#GC2018

Olympic Champ Wiebe Eyes Back-To-Back Commonwealth Games Golds

Wednesday, April 11, 2018 - 14:01 By Eric Olanowski

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Olympic champion No. 8 Erica WIEBE (CAN)

GOLD COAST, Australia (April 11) - Over 100 wrestlers from 19 nations are set to compete in the Commonwealth Games, a multi-sport event that takes place every four years between athletes from the Commonwealth of Nations. Freestyle and women's wrestling action at the 21st Commonwealth Games kicks off at Carrara Sports Arena 1 on April 12-14 in Gold Coast, Australia.

In women's wrestling, Canada, Nigeria, and India dominated the field at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland winning all seven of the gold medals.This year, six of the seven champions including Olympic champion No. 8 Erica WIEBE (CAN) return to the Commonwealth Games with hopes of repeating as gold medalists. 

Returning champion and Asian silver medalist Vinesh VINESH of India is currently ranked No. 2 in the world and is expected to compete for the gold medal at 50kg. 

The trio of African champions hailing from Nigeria are among the top contenders at the next three weight classes. 

At 53kg, 2018 African champion Bose SAMUEL (NGR) is currently ranked No. 6 in the world and is the frontrunner to win the gold medal. But first, she’ll have to get through a returning champion Babita KUMARI (IND) and a pair of 2017 world team representatives in Carissa Jane HOLLAND (AUS) and Diana WEICKER (CAN). 

Photo: 2018 African champion No. 7 Odunayo ADEKUOROYE (NGR)

The duo of returning champions in No. 7 Odunayo ADEKUOROYE (NGR) and No. 9 Aminat Oluwafunmilayo ADENIYI (NGR) will look to pick up where they left off at the 2018 African Championships where they were crowned champions. 

Current world No. 2 Danielle Suzanne LAPPAGE (CAN) and No. 4 Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR) will most likely battle in the 68kg gold-medal bout. Lappage, a 2016 Olympian is the returning champion at this weight class. This will be Oborududu’s third time wrestling at the Commonwealth Games. She's finished with a medal twice, but never one that was gold. 

Freestyle
At the 20th Commonwealth Games, Canada won four freestyle gold medals and India secured the remaining three. 

Photo: Korey JARVIS (CAN)

Korey JARVIS (CAN), the 2016 Olympian and 125kg favorite is one of two champions who return from the 2014 Games. Also returning is 74kg favorite and two-time champion, Kumar SUSHIL (IND). Although three other finalists in Bajrang BAJRANG (IND), Jevon BALFOUR (CAN), and Ebikewenimo WELSON (NGR) come back with hopes of bettering their performance from four years ago. 

At 57kg, the veteran and two-time finalist No. 10 Ebikewenimo WELSON (NGR) returns to his third Commonwealth Games with hopes of avenging his loss in the African finals against No. 6 Jan Louwrens COMBRINCK (RSA). 

A potential top-five match-up could be brewing at 65kg with 2014 runner-up and this year’s Asian bronze medalist, No. 4 Bajrang and No. 5 Amas DANIEL (NGR), 2018 African champion.

Photo: Three-time Olympian Kumar SUSHIL (IND). 

If 2014 finalist Jevon Balfour expects a medal upgrade, he'll have to navigate through the 74kg favorite, two-time Olympic medalist Kumar Sushil.  

Headlining 86kg is Nigeria’s Melvin BIBO who is currently ranked No. 2 in the world. This is Bibo’s second appearance at the Commonwealth Games. In his first appearance, he finished as a bronze medalist at 74kg.  

Three top-15 wrestlers from African nations are set to clash at 97kg. No. 5 Martin ERASMUS (RSA), No. 9 Soso TAMARAU (NGR) and No.13 Cedric Yvan NYAMSI TCHOUGA (CMR) capped off the African Championships with gold, silver and bronze medal performances respectfully. Of these three, Olympian Soso Tamarau is the only wrestler with prior experience. Bibo did not medal at the 2014 Commonwealth Games as he finished in fifth-place. 

FULL ROSTERS

SCHEDULE
April 12 (10:30 LOCAL TIME) 
Freestyle - 57kg and 74kg 
Women's Wrestling - 53kg and 76kg 

April 13 (10:30 LOCAL TIME) 
Freestyle - 65kg and 97kg 
Women's Wrestling - 57kg and 68kg 

April 14 (10:30 LOCAL TIME) 
Freestyle - 86kg and 125kg 
Women's Wrestling - 50kg and 62kg

#UWWAwards

UWW History Makers of 2025: Kougioumtsidis, Reasco, Sultangali

Tuesday, December 23, 2025 - 12:29 By Eric Olanowski

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CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (December 22) -- United World Wrestling has announced the History Makers of the Year 2025. The performance of these three wrestlers transcended competition and produced a once-in-a-generation accomplishment.

Freestyle’s History Maker 2025: Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE)

If there’s one nation that’s draped in sports tradition, it’s Greece, but surprisingly enough, the nation had never produced a male wrestling world champion.

Prior to 2025, wrestlers from Greece were 0-3 in gold-medal matches and had not reached a world finals since 1991. Then came 23-year-old Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS who stunned the world by defeating Levi HAINES (USA) 3-2 in the 79kg final to become his nation’s first-ever world champion.

Up until Kougioumtsidis' victory, Georgios ATHANASSIADIS (GRE) lost both of his world finals matches and Iraklis DESKOULIDIS (GRE) lost the final in 1991. The lone Greek woman to ever step to the top of the medal podium at the World Championships was Sofia POUMPOURIDOU (GRE), who won the women's 51kg gold on home soil in 2002.

"I'm very lucky that I am Greek," Kougioumtsidis said. "So I feel like I made all Greeks proud. I am Greek and I love my country." He continued, saying, “I'm the first male [from Greece] who won a gold medal at the World Championships. It's my dream come true. I think this year is a good achievement. I achieved my goal."

Women’s Wrestling History Maker: Genesis REASCO (ECU)

Reasco made history by becoming Ecuador's first-ever world champion, which came two years following Lucia YEPEZ (ECU) silver-medal finish at the 2023 World Championships where she still become the Ecuador's first-ever world medalist.

Reasco reached the pinnacle of the sport with a 4-2 victory in the 76kg final over two-time world medalist Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ), which came one match removed from knocking off Paris bronze medalist Milaimy MARIN (CUB) in the semifinals.

"I went in, gave my all, and it worked," Reasco said. "That’s how the gold medal was achieved, because honestly, I have a lot of respect for all my opponents. They gave everything out there on the mat, and they were really good matches -- both yesterday’s and today’s. Everything was very tough, very close."

Greco-Roman’s History Maker: Aidos SULTANGALI (KAZ)

Sultangali ended a 26-year Greco-Roman drought, giving Kazakhstan their first Greco world champion since 1999 with a very quick victory over Uzbek youngster Alisher GANIEV (UZB) in the 60kg finals at the World Championships.

Sultangali, who won two world bronze medals between 2018 and 2022, only needed 1:07 to cap off masterful first-period 9-0 win over Asian runner-up GANIEV (UZB).

"I didn’t plan to win the final match so easily and quickly," Sultangali said. "But it happened. Today is a historic day for our country because the last gold medal for Kazakhstan came in 1999, 26 years ago," said Sultangali, "I am happy that my country is happy."