#WrestleBaku

European OG Qualifiers 2024 Entry List

By United World Wrestling Press

BAKU, Azerbaijan (March 25) -- The third continental Olympic qualifiers, European OG Qualifiers, will be held in Baku from April 5-7 with 36 quotas on offer for the Paris Olympic Games 2024.

A total of 301 wrestlers are registered for the tournament with Greco-Roman receiving the most entries at 114. A host of countries are yet to earn their spots for Paris 2024.

The tournament will be live on uww.org and the UWW App using UWW+. The two winners of the semifinals will earn a Paris quota with no final or bronze-medal bouts scheduled.

Hosts Azerbaijan will look to earn as many quotas as possible including one at 65kg in Freestyle with onus two-time Olympic medalist Haji ALIYEV (AZE). Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE) who missed the quota at the World Championships in dramatic fashion will give it another try.

Abdulrashid SADULAEV (AIN) is back in action since his neck surgery which forced him to pull out of his 97kg semifinal against Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN) at the World Championships. Tokyo bronze medalist Artur NAIFONOV (AIN) is also returning to international competition for the first time since the Tokyo Olympics.

In Women's Wrestling, the 57kg will end in heartbreak for someone as Tokyo silver medalist Iryna KURACHKINA (AIN), Tokyo bronze medalist Evelina NIKOLOVA (BUL) and former European champion Alina HRUSHYNA (UKR) are entered.

Mariya STADNIK (AZE), a four-time Olympic medalist, will look to earn a spot to her fifth Olympic at 50kg.

Freestyle

57kg
Aryan TSIUTRYN (AIN)
Aliabbas RZAZADE (AZE)
Georgi VANGELOV (BUL)
Levan METREVELI VARTANOV (ESP)
Ilman MUKHTAROV (FRA)
Roberti DINGASHVILI (GEO)
Horst LEHR (GER)
Simone PIRODDU (ITA)
Vladimir EGOROV (MKD)
Razvan KOVACS (ROU)
Thomas EPP (SUI)
Suleyman ATLI (TUR)
Kamil KERYMOV (UKR)

65kg
Niurgun SKRIABIN (AIN)
Islam DUDAEV (ALB)
Haji ALIYEV (AZE)
Ayub MUSAEV (BEL)
Mikyay NAIM (BUL)
Carlos ALVAREZ IGLESIAS (ESP)
Khamzat ARSAMERZOUEV (FRA)
Goderdzi DZEBISASHVILI (GEO)
Andre CLARKE (GER)
Joshua FINESILVER (ISR)
Maxim SACULTAN (MDA)
Krzysztof BIENKOWSKI (POL)
Stefan COMAN (ROU)
Nino LEUTERT (SUI)
Abdullah TOPRAK (TUR)
Erik ARUSHANIAN (UKR)

74kg
Mahamedkhabib KADZIMAHAMEDAU (AIN)
Simon MARCHL (AUT)
Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE)
Ibragim VELIEV (BEL)
Miroslav KIROV (BUL)
Erik REINBOK (EST)
Zelimkhan KHADJIEV (FRA)
Avtandil KENTCHADZE (GEO)
Stas WOLF (GER)
Murad KURAMAGOMEDOV (HUN)
Mitchell FINESILVER (ISR)
Frank CHAMIZO MARQUEZ (ITA)
Egzon XHONI (KOS)
Vasile DIACON (MDA)
Rasul SHAPIEV (MKD)
Patryk OLENCZYN (POL)
Zurab KAPRAEV (ROU)
Malik AMINE (SMR)
Tobias PORTMANN (SUI)
Tajmuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK)
Soner DEMIRTAS (TUR)
Vadym KURYLENKO (UKR)

86kg
Ilya KHAMTSOU (AIN)
Artur NAIFONOV (AIN)
Benjamin GREIL (AUT)
Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE)
Magomed RAMAZANOV (BUL)
Taimuraz FRIEV NASKIDAEVA (ESP)
Aimar ANDRUSE (EST)
Rakhim MAGAMADOV (FRA)
Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO)
Joshua MORODION (GER)
Dauren KURUGLIEV (GRE)
Patrik PUESPOEKI (HUN)
Matthew FINESILVER (ISR)
Aron CANEVA (ITA)
Ivars SAMUSONOKS (LAT)
Domantas PAULIUSCENKO (LTU)
Ivan ICHIZLI (MDA)
Ahmad MAGOMEDOV (MKD)
Sebastian JEZIERZANSKI (POL)
Samuel SCHERRER (SUI)
Boris MAKOEV (SVK)
Osman GOCEN (TUR)
Vasyl MYKHAILOV (UKR)

97kg
Aliaksandr HUSHTYN (AIN)
Abdulrashid SADULAEV (AIN)
Adlan VISKHANOV (FRA)
Erik THIELE (GER)
Vlagyiszlav BAJCAJEV (HUN)
Benjamin HONIS (ITA)
Lukas KRASAUSKAS (LTU)
Radu LEFTER (MDA)
Magomedgadji NUROV (MKD)
Radoslaw BARAN (POL)
Georgian TRIPON (ROU)
Murazi MCHEDLIDZE (UKR)

125kg
Dzianis KHRAMIANKOU (AIN)
Paris KAREPI (ALB)
Johannes LUDESCHER (AUT)
Giorgi MESHVILDISHVILI (AZE)
Alen KHUBULOV (BUL)
Gennadij CUDINOVIC (GER)
Daniel LIGETI (HUN)
Abraham CONYEDO (ITA)
Ralfs LUKINS (LAT)
Gheorghe ERHAN (MDA)
Kamil KOSCIOLEK (POL)
Oleksandr KHOTSIANIVSKYI (UKR)

Alina HRUSHYNA (UKR)Alina HRUSHYNA (UKR) will return to competition after recovering from her injury. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Women’s Wrestling

50kg
Mariya STADNIK (AZE)
Kseniya STANKEVICH (AIN)
Nadezhda SOKOLOVA (AIN)
Miglena SELISHKA (BUL)
Aintzane GORRIA GONI (ESP)
Julie SABATIE (FRA)
Anastasia BLAYVAS (GER)
Emanuela LIUZZI (ITA)
Gabija DILYTE (LTU)
Anna LUKASIAK (POL)
Ana PIRVU (ROU)
Oksana LIVACH (UKR)

53kg
Elnura MAMMADOVA (AZE)
Natalia MALYSHEVA (AIN)
Irena BINKOVA (BUL)
Tatiana DEBIEN (FRA)
Annika WENDLE (GER)
Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE)
Sztalvira ORSUS (HUN)
Maria FERONE (ITA)
Mariana DRAGUTAN (MDA)
Veronika RJABOVOLOVA (MKD)
Jowita WRZESIEN (POL)
Andreea ANA (ROU)
Zeynep YETGIL (TUR)
Liliia MALANCHUK (UKR)

57kg
Zhala ALIYEVA (AZE)
Iryna KURACHKINA (AIN)
Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (AIN)
Evelina NIKOLOVA (BUL)
Graciela SANCHEZ DIAZ (ESP)
Mathilde RIVIERE (FRA)
Sandra PARUSZEWSKI (GER)
Erika BOGNAR (HUN)
Aurora RUSSO (ITA)
Othelie HOEIE (NOR)
Kateryna ZHYDACHEVSKA (ROU)
Elvira KAMALOGLU (TUR)
Alina HRUSHYNA AKOBIIA (UKR)

62kg
Birgul SOLTANOVA (AZE)
Alina KASABIEVA (AIN)
Veranika IVANOVA (AIN)
Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL)
Lydia PEREZ (ESP)
Viktoria VESSO (EST)
Ameline DOUARRE (FRA)
Eniko ELEKES (HUN)
Elena ESPOSITO (ITA)
Anastasija GRIGORJEVA (LAT)
Mariana CHERDIVARA ESANU (MDA)
Aleksandra WOLCZYNSKA (POL)
Kriszta INCZE (ROU)
Johanna LINDBORG (SWE)
Kadriye AKSOY (TUR)

68kg
Elis MANOLOVA (AZE)
Hanna SADCHANKA (AIN)
Khanum VELIEVA (AIN)
Mimi HRISTOVA (BUL)
Adela HANZLICKOVA (CZE)
Eyleen SEWINA (GER)
Noémi SZABADOS (HUN)
Ilana KRATYSH (ISR)
Dalma CANEVA (ITA)
Elma ZEIDLERE (LAT)
Danute DOMIKAITYTE (LTU)
Wiktoria CHOLUJ (POL)
Alexandra ANGHEL (ROU)
Tindra SJOEBERG (SWE)
Tetiana SOVA RIZHKO (UKR)

76kg
Martina KUENZ (AUT)
Rita TALISMANOVA (AIN)
Anastasiya ZIMIANKOVA (AIN)
Vanesa GEORGIEVA (BUL)
Epp MAE (EST)
Pauline LECARPENTIER (FRA)
Francy RAEDELT (GER)
Agoro PAPAVASILEIOU (GRE)
Bernadett NAGY (HUN)
Enrica RINALDI (ITA)
Kamile GAUCAITE (LTU)
Catalina AXENTE (ROU)
Yasemin ADAR (TUR)
Anastasiia OSNIACH SHUSTOVA (UKR)

Leri ABULADZE (GEO)63kg world champion Leri ABULADZE (GEO) is wrestling at 60kg in Baku. (Photo: UWW / Kostadin Andonov)

Greco-Roman

60kg
Hleb MAKARANKA (AIN)
Anvar ALLAKHIAROV (AIN)
Bajram SINA (ALB)
Aker SCHMID AL OBAIDI (AUT)
Nihat MAMMADLI (AZE)
Leo TUDEZCA (FRA)
Leri ABULADZE (GEO)
Etienne KINSINGER (GER)
Ilias ZAIRAKIS (GRE)
Melkamu FETENE (ISR)
Jacopo SANDRON (ITA)
Aleksandrs JURKJANS (LAT)
Justas PETRAVICIUS (LTU)
Victor CIOBANU (MDA)
Olivier SKRZYPCZAK (POL)
Razvan ARNAUT (ROU)
Georgij TIBILOV (SRB)
Enes BASAR (TUR)
Oleksii MASYK (UKR)

67kg
Maksim NEHODA (AIN)
Ruslan BICHURIN (AIN)
Abu AMAEV (BUL)
Dominik ETLINGER (CRO)
Matias LIPASTI (FIN)
Mamadassa SYLLA (FRA)
Diego CHKHIKVADZE (GEO)
Michael WIDMAYER (GER)
Arionas KOLITSOPOULOS (GRE)
Krisztian VANCZA (HUN)
Andrea SETTI (ITA)
Kristupas SLEIVA (LTU)
Valentin PETIC (MDA)
Morten THORESEN (NOR)
Gevorg SAHAKYAN (POL)
Mihai MIHUT (ROU)
Andreas VETSCH (SUI)
Niklas OEHLEN (SWE)
Selcuk CAN (TUR)
Parviz NASIBOV (UKR)

77kg
Pavel LIAKH (AIN)
Adlet TIULIUBAEV (AIN)
Kevin KUPI (ALB)
Stoyan KUBATOV (BUL)
Antonio KAMENJASEVIC (CRO)
Oldrich VARGA (CZE)
Oliver KRUEGER (DEN)
Marcos SANCHEZ (ESP)
Jonni SARKKINEN (FIN)
Ibrahim GHANEM (FRA)
Iuri LOMADZE (GEO)
Deni NAKAEV (GER)
Zoltan LEVAI (HUN)
Riccardo ABBRESCIA (ITA)
Alexandrin GUTU (MDA)
Per KURE (NOR)
Patryk BEDNARZ (POL)
Ilie COJOCARI (ROU)
Viktor NEMES (SRB)
Fabio DIETSCHE (SUI)
Per OLOFSSON (SWE)
Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR)
Elmar NURALIIEV (UKR)

87kg
Kiryl MASKEVICH (AIN)
Milad ALIRZAEV (AIN)
Lukas STAUDACHER (AUT)
Islam ABBASOV (AZE)
Ivan HUKLEK (CRO)
Turpal BISULTANOV (DEN)
Waltteri LATVALA (FIN)
Gurami KHETSURIANI (GEO)
Hannes WAGNER (GER)
Ilias PAGKALIDIS (GRE)
Leon RIVALTA (ITA)
Martynas NEMSEVICIUS (LTU)
Mihail BRADU (MDA)
Marcel STERKENBURG (NED)
Exauce MUKUBU (NOR)
Szymon SZYMONOWICZ (POL)
Nicu OJOG (ROU)
Aleksandr KOMAROV (SRB)
Damian VON EUW (SUI)
Alex KESSIDIS (SWE)

97kg
Magomed MURTAZALIEV (AIN)
Daniel GASTL (AUT)
Murad AHMADIYEV (AZE)
Filip SMETKO (CRO)
Arvi SAVOLAINEN (FIN)
Roberti KOBLIASHVILI (GEO)
Lucas LAZOGIANIS (GER)
Michail IOSIFIDIS (GRE)
Alex SZOKE (HUN)
Nikoloz KAKHELASHVILI (ITA)
Mindaugas VENCKAITIS (LTU)
Tyrone STERKENBURG (NED)
Felix BALDAUF (NOR)
Gerard KURNICZAK (POL)
Mihail KAJAIA (SRB)
Aleksandar STJEPANETIC (SWE)
Dogan YILMAZ (TUR)
Yevhenii SAVETA (UKR)

130kg
Dzmitry ZARUBSKI (AIN)
Sergei SEMENOV (AIN)
Beka KANDELAKI (AZE)
Georgi IVANOV (BUL)
Heiki NABI (EST)
Matti KUOSMANEN (FIN)
Sulkhan BUIDZE (GEO)
Jello KRAHMER (GER)
Dariusz VITEK (HUN)
Romas FRIDRIKAS (LTU)
Oskar MARVIK (NOR)
Alin ALEXUC CIURARIU (ROU)
Boris PETRUSIC (SRB)
Oleksandr CHERNETSKYY (UKR)

#WrestleTirana

Muhamet Malo 2025 Ranking Series Day 2 Recap

By Vinay Siwach

TIRANA, Albania (February 27) -- Muhamet Malo 2025 Ranking Series day two is underway with the four Freestyle and two Women's Wrestling weight classes. Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI), Kyle SNYDER (USA), Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI) and Givi MATCHARASHVILI (GEO) in action.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | DAY 1 RESULTS

15:40: Paris Olympic silver medalist Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI) is into the 125kg final after a 3-0 win over Hakan BUYUKCINGIL (TUR). Zare was given two points for inactivity from Buyukcingil and he scored a stepout late in the match to make it 3-0. He will face Zelimkhan KHIZRIEV (UWW) in the final who defeated Paris Olympic 97kg silver medalist Givi MATCHARASHVILI (GEO) 7-4 in the other semifinal. The finals begin 18:00.

Who is Arash Yoshida who beat Kyle Snyder?

15:25: Arash YOSHIDA (JPN) has done it! He beats Kyle SNYDER (USA) in the semifinals at 97kg. Yoshida, who seems small for 97kg, was in all sorts of trouble for five minutes and 30 seconds of the match. The match saw Snyder score a takedown on the edge and as Yoshida was trying to sneak out of the hold, Snyder scored a pushout, all while Yoshida was on activity time. Snyder led 4-0 before giving up a stepout. Both wrestler continued the pressure in the second period but Snyder's strength and positioning didn't let Yoshida get his on his attacks. However, Yoshida managed to get a cut-back and a turn to lead 5-5 on criteria with 30 seconds on the clock. Despite Snyder's efforts, Yoshida managed to remain in contact and not get scored on. A stunning win for the Yoshida.

Yoshida, whose father is Iranian married to a Japanese national, will face Erfan ALIZADEH MALAFEH (IRI) in the final after he defeated Batyrbek TSAKULOV (SVK), 3-2, in the other semifinal.

15:10: Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI) just gut-wrenched Feyzulla AKTURK (TUR) in the 92kg semifinal to win it in a minute and 41 seconds. He will face Alan BAGAEV (UWW) in the final after he defeated Michael MACCHIAVELLO (USA). Bagaev came out with a arm throw for four and transitioned into a lace for two turns to lead 8-0. No points scored in the second period as Bagaev moved into the final

15:00: Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO) is into the 79kg final with a very controlled win over Khidir SAIPUDINOV (BRN). He scored a takedown, two setpouts and got another point for caution while Saipudinov scored one takedown and got one point for fleeing from Gamkrelidze. His opponent will be Gadzhimurad ALIKHMAEV (UWW), who got a walkover after Evan WICK (USA) pulled out injured.

14:50: Haruna MARUYAMA (JPN) with a 10-0 technical superiority win over Oleksandra KHOMENETS (UKR). No much to show from Khomenets and she gets rolled over as Maruyama uses a trap-arm gut. She will face Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (UWW) in the final after she defeated Mariana DRAGUTAN (MDA) with a takedown in the last 30 seconds.

14:40: Umi ITO (JPN) gets done with her semifinals at 50kg with a fall over Katie DUTCHAK (CAN). Arm-barred her for the win in a minute and seven seconds. In the second semifinal, Oksana LIVACH (UKR) gets a good win over Erin GOLSTON (USA). After leading 5-0 at the break, Livach scored one more takedown to win 7-0

Semifinals will begin at 14:30

14:15: Kyle SNYDER (USA) with another controlled win over Aliaksandr HUSHTYN (UWW). He kept his distance after leading 3-0 and won to advance to the 97kg semifinals. Arash YOSHIDA (JPN) also advances with a big 11-1 win over Dato PIRUZASHVILI (GEO)

14:00: When in full flow, Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI) is a delight to watch. He gets four takedowns in his 8-0 win over Mirani MAISURADZE (GEO) at 92kg. Effortless from Ghasempour.

13:55: Feyzulla AKTURK (TUR) with a takedown with seven seconds left on the clock to beat Boris MAKOEV (SVK) at 92kg. Makoev with a meek surrender. Akturk was leading 4-1 but Makoev scored a takedown to cut it to 4-3. Akturk then added a stepout to make it 5-0 with 38 seconds left. With 17 seconds on the clock, Makoev with a takedown to lead 5-5 on criteria but seemed to have been caught off guard by Akturk's quick attack from center and the Turk gets the takedown and the win.

13:45: Umi ITO (JPN) gets to work as soon as she is on the mat but she doesn't get a clean win here against Nadezhda SOKOLOVA (UWW). Two takedowns, a double-leg fireman carry gave Ito an 8-0 lead but Sokolova surprised her with a headlock for four. Ito survived the fall to get a reversal and another takedown later she led 11-4 at the break.

She scores a four-pointer with a cut-back but gives up a reversal. The 15-5 score gives her the win but Sokolova challenges, asking for two points for the cut-back. The challenge is lost and Ito wins 16-5

13:30: Oksana LIVACH (UKR) with a clutch takedown and defense to beat MEIDUOLAJI (CHN), 6-5, at 50kg and advance to the semifinals. Meidoulaji led 5-4 and looked like she would defend her lead with ease but Livach managed to get a takedown in the second period to win.

13:20: At 55kg, Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (UWW) with a fall over Ekaterina VERBINA (UWW). Khoroshavtseva was leading only 1-0 at the break but changed levels in the second to lead 8-0 before getting the fall.

13:15: Haruna MURAYAMA (JPN) manages to get the job done against Karla GODINEZ (CAN) at 55kg. Not much action in the match but Murayama wins 2-0 to advance to the semifinals.

13:00: Oleksandra KHOMENETS (UKR) with a first-period 10-0 technical superiority over Irena BINKOVA (BUL) at 55kg. Khomenets will most likely face Haruna MURAYAMA (JPN) next

12:50: Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI), first time on mat since winning silver medal at the Paris Olympics, looks in good form. While he did not go on a rampage, he was content with a 7-0 win over Dzianis KHRAMIANKOU (UWW) at 125kg.

12:35: 2023 Asian champion Arash YOSHIDA (JPN), wrestling at his first Ranking Series, begins with a fall. He made it 10-0 before pinning Gurgen SIMONYAN (ARM). A mix of Iranian underhooks and Japanese speed there. Read more about Arash Yoshida here

12:20: Kyle SNYDER (USA) is a machine! He was down 2-0 at the break but finds a way to break through in the second period to beat Mojtaba GOLEIJ (IRI) 3-2 at 97kg. Huge win for Snyder. Goleij was up 1-0 and then added a stepout to start the second period. Snyder kept his calm and got a takedown by elevating Goleij off the mat to lead 2-2 on criteria with two minutes and 10 seconds remaining. Snyder kept himself away from Goleij for the remaining time but Goleij forced an opening and got a single leg attack going. However, he landed Snyder in the zone and forced a pushout. The referees scored it grounded with no points. That was with nine seconds remaining. Iran challenged after restart but there was no change in decision and Snyder led 3-2. Goleij had four seconds to score a takedown for the win but that never happened.

12:10: Feyzulla AKTURK (TUR) with a great start at 92kg. Samuel SCHERRER (SUI) tried matching the ties but Akturk too good for him and wins 8-1 to advance at 92kg.

11:45: Umi ITO (JPN) at 50kg starts with a first period technical superiority win over Aida KERYMOVA (UKR). Ito was in Tirana for the U23 World Championships last year but was pinned to suffer her first-ever international loss.

11:30: Day two of the Muhamet Malo 2025 Ranking Series and we start at 11:30 as the number of bouts are lesser than Wednesday. Some big names competing today.