity point for a 3-2 lead. He seems to be on the way to victory Bataev makes a stab at the shoelaces and connects, tripping Yoshida backwards for the winning 2. 

14:53: 2023 Asian champion AMAN (IND) proves too agile and too elusive for Tokyo Olympian Georgi VANGELOV (BUL), as he piles up five takedowns in a 10-6 victory at 57kg. Aman was this year's Zagreb Open champion where Vangelov took a bronze, although they did not face each other.

14:45: 2021 world silver medalist Alireza SARLAK (IRI), looking to fill the only Paris berth in freestyle missing for Iran, advances with a workmanlike 9-3 win over European bronze medalist Roberti DINGASHVILI (GEO) at 57kg. Sarlak gradually builds up a 5-0 lead in the first period with a stepout, activity point, go-behind takedown and stepout. In the second period, he adds two stepouts and a last-second gimme takedown, while giving up a stepout and takedown.

14:31: Spencer LEE (USA) appears almost unconcerned after finding himself in a 6-1 hole early in his 57kg bout with Wanhao ZOU (CHN). Lee just goes to work and, after gaining a stepout, he scores a takedown, then applies a lace lock and rolls three times, and suddenly he's up 10-6. In the second period, Zou scores a stepout and takedown within seconds of each other, but the clock runs out as he tries to turn Lee, who advances with a 10-9 win.  

14:24: Three-time world medalist Taimuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK), who won his fourth straight European title earlier this year, gets off to a good start in his bid for an elusive first Olympics, storming past Arslan AMANMYRADOV (TKM) 11-0 at 74kg.

14:15: Chermen VALIEV (ALB), in his first outing for Albania, rallies to a 10-0 win over Hrayr ALIKHANYAN (ARM) at 74kg. Next up for him is Avtandil KENTCHADZE (GEO).

14:05: A week after Viktor RASSADIN (TJK) won a silver medal at the Asian Championships,  two-time Asian champion Nurkozha KAIPANOV (KAZ) came up one win short at 74kg at the Asian Olympic Qualifier. Now, Rassadin in on the inside track to Paris after scoring a takedown in each period in a 4-1 victory over the 2019 world silver medalist at 70kg.

14:00: Former U20 world bronze medalist SUJEET (IND) with a takedown during Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB) activity clock to win 3-2 at 65kg. Jalolov was the U20 world champion when Sujeet won the bronze medal.

13:50: Rio 2016 bronze medalist and two-time former world champion Frank CHAMIZO (ITA), coming off a controversial loss at the European Qualifier as he aims to make a third Olympics, pulls off a miracle comeback to defeat 20-year-old Feng LU (CHN) 10-8 at 74kg. Lu opens the match with a takedown and two exposures before Chamizo reverses for a 6-1 lead. In the second period, Chamizo finally catches Lu for a takedown with Lu on the activity clock, then adds an exposure on a counter to make it 6-6, but he still trails on criteria. Chamizo gets a takedown, but Lu counter lifts for 2 to stay ahead 8-8. With the clock ticking down, Chamizo bulls a fatigued Lu down at the edge for a dramatic takedown with :02 on the clock.

13:41: Tokyo Olympian and two-time European silver medalist Zelimkhan KHADJIEV (FRA) pancakes Zagreb Open bronze medalist Murad KURAMAGOMEDOV (HUN) to his back for 4, but he won't need the points as he secures the fall at 74kg.

13:31: Zain RETHERFORD (USA) breezes into the next round at 65kg, using a hard cross-face for exposure points to finish off an 11-0 win over Ibrahim GUZAN (YEM) in 2:26.

13:29: Asian Games bronze medalist Orozobek TOKTOMAMBETOV (KGZ), who came up one win short at the Asian Qualifier on home soil, caps a second-period rally from three points down by scoring a takedown with 1:10 left to defeat 2021 European silver medalist Ramazan RAMAZANOV (BUL) 5-3 at 74kg.

13:17: Tokyo Olympian Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL), a 2021 world bronze medalist coming off a silver-medal performance at the Asian Championships, opens with a slick 4-point arm throw against Alibeg ALIBEGOV (BRN) at 65kg. He adds two takedowns in the second period, getting an exposure after the second to finish a 10-0 victory with 5 seconds to spare.

13:07: Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO), a 2023 world bronze medalist at 79kg, notches three takedowns in the first period en route to a 9-1 victory over 2019 world bronze medalist and Tokyo Olympian Stefan REICHMUTH (SUI) at 86kg.

13:01: Tokyo fifth placer and Asian Games silver medalist Deepak PUNIA (IND) goes down to Zushen LIN (CHN) at 86kg. He led 3-0 at the break but Lin got on a single-leg before scoring a takedown. He added a gut-wrench to lead 4-3. Punia added a stepout but Lin held 4-4 criteria before he added a late takedown to win 6-4

12:50: Vasyl MYKHAILOV (UKR) , a world bronze medalist the last two years at 79kg, opens his campaign at 86kg with a 4-0 victory over Aimar ANDRUSE (EST). Mykhailov's points come off a front headlock roll and a single-leg takedown.

12:40: It was experience over youth as 32-year-old 2023 European bronze medalist Sebastian JEZIERZANSKI (POL) takes the lead, loses it, then comes back to defeat two-time world U20 champion Rakhim MAGAMADOV (FRA) 6-3 at 86kg. Jezierzanski goes ahead 2-1 in the second period with an activity point and a stepout, but Magamadov replies with a double-leg takedown with :58 left. But Jezierzanski isn't done, grabbing a takedown and transitioning to a gut wrench with 23 seconds on the clock.

12:17: Two-time reigning European champion Dauren KURUGLIEV (GRE) gets a takedown shortly after receiving an activity point with just over a minute left, giving him a 4-0 victory over 2022 world bronze medalist and Tokyo Olympian Boris MAKOEV (SVK) at 86kg.

11:45: Ahmet DUMAN (TUR), the 2022 world U23 silver medalist at 57kg, gets the home crowd revved up with an 11-0 victory over Besir ALILI (MKD) at 65kg.

11:43: Zain RETHERFORD (USA), a two-time world champion at 70kg who had to go through the grueling USA trials just to get to Istanbul, started what he hopes will be a long day at 65kg with a victory by fall over Stefan COMAN (ROU). Retherford, leading 3-2 in the second period, secures the fall after the second of two takedowns. With 37 entries at 65kg, Retherford will have to win five matches to clinch the Olympic spot today.

11:28: An early setback for an Indian team that was shut out in freestyle at both the World Championships and Asian Qualifier. Aaron JOHNSON (JAM) scores a stepout with five seconds left to defeat SUMIT (IND) 2-2 on criteria at 125kg. Jamaica has never had an Olympian in wrestling.

11:18: Georgi VANGELOV (BUL) must be very relieved after that 7-7 victory over Sunggwon KIM (KOR) at 57kg. He led 3-0 at the break when Kim called for a medical timeout for concussion. He returned to score his first point but another timeout later, he hit a duck under for takedown and gut wrench to make it 5-3 in the last minute. However, Vangelov scored a takedown and turn to take a 7-5 lead. Kim got on Vangelov's leg to score a takedown but managed only a stepout and one point for fleeing but Vangelov still held the criteria.

11:06: Arash YOSHIDA (JPN), the 20-year-old rising hope in the upper weights for Japan, scores three takedowns in the first period before finishing up an 11-1 win in the second over Nishan RANDHAWA (CAN) at 97kg. Yoshida, whose father is Iranian and runs the wrestling club in Japan where he started the sport, won the Asian gold and finished fifth at the World Championships last year at 92kg.

10:51: Veteran Magomed IBRAGIMOV (UZB) uses a lace lock to build up a 9-0 lead in the first period against Adlan VISKHANOV (FRA), then finishes him off with a takedown with just over a minute left to advance 11-0 at 97kg.

10:51: Two-time European bronze medalist Horst LEHR (GER), leading 5-0 in the second period, hits a slick 4-point arm throw, then adds a gut wrench for an 11-0 victory over Ilman MUKHTAROV (FRA) at 57kg.

10:46: Spencer LEE (USA), the one-time wunderkind of U.S. wrestling who world junior titles in 2015 and 2016 but was sidetracked by injuries and college commitments, wastes no time in getting his quest for a first trip to the Olympics started at 57kg. He gets a quick takedown against Ben TARIK (MAR), applies a lace lock and, with four rapid rolls, he's a 10-0 winner in 23 seconds. 

10:00: The six Freestyle weight classes will be in action today for the 12 Paris spots and also the women's wrestling playoff later in the evening.