#BackToWrestling

With Eye on Safety, Lithuania Returns to Practice Mats

By United World Wrestling Press

VILNIUS, Lithuania (May 22) -- With few cases of COVID-19 nationwide, Lithuania's top wrestlers are returning to the mat, albeit with safety precautions in place. 

Lithuania has only seen 1600 total cases of COVID-19 and 60 deaths. Despite the lower numbers the wrestling federation and the athletes are taking every precaution they can to ensure the health and safety of the wrestlers on the mat. The new guidelines for practice includes increased cleaning protocols, temperature checks, hand sanitization and face masks (for anyone not actively wrestling).

Athletes’ Commission member Mindaugas EZERSKIS mentioned the practices during Monday's Athlete Webinar with the commission and UWW President Nenad Lalovic. Ezerskis said the team is training during the week and taking weekends off with a focus on preparing for the Olympics and Olympic Qualification events. 

You can watch the full video, here.

#WrestleParis

Wrestling at Paris 2024 by numbers: Quotas, countries, records

By Vinay Siwach

PARIS (July 5) -- The 291 wrestlers for the Paris 2024 from 63 countries have been confirmed and it is the United States sending the most wrestlers with 16. It has six spots in Freestyle, six in Women's Wrestling and four in Greco-Roman.

The U.S. is followed by Japan which managed 13 quotas for Paris Olympics with six in Women's Wrestling, four in Freestyle and three in Greco-Roman. Azerbaijan and China managed to get 12 quotas each. Azerbaijan has six in Freestyle, five in Greco-Roman and one in Women's Wrestling while China has five in Women's Wrestling, four in freestyle and three in Greco-Roman.

PARIS 2024 SCHEDULE | PARIS 2024 NEWS

Egypt, Iran and Turkiye are tied with 11 quotas each from the qualification process. Egypt has qualified all six in Greco-Roman, four in Freestyle and one in Women's Wrestling. Iran won six in Greco-Roman and five in Freestyle. Turkiye has five in women's wrestling, four in Greco-Roman and two in freestyle.

Cuba and Kyrgyzstan also touched double digits with 10 quotas. Cuba has five quotas in Greco-Roman, three in Freestyle and two in Women's Wrestling. Kyrgyzstan has four quotas in Greco-Roman and three each in women's wrestling and freestyle.

Mongolia and Ukraine earned nine spots for Paris 2024 with the former qualifying all six in Women's Wrestling and three in Freestyle. Ukraine has four in Women's Wrestling, three in Freestyle and two in Greco-Roman.

Algeria and Kazakhstan have eight quotas while four countries have seven. Five countries have six quotas each while four nations have five quotas. Four countries got four each, eight got three each and six earned two quotas each for the Paris Games.

There will be 15 countries that won one quota. In addition, two Individual Neutral Athletes will take part in Paris 2024 along with two refugee athletes.

Wrestlers by continents

Europe - 111 (38.54 percent)
Asia - 84 (29.17 percent)
Americas - 55 (19.10 percent)
Africa - 32 (11.11 percent)
Oceania - 6 (2.08 percent).

Quotas by continents

Europe - 26 countries (42.62 percent)
Asian - 12 countries (19.67 percent)
American - 12 countries (19.67 percent)
Africa - 7 countries (11.48)
Oceania - 4 countries (6.56 percent)

Debuts

- Four countries will be making their debuts at the Olympics in Women's Wrestling - Lithuania, Algeria, New Zealand and Uzbekistan
- Honduras is sending its first-ever Greco-Roman wrestler to the Olympics
- The Dominican Republic is sending its first-ever Freestyle wrestler to the Olympics

Full List of Quotas

Country Quota FS WW GR
USA 16 6 6 4
JPN 13 4 6 3
AZE 12 6 1 5
CHN 12 4 5 3
EGY 11 4 1 6
IRI 11 5  - 6
TUR 11 2 5 4
CUB 10 3 2 5
KGZ 10 3 3 4
MGL 9 3 6  -
UKR 9 3 4 2
ALG 8 1 2 5
KAZ 8 4  - 4
GEO 7 4  - 3
GER 7 1 4 2
MDA 7 2 3 2
UZB 7 3 1 3
BUL 6 1 2 3
CAN 6 2 4  -
IND 6 1 5  -
NGR 6 1 5  -
SRB 6 2   4
ARM 5 2 - 3
HUN 5 2 1 2
POL 5 2 2 1
ROU 5  - 3 2
COL 4  - 2 2
ECU 4  - 3 1
PUR 4 4  -  -
VEN 4 1 2 1
ALB 3 3  -  -
FRA 3  - 2 1
ITA 3 1 2  -
KOR 3  -  1 2
LTU 3 - 1 2
PRK 3 - 2 1
TUN 3 - 2 1
GRE 3 2 1  -
AIN 2 1  - 1
AUS 2 2  -  -
CHI 2  -  - 2
FIN 2  -  - 2
GBS 2 2  -  -
GUM 2  - 2  -
MEX 2 2  -  -
SWE 2  - 2  -
EOR (UWW) 2  1 1  -
BRA 1  - 1  -
BRN 1 1  -  -
DEN 1  -  - 1
DOM 1 1    
EST 1  -  - 1
HON 1  -  - 1
MAR 1  -  - 1
MKD 1 1  -  -
NOR 1  - 1  -
NZL 1  - 1  -
RSA 1 1  -  -
SAM 1 1  -  -
SMR 1 1  -  -
SVK 1 1  -  -
TJK 1 1  -   -
Total = 63 290 97 96 97