#WrestleParis

Lopez announces comeback, eyes historic fifth Olympic gold

By Eric Olanowski

POREC, Croatia (May 23) -- The rumors are in the rearview and it’s official.

Mijain LOPEZ (CUB), the Beijing, London, Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo Olympic champion, officially announced his return to wrestling to chase a record-setting fifth Olympic gold medal.

The Cuban superheavy is widely regarded as the Greatest of all Time, but he’s not interested in sharing a page in the history books with anyone else. He wants all the glory for himself.

"I’m coming back to wrestle at the Paris Olympic Games. I want to become the first wrestler to win five Olympic gold medals,” Lopez told United World Wrestling on Monday night.

Lopez, flanked by fellow Tokyo Olympic champions Luis ORTA (CUB) and Zhan BELENIUK (UKR), made the announcement from the international training camp in Poreč, Croatia, where he’s beginning his Paris preparations.

Lopez, who’ll be 41 years old this August, hung up his wrestling boots shortly after he won his fourth Olympic gold medal. But “The Kid” has since rekindled his desire to stand alone in wrestling history. He’s currently tied with Kaori ICHO (JPN) (who officially retired in 2020) as the only pair of wrestlers to win four Olympic titles.

A win for Lopez in Paris would also move him into the top spot as wrestling’s oldest Olympic champion -- dethroning Adolf LINDFORS (FIN) (41 years 6 months 12 days), Arsen MEKOKISHVILI (URS) (40 years 3 months 11 days) and Icho (32 years 2 months 4 days) --who hold the Greco-Roman, freestyle and women’s wrestling records, respectively.

The Cuban Giant will wrestle on August 6 at the 2024 Olympic Games and will be two weeks shy of his 42nd birthday, which would beat Lindfors’ record by nearly six months.

Lopez’s attention now turns to getting his massive body back down to the Olympic weight of 130kg/286 lbs.

“Right now, he has to focus on getting his weight under control, but I don’t think that’ll be a problem,” a source close to Lopez said. “He currently weighs 145kg/319 lbs. That seems like a big weight cut, but his body was in the same position heading into the Tokyo Olympics and he outscored everyone 24-0.”

For the time being, as Lopez gets his weight under control, Oscar PINO (CUB) will remain Cuba’s 130kg Greco-Roman starter.

Pino will compete at the 2023 World Championships, where he’ll have to qualify Cuba for the 2024 Olympic Games -- similar to the 2019 World Championships where he qualified for the Tokyo Olympic Games with his runner-up finish. He’ll again relinquish his spot and take a seat on the bench as Lopez chases Olympic history.

To access real-time match center data, get regular updates on tournaments and receive all the latest wrestling news in a flash. download #TheHomeOfWrestling, United World Wrestling's mobile app today on Apple Itunes or Google Play.

#wrestlebishkek

Asian U20 Championships 2025 Entries

By United World Wrestling Press

BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan (July 4) -- The Asian U20 Championships begins on July 9 in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. Around 300 wrestlers are expected to participate in Freestyle, Women's Wrestling and Greco-Roman.

The competition will begin with Greco-Roman followed by Women's Wrestling and Freestyle will close off the competition on July 13. For full schedule of the Asian U20 Championships, click here.

Note: These are preliminary entries and subject to change 72 hours before the draws of each style. For final entries and brackets, refer to UWW Arena.

Freestyle

57kg
Wanxing LYU (CHN)
ANKUSH (IND)
Arshia HADDADI (IRI)
Rikuto NAGAI (JPN)
Nurdanat AITANOV (KAZ)
Azim ABDYKALYKOV (KGZ)
Inseong BAK (KOR)
Naran Ulzii BARKHAS (MGL)
Hayden ANCHETA (PHI)
Saihusein MALIKOV (TJK)
Kabe MATJANOV (TKM)
Chih Kai LU (TPE)
Asadbek SAIDTURAEV (UZB)

61kg
Jiayu HUANG (CHN)
Anuj VISHNOI (IND)
Abolfazl BAKHSHOUDEH (IRI)
Hyuga SATONAKA (JPN)
Allan ORALBEK (KAZ)
Askat TOKTOMATOV (KGZ)
Davaadorj ARIUNBOLD (MGL)
Muhammad WAHAB (PAK)
Ahlidin JABOROV (TJK)
Azatberdi ASHYRGULYYEV (TKM)
Abdulloh KHABIBULLAEV (UZB)

65kg
Yufei DING (CHN)
ASHWANI (IND)
Sajad PIRDAYEH (IRI)
Shina YASUMI (JPN)
Yeraly ZHENISSOV (KAZ)
Omurbek ASAN UULU (KGZ)
Jongpil YOON (KOR)
Janchivdorj TUVDUU (MGL)
Muhammad ABDULLAH (PAK)
Ali AL MUTAWA (QAT)
Hakim GHOIBZODA (TJK)
Bagtyyar ANNAYEV (TKM)
You Wei LAI (TPE)
Komiljon YUSUFOV (UZB)

70kg
Jinrui LIU (CHN)
SOURABH (IND)
Ebrahim ELAHI (IRI)
Ariya YOSHIDA (JPN)
Sungkar SEIDAKHMET (KAZ)
Zalkarbek TABALDIEV (KGZ)
Ankh Erdene ALTANGEREL (MGL)
Sohail KHAN (PAK)
Muhammadfoteh OLIMOV (TJK)
Batyr BEGENJOV (TKM)
Javokhir CHULIBOYEV (UZB)

74kg
Jinpeng ZHU (CHN)
VIVEK (IND)
Mohammad MAMIVAND (IRI)
Yujin TAKIZAWA (JPN)
Dosszhan KUL GAIYP (KAZ)
Ilim ZHUMABEKOV (KGZ)
Yong SHIN (KOR)
Burenjargal BATBAYAR (MGL)
Saad AL SULAITI (QAT)
Muhammadamin ABDULOEV (TJK)
Vatan ANNAORAZOV (TKM)
Jeng CHUAN (TPE)
Umarkhon MUYDINOV (UZB)

79kg
Guanpeng XIAO (CHN)
AMIT (IND)
Abolfazl Mehdi SHAMSIPOUR (IRI)
Natsura OKAZAWA (JPN)
Askhab KHAJIYEV (KAZ)
Zhakshylyk BAITASHOV (KGZ)
Gan Erdene BAATARKHUU (MGL)
Alp Arslan BEGENJOV (TKM)
Jorullo ABDUFATTOKHOV (UZB)

86kg
Chunchen LIU (CHN)
SACHIN (IND)
Abolfazl RAHMANI (IRI)
Rintaro INOUE (JPN)
Navruz AKHMEDKHANOV (KAZ)
Elnur AKYBAEV (KGZ)
Juhwan LEE (KOR)
Ganbat TSERENPUNTSAG (MGL)
Dovletgeldi MYRADOV (TKM)
Nodirbek ABDULLAEV (UZB)

92kg
Iqbal AHMADI (AFG)
Hairui YUE (CHN)
SACHIN (IND)
Toohid NOORY (IRI)
Yuya YOSHIDA (JPN)
Samir DURSUNOV (KAZ)
Iakov CHAPLIN (KGZ)
Bayarbaatar ERDENEMUNKH (MGL)
Orazmuhammet HOJALYYEV (TKM)
Sherzod POYONOV (UZB)

97kg
Jiawei LI (CHN)
VISHAL (IND)
Erfan ALIZADEH (IRI)
Genki HOKI (JPN)
Kamil KURUGLIYEV (KAZ)
Aitenir MAKSATOV (KGZ)
Yujun LEE (KOR)
Temuujin ENKHMEND (MGL)
Muhammetdurdy MUHAMMETDURDYYEV (TKM)
Mukhammadjon ISMOILJONOV (UZB)

125kg
Maysam SHAH QOL (AFG)
Ruijie LI (CHN)
Jaspooran SINGH (IND)
Mohammadreza LOTFI (IRI)
Akinari ORIYAMA (JPN)
Yedige KASSIMBEK (KAZ)
Sulde DONGAK (KGZ)
Baejoon JANG (KOR)
Narantulga DARMAABAZAR (MGL)
Eldorbek KHASANOV (UZB)

Abolfazl FATHITAZANGI (IRI)Abolfazl FATHITAZANGI (IRI) is the defending champion at Greco-Roman 130kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Greco-Roman

55kg
Zongyao WU (CHN)
NITIN (IND)
Payam AHMADI (IRI)
Masatora HONDA (JPN)
Yerassyl MUSSAN (KAZ)
Kutman KALBAEV (KGZ)
Nuryagdy DOVRANOV (TKM)
Shakhzod RUZIOKHUNOV (UZB)

60kg
Dahua XIONG (CHN)
SURAJ (IND)
Seyediman HOSSEINI (IRI)
Sota SAKAKI (JPN)
Alpamys BOLATULY (KAZ)
Erbol OZGONOV (KGZ)
Jueui YANG (KOR)
Muteb ALMUWALLAD (KSA)
Abbosjon TURAQULOV (TJK)
Husniddin ULUGBEKOV (TKM)
Shu Wei CHUNG (TPE)
Khurshidbek NORMUKHAMMADOV (UZB)

63kg
Xiaoli FAN (CHN)
VARUN (IND)
Mohammad ABOUTALEBI (IRI)
Kazuto FURUICHI (JPN)
Yesbol SHAMILOV (KAZ)
Emirlan DUISHENALIEV (KGZ)
Haitham BARAHMAH (KSA)
Muhammadjon ABDULOEV (TJK)
Kemal KAKABAYEV (TKM)
Ming Han SHEN (TPE)
Sardor KHOLMURZAEV (UZB)

67kg
Zhengye HAN (CHN)
YOGESH (IND)
Gholamreza ABDOVALI (IRI)
Taisei MAEDA (JPN)
Alibek TURLYGAZY (KAZ)
Zhantoro MIRZALIEV (KGZ)
Mingun JEONG (KOR)
Sunat ABDULLOEV (TJK)
Ding Jen HUANG (TPE)
Fayozbek ESHMIRZAEV (UZB)

72kg
Rihao YAN (CHN)
Akash PUNIA (IND)
Amir SAEIDI (IRI)
Kento NOMURA (JPN)
Alikhan DURSUNOV (KAZ)
Ilgis KANYBEKOV (KGZ)
Anvarjon JURAEV (TJK)
Kaka CHARYYEV (TKM)
Ahmad KODIROV (UZB)

77kg
Wentao RAO (CHN)
Sachin KUMAR (IND)
Ahoura BOUVEIRI PIANI (IRI)
Fuga MISAIZU (JPN)
Omar DUISEMBEK (KAZ)
Adilet ABYKEEV (KGZ)
Juwan CHOI (KOR)
Ali A MAJRASHI (KSA)
Kemal BERDILIYEV (TKM)
Jeng Jung CHUAN (TPE)
Bekmurod RUSTAMOV (UZB)

82kg
Zheying SONG (CHN)
PRINCE (IND)
Alireza MOHAMMAD (IRI)
Aito TANGE (JPN)
Dias SEITKALIYEV (KAZ)
Mirsaid IUNUSOV (KGZ)
Majd M HAWSAWI (KSA)
Azimjon SOATULLAEV (UZB)

87kg
Xinyu LIU (CHN)
ROHIT (IND)
Hamidreza KESHTKAR (IRI)
Rondo KODAMA (JPN)
Temirlan TURDAKYN (KAZ)
Asylbek NIIAZBEK UULU (KGZ)
Kangju LEE (KOR)
Chen Feng SUNG (TPE)
Bobur ABDURASULOV (UZB)

97kg
Yikai KAN (CHN)
NAMAN (IND)
Mohammad SEYDI (IRI)
Koki MATSUMOTO (JPN)
Beibit KORGANOV (KAZ)
Rustam SADYKOV (KGZ)
Jaeno CHOI (KOR)
Javohir KHUJAEV (UZB)

130kg
Yeersheng YEERGEN (CHN)
Joginder RATHEE (IND)
Abolfazl FATHITAZANGI (IRI)
Taiki IWASAWA (JPN)
Ilya BORODAY (KAZ)
Talasbek BOOBEKOV (KGZ)
Seunggyu MIN (KOR)
Amirkhon BERDIKULOV (UZB)

Mansi LATHER (IND)Senior Asian Championships bronze medalist Mansi LATHER (IND) is aiming for her first Asian U20 gold medal. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari) 

Women's Wrestling

50kg
Shenyu LIU (CHN)
SHRUTI (IND)
Mai OGAWA (JPN)
Medina KUANYSHBEK (KAZ)
Dilnaz ABDYKADYROVA (KGZ)
Nilufar NURMUKHAMMADOVA (UZB)

53kg
Xiaole HAN (CHN)
SAARIKA (IND)
Mihoko TAKEUCHI (JPN)
Farida ABDRAKHMANOVA (KAZ)
Aziza KELDIBEKOVA (KGZ)
Roeun SONG (KOR)
Ya Hsin CHEN (TPE)
Khusniobod SULTANNAZIROVA (UZB)

55kg
Huiyi WEI (CHN)
REENA (IND)
Yuna SAWATANI (JPN)
Aida ALZHAN (KAZ)
Aziza SHUMKAROVA (KGZ)
Odonchimeg TSEVEEN (MGL)
Yi Hsuan TSENG (TPE)
Sakibjamal ESBOSYNOVA (UZB)

57kg
Xinyu WANG (CHN)
Neha SHARMA (IND)
Rin KINOSHITA (JPN)
Anna STRATAN (KAZ)
Akylai SATYBAEVA (KGZ)
Eunso CHO (KOR)
Yu Hsuan CHENG (TPE)
Ulmeken ESENBAEVA (UZB)

59kg
YANGJIBAZONG (CHN)
Ashlesha BAGADE (IND)
Sae NOGUCHI (JPN)
Akmarzhan MAYABAS (KAZ)
Aidai NURUDINOVA (KGZ)
Erdenebolor LKHAGVASUREN (MGL)
Kai Yi LI (TPE)
Ulbiyke KARLYBAEVA (UZB)

62kg
Zhengwei MA (CHN)
ANJLI (IND)
Hana YOSHIKAWA (JPN)
Sofya ZMAZNEVA (KAZ)
Manzura ZHUSUEVA (KGZ)
Yeyeon LEE (KOR)
Gundegmaa ENKHBAATAR (MGL)
Tzu Ling WU (TPE)
Nigina SABIROVA (UZB)

65kg
Sangquzhen GE (CHN)
MUSKAN (IND)
Ayana HISHINUMA (JPN)
Kyzzhibek ZHARKYNBAYEVA (KAZ)
Asel ZHAPAROVA (KGZ)
Narkhajid NYAMSUREN (MGL)
Kang Yu CHIANG (TPE)
Mukhayyo NARZILLOEVA (UZB)

68kg
Wenjin QIU (CHN)
Mansi LATHER (IND)
Haruka KOBARU (JPN)
Uldana TILEUKHAN (KAZ)
Gulnura TASHTANBEKOVA (KGZ)
Yeonwoo SONG (KOR)
Odgerel ERDENE OCHIR (MGL)
Enejan YOLDASHOVA (TKM)
Sheng Fang CAI (TPE)
Iroda TURDYMURATOVA (UZB)

72kg
Yawen WEI (CHN)
HARSHITA (IND)
Ai SAKAI (JPN)
Meiramgul MAKSOT (KAZ)
Kaiyrkul SHARSHEBAEVA (KGZ)
Oyun Erdene ENKHBAATAR (MGL)
Nazik BAZAROVA (TKM)
Saodat TURAEVA (UZB)

76kg
Saihan AO (CHN)
KAJAL (IND)
Chisato YOSHIDA (JPN)
Meruyert NAZARBAYEVA (KAZ)
Aizharkyn ZHANYBEKOVA (KGZ)
Tuvshinjargal TARAV (MGL)
Gulnaz BAKYYEVA (TKM)
Sevinchoy POLVONOVA (UZB)