#BeachWrestling

PHOTOS: Bird, Beats, Beach and Wrestling in Dakar

By Vinay Siwach

DAKAR, Senegal (June 22) -- Wrestling in Senegal? Nothing new to the country. It is the most popular sport, at least the traditional one. The stands are filled, music blaring, wrestlers are superstars in the country and people love it.

The second edition of the African Championships in Beach Wrestling traveled to Dakar, Senegal. More than 100 wrestlers entered to compete for the glory of becoming the champion of the continent.

But there is so much to wrestling in Dakar outside the two rings on the sand. The colors, music, cheering, dance and crowd are inseparable.

Obviously, there is wrestling with big throws, tackles, takedowns.

DakarPhoto: United World Wrestling / Helena Courtis

Wrestling remains the same. Mat, sand, mud, ice. Those throws are supreme. Here's an example.

 

DakarPhoto: United World Wrestling / Helena Courtis

Once you get thrown like that, you will be covered in sand. So you need to wash it. We got water right next to the rings.

 

DakarPhoto: United World Wrestling / Helena Courtis

Outside the sand rings, no one should be that serious in wrestling. No way in beach wrestling. Come on, Mouhamed BAYO (SEN).

 

DakarPhoto: United World Wrestling / Helena Courtis

We managed to convince him. Look at that flex. Thanks, Bayo!

 

DakarPhoto: United World Wrestling / Helena Courtis

The National Arena de Lutte in Dakar came prepared. The traditional Senegalese wrestling begins with the sounds of drums. There was no other way to begin during the opening ceremony at Beach Wrestling. Adding to the drums, some colors and music. Nothing better.

 

DakarPhoto: United World Wrestling / Helena Courtis

At all wrestling venues, a battle ensues. It's between the wrestlers and security. Are the wrestlers more well-built or the policemen? We will let you decide.

 

DakarPhoto: United World Wrestling / Helena Courtis

Back to wrestling. Do you think this is a point?

 

DakarPhoto: United World Wrestling / Helena Courtis

Thankfully, you are a referee only by looking at the screen in front of you. On the sand, our referees need to be as quick, both with their decisions and stepping away from the line of action.

 

DakarPhoto: United World Wrestling / Helena Curtis

If someone mentioned a story about how a wrestler in Dakar managed a bird to sit on his head with no trouble, no one would believe that. But here you are, a wrestler in Dakar with a bird sitting on his head. Our photographer captured it so we have to believe.

 

DakarPhoto: United World Wrestling / Helena Courtis

In the end, it is about being happy after watching wrestling. These kids surely enjoyed it.

Well, if you are looking for the results from the matches, here's the link for all the results. CLICK HERE

#WrestleUlaanbaatar

Ulaanbaatar Open Ranking Series 2026 Entries

By United World Wrestling Press

ULAANBAATAR, Mongolia (May 21) -- United World Wrestling's continental championships are over and the Ranking Series will return for its third stop.

Ulaanbaatar Open, the third Ranking Series of the year, will be held in the Mongolian capital from June 4-7.

Note: The entries are subject to change 72 hours before the draws of respective style. For latest, click here

UWW Plus

Freestyle

57kg
DENGBURILE (CHN)
ANKUSH (IND)
SUMIT (IND)
Abzal OKENOV (KAZ)
Meirambek KARTBAY (KAZ)
Merey BAZARBAYEV (KAZ)
Sangboum HAN (KOR)
Sunggwon KIM (KOR)
Davaabandi MUNKH ERDENE (MGL)
Jiguur SARANTUYA (MGL)
Munkh Erdene BATKHUYAG (MGL)
Chong Song HAN (PRK)
Darian Toi CRUZ (PUR)
Musa MEKHTIKHANOV (RUS)
Aiaal BELOLYUBSKII (TJK)
Pedro MEJIAS (VEN)

61kg
Georgii OKOROKOV (AUS)
DEEPAK (IND)
Ahora KHATERI (IRI)
Assyl AITAKYN (KAZ)
Kalmukhan TURMAKHANBET (KAZ)
Omurbek ASAN UULU (KGZ)
Batnasan GANKHULEG (MGL)
Tserendondov DORJPUREV (MGL)
Zanabazar ZANDANBUD (MGL)
Bair BAIANDUEV (RUS)

65kg
Shamil MAMEDOV (BUL)
Mohit KUMAR (IND)
ROHIT (IND)
SUJEET (IND)
Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI)
Aibek AITBEKOV (KAZ)
Ibragim MAGOMADOV (KAZ)
Ossimzhan DASTANBEK (KAZ)
Junsik YUN (KOR)
Gantulga BATBAATAR (MGL)
Turbayar DAVAANYAM (MGL)
Zeneemeder BYAMBASUREN (MGL)
Kwang Jin KIM (PRK)
Christopher COMPOSTO (USA)

70kg
ABHIMANYOU (IND)
Rodion ANCHUGIN (KAZ)
Sanzhar DOSZHANOV (KAZ)
Yerlan SHAKISHOV (KAZ)
Aden SAKYBAEV (KGZ)
Rustamzhan KAKHAROV (KGZ)
Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL)
Usukhbayar BAATARKHUU (MGL)
Zandanbat BATSAIKHAN (MGL)
Konstantin KAPRYNOV (RUS)
Magomed ELTEMIROV (RUS)
Cross WASILEWSKI (USA)

74kg
BATUQINGGELE (CHN)
Erihetu BAYIN (CHN)
JAIDEEP (IND)
Sagar JAGLAN (IND)
Sandeep MANN (IND)
Nurdanat AITANOV (KAZ)
Daegil HAN (KOR)
Jin su JEON (KOR)
Sangho HAN (KOR)
Sumiyabazar ZANDANBUD (MGL)
Tolui MUNKHBAT (MGL)
Tugsjargal ERDENEBAT (MGL)
Tamir ESHINIMAEV (RUS)
Tumen BODIEV (RUS)

79kg
MOHIT (IND)
Mohammad NOKHODI (IRI)
Mansur KUANGAN (KAZ)
Shamil OZHAEV (KAZ)
Bekzat RAKHIMOV (KGZ)
Gan Erdene BAATARKHUU (MGL)
Khangaibayar GANBOLD (MGL)
Suldkhuu OLONBAYAR (MGL)
Ismail KHANIEV (RUS)

86kg
Magomed RAMAZANOV (BUL)
Suhe GANG (CHN)
ARYAN (IND)
Mukul DAHIYA (IND)
Bolat SAKAYEV (KAZ)
Malik SHAVAEV (KGZ)
Gyeongyeon LEE (KOR)
Taegyu HWANG (KOR)
Batbilguun NAADAMBAT (MGL)
Bilguundalai PUREVDAGVA (MGL)
Byambadorj BAT ERDENE (MGL)
Amanula RASULOV (RUS)
Weng CHOW (SGP)

92kg
Punit KUMAR (IND)
Abolfazl RAHMANI (IRI)
Almatbek AMANBEK (KAZ)
Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ)
Sung Yup RYU (KOR)
Bat Erdene BYAMBASUREN (MGL)
Delgerdalai DEMBEREL (MGL)
Ganbat TSERENPUNTSAG (MGL)
Askhab SAADULAEV (RUS)

97kg
Thomas BARNS (AUS)
Yaraslau SLAVIKOUSKI (BLR)
TUXIGE (CHN)
Deepak CHAHAL (IND)
VICKY (IND)
Nurdaulet BEKENOV (KAZ)
Juhwan SEO (KOR)
Pureun KIM (KOR)
Demchigdorj TUMURBAATAR (MGL)
Gankhuyag GANBAATAR (MGL)
Mukhamed Takhir KHANIEV (RUS)
Cristian SARCO (VEN)

125kg
BUHEEERDUN (CHN)
DINESH (IND)
RONAK (IND)
Yedige KASSIMBEK (KAZ)
Gwanuk KIM (KOR)
Altangerel CHINBAT (MGL)
Nambardagva BATBAYAR (MGL)
Narantulga DARMAABAZAR (MGL)
Kamil KOSCIOLEK POL
Robert BARAN POL
Timur KOTAEV (RUS)
Jose DIAZ (VEN)

Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ)Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) will mark his return to international competition for the first time since 2024 Paris Olympics. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Greco-Roman

55kg
LALIT (IND)
Payam AHMADI (IRI)
Davaabandi MUNKH ERDENE (MGL)
Sumiyabazar MUNKHZAYA (MGL)
Emin CAKIR (TUR)

60kg
BAOYINJIYA (CHN)
SAHIL (IND)
SUMIT (IND)
Ali AHMADI VAFA (IRI)
Akyl SULAIMANOV (KGZ)
Dahyun KIM (KOR)
Seunghak KIM (KOR)
Yu Chol RO (PRK)

63kg
Sunny KUMAR (IND)
Erfan JARKANI (IRI)
Mohammad KESHTKAR (IRI)
Doszhan UTEPKALIYEV (KAZ)
Yerkebulan ARDAKOV (KAZ)
Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ)
Hyunwoong CHOI (KOR)
Ganbayar NAMSRAI (MGL)

67kg
Tsuchika SHIMOYAMADA (AUS)
Alamusi ALAMUSI (CHN)
Xinxin JIN (CHN)
Sachin SAHRAWAT (IND)
Karajit SINGH (IND)
Hanjae CHUNG (KOR)
Otgonnasan TSERENPUNTSAG (MGL)
Man Gwang SON (PRK)
Murat FIRAT (TUR)

72kg
ANIL (IND)
Javad REZAEI (IRI)
Danial SOHRABI (IRI)
Amanat SAMAT UULU (KGZ)
Amantur ISMAILOV (KGZ)
Zhantoro MIRZALIEV (KGZ)
Minseong KWON (KOR)
Aldarkhuu YESUNCHUDUR (MGL)
Borgil TUVSHINBAATAR (MGL)

77kg
Stoyan KUBATOV (BUL)
Amuguleng BAI (CHN)
AMAN (IND)
Ankit GULIA (IND)
Bekzat ORUNKUL UULU (KGZ)
Yeonghun NOH (KOR)
Ariyabadraa TUUL (MGL)
Jason BAUCAS (PHI)

82kg
Aik MNATSAKANIAN (BUL)
Deyvid DIMITROV (BUL)
Gholamreza FAROKHI (IRI)
Imur TEMIRBEKOV (KGZ)
Lkhagvasuren DASHJAMTS (MGL)
Orgil NYAM ERDENE (MGL)
Turbold ENKHBAYAR (MGL)

87kg
Sunil KUMAR (IND)
PRINCE (IND)
Rohit BURA (IND)
Azat SALIDINOV (KGZ)
Seunghwan LEE (KOR)
Batbayar TSOGTBAATAR (MGL)
Turbold GANBOLD (MGL)
Usukhbayar BAATARKHUU (MGL)
Luis AVENDANO (VEN)

97kg
ADIYA (CHN)
Kevin MEJIA (HON)
NITESH (IND)
Nurassyl AMANALY (KAZ)
Minho LEE (KOR)
Batsuuri PUREVDORJ (MGL)
Gankhuyag GANBAATAR (MGL)
Tuvshinsanaa ERDENEJARGAL (MGL)
Juan DIAZ (VEN)

130kg
Zhiyong DONG (CHN)
Gino AVILA (HON)
Joginder RATHEE (IND)
Alisher YERGALI (KAZ)
Olzhas SYRLYBAY (KAZ)
Minseok KIM (KOR)
Lkhagvajamts MUNKHDORJ (MGL)
Riza KAYAALP (TUR)
Moises PEREZ (VEN)

Kyong Ryong OH (PRK)Kyong Ryong OH (PRK), world champion at 55kg, will be wrestling at 53kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Women's Wrestling

50kg
Ziqi FENG (CHN)
NEELAM (IND)
SWEETY (IND)
Miyu NAKAMURA (JPN)
Zeinep BAYANOVA (KAZ)
Miran CHEON (KOR)
Munkhgerel MUNKHBAT (MGL)
Munkhnar BYAMBASUREN (MGL)
Suvd Erdene BAYARBAATAR (MGL)
Miesinnei GENESIS (NGR)
Son Hyang KIM (PRK)
Natalia PUDOVA (RUS)
Evin DEMIRHAN YAVUZ (TUR)

53kg
NAOGUGAN (CHN)
MEENAKSHI (IND)
MUSKAN (IND)
Moe KIYOOKA (JPN)
Maral TANGIRBERGENOVA (KAZ)
Seoyoung PARK (KOR)
Chuluun Erdene BATTOGTOKH (MGL)
Namuuntsetseg TSOGT OCHIR (MGL)
Otgontuya BAYANMUNKH (MGL)
Christianah OGUNSANYA (NGR)
Kyong Ryong OH (PRK)
Andreea ANA (ROU)
Beatrice FERENT (ROU)
Natalia MALYSHEVA (RUS)
Alexa ALVAREZ (VEN)

55kg
Hansika LAMBA (IND)
Natsumi MASUDA (JPN)
Laura ALMAGANBETOVA (KAZ)
Ariunzaya ODONCHIMEG (MGL)
Bayarjargal TUMURBAATAR (MGL)
Chimgee BUYANDALAI (MGL)
Hyo Gyong CHOE (PRK)
Ekaterina VERBINA (RUS)
Tuba DEMIR (TUR)

57kg
MANISHA (IND)
Nilufar RAIMOVA (KAZ)
Youngjin KWON (KOR)
Khulan BATKHUYAG (MGL)
Munkhchimeg URJIN (MGL)
Il Sim SON (PRK)
Danielle LIM (SGP)
Elvira SULEYMAN KAMALOGLU (TUR)

59kg
NEHA (IND)
Bolortuya KHURELKHUU (MGL)
Enkhtuvshin BALJINNYAM (MGL)
Saruul ERDENEBILEG (MGL)
Pyol HONG (PRK)
Bediha GUN (TUR)

62kg
Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL)
Huan YANG (CHN)
MANSI (IND)
NITIKA (IND)
Subeen JO (KOR)
Altjin TOGTOKH (MGL)
Tserenchimed SUKHEE (MGL)
Esther KOLAWOLE (NGR)
Ok Ju KIM (PRK)
Amina CAPEZAN (ROU)
Amina TANDELOVA (RUS)
Astrid MONTERO (VEN)

65kg
Shuai ZHANG (CHN)
PULKIT (IND)
Enkhjin TUVSHINJARGAL (MGL)
Erdenebulgan LKHAGVASUREN (MGL)
Narkhajid NYAMSUREN (MGL)
Hyon Gyong MUN (PRK)
Ekaterina KOSHKINA (RUS)

68kg
Irina KAZYULINA (KAZ)
Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ)
Hyeonyeong PARK (KOR)
Delgermaa ENKHSAIKHAN (MGL)
Gantsetseg BATSUKH (MGL)
Odzaya ERDENEBAT (MGL)
Sol Gum PAK (PRK)
Kateryna ZELENYKH (ROU)
Elizaveta PETLIAKOVA (RUS)
Nesrin BAS (TUR)
Nathaly GRIMAN (VEN)

72kg
HARSHITA (IND)
Batsuren MYAGMARSUREN (MGL)
Bolortungalag ZORIGT (MGL)
Odgerel ERDENE OCHIR (MGL)
Wiktoria CHOLUJ (POL)
Kristina BRATCHIKOVA (RUS)

76kg
Saihan AO (CHN)
Wenji LI (CHN)
KAJAL (IND)
PRIYA (IND)
Elmira SYZDYKOVA (KAZ)
Gulmaral YERKEBAYEVA (KAZ)
Eunju HWANG (KOR)
Davaanasan ENKH AMAR (MGL)
Tuvshinjargal TARAV (MGL)
Urtnasan GAN OCHIR (MGL)
Damola OJO (NGR)
Patrycja CUBER (POL)
Alexandra ANGHEL (ROU)
Valeriia TRIFONOVA (RUS)