#worldcupiowacity

Late Additions Mongolia and India Hope to Play Spoiler at World Cup

By Tim Foley

IOWA CITY, United States (April 3) – Men’s freestyle powers Mongolia and India have been added to the 2018 Men’s Freestyle World Cup. The nations will take the group positions of Iran and Russia, respectively.

The lineup change came this week after Russia suffered significant delays in the approval of their visas. The Wrestling Federation of Iran withdrew in March.

Group A will now be the United States, Georgia, Japan and India, while Group B will be Azerbaijan, Cuba, Kazakhstan and Mongolia.

Mongolia brings a talented team of high-ranking youngsters to Iowa City, with five holding top position in the World Rankings. Of special note to wrestling fans is world No.1 Turtogtokh LUVSANDORJ (92kg), who wrestled collegiately in the United States and is expected to receive a warm welcome by the Iowa fans.

Freestyle World Cup Schedule

Saturday, April 7 (All Times, CST)

10:00am: United States v. India (Mat A) // Mongolia v. Kazakhstan (Mat B)
11:15am: Japan v. Georgia (Mat A) // Azerbaijan v. Cuba (Mat B)

-- 2:00 pm: Opening Ceremonies --

2:30pm: United States v. Japan (Mat A) 
4:30 pm: Mongolia v. Cuba (Mat B)
5:45 pm: India v. Georgia (Mat A) // Azerbaijan v. Kazakhstan (Mat B)

Sunday, April 8 (All Times, CST)
10:00am: United States v. Georgia (Mat A) // Mongolia v. Azerbaijan (Mat B)
11:15am: India v. Japan (Mat A) // Kazakhstan v. Cuba (Mat B)

12:30pm: Fifth Place Match (Mat A) // Seventh Place Match (Mat B)
2:15pm: Bronze Medal Match (Mat A)
4:00pm: Gold Medal Match (Mat A)

 

#WrestleZagreb

Croatia to host 2025 World Championships, non-Olympic Worlds returns

By United World Wrestling Press

CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (February 15) -- For the first time in wrestling history, Zagreb, Croatia will host the World Championships in 2025. The mega event will take place in Zagreb from September 13-21.

The United World Wrestling Bureau held a meeting Friday to discuss future hosts and the Senior World Championships 2025 was awarded to Zagreb, a regular on the wrestling calendar for a decade now, hosting the European Championships and the Ranking Series regularly. The Zagreb Open has been the season opener for international wrestling on many occasions.

The World Championships will be another historic event in Croatia’s wrestling journey. In August, the country crowned its first-ever world champion when Veronika VILK (CRO) won the U17 World Championships in Istanbul, Turkiye.

Non-Olympic Worlds in Tirana

The Bureau also decided that a World Championships in non-Olympic weight classes will be held in 2024. The World Championships will be held in Tirana, Albania from October 28 to 31, right after the U23 World Championships which will be held in the same venue from October 21 to 27.

Non-Olympic weights World Championships in Tirana this year will be the first time it will be held since 2016 when Budapest became the host. Tirana will see wrestlers in 12 weight classes -- 61kg, 70kg, 79kg and 92kg in Freestyle; 55kg, 59kg, 65kg and 72kg in Women's Wrestling; 55kg, 63kg, 72kg and 82kg in Greco-Roman.

A detailed program of the World Championships will be sent to all National Federations later.