#NFRoundup

NF Roundup Blog, March 15 - March 21

By United World Wrestling Press

The Russian National Freestyle Championships wrapped up over the weekend in Ulan-Ude. Although arguably the top pound-for-pound wrestler in the world Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RUS) was released from the competition, '19 world champions Zavur UGUEV, Gadzhimurad RASHIDOV and Zaurbek SIDAKOV were in action.

The biggest storyline from the competition came at 74kg where two-time reigning world champion Sidakov scored three points in the final 12 seconds to defeat Individual World Cup champion Razambek ZHAMALOV, 3-2. After the bout, the newly-minted champion said,  "I haven’t had anything more difficult than today's championship."

Russian National Finals Results
57kg: Zavur UGUEV df. Nachyn MONGUSH, 9-5
61kg: Abasgadzhi MAGOMEDOV df. Muslim METIKHANOV, 4-1
65kg: Gadzhimurad RASHIDOV df. Zagir SHAKHIEV, 5-3
70kg: Israil KASUMOV df. Evgeny ZHERBAEV, 6-3 
74kg: Zaurbek SIDAKOV df. Razambek Zhamalov, 3-2 
79kg: Malik SHAVAEV df. Akhmed USMANOV, 6-4
86kg: Artur NAIFONOV df. Dauren KURUGLIEV, 1-1  ⠀
92kg: Magomed KURBANOV df. Anzor URISHEV, via forfeit
97kg: Alikhan ZHABRAILOV df. Aslanbek Sotiev - 5: 0
125kg: Sergey KOZYREV df. Atsamaz TEBLOYEV, 3-3

#WrestleParis

Paris Olympics: Five wrestlers to be country's flagbearers at opening ceremony

By United World Wrestling Press

PARIS (July 26) -- Five wrestlers will be the flag bearers of their respective nations at the opening ceremony at the 2024 Paris Olympics on Saturday.

The opening ceremony parade will take place in boats down the river Seine with Greece opening the parade followed by the Refugee Olympic Team and then the countries in alphabetic order. France, the host, will be the last in the parade. The United States and Australia, hosts for the next two Olympics, will come before France.

Albania's first world champion in wrestling Zelimkhan ABAKAROV (ALB) will be the flagbearer for his country. He will wrestle in the 57kg weight class.

For Puerto Rico, world silver medalist in 65kg Sebastian RIVERIA (PUR) will be the flagbearer alongside Jasmine Camacho-Quinn from Athletics.

Rckaela AQUINO (GUM)Rckaela AQUINO (GUM) of Guam. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Guam has given the responsibility to its first-ever female wrestler Rckaela AQUINO (GUM). She will be wrestling in the 57kg weight class.

Diamantino IUNA FAFE (GBS) will be the flagbearer for Guinee-Bissau at the opening ceremony. He wrestled in Tokyo at 57kg and will perform in Paris in the same weight class.

Honduras has given the responsibility to its first-ever Greco-Roman wrestler Kevin MEJIA (HON).

Wrestling begins on August 5 in Paris and ends on August 11.