#WrestleBelgrade

Greco-Roman Preview: Young blood out to challenge old guard

By Vinay Siwach

BELGRADE, Serbia (September 12) -- Out of the six Greco-Roman champions from the Tokyo Olympics, three have since returned to the mat while others have chosen different paths.

Tamas LORINCZ (HUN) retired after winning the gold medal at 77kg, 97kg champion Musa EVLOEV (ROC) is yet to be seen in competition while Mijain LOPEZ (CUB), who won his fourth gold at 130kg, is expected to compete at the Paris Olympics next year.

The three who have returned are Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI), who won gold and silver in the World Championships following the Olympics, 60kg champion Luis ORTA (CUB) who moved up to 63kg last year and is now to 67kg in a bid to win his second Olympic title. The third, Zhan BELENIUK (UKR), is returning to the World Championships, only his second competition since winning the 87kg gold medal in Tokyo.

A few new wrestlers have emerged since the Tokyo Games and Beleniuk, for the meticulous person he is, will be aware of the same. The Olympic champion returned to the mat at the Henri Deglane Grand Prix in February this year and won gold. And now the two-time world champion will be in action on September 23 as he enters the race for his third Olympic medal next year in Paris.

Close to 1000 wrestlers across three styles will try to win the 90 Olympic spots that are on offer at the World Championships in Belgrade. An Olympic weight class offers five Paris Olympic quotas and a wrestler can earn it for the respective National Olympic Committee by winning a medal. The fifth will be decided via a playoff between the losers of the bronze-medal bouts.

If history is anything to go by, Beleniuk can be sure of winning a medal in Belgrade. In the previous two Olympic qualifying World Championships (2015 and 2019), Beleniuk emerged as the gold medalist. Things can well be in his favor once again if we see the Beleniuk of old.

During his time off the mat, Olympic bronze medalist Zurabi DATUNASHVILI (SRB) won the World Championships in 2021 and 2022 but he won't defend his title while silver medalist from 2022, Turpal BISULTANOV (DEN), will skip the tournament owing to an injury.

However, the 87kg field still poses a threat to Beleniuk and the biggest of them is, incidentally, a former Ukranian, Semen NOVIKOV (BUL), who has now transferred to Bulgaria.

Novikov is a two-time U23 world champion and was long considered as the successor to Beleniuk. The two have wrestled twice to make the Ukrainian national team with Beleniuk winning on both occasions.

"Beleniuk is not the reason I left; I'm not afraid of a rivalry," Novikov told UWW. "I believed in myself, and I felt that I had chances, but he was going to be Ukraine's representative either way. I hope we will meet in the finals. I'll be happy when I win this rematch. It means that I became a little better."

Novikov is seeded sixth at the World Championships while Beleniuk will be unseeded which means the two can meet at any stage of the bracket.

The two will also be wary of other stars in the bracket especially the top two seeds -- Ali CENGIZ (TUR) and David LOSONCZI (HUN). The two are returning bronze medalists with the hope of improving on their results.

Like Novikov, Cengiz was the second to Metehan BASAR (TUR) at 87kg in Turkiye but he has taken off since that bronze last year. He won silver medals at the Ranking Series in Alexandria and the European Championships and bronze in Bishkek.

Losonczi had to fight for his place in the Hungarian team as European champion Istvan TAKACS (HUN) was the preferred choice. Takacs beat Losonczi in the Zagreb Open but the latter won the U23 European Championships and the gold in Budapest Ranking Series which confirmed his spot.

Three-time European medalist Islam ABBASOV (AZE) will be hoping to win his first world medal and earn a Paris quota for this country. He lost to Cengiz at the European Championships before losing to Lasha GOBADZE (GEO) in the bronze-medal bout.

Tokyo Olympian Gobadze is a 2019 world champion at 82kg and is going for his second, this time in an Olympic weight class. He won bronze at the 2021 World Championships but skipped the last edition. Like Gobadze, both Kiryl MASKEVICH (AIN) and Alan OSTAEV (AIN) are making a return to competition since 2021 and will be medal threats in Belgrade.

Veteran Alex KESSIDIS (SWE) is in search of his first world medal since 2019 as he lost to Losonciz in the bronze-medal bout last year. The 2019 silver medalist at 77kg moved to 82kg in 2021 and to 87kg last year. Iran is sending Naser ALIZADEH (IRI) who will have to punch above his weight if Iran wants to qualify for the Paris Games from the World Championships. The former Asian champion finished fifth last year after a loss to Cengiz.

A lot of eyes will be on Jalgasbay BERDIMURATOV (UZB), who won a silver medal at 82kg last year, as he has moved up to 87kg this year. The start wasn't ideal as he finished fifth at the Zagreb Open but won bronze at the Asian Championships and gold in Budapest.

Others who can spring a surprise are Daniel GREGORICH HECHAVARRIA (CUB), Marcel STERKENBURG (NED) and Exauce MUKUBU (NOR).

130kg
Like Beleniuk, Riza KAYAALP (TUR) has a habit of winning gold at the Olympic qualifying World Championships. He achieved the feat in 2011, 2015 and 2019. And the three-time Olympic medalist looks destined to win again.

Since his bronze-medal finish at the Tokyo Olympics, Kayaalp has only lost to Beka KANDELAKI (AZE) when he got pinned at the Istanbul Ranking Series. Kayaalp has avenged that loss since but the Azerbaijan wrestler remains a big threat at the heaviest weight.

Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) will be in Belgrade with an aim to upset the five-time world champion Kayaalp who defeated the Iranian 1-1 last year in a tense final. Kayaalp had also defeated Mirzazadeh in the Olympic bronze-medal bout. Mirzazadeh can draw confidence from the fact that he has a win over Oscar PINO (CUB) this year. The Cuban will try to qualify his country for the Paris Games and in all likelihood give up his spot for Mijain LOPEZ (CUB) who is chasing a fifth Olympic gold medal.

Tokyo Olympic silver medalist Iakobi KAJAIA (GEO) has failed to reach any finals since then but the World Championships will be ideal to find his lost form. Two other Tokyo Olympians, Yasmani ACOSTA FERNANDEZ (CHI) and Alin ALEXUC CIURARIU (ROU) will look to wrestle for a medal in Belgrade.

Apart from all the familiar faces, Kayaalp, the most successful Turkish wrestler ever, may see an old foe. Heiki NABI (EST), 38, is preparing to qualify for the Paris Games in a bid to win a second Olympic medal, 12 years after winning silver at the London Games.

Nabi won bronze in 2019 to qualify for the Tokyo Games but in June 2021, he was banned for two years by Estonian Anti-Doping and Sports Ethics Foundation for using performance-enhancing substances. He missed the Tokyo Games which had been pushed to 2021 due to the pandemic. Nabi appealed EADSE's decision in the International Court of Arbitration for Sport which ruled, that while Nabi could not be considered to have willingly used the substances, his ban would not be overturned.

97kg
In another Olympic weight class which has been dominated by a wrestler for more than a decade, Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) has no intentions of letting take away that domination. The Armenian legend will work towards his fifth world title when he takes the mat at 97kg, hoping to defend the gold medal he won in 2022.

That was Aleksanyan's first gold in five years as the rise of Musa EVLOEV combined with injuries had hampered Aleksanyan's run at the top. While Evloev is not there, Aleksanyan will have to once again go through Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) who has lost to Aleksanyan in their three previous meetings -- 2019 and 2022 World Championships and the Tokyo Olympics.

But Saravi seems to push Aleksanyan to the limits and a trick here and there can change the results of the bout. Both wrestlers are evenly matched in par terre defense but Saravi's failure to score from standing has been a big issue for the Iranian.

Add to the mix Kiril MILOV (BUL) who won the European Championships last year and has been in the world top three for the last two years. Youngsters and former U23 world champions Arvi SAVOLAINEN (FIN) and Artur SARGSIAN (AIN) will be returning to the World Championships after two years and will be big medal threats. 2022 world bronze medalist Arif NIFTULLAYEV (AZE) is also returning in a bid to improve on his result after losing to Milov in the semifinal last year.

Hungary is banking on Tamas LEVAI (HUN) who used to be at 77kg two years ago. He finished seventh at the European Championships this year. Felix BALDAUF (NOR), Mihail KAJAIA (SRB) and recently crowned U20 world champion Abubakar KHASLAKHANAU (AIN) are no pushovers while it won't be wise to count out the old wily fox Rustam ASSAKALOV (UZB) and former two-time world champion Metehan BASAR (TUR).

77kg
The weight class with the most entries, 45, can throw some surprising results. Defending champion and history maker Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) will lead the field as he tries to win another world title and ultimately achieve the goal of becoming Kyrgyzstan's first Olympic champion in Paris.

Barring one bout, the semifinal against Yunus BASAR (TUR), Makhmudov looked in no trouble last year. He is since unbeaten in three tournaments, winning the Dan Kolov-Nikola Petrov tournament, the Asian Championships and the Ljubomir Ivanovic Gedza International in August.

Returning silver medalist Zoltan LEVAI (HUN) lost to Viktor NEMES (SRB) at the European Championships semifinals and finished with a bronze medal, an improvement after finishing 12th and 13th in Zagreb and Alexandria at the start of the year, respectively. He finished fifth in Budapest before earning bronze in Serbia in August.

Levai's struggles this year make a few others favorites to reach the final, especially European champion Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM). The returning bronze medalist has had a great run as he won the U23 World Championships in October and wrestled Makhmudov in the final in Bulgaria in February. He defended his European title in April, including a win over Basar in the semifinals, and will be a front-runner for gold in Belgrade.

Basar will be hoping to reverse the result over Makhmudov from last year and improve on his bronze-medal finish. He won bronze at the Ibrahim Moustafa Ranking Series and the European Championships this year but finished ninth in Bishkek and a lowly 19th at the Grand Prix of Germany.

He did not have a great showing last year but Mohammadali GERAEI (IRI) is back with some gold medals to back himself this year. He began the year with a gold at the Zagreb Open and added another in Bishkek. It is yet to be seen if he can continue this form in Belgrade where he was beaten in the 1/8 finals last year.

Sanan SULEYMANOV (AZE), a silver medalist from 2021, along with young stars Deni NAKAEV (GER) and Alexandrin GUTU (MDA) and high-flying Kamal BEY (USA) will be the ones to keep an eye on. And he may have been away for more than two years but Gurpreet SINGH (UWW) still possesses the ability to shock with his big throws.

60kg
Kyrgyzstan's other history maker Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) will also have to bring his 'A' game in Belgrade as he goes for his second straight title.

Like Makhmudov, Sharshenbekov has also won three tournaments since winning the World Championships. He has gold at Dan Kolov, the Asian Championships and the Ljubomir Ivanovic Gedza International.

Among the wrestlers hoping to stop him from repeating, a few formidable names are Edmond NAZARYAN (BUL), Victor CIOBANU (MDA), Mehdi MOHSEN NEJAD (IRI), Kenichiro FUMITA (JPN), Kerem KAMAL (TUR), Nihat MAMMADLI (AZE) and Anvar ALLAKHIAROV (AIN).

Nazaryan met Sharshenbekov in the final last year but suffered an 11-2 defeat in an anti-climatic final. The 21-year-old, who became a European champion at 18, has put that loss behind and won the European Championships in April by defeating Ciobanu in the final and reached the semifinal in Budapest before injury defaulting against Kamal.

Ciobanu has returned to 60kg after spending most of his time at 63kg since he became Moldova's first-ever world champion in 2021. Sharshenbekov would remember Ciobanu as the Moldovan defeated him in the final of the Oslo World Championships. Ciobanu and Kamal had a slugfest in Zagreb which the former won.

Returning bronze medalist and Olympic silver medalist Fumita would be keen on facing Nazaryan as he lost to the Bulgarian 5-5 in the semifinals. Since Fumita is not seeded, he can land anywhere in the bracket. After that bronze, Fumita has wrestled only at the German Grand Prix this year, finishing second at 63kg.

Fumita had defeated Kamal last year which ended the World Championships for Mohsen Nejad who will be eager to get his hands on Kamal. The Iranian got pinned by the Turkish wrestler after leading 9-4.

Mohsen Nejad began this year with gold at the Zagreb Open but slumped to eighth at the Asian Championships after losing to Yernur FIDAKHAMETOV (KAZ). He did win a bronze medal in Bishkek after losing to Islomjon BAKHRAMOV (UZB), the gold medalist in Biskhek and who will be in Belgrade.

Mammadli has been a beast at the age-group level and could not find a better place to showcase his talent while Allakhiarov will return to Belgrade, a city in which he became a U23 world champion in 2021, to resume his international career.

67kg
Two Olympic champions, Olympic silver and bronze medalists, a young sensation, a home world champion, the Asian champion and a dark horse.

The 67kg weight class is the drama that the World Championships needed. Olympic champion Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI) is hoping to return to the top of the world after being stunned by Mate NEMES (SRB) in the final last year in front of a packed Stark Arena. But if Geraei had hoped for an easier path, he is in for bad news.

60kg Olympic champion Luis ORTA (CUB) has moved up 67kg this year with three gold medals -- Henri Delgane Grand Prix, Pan-Am Championships and the Central American and Caribean Games -- already in his pocket. He has suffered two losses, both to HUSIYUETU (CHN), in 2023 to finish with bronze medals in Zagreb and Biskek. Orta was at 63kg last year and finished seventh but will be going for gold in Belgrade in the new weight class.

Nemes, after his extraordinary run in 2022, has only competed twice, finishing ninth at the Thor Masters and second at the Wladyslaw Pytlasinski Cup in July. It will be interesting to see if he can repeat the heroics of last year.

European champion and Azerbaijan's best talent Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) is keen on improving his bronze-medal finish from last year. He lost to Nemes in the semifinal but has already avenged that loss by winning the European Championships over the Serbian. He would now hope to go all the way in Belgrade and win the senior world title, adding to his U20 and U23 ones.

Olympic silver medalist Parviz NASIBOV (UKR) finished 10th last year but will look to bounce back and earn a spot for the Paris Games. The same will be on the mind of bronze medalist from Tokyo Mohamed ELSAYED (EGY) who finished 22nd after losing the first round to Abror ATABAEV (UZB) who returns to the World Championships as the Asian champion.

Returning bronze medalist Amantur ISMAILOV (KGZ) defeated Joni KHETSURIANI (GEO) last year but has to be wary of the Georgian who has won silver medals at four tournaments this year.

55kg
In the non-Olympic weight classes, the wrestlers will still be vying for the world title. At 55kg, Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE) will be hoping to become only the second Azerbaijan wrestler to hold three world titles if he defends his gold.

His long-time rival and 2019 world champion Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO) will try to find a way to beat the Azerbaijan wrestler. Apart from Tsurtsumia, Azizli will have to watch for Adem UZUN (TUR) who defeated him to win the European Championships.

U23 world and Asian champion Poya DAD MARZ (IRI), who had finished eighth last year, reserves a big nudge for Azizli as the Azerbaijan wrestler defeated the Iranian at the World Cup in Baku.

Marlan MUKASHEV (KAZ) won silver medals at the Ibrahim Moustafa Ranking Series and German Grand Prix and gold in Bishkek and can upset any of the big names in Belgrade. Denis MIHAI (ROU) and returning bronze medalist Jasurbek ORTIKBOEV (UZB) will be tricky for some of the wrestlers.

63kg
Leri ABULADZE (GEO) has been denied the gold medal at two consecutive World Championships, by Meysam DALKHANI (IRI) in 2021 and Sebastian NAD (SRB) in 2022. Both Dalkhani and Nad are not entered at 63kg so will the third time be lucky for Abuladze?

The European champion started the year with silver in Alexandria where Dalkhani handed him another heartbreaking loss in the final. But he won the European Championships followed by a gold medal in Bishkek. But he recently lost to Ismail CULFA (TUR) in the final of Ion Corneanu & Ladislau Simon Memorial in Bucharest.

Despite the absence of Dalkhani and Nad, Abuladze will still face a lot of challenges in Belgrade. U23 world champion Iman MOHAMMADI (IRI) will be the biggest of them all as the Iranian seeks to avenge his semifinal loss from Bishkek. Mohammadi had a stunning 2022 as he won bronze at the Asian Championships, and gold at the U20 Asian and World Championships. He also won the U23 World Championships before finishing the year with gold with Iran at the World Cup in which he won all his bouts.

Since Abuladze and Mohammadi are seeded first and third respectively, the two can only meet in the final. But Hrachya POGHOSYAN (ARM) and Murad MAMMADOV (AZE) look to spoil that plan.

72kg
Ali ARSALAN (SRB) and Ulvu GANIZADE (AZE) had a dream tournament last year as both reached the final before the former won the gold medal over Ganizade with a 7-4 victory. The two can meet only in the semifinals this year as Ganizade is seeded second and Arsalan third. But the Azerbaijan wrestler will be hoping to get his hands on the Serbian again.

Since last year's final, the two have entered the same tournament only once, the European Championships in April. Ganizade, who became the European champion, would have hoped to face the Serbian in the final but Ibrahim GHANEM (FRA) defeated the world champ 6-3 in the semifinals. Arsalan had pinned Ghanem at the last World Championships.

So can Ghanem deny Arsalan another final appearance? He won't be alone with that hope. Shant KHACHATRYAN (ARM) will look to avenge his European loss as well while Robert FRITSCH (HUN) has unfinished business from 2022.

Returning bronze medalist and top seed Selcuk CAN (TUR) had lost 4-3 to Ganizade in the semifinals and then at the European Championships. Belgrade will provide another opportunity for him to get past Ganizade.

Ramaz ZOIDZE (GEO) will draw confidence from the fact that he defeated Geraei at 72kg in Bishkek. The only thing is, Geraei has moved back to 67kg and Danial SOHRABI (IRI) is coming to Belgrade.

Sohrabi is clearly a favorite to win the gold but with little experience at the senior level, it is yet to be seen how he reacts at the big stage. Sohrabi won the U23 World Championships last year and has lost only two bouts since then. The first of those came against Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) in the World Cup while the second came against Luis ORTA (CUB) at the Zagreb Open. But he bounced back and won gold in Bishkek and Budapest. Since he is unseeded, a few seeded wrestlers may suffer an early loss.

82kg
2021 world champion Rafig HUSEYNOV (AZE) and 2022 world champion Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR) will resume their rivalry after a small halt due to the former changing weight classes. Huseynov is back at 82kg, hoping to win his second world title while Akbudak is also looking for his second gold.

Akbudak lost to Huseynov in the Oslo final before beating him at the Istanbul Ranking Series five months later. The third meeting between the two was at the 2023 European Championships in which Akbudak pinned Huseynov. If the seeds hold, Akbudak and Huseynov can square off in the semifinals.

A surprise returnee to the mat is 36-year-old Maksim MANUKYAN (ARM). The Rio Olympian and 2017 world champion last wrestled at the 2020 European Championships but will put his shoes on again in Belgrade.

Returning bronze medalist and third seed Yaroslav FILCHAKOV (UKR) will be keen on getting one past Akbudak as he has lost to him in their last two meetings. Gela BOLKVADZE (GEO), youngsters Idris IBAEV (GER) and Alireza MOHMADIPIANI (IRI) and Tokyo Olympics bronze medalist at 77kg Shohei YABIKU (JPN) will be the others to keep an eye on.

#WrestleBelgrade

Women’s Preview: Star-studded Japan juggernaut set for medal feast

By Ken Marantz

BELGRADE, Serbia (September 11) -- After both secured their places on Japan's team to the World Championships, Yuka KAGAMI (JPN) presented Akari FUJINAMI (JPN), a friend from her junior days, with a matching T-shirt emblazoned with "PARIS".

The action next week will take place on the mats in the Belgrade Stark Arena, but thoughts of the French capital will be on the minds of the wrestlers as they battle for the first qualifying places for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

The World Championships offers 90 spots for the Paris Games, 30 in each style. The four medal winners in an Olympic weight class along with the winner of the playoff between bronze-medal bout losers will receive a quota for their respective National Olympic Committees.

Given the gruelling process that they had to go through just to make it to Belgrade -- in which three of Japan's four gold medalists in women's wrestling at the Tokyo Olympics fell by the wayside -- the Japanese wrestlers in the Olympic weight classes are determined to secure their tickets to Paris now.

The Japan federation has decreed that a wrestler winning a medal in an Olympic weight class will also automatically fill that spot in Paris without any playoff. The last thing any of them want to do is give a rival another chance, as the saga of Yui SUSAKI (JPN) remains proof-positive of how that can backfire.

Susaki, the Tokyo 2021 gold medalist and defending world champion at 50kg, and Fujinami, looking to regain the world title she won at 53kg in 2021 but abdicated due to injury, lead what is arguably the strongest-ever Japanese women's contingent at a senior World Championships.

Add in the four non-Olympic weight classes, which include two world champions from 2022 and a two-time former champion, and is not too far a stretch to see a Japanese on every podium, with perhaps as many as eight on the top step.

That's not to say it will be easy for any of them. Veterans with proven track records like Mariya STADNIK (AZE), Helen MAROULIS (USA), Irina RINGACI (MDA), Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) and Adeline GRAY (USA) will be aiming to derail the Japanese juggernaut and add to their own formidable lists of laurels.

Naturally, the emergence of new young stars can't be discounted, such as was seen in 2022 with powerful teenager Amit ELOR (USA).

Here's a look at the ones to watch in each weight class:

50kg
There is no sure thing in wrestling, but Yui SUSAKI (JPN) may be about as close as you can get at this tournament. Susaki, who followed up her victory at the Tokyo Olympics by capturing a third world title last year in Belgrade, has still never lost to a non-Japanese opponent.

And the 24-year-old will be laser-focused not to slip up as she pursues her goal of a second straight Olympic gold. It was well documented how her Olympic dreams had seemed all but over when she lost out to Yuki IRIE (JPN) for a place at the 2019 World Championships, but was given new life when Irie failed to medal in Nur-Sultan. She never again wants to place her fate in the hands of others.

After taking a break after Tokyo, Susaki added both the world senior and U23 golds in 2022, making her the first-ever to achieve the Golden Grand Slam, comprised of the four world age group titles and the Olympic gold. Earlier this year, she picked up the title at the Ranking Series Zagreb Open to assure herself of the top seed in Belgrade.

The three other medalists from last year's worlds in Belgrade are back -- silver medalist Otgonjargal DOLGORJAV (MGL) and bronze medalists Sarah HILDEBRANDT (USA) and Anna LUKASIAK (POL). But Susaki's most dangerous threat could come from ageless Mariya STADNIK (AZE), the 35-year-old four-time Olympic medalist who has the experience to find a way to pierce the Japanese star's armor.

Stadnik, who along with Hildebrandt was a bronze medalist at the Tokyo Olympics, captured her eighth career European title in April. She missed a clash with Susaki in Zagreb when she defaulted their semifinal match due to injury. The two have met twice, both times in a final in 2018, with Susaki winning 2-2 at the Klippan Lady Open and 10-0 at the World Championships.

Akari FUJINAMI (JPN)Akari FUJINAMI (JPN) is coming into the World Championship on a 122-match winning streak. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

53kg
If there is a way to defeat Akari FUJINAMI (JPN), no one on the planet has been able to figure it out since she was in junior high school. The 19-year-old collegian will be putting a 122-match winning streak -- which includes a victory by fall over Tokyo Olympic champion Mayu SHIDOCHI (JPN) in a long-awaited showdown in June -- on the line in Belgrade with the express purpose of regaining the world title she won in 2021 and securing a spot for the Paris Olympics.

Fujinami missed last year's worlds due to a foot injury (and the world U23 a month later because of knee trouble), but she has since been healthy and as invincible as ever. She started the year off with a bang, winning the Zagreb Open, Dan Kolov-Nikola Petrov International and Asian Championships in consecutive months -- 13 victories, all by fall or technical fall without conceding a point.

"Last year, I didn't listen to my body," Fujinami told the Japan media. "The feeling that all I had to do was put on a 'last spurt' got bigger, and that led to injuries. Now I'm going through the final prepping, but I'm listening closely to my body."

Dominique PARRISH (USA), who won the gold last year in Fujinami's absence, is back, as well as bronze medalist Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE). Others who could do some damage are 2017 world champion and Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist Vanesa KALADZINSKAYA (AIN), world silver medalist Iulia LEORDA (MDA) and 2021 world bronze medalist Samantha STEWART (CAN).

A pair of European champions are also in the field in Jonna MALGREN (SWE) and Andreea ANA (ROU), the latter of whom has moved down to the Olympic weight from 55kg.

The wrestler that most intrigues Fujinami is Olympic silver medalist Qianyu PANG (CHN), this year's Asian champion at 55kg. "I have never faced a Chinese wrestler in my life," said Fujinami, who did not cross paths with China's entry at the Asian Championships. "It's not that there will be no pressure. But the tournament atmosphere is different overseas, which gets me excited."

Jacarra WINCHESTER (USA)Jacarra WINCHESTER (USA) is a world champion from 2019 at 55kg. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

55kg
This non-Olympic weight class features a pair of former world champions in Haruna OKUNO (JPN) and Jaccara WINCHESTER (USA). Okuno had failed to dislodge Fujinami at 53kg and won a playoff for the consolation prize of a ticket to Belgrade at 55kg.

Okuno won a world gold at 55kg in 2017, then dropped down to 53kg and won there the next year. But when the process began for qualifying for the Tokyo Olympics, she played second fiddle to Mayu MUKAIDA (JPN) (now SHIDOCHI) at 53kg and never got back to the senior worlds. Then Fujinami emerged and knocked them both out.

Okuno went into a bit of a funk after missing out on Tokyo, but has since regrouped mentally, enough to defeat Shidochi last December for the first time in 10 career meetings. Two months earlier, she captured a third world U23 title.

Winchester triumphed at 55kg the last time the worlds were serving as the initial Olympic qualifier in 2019. After that, she made the U.S. Olympic team at 53kg, but had to settle for fifth place in Tokyo, the same result she would get at the 2022 worlds.

But the 30-year-old got her year off to a good start with victories at international tournaments in Alexandria and Budapest.

Others to watch will be world bronze medalist Karla GODINEZ (CAN), who was second to Winchester in Budapest; 2021 world 53kg bronze medalist Katarzyna KRAWCZYK (POL); European silver medalist Erika BOGNAR (HUN); Asian silver medalist Otgontuya CHINBOLD (MGL) and world U20 champion Aryna MARTYNAVA (AIN).

57kg
In arguably the most stacked women's weight class, the de facto gold-medal match could come in the semifinals. If the seedings go to form, that would be where defending champion and No. 3 seed Tsugumi SAKURAI (JPN) and former Olympic gold medalist and No. 2 seed Helen MAROULIS (USA) would meet in a rematch of the 2022 final.

Sakurai and Maroulis both won world titles in 2021, the former at 55kg and the latter at 57kg. Sakurai made the move up to the Olympic weight last year and never missed a beat, striking gold at 57kg in Belgrade. That was all in the absence of Tokyo Olympic champion Risako KAWAI (JPN) (now KINJO), who took extended time off to get married and give birth to her first child.

To get back to Belgrade, the 22-year-old Sakurai beat Kinjo by technical fall in their only meeting in one of Japan's world qualifying tournaments. But her biggest hurdle turned out to be Sae NANJO (JPN). Sakurai twice came within seconds of missing out on a ticket to Belgrade, but each time pulled off last-second victories over Nanjo. By comparison, Maroulis defeated Nanjo 6-4 in the world semifinals in 2021.

Maroulis made a name for herself in Japan by becoming the conqueror of the legendary Saori YOSHIDA (JPN) and preventing her from becoming a four-time Olympic champion with a stunning win in the final at the 2016 Rio Games. She went through hard times battling concussion after that triumph, but came back strong with a full collection of global medals in the two-year span in 2021-22. Maroulis will turn 33 on September 19, the day of the qualification rounds and semifinals at 57kg.

The two favorites will have no dearth of competition, most noticeably from the dangerous Anastasia NICHITA (MDA), the 2022 world champion and this year's European gold medalist at 59kg who has dropped into the 57kg mix. In her first foray at 57kg since placing seventh at the Tokyo Olympics, Nichita struck gold at the Budapest international tournament in July.

The two others who made the podium in Tokyo, silver medalist Iryna KURACHKINA (AIN) and bronze medalist Evelina NIKOLOVA (BUL), are also among the preliminary entries, while Alina HRUSHYNA AKOBIIA (UKR) comes in as the top seed on the strength of her third-place finish last year and European title this year.

Others to watch are veteran Odunayo ADEKUOROYE (NGR), who will try for her fourth world medal and first since 2019; SARITA (UWW), a 2021 world bronze medalist at 59kg; Anhelina LYSAK (POL), a bronze medalist last year; and Kexin HONG (CHN), the runner-up to Nichita in Budapest.

Yulia TKACH (UKR)Yulia TKACH (UKR), a world champion at 63kg in 2014, is going for her second world title at 59kg. (Photo: UWW / Martin Gabor)

59kg
With the top names funnelling either up or down into the Olympic weight classes, the door is open at 59kg for a less-heralded wrestler to come away with a first world title, or, in the case of veteran Yulia TKACH (UKR), her first in a decade.

Sae NANJO (JPN), a 2021 world bronze medalist at 57kg who failed to make Japan's team at that weight, had to defeat Olympic champion Risako KINJO (JPN) among three wins in a playoff just to get to Belgrade at the non-Olympic weight.

Nanjo, the 2022 world U23 champion and Asian champion this year at 57kg, fought back from a six-point deficit to defeat Kinjo with a dramatic 6-6 victory, and she will be determined not to squader such a moment by slipping up in Belgrade.

The 34-year-old Tkach won her only world title in 2014, and the last of her four world medals in 2018. But the three-time Olympian has shown this year she can still be competitive, winning Ranking Series events in Alexandria and Bishkek and placing second at the European Championships.

Jowita WRZESIEN (POL) is the lone returning medalist in the weight class, having won a bronze last year. Others who could figure in the medal chase are two-time Asian medalist Bolortuya KHURELKHUU (MGL), 2021 world U23 bronze medalist Krystsina SAZYKINA (AIN) and Qi ZHANG (CHN), a bronze medalist this year in both Zagreb and Budapest.

62kg
Just what Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) needs: another physically tough Japanese to contend with. Sakura MOTOKI (JPN) is the latest wrestler from her country standing between Tynybekova and a third career world gold, and given what it took for Motoki to get to Belgrade, you can bet she will battling tooth and nail.

Motoki, a bronze medalist last year at 59kg who has moved up to the Olympic weight class, had to defeat both the Olympic champion (Yukako KAWAI (JPN)) and the defending world champion (Nonoka OZAKI (JPN)) in epic battles to secure the 62kg spot on Japan's team.

Both Kawai and Ozaki had been nemeses of Tynybekova in recent years, with wins and losses on both sides on the world and continental levels. How Motoki fares should the two meet for the first time poses one of the intriguing questions of the tournament.

Motoki, the 2022 world U20 champion at 59kg, picked up some international experience at the heavier weight by winning the Zagreb Open in February, beating Grace BULLEN (NOR) 7-0 in the final. Bullen has also moved up from 59kg, where she was the world runner-up last year to Anastasia NICHITA (MDA), who had beaten Motoki in the semifinals.

Motoki has some strong incentives to take the gold and earn the ticket to Paris. First, she wants to become an Olympian like her father Yasutoshi, who competed in Greco-Roman at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Another is to catch up to a pair of Ikuei University teammates when it comes to success on the world stage.

Ikuei's Tsugumi SAKURAI (JPN) is the defending champion at 57kg, while Ami ISHI (JPN) was the silver medalist last year at 68kg. "It would be amazing if the three of us go to the Olympics," Motoki told the Japanese media. "Last year, I finished the lowest. This year, I want to catch up to other two and all three of us win championships."

Bullen has also made a smooth adjustment to 62kg, chalking up second-place finishes at the Zagreb Open, European Championships and Poland Open.

The list is long of other contenders, including Xiaojuan LUO (CHN), a bronze medalist a year ago and a two-time former Asian champion. This year, Luo scored a stunning 10-4 first-round win over Tynybekova in Zagreb, but Tynybekova avenged that loss three weeks later with a 3-2 win in the final in Alexandria.

There's also Kayla MIRACLE (USA), who won her second straight world silver medal in 2022, and Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR), who captured the European title this year.

Added to the mix are 2021 world 59kg champion Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL), Poland Open champion Luisa NIEMENSCH (GER), Asian silver medalist and former world champ Orkhon PUREVDORJ (MGL) and 2022 world 65kg bronze medalist Kriszta INCZE (ROU), leaving little room for error for the favorites.

Nonoka OZAKI (JPN)Nonoka OZAKI (JPN) has moved up to 65kg after failing to make the Japan team at the Olympic weight of 62kg. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

65kg
The 65kg throne became open when 2022 champion Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN) moved up to 68kg. Nonoka OZAKI (JPN) is the prohibitive favorite to keep the title in Japanese hands as she attempts to salvage her season after missing out at 62kg, in which she would have been the defending champion.

Ozaki lost out at 62kg to Sakura MOTOKI (JPN), then -- given how nothing is ever easy when it comes to the Japanese women -- she needed to defeat Olympic champion Yukako KAWAI (JPN) in a playoff just for the consolation prize of a ticket to Belgrade at 65kg.

The 20-year-old Ozaki, a product of the JOC Elite Academy that produced Yui SUSAKI (JPN) and Takuto OTOGURO (JPN), takes a 46-2 record against non-Japanese opponents into Belgrade. Both of the losses were to Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ), whom she has also beaten twice.

Ozaki's disappointment this year follows one of incredible success in 2022, when she won the Asian title in April -- beating Tynybekova in the final -- then reeled off victories at the world U20, senior and U23 in consecutive months from August.

The threats to Ozaki in Belgrade appear to be few and far between, but the leading contenders are European champion Mimi HRISTOVA (BUL) and Macey KILTY (USA), who seems to have a penchant for silver. The American finished second at the world U20 and U23 in 2019, and in Krasnoyarsk and Istanbul in 2022.

Oksana KUKHTA HERHEL (UKR), a world champion in 2015, will see if she has enough left in the tank to get back onto the medal podium.

Ami ISHII (JPN)Ami ISHII (JPN) is the returning silver medalist at 68kg. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

68kg
With the departure of Olympic and world champion Tamyra MENSAH STOCK (USA) to the professional wrestling ring, there will be a new face topping the medal podium at 68kg. Who that will be is anyone's guess, and there is no shortage of possibilities.

The leading candidate would have to be the silver medalist from a year ago, Ami ISHII (JPN), who also won the world U20 title in 2022 and picked up the senior Asian crown this year. Her loss in the 2022 final to Mensah Stock was the lone defeat of her career to a non-Japanese opponent dating back to 2018.

In Japan's grueling qualifying process, the 20-year-old Ishii turned back the challenges of world 65kg champion Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN) and a desperation attempt from Tokyo Olympic 62kg gold medalist Yukako KAWAI (JPN).

Leading the bids to deny Ishii a gold medal will be Irina RINGACI (MDA), a bronze medalist last year who won the world 65kg title in 2021. That victory in Oslo, where she beat Morikawa in the final, made Ringaci the first-ever woman in Moldova history to win a world wrestling title.

This year, Ringaci finished third at the Zagreb Open, took the silver medal behind rival Mimi HRISTOVA (BUL) at 65kg at the European Championships, and most recently won the 65kg title at an international tournament in Budapest.

Two 2022 medalists in other weight classes have joined the 68kg fray. Koumba LARROQUE (FRA), who won the gold in Zagreb this year, will be looking to improve on her bronze medal at 65kg and secure an Olympic berth for the host country in Paris, while Alexandra ANGHEL (ROU) has moved down from 72kg, in which she won a bronze last year and the European title in April.

There will also be two Olympic medalists on hand, Tokyo silver medalist Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR) and bronze medalist Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ). Zhumanazarova won the world gold in 2021 by injury default in the final over Rin MIYAGI (JPN), who had stunned Mensah Stock with a victory by fall in the semifinals. Ishii defeated Zhumanazarova 6-2 in the semifinals of the Asian Championships in April en route to the gold.

Two-time world medalist Feng ZHOU (CHN), who turns 30 on September 12, has been in good form this year, finishing third at the Asian Championships and striking gold in Bishkek and Budapest. She will be aiming for her first world medal since 2018.

Others to keep an eye on are European champion Yuliana YANEVA (BUL) and Adela HANZLICKOVA (CZE), the winner at the Poland Open and runner-up in Zagreb.

72kg
Is there anyone who can stop the human bulldozer better known as Amit ELOR (USA)? Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN) feels she is up to the task, even though it meant going up two weight classes and facing what she deferentially termed "monsters."

The 19-year-old Elor, who became the youngest American world champion in history when she captured the 72kg title last year in Belgrade, is the clear favorite as she returns to the Serbian capital in a bid for a repeat.

Elor, who takes an unofficial 30-1 career record in international matches into the tournament, could hardly have been more dominant in 2022, winning the world U20, senior and U23 titles in succession. Add in her cadet (U17) title from the previous year, and she completed the Grand Slam of age group titles while still a teenager.

This year has seen no letdown, as the former judoka swept to the Pan American and world U20 titles without conceding a point.

The lone loss of Alor's career came at the 2019 World U17 Championships, a 3-1 decision to Honoka NAKAI (JPN). Now another Japanese is aiming for the American, and one with the credentials -- at least on paper -- to pull it off.

Morikawa, last year's world 65kg champion after finishing second in 2021, had moved up to 68kg in the Olympic year but failed to oust Ami ISHII (JPN). Intent on getting to Belgrade somehow -- but not so enthusiastic about cutting the weight she had just put on -- she opted to go up to 72kg, where she prevailed in a playoff for the world team spot.

Also vying for the medals will be Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ), who won her second straight world silver last year in Belgrade and picked up her third Asian title this year, world U23 68kg champion Nesrin BAS (TUR) and world U20 silver medalist Nurzat NURTAEVA (KGZ).

Ilana KRATYSH (ISR), making her seventh appearance at the World Championships dating back to 2011, has perhaps her best chance to become the first-ever Israeli to medal in women's wrestling. The 33-year-old finished fifth at the European Championships.

76kg
She's ba-a-a-a-ck. Two years after winning a U.S. record sixth world title and a little more than a year after giving birth to twins, Adeline GRAY (USA) will be in Belgrade aiming to add more gold to her luminous collection.

When last seen, Gray had lost a heartbreaking final at the Tokyo Olympics to longtime friend and foe Aline FOCKEN (GER), then bounced back two months later and captured the world title in Oslo to break a tie with Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) for most-ever won by an American.

Gray gave birth to twins on July 23, 2022, and returned to training in January. She lost to teenager Kennedy BLADES (USA) at the U.S. Open in April, but came back to beat her in the U.S. world team trials in June.

Gray will see some familiar faces and some new ones as she begins a quest into unchartered waters. As she said after the trials, "There’s pieces of wrestling that you have to put together. It’s just going to take me a little bit of time.”

Those most capable of derailing the Gray Express would be 2022 silver medalist Samar HAMZA (EGY) and bronze medalists Epp MAE (EST) and Yuka KAGAMI (JPN), as well as Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ).

Hamza already has world silver and bronze medals -- the latter won in Oslo in 2021 which made her the first-ever Egyptian woman to win a world medal -- and would love nothing more than to finish the collection with a gold. She will have to step up her game, however, having finished no higher than seventh this year in Zagreb, Alexandria and Budapest.

Mae, a bronze medalist last year, gave Gray a tough fight in the 2021 final, leading 4-2 in the final minute before the American scored a takedown to go ahead on criteria then worked Mae over for a fall with two seconds remaining. Mae also lost to Gray in the 2014 and 2018 world finals, and she would relish the chance to finally come out on top.

Kagami, the 2022 Asian runner-up to Medet Kyzy who will turn 22 on September 14, is aiming to become Japan's first world champion in the heaviest women's weight class since Kyoko HAMAGUCHI (JPN) in 2003. Her season was delayed after undergoing shoulder surgery in January, but she seems to have fully recovered.

Conversely, Medet Kyzy has been quite busy, and successful, this season. The 2021 world bronze medalist finished second in Zagreb, third in Alexandria, second at the Asian Championships and won the Ranking Series event as the hometown favorite in Bishkek.

Others with the potential to shake things up are Milaimys MARIN (CUB), Tatiana RENTERIA (COL) and Anastasiya ALPYEYEVA (UKR).

The World Championships run from September 16 to 24 with Women’s Wrestling scheduled on September 18, 19 and 20. The action will be live on UWW+ around the world and on FloSports in the U.S.