#WrestleBudapest

European Olympic Games Qualifier Entries

By Eric Olanowski

BUDAPEST, Hungary (March 10) --- Hungary's capital city of Budapest will host 280 athletes from 35 different nations for the European Olympic Games Qualifier (March 18-21). The top two wrestlers at each weight class will qualify their nation for August's Tokyo Olympic Games.

The European Olympic Games Qualifier will be the third qualifying event for the Olympic Games. Wrestlers who finished top-six at the '19 World Championships in Nur-Sultan and top-two at the Pan-American Olympic Qualifier punched their nation's ticket to The Games.

Wrestling begins on Thursday, March 18, and can be followed live on www.unitedworldwrestling.org.

Freestyle

57kg
Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM)
Giorgi EDISHERASHVILI (AZE)
Uladzislau ANDREYEU (BLR) 
Georgi Valentinov VANGELOV (BUL)
Levan METREVELI VARTANOV (ESP)
Beka BUJIASHVILI (GEO) 
Niklas STECHELE (GER)
Gamzatgadzsi HALIDOV (HUN)
Simone Vincenzo PIRODDU (ITA)
Vladimir EGOROV (MKD)
Razvan Marian KOVACS (ROU) 
Andrii YATSENKO (UKR)

65kg
Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM)
Haji ALIYEV (AZE)
Niurgun SKRIABIN (BLR)
Vladimir Vladimirov DUBOV (BUL)
Juan Pablo GONZALEZ CRESPO (ESP)
Ilman MUKHTAROV (FRA)
George Anthony RAMM (GBR)
Vladimer KHINCHEGASHVILI (GEO) 
Alexander SEMISOROW (GER)
Georgios PILIDIS (GRE)
Abdellatif MANSOUR (ITA)
Elmedin SEJFULAU (MKD)
Magomedmurad GADZHIEV (POL)
George BUCUR (ROU)
David HABAT (SLO)
Selahattin KILICSALLAYAN (TUR)
Vasyl SHUPTAR (UKR)

74kg
Eriglent PRIZRENI (ALB)
Hrayr ALIKHANYAN (ARM)
Simon MARCHL (AUT)
Khadzhimurad GADZHIYEV (AZE)
Mahamedkhabib KADZIMAHAMEDAU (BLR)
Ali Pasha Ruslanovich UMARPASHAEV (BUL)
Jonatan ALVAREZ DIAZ (ESP)
Erik REINBOK (EST)
Charles André AFA (FRA)
Amir Reza GHASEMIKIA (GBR)
Avtandil KENTCHADZE (GEO)
Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE)
Murad KURAMAGOMEDOV (HUN)
Csaba VIDA (HUN)
Mitchell Louis FINESILVER (ISR)
Andrius MAZEIKA (LTU)
Maxim VASILIOGLO (ROU)
Malik Michael AMINE (SMR)
Marc DIETSCHE (SUI)
Tajmuraz Mairbekovic SALKAZANOV (SVK)
Soner DEMIRTAS (TUR)
Denys PAVLOV (UKR)

86kg
Hovhannes MKHITARYAN (ARM)
Abubakr ABAKAROV (AZE)
Ali SHABANAU (BLR)
Akhmed Adamovitch MAGAMAEV (BUL)
Taimuraz FRIEV NASKIDAEVA (ESP)
Ville Tapani HEINO (FIN)
Akhmed AIBUEV (FRA)
Sandro AMINASHVILI (GEO)
Ahmed Ruslanovic DUDAROV (GER)
Georgios SAVVOULIDIS (GRE)
Istvan VEREB (HUN)
Patrik SZUROVSZK I(HUN)
Milan MESTER (HUN)
Uri KALASHNIKOVI (SR)
Simone IANNATTONI (ITA)
Ivars SAMUSONOKS (LAT)
Zbigniew Mateusz BARANOWSKI (POL)
Boris MAKOEV (SVK)
Osman GOCEN (TUR)
Mukhammed ALIIEV (UKR)


Rio Olympic bronze medalist Albert SARITOV (ROU) will compete at 97kg. (Photo: Tony Rotundo)

97kg
Aliaksandr HUSHTYN (BLR)
Ahmed Sultanovich BATAEV( BUL)
Erik Sven THIELE (GER)
Timofei XENIDIS (GRE)
Milan Andras KORCSOG (HUN)
Abraham de Jesus CONYEDO RUANO (ITA)
Lukas KRASAUSKAS (LTU)
Albert SARITOV (ROU)
Radoslaw BARAN (POL)
Samuel SCHERRER (SUI)
Suleyman KARADENIZ (TUR)
Mahamed ZAKARIIEV (UKR)

125kg
Paris KAREPI (ALB)
Johannes LUDESCHER (AUT)
Jamaladdin MAGOMEDOV (AZE)
Dzianis KHRAMIANKOU (BLR)
Georgi Lyubomirov IVANOV (BUL)
Jose CUBA VAZQUEZ (ESP)
Jere Tapani HEINO (FIN)
Gennadij CUDINOVIC (GER)
Daniel LIGETI (HUN)
Robert BARAN (POL)
Shamil SHARIPOV (RUS)


 '17 world champion Aleksandr CHEKHIRKIN (RUS) will be Russia's rep at 77kg. (Photo: Gabor Martin)

Greco-Roman

60kg
Gevorg GHARIBYAN (ARM)
Murad MAMMADOV (AZE)
Soslan DAUROV (BLR)
Edmond Armen NAZARYAN (BUL)
Helary MAEGISALU (EST)
Irakli DZIMISTARISHVILI (GEO)
Juuso Aleksi LATVALA (FIN)
Etienne KINSINGER (GER)
Krisztian KECSKEMETI (HUN)
Erik TORBA (HUN)
Jacopo SANDRON (ITA)
Justas PETRAVICIUS (LTU)
Stig Andre BERGE (NOR)
Dawid Andrzej ERSETIC (POL)
Razvan ARNAUT (ROU)
Ardit FAZLJIJA (SWE)
Kerem KAMAL (TUR)

67kg
Slavik GALSTYAN (ARM)
Islambek DADOV (AZE)
Aliaksandr LIAVONCHYK (BLR)
Ivo Krasimirov ILIEV (BUL)
Elmer Joakim MATTILA (FIN)
Mamadassa SYLLA (FRA)
Ramaz ZOIDZE (GEO)
Krisztian Istvan VANCZA (HUN)
Balint KORPASI (HUN)
Ruben MARVICE (ITA)
Edgaras VENCKAITIS (LTU)
Morten THORESEN (NOR)
Gevorg SAHAKYAN (POL)
Mihai Radu MIHUT (ROU)
Andreas VETSCH (SUI)
Daniel Mattias SOINI (SWE)}
Atakan YUKSEL (TUR)
Artur POLITAIEV (UKR)
Aker AL OBAIDI (UWW)

77kg
Sanan SULEYMANOV (AZE)
Viktar SASUNOUSKI (BLR)
Aik MNATSAKANIAN (BUL)
Oldrich VARGA (CZE)
Matias Olavi Iisakki LIPASTI (FIN)
Johnny Just BUR (FRA)
Gela BOLKVADZE (GEO)
Pascal EISELE (GER)
Georgios PREVOLARAKIS (GRE)
Roman ZHERNOVETSKI (ISR)
Luca DARIOZZI (ITA)
Paulius GALKINAS (LTU)
Per Anders KURE (NOR)
Mateusz Lukasz WOLNY (POL)
Ilie COJOCARI (ROU)
Aleksandr CHEKHIRKIN (RUS)
Viktor NEMES (SRB)
Mate NEMES (SRB)
Denis HORVATH (SVK)
Fatih CENGIZ (TUR)
Yaroslav FILCHAKOV (UKR)

87kg
Artur SHAHINYAN (ARM)
Michael WAGNER (AUT)
Islam ABBASOV (AZE)
Tarek Mohamed ABDELSLAM SHEBLE MOHAMED (BUL)
Petr NOVAK (CZE)
Vili Tapio ROPPONEN (FIN)
Lasha GOBADZE (GEO)
Dimitrios PAPADOPOULOS (GRE)
Fabio PARISI (ITA)
Martynas NEMSEVICIUS (LTU)
Szymon SZYMONOWICZ (POL)
Milad ALIRZAEV (RUS) 
Zurabi DATUNASHVILI (SRB)
Ramon Rainer BETSCHART (SUI)
Kristoffer Zakarias BERG (SWE)
Metehan BASAR (TUR)

97kg
Markus RAGGINGER (AUT)
Murat LOKIAYEV (AZE)
Aliaksandr HRABOVIK (BLR)
Kiril Milenov MILOV (BUL)
Artur OMAROV (CZE) 
Arvi Martin SAVOLAINEN (FIN)
Melonin NOUMONVI (FRA)
Ramsin AZIZSIR (GER)
Laokratis KESIDIS (GRE)
Alex Gergo SZOKE (HUN)
Erik SZILVASSY (HUN)
Balazs KISS (HUN)
Nikoloz KAKHELASHVILI (ITA)
Vilius LAURINAITIS (LTU)
Felix BALDAUF (NOR)
Damian VON EUW (SUI)
Pontus Johan LUND (SWE)
Oleksandr SHYSHMAN (UKR)

130kg
David OVASAPYAN (ARM)
Beka KANDELAKI (AZE)
Georgi CHUGOSHVILI (BLR)
Radoslav Plamenov GEORGIEV (BUL)
Stepan DAVID (CZE)
Konsta Johannes MAEENPAEAE (FIN)
Nikolaos NTOUNIAS (GRE)
Adam VARGA (HUN)
Mantas KNYSTAUTAS (LTU)
Oskar MARVIK (NOR)
Rafal Andrzej KRAJEWSKI (POL)
Alin ALEXUC CIURARIU (ROU)
Sergei SEMENOV (RUS)
Boban ZIVANOVIC (SRB)
Mykola KUCHMII (UKR)

London Olympic champion Natalia VOROBEVA (RUS) will compete at 76kg. (Photo: Gabor Martin)

Women's Wrestling 
 

50kg
Natallia VARAKINA (BLR)
Miglena Georgieva SELISHKA (BUL)
Taru Marketta VAINIONPAEAE (FIN)
Julie Martine SABATIE (FRA)
Lisa ERSEL (GER)
Iwona Nina MATKOWSKA (POL)
Emma Jonna Denise MALMGREN (SWE)
Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR)

53kg
Leyla GURBANOVA(AZE)
Vanesa KALADZINSKAYA (BLR)
Sezen Behchetova BELBEROVA (BUL)
Marina RUEDA FLORES (ESP)
Nina HEMMER( GER)
Mercedesz DENES (HUN)
Szimonetta Timea SZEKER (HUN)
Jessica Cornelia Francisca BLASZKA (NED)
Andreea Beatrice ANA (ROU)
Stalvira ORSHUSH (RUS)
Sofia Magdalena MATTSSON (SWE)
Zeynep YETGIL (TUR)
Mariia VYNNYK (UKR)

57kg
Alyona KOLESNIK (AZE)
Evelina Georgieva NIKOLOVA (BUL)
Graciela SANCHEZ DIAZ (ESP)
Laura MERTENS (GER)
Emese BARKA (HUN)
Ramona GALAMBOS (HUN)
Aurora RUSSO (ITA)
Grace Jacob BULLEN (NOR)
Kateryna ZHYDACHEVSKA (ROU)
Veronika CHUMIKOVA (RUS)
Sara Johanna LINDBORG (SWE)
Bediha GUN (TUR)
Alina HRUSHYNA AKOBIIA (UKR)

Rio Olympic runner-up Maryia MAMASHUK (BLR) headlines the 62kg entries. (Photo: Gabor Martin)

62kg
Tetiana OMELCHENKO(AZE)
Maryia MAMASHUK (BLR)
Lydia PEREZ TOURINO (ESP)
Ameline DOUARRE (FRA)
Luisa Helga Gerda NIEMESCH (GER)
Sara DA COL (ITA)
Anastasija GRIGORJEVA (LAT)
Mariana CHERDIVARA ESANU (MDA)
Katarzyna MADROWSKA (POL)
Kriszta Tunde INCZE (ROU)
Liubov OVCHAROVA (RUS)
Elif Jale YESILIRMAK (TUR)
Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR)

68kg
Elis MANOLOVA (AZE)

Hanna SADCHANKA (BLR)
Yuliana Vasileva YANEVA (BUL)
Adela HANZLICKOVA (CZE)
Koumba Selene Fanta LARROQUE (FRA)
Noémi SZABADOS (HUN)
Ilana KRATYSH (ISR)
Dalma CANEVA (ITA)
Danute DOMIKAITYTE (LTU)
Irina RINGAC I(MDA)
Agnieszka Jadwiga WIESZCZEK KORDUS (POL)
Alexandra Nicoleta ANGHEL (ROU)
Khanum VELIEVA (RUS)
Buse TOSUN (TUR)


76kg
Martina KUENZ (AUT)
Gozal ZUTOVA (AZE)
Vasilisa MARZALIUK (BLR)
Mariya Gerginova ORYASHKOVA (BUL)
Pauline Denise LECARPENTIER (FRA)
Georgina Olwen NELTHORPE (GBR)
Aikaterini Eirini PITSIAVA (GRE)
Zsanett NEMETH (HUN)
Bernadett NAGY (HUN)
Eleni PJOLLAJ (ITA)
Kamile GAUCAITE (LTU)
Iselin Maria Moen SOLHEIM (NOR)
Natalia Iwona STRZALKA (POL)
Catalina AXENTE (ROU)
Natalia VOROBEVA (RUS)
Yasemin ADAR (TUR) 
Alla BELINSKA (UKR)

#WrestleAcapulco

Pan-Am Olympic Qualifiers Preview: Elor gets ready for 68kg

By United World Wrestling Press

ACAPULCO, Mexico (February 26) -- The first Paris Olympic qualifying event will kick off February 28 in Acapulco, Mexico. The Pan-American Olympic Qualifying tournament is the first of the four continental qualifiers.

The three-day event will see six Greco-Roman Olympic weight classes on February 28, followed by Women's Wrestling on February 29 and Freestyle on March 1.

The qualification rounds will begin at 1000 hours local time while the Paris 2024 Qualification bouts i.e. the semifinals, will begin at 1700 hours local time. The winners of each semifinal will earn a Paris Games ticket for the respective nation. Four wrestlers per weight class will be seeded in each weight class and there will be no gold and bronze medal bouts and repechage bouts.

The Pan-American Championships last week at the same venue gave some insight into how the United States can dominate all three styles. But some of the most intense competitions are expected to take place in Women's Wrestling in Acapulco.

All eyes will be on Amit ELOR (USA) as the 72kg world champion makes the descent to the Olympic weight class of 68kg. Elor is undeniably the favorite to win the weight class and qualify the U.S. Since she is not seeded, Elor will be drawn at random in the bracket.

Former world champion Linda MORAIS (CAN) will also hope to get the quota for Canada at 68kg.

Another world champion from the U.S. is Dominique PARRISH (USA) who is looking to get the spot at 53kg. She won the World Championships in 2022 but fell in the first round in 2023. She is yet to repeat her performance from 2022 and the Pan-Am qualifiers will be a big test for her.

Parrish will be seeded number one at 53kg and can face a stiff challenge from former Pan-Am champion Karla GODINEZ (CAN) who will not have a seed in the bracket.

At 50kg, Jacqueline MOLLOCANA (ECU) and Mariana ROJAS (VEN), the finalists from the Pan-Am champs will be happy to repeat the performance and claim the spot for their countries. But top seed Alisson CARDOZO (COL)  will look to bounce back after a medalless Pan-Ams. 

Top seed Giullia PENALBER (BRA) and Hannah TAYLOR (CAN) have a chance to win the quotas at 57kg if the two can repeat their performances from the Pan-Ams. Penalber was the finalist, while Taylor reached the semifinals before suffering an injury. She will have to quickly recover from the injury she suffered in the semifinal.

Former Pan-Am champ and third seed Luisa VALVERDE (ECU) can also spring a surprise in the qualifiers along with second seed Alma VALENCIA ESCOTO (MEX).

Another top battle can ensue at 62kg as Pan-Am champ Kayla MIRACLE (USA) and Ana GODINEZ (CAN) step up for their countries and qualify for the Paris Games. The two met in the final last week and are the favorites to repeat.

Lias NUNES (BRA) will, however, look to spoil the party for Godinez and earn a spot for Brazil. She is seeded third and can only meet Godinez in the semifinal. 

The 76kg class had three qualifications from the World Championships. This will leave Justina DI STASIO (CAN) and Pan-Am champ Genesis REASCO (ECU) hoping to get a win in the semifinals. The two are seeded number one and two, so they will not meet each other in the bracket.

Nicholas LEE (USA)Pan-Am champ Nicholas LEE (USA) will be the one of the favorites to qualify at 65kg. (Photo: UWW / William Bain)

Freestyle

The U.S. has already qualified for the 74kg, 86kg, 97kg and 125kg in Freestyle and will look to complete the line up in Acapulco with 57kg and 65kg. Zane RICHARDS (USA) at 57kg and Nicholas LEE (USA) at 65kg will be the favorite to win these weight classes.

At 57kg, Pedro MEJIAS RODRIGUEZ (VEN) will be seeded number one while Richards will be number two and can only meet in the final. If the two seeds hold, both will win a quota for their respective countries.

But Roman BRAVO YOUNG (MEX) and Darian CRUZ (PUR) will look to win a quota as well. Bravo has been wrestling in the NCAA in the U.S. for a few years while Cruz has racked up international wins.

For Pan-Am champ Lee, Agustin DESTRIBATS (ARG) would have been the biggest challenge, but since the two are seeded number one and two, both can meet only in the final. That makes two-time world medalist Alejandro VALDES (CUB) another favorite to win the semifinal and qualify. Austin GOMEZ (MEX) will also be keen on winning his semifinal.

In the weight classes with no U.S. wrestlers, veteran Jeandry GARZON (CUB) will look to qualify for his second Olympics at the age of 40 years. He has four World Championships medals but the last came in 2010.

It will be interesting to see who manages to win the semifinals but Cesar BORDEAUX (BRA) and Sonny SANTIAGO (PUR) will back themselves if they reach the last-four.

Cuba will also back former Pan-Am champion Yurieski TORREBLANCA (CUB) to qualify the 86kg spot. But it won't be an east bath for him. Ethan RAMOS (PUR), seed number one Pedro CEBALLOS (VEN) and Anthony VALENCIA (MEX) will also be in the fray to win the spot.

Canada can hope that Nishan Preet RANDHAWA (CAN) at 97kg and Amarveer DHESI (CAN) at 125kg will be the favorites in their respective weight classes. Randhawa will have to be careful as Maxwell LACEY (CRC), Arturo SILOT (CUB) and Cristian SARCO (VEN) are entered as well.

Dhesi won the Pan-Am Games last year and has the experience to go all the way but Ibrain TORRES (CUB), Jonovan SMITH (PUR) and Jose DIAZ (VEN) will be his biggest challengers.

Arsen JUFALAKYAN (ARG)Arsen JUFALAKYAN (ARG) wrestling at the 2015 World Championships. (Photo: UWW / Martin Gabor)

Greco-Roman

The return of 2012 Olympic silver medalist Arsen JULFALAKYAN (ARG) will be the biggest story in Greco-Roman. The 36-year-old became a world champion in 2014 and competed for Armenia at the European Championships in 2020. However, he has now switched to Argentina. He competed at the Henri Deglane Grand Prix in January, winning a silver medal.

As an unseeded wrestler, Julfalakyan will be drawn at random in the bracket. Top seed Yosvanys PENA (CUB) will start as the favorite along with top seed Kamal BEY (USA). Interestingly, both lost in the semifinal of the Pan-Am Championships as Jair CUERO MUNOZ (COL), who will be seeded second, won the gold medal while Joilson RAMOS (BRA) was the silver medalist. Will Julfalakyan manage to navigate this bracket and return to the Olympics?

Cuba will be hoping that Pan-Am champion Daniel GREGORICH (CUB) gets the Paris Games spot at 87kg. He will be the top-seeded wrestler and the favored wrestler to win his semifinal. Luis AVENDANO (VEN), who won silver at the Pan-Ams, will be on the opposite side of the bracket.

Alfonso ARIEL ANDRES (HON) and Carlos MUNOZ (COL), who reached the semifinals at the Pan-Ams, will hope to win it at the qualifiers.

At 130kg, Yasmani ACOSTA (CHI) is undoubtedly the favorite while top seed Cohlton SCHULTZ (USA) will hope Acosta doesn't fall on his side of the bracket. Moises PEREZ (VEN) is the second seed for the Pan-Am qualifiers.

Hondoras has a big chance of winning a Paris Games quota as Pan-Am champ Kevin MEJIA (HON) looks to repeat his performance from the championships. He will be the top seed for the 97kg weight class. 

Pan-Am silver medalist Alan VERA (USA) will be the favorite from the other side of the bracket as he is seeded number two and was the finalist against Mejia last week.

At 60kg, Raiber RODRIGUEZ (VEN) won the Pan-Am Championships and has the chance to qualify for the Paris Games if he can repeat at the qualifiers as the top seed. The U.S. will bank on second seed Ildar HAFIZOV (USA) who skipped the Pan-Ams to prepare for the qualifiers.

Alejandro SANCHO (USA) is another Pan-Am champion who is seeded number one for the quaifiers and will be the favorite. The 67kg weight class has Julian HORTA (COL) as the second seed but he lost to Andres MONTANO (ECU) in the Pan-Am semifinals and will have to avenge that loss if the two meet.