European Games

Mattsson, Sadulaev Look for Second Titles at European Games

Wednesday, June 26, 2019 - 18:53 By United World Wrestling Press

Share this article

MINSK, Belarus (June 26) - Sofia MATTSSON (SWE) and Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RUS) claimed victories in the semifinals of the European Games on Wednesday and now stand one win away from winning their second titles. 

The 29-year-old Mattsson, a six-time world medalist and 2016 Olympic bronze-medal winner, reached the finals at 53kg by defeating Nina HEMMER (GER) 10-2. All the points scored came in the first period. Mattsson's first European Games title in 2015 came at 55kg. 

She will meet Yulia KHAVALDZHY (UKR) in the gold-medal match. Khavaldzhy stunned two-time European champion Stalvira ORSHUSH (RUS) 7-4 in the semifinals. Orshush led for most of the match until Ukrainian mounted a late comeback to pull out the victory. With Orshush leading 4-1, Khavaldzhy scored a takedown with 35 seconds remaining in the match before picking up multiple exposures to win by three.

Sadulaev, a 2016 Olympic champion and three-time world champion, advanced to the finals at 97kg by earning his third straight shutout victory. He topped world No.8 Aliaksandr HUSHTYN (BLR) 6-0, with five of his points coming in the first period. He will meet Nurmagomed GADZHIYEV (AZE) for the gold medal. 

Gadzhiyev shut out Murazi MCHEDLIDZE (UKR) in the other semifinal at 97kg. Gadzhiyev, a European bronze medalist and past junior world champion, built a 3-0 lead in the first period and added two second-period takedowns while shutting down Mchedlidze's offense.

The 65kg gold-medal final will feature a pair of world champions, Haji ALIYEV (AZE) and Vladimer KHINCHEGASHVILI (GEO).

Aliyev, a three-time world champion, overcame a slow start to defeat Hor OHANNESIAN (UKR) 4-4 on criteria. Ohannesian controlled the first period, scoring off a passivity and then securing a takedown to grab a 3-0 lead at the break. Aliyev came out strong in the second period, picking up a takedown to cut the deficit to 3-2. With 22 seconds left, Aliyev scored a takedown to go ahead and held on for the criteria win.

Khinchegashvili, a 2016 Olympic champion, trailed 1-0 at the break in his semifinal match against two-time world bronze medalist Akhmed CHAKAEV (RUS), but came back to win 8-2 to reach the gold-medal match.

In women's wrestling at 68kg, two-time European champion Anastasiia BRATCHIKOVA (RUS) knocked off world No.1 and returning world champion Alla CHERKASOVA (UKR) 4-2. Bratchikova scored first with a step out and then countered an attack for a takedown to build a 3-0 lead. Cherkasova inched closer with a takedown in the first minute of the second period to cut the deficit to 3-2. With 14 seconds remaining Bratchikova, extended her lead with a step out and held on for the victory.

Bratchikova will face Anastasija GRIGORJEVA (LAT) for the gold medal. Grigorjeva defeated Danute DOMIKAITYTE (LTU) 10-3 in the semifinals. 

RESULTS

Freestyle 

65kg
GOLD - Vladimer KHINCHEGASHVILI (GEO) vs. Haji ALIYEV (AZE)
SEMIFINAL - Vladimer KHINCHEGASHVILI (GEO) df. Akhmed CHAKAEV (RUS), 8-2
SEMIFINAL - Haji ALIYEV (AZE) df. Hor OHANNESIAN (UKR), 4-4

97kg
GOLD - Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RUS) vs. Nurmagomed GADZHIYEV (AZE)
SEMIFINAL - Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RUS) df. Aliaksandr HUSHTYN (BLR), 6-0
SEMIFINAL - Nurmagomed GADZHIYEV (AZE) df. Murazi MCHEDLIDZE (UKR), 7-0

Women's Wrestling

53kg
GOLD - Sofia MATTSSON (SWE) vs. Yulia KHAVALDZHY (UKR)
SEMIFINAL - Sofia MATTSSON (SWE) df. Nina HEMMER (GER), 10-2
SEMIFINAL - Yulia KHAVALDZHY (UKR) df. Stalvira ORSHUSH (RUS), 7-4

68kg
GOLD - Anastasija GRIGORJEVA (LAT) vs. Anastasiia BRATCHIKOVA (RUS)
SEMIFINAL - Anastasija GRIGORJEVA (LAT) df. Danute DOMIKAITYTE (LTU), 10-3
SEMIFINAL - Anastasiia BRATCHIKOVA (RUS) df. Alla CHERKASOVA (UKR), 4-2
 

#WrestleLA

UWW announces new Olympic qualification process for LA 2028

Monday, February 2, 2026 - 12:14 By United World Wrestling Press

Share this article

CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (February 2) -- United World Wrestling has overhauled the qualification process for the Olympic Games.

Beginning with the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, the 16 wrestlers who qualify per weight class will earn their spots through four routes: the World Championships, Continental Qualifiers, the World Olympic Qualifier, and the UWW Rankings.

The first phase of qualification will be the 2027 World Championships that will award 72 quotas for the Olympics. Each medalist [gold, silver, two bronzes] in the 18 Olympic weight classes will earn LA 2028 spots for their respective National Olympic Committees (NOC).

The second phase will be the UWW Rankings in which the first three wrestlers of the rankings, not qualified in the first phase, will obtain one quota place for their NOC for the LA28 Olympic Games. The UWW Rankings will include the seven main events organized before the LA28 Olympic Games:

- 2027 Senior Continental Championships*
- 2027 Ranking Series (3 events)
- 2027 Senior World Championships
- 2028 Ranking Series (1 event)
- 2028 Senior Continental Championships*

*UWW may include Continental Games for ranking but will only consider best two out of three continental results.

This means that 54 more wrestlers will earn Olympic quotas for their respective NOCs.

Phase three for qualifying will include the Continental Qualifiers -- Europe, Asia, Pan-America, and Africa & Oceania. These tournaments will award two quotas per weight class.

Top two wrestlers, the finalists, in each of the 18 Olympic weights will earn LA 2028 quotas for respective NOCs. A total of 144 wrestlers will be awarded at these continental events.

The fourth and final phase of qualification will be the World Olympic Qualifier which will offer 18 quotas. The gold medal winners in each of the 18 Olympic weight classes will earn the spot for their respective NOCs.

Only the countries that did not obtain a quota place during the previous three phases may participate in the World Olympic Qualifiers. The participating countries may only send two wrestlers across all styles at the World Qualifier.

For the LA 2028 qualifying cycle, UWW will award quotas at the following events:

4 quotas - 2027 World Championships
3 quotas - Ranking Series UWW Rankings
8 quotas - Continental Qualifiers (2 Europe, 2 Asia, 2 Pan-America, 2 Africa & Oceania)
1 quota - World Olympic Qualifier

Furthermore, the 2028 Continental Championships will be held before the Continental Qualifiers, ensuring that the three quotas via ranking are finalized before continental qualification events begin.

Ranking Series Participation Guidelines

Each country may enter a maximum of two wrestlers per weight class and a two-kilogram weight allowance will apply for Ranking Series events, but not for Continental or World Championships where standard weight rules apply.

The point allocation for these Ranking events will also be reviewed.

Seeding Changes

During the Olympic cycle, seeds will be assigned based on the following event tiers:

Four-seed events:
Continental Championships
Continental Qualifiers
World Qualifier

Eight-seed events:
Ranking Series
World Championships
Olympic Games

Seeding for the 2028 Olympic Games will be based on results from:

- Three 2027 Ranking Series events
- 2027 Continental Championships (or Continental Games, if applicable)
- 2027 World Championships
- One 2028 Ranking Series event
- 2028 Continental Championships

These same events will be used to seed wrestlers throughout the 2028 season, including the Ranking Series, Continental Championships and Qualifiers, the World Olympic Qualifier, and the Olympic Games.

For the 2027 Ranking Series events, 2027 Senior Continental Championships and the 2027 Senior World Championships, the results of 2026 Senior World Championships will also be considered to seed the athletes.

As is the rule, the ranking points obtained at the 2026 Senior World Championships will be removed after the 2027 Senior World Championships.

A key change is that at the Olympic Games, the seed belongs to the country, which keeps the seed even if it replaces the athlete who earned it. In all other events, the seed belongs to the wrestler, and a nation loses that seed if a different athlete competes.

For clarification regarding the new Olympic qualification process, all NFs and NOCs can contact sports@uww.org.