#WrestleWarsaw

Poland Open Entries (June 8-13)

By Eric Olanowski

WARSAW, Poland (June 1) --- The final Ranking Series event of the year, the Poland Open (June 8-13), kicks off next Tuesday in Warsaw and will welcome over 365 athletes from 44 nations.

The Poland Open will have massive implications on the remaining '21 event calendar. In addition to serving as the final point-scoring event for seeding (top four) at the '21 Tokyo Olympic Games, it'll also help determine the seeding for October's Oslo World Championships, and ultimately who earns a portion of the 600,000 CHF prize package for the 2021 Ranking Series top-three finishers.

Wrestling at the Poland Open kicks off on June 8 and can be followed live on www.uww.org. 

Ranking Series prize distribution (per weight):
First Place: 10,000 CHF 
Second Place: 7,000 CHF 
Third Place: 3,000 CHF 

Freestyle

57kg
Abdelhak KHERBACHE (ALG)
Oscar Eduardo TIGREROS URBANO (COL)
Diamantino IUNA FAFE (GBS)
Stevan Andria MICIC (SRB)
Nathan Khalid TOMASELLO (USA)
Nicholas Raymond SURIANO  (USA)
Makhmudjon SHAVKATOV (UZB)

61kg
Kumar RAVI (IND)
Reza Ahmadali ATRINAGHARCHI (IRI)
Adlan ASKAROV (KAZ)
Nurislam SANAYEV (KAZ)
Jahongirmirza TUROBOV (UZB)
Gulomjon ABDULLAEV (UZB)

65kg
Agustin Alejandro DESTRIBATS (ARG)

Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV  (HUN)
Gamzatgadzsi HALIDOV (HUN)
Daulet NIYAZBEKOV (KAZ)
Eduard GRIGOREV (POL)
Krzysztof BIENKOWSKI (POL)
Andrii SVYRYD (UKR)
Vasyl SHUPTAR (UKR)
Joseph Christopher MC KENNA (USA)
John Michael DIAKOMIHALIS (USA)

70kg
Haji ALIYEV (AZE)
Daniel ANTAL (HUN)
Syrbaz TALGAT (KAZ)
Ernazar AKMATALIEV  (KGZ)
Oleksii BORUTA (UKR)
James Malcolm GREEN (USA)
Alec William PANTALEO (USA)
Sirojiddin KHASANOV (UZB)

74kg
Khadzhimurad GADZHIYEV (AZE)

Jasmit Singh PHULKA  (CAN)
Amr Reda Ramadan HUSSEN  (EGY)
Augusto MIDANA (GBS)
Lennard WICKEL (GER)
Lucas Marco KAHNT (GER)
Murad KURAMAGOMEDOV (HUN)
Mostafa Mohabbali HOSSEINKHANI (IRI)
Yones Aliakbar EMAMICHOGHAEI (IRI)
Frank CHAMIZO MARQUEZ (ITA)
Nurkozha KAIPANOV (KAZ)
Daniyar KAISANOV (KAZ)
Vadim PETRAUSKAS BABUSKIN (LTU)
Kamil RYBICKI  (POL)
Andrzej Piotr SOKALSKI (POL)
Patryk Krzysztof OLENCZYN (POL)
Tajmuraz Mairbekovic SALKAZANOV (SVK)
Semen RADULOV (UKR)
Denys PAVLOV (UKR)
Jason Michael NOLF (USA)

79kg
Aimar ANDRUSE (EST)
Erik REINBOK (EST) 
Milan MESTER (HUN)
Csaba VIDA (HUN)
Jakub Patryk WLADCZYK (POL)
Mateusz Dariusz KAMPIK (POL)
Jakub SYKORA (SVK)
Akhsarbek GULAEV (SVK)
Vasyl MYKHAILOV (UKR)
Bekzod ABDURAKHMONOV (UZB)
Rashid KURBANOV (UZB)

86kg
Fateh BENFERDJALLAH (ALG)
Carlos Arturo IZQUIERDO MENDEZ (COL)
Patrik SZUROVSZKI (HUN)
Ekerekeme AGIOMOR  (NGR)
Pool Edinson AMBROCIO GREIFO (PER)
Sebastian JEZIERZANSKI (POL)
Cezary Marek SADOWSKI (POL)
Filip ROGUT (POL)
Myles Nazem AMINE (SMR)
Stefan REICHMUTH (SUI)
Zahid VALENCIA (USA)

92kg
Robin Michael FERDINAND (GER)

Richard VEGH  (HUN)
Zbigniew Mateusz BARANOWSKI (POL)
Krzysztof Grzegorz SADOWIK (POL)
Erhan YAYLACI (TUR)
Selim YASAR (TUR)
Mustafa Kemal KIYI (TUR)}
Illia ARCHAIA (UKR)
Jden Michael Tbory COX (USA)
Nathan Dyamin JACKSON (USA)
Myles Najee MARTIN  (USA)
Rustam SHODIEV (UZB)
Ajiniyaz SAPARNIYAZOV (UZB)

97kg
Mohammed FARDJ (ALG)

Sharif SHARIFOV (AZE)
Alireza Mohammad KARIMIMACHIANI (IRI)}
Ali Khalil SHABANIBENGAR (IRI)
Mohammadhossein Askari MOHAMMADIAN (IRI)
Abraham de Jesus CONYEDO RUANO (ITA)
Serik BAKYTKHANOV  (KAZ)
Alisher YERGALI (KAZ)
Lukas KRASAUSKAS (LTU)
Magomedgadji Omardibirovich NUROV (MKD)
Radoslaw BARAN (POL)
Michal Jan BIELAWSKI (POL)
Kollin Raymond MOORE (USA)

125kg
Djahid BERRAHAL (ALG)

Diaaeldin Kamal Gouda ABDELMOTTALEB (EGY)
Youssif Mohamed Badea HEMIDA (EGY)
Sumit SUMIT (IND)
Amin Hossein TAHERI (IRI)
Amir Hossein Abbas ZARE (IRI)
Yusup BATIRMURZAEV (KAZ)
Oleg BOLTIN (KAZ)
Robert BARAN (POL)
Oleksandr KHOTSIANIVSKYI (UKR)
Nicholas Edward GWIAZDOWSKI (USA)

Two-time Olympic champion Roman VLASOV (RUS) will look to lock up his spot on Russia's Tokyo team. He can do so by outplacing Abuiazid MANTSIGOV (RUS) at 77kg. (Photo: Sachiko Hotaka)

Greco-Roman
55kg

Ekrem OZTURK (TUR)

Serif KILIC (TUR)
Max Emiliano NOWRY (USA)

60kg
Abdelkarim FERGAT (ALG)

Nikolai Soheil MOHAMMADI  (DEN)
Haithem MAHMOUD  (EGY)
Ahmed Fouad Fouad Hussein BAGHDOUDA  (EGY)
Helary MAEGISALU (EST)
Krisztian KECSKEMETI (HUN)
Kenichiro FUMITA (JPN)
Ildar HAFIZOV (USA)
Mukhammadkodir YUSUPOV (UZB)

63kg
Abdeldjebar DJEBBARI (ALG)

Christopher Josef KRAEMER (GER)
Ayata SUZUKI  (JPN)
Artor Zaitsev HAGERUP (NOR)
Mairbek SALIMOV (POL)
Michal Jacek TRACZ (POL)
Lenur TEMIROV (UKR)
Islomjon BAKHRAMOV (UZB)
Elmurat TASMURADOV (UZB)

67kg
Abdelmalek MERABET (ALG)

Julian Stiven HORTA ACEVEDO  (COL)
Mohamed Ibrahim Elsayed Ibrahi ELSAYED (EGY)
Abouhalima Mohamed Elsaid ABOUHALIMA (EGY)
Krisztian Istvan VANCZA (HUN)
Erik TORBA (HUN)
Balint KORPASI (HUN)
Zaur KABALOEV (ITA)
Mateusz Radoslaw SZEWCZUK (POL)
Murat FIRAT (TUR)
Enes BASAR (TUR)
Bohdan KOVERNYUK (UKR)
Alejandro SANCHO (USA)
Mirzobek RAKHMATOV (UZB)
Makhmud BAKHSHILLOEV (UZB)

72kg
Fredrik Holmquist BJERREHUUS (DEN)
Robert Attila FRITSCH (HUN)
Haavard JOERGENSEN (NOR)
Juan Sebastian AAK (NOR)
Mateusz Lucjan BERNATEK (POL)
Roman PACURKOWSKI (POL)
Selcuk CAN (TUR)
Cengiz ARSLAN  (TUR)
Aram VARDANYAN (UZB)

77kg
Oliver Marco KRUEGER (DEN)
Mikko Petteri PELTOKANGAS  (FIN)
Sakke Petteri PUROLAINEN (FIN)
Zoltan LEVAI (HUN)
Tamas LORINCZ (HUN)
Per Anders KURE (NOR)
Gevorg SAHAKYAN (POL)
Iwan NYLYPIUK (POL)
Roman VLASOV (RUS)
Abuiazid MANTSIGOV (RUS)
Yunus Emre BASAR (TUR)
Fatih CENGIZ (TUR)
Artur POLITAIEV (UKR)
Yasaf ZEINALOV (UKR)
Jesse Alexander PORTER (USA)

82kg
Fadi ROUABAH (ALG)

Rafig HUSEYNOV  (AZE)
Rajbek Alvievich BISULTANOV (DEN)
Ranet KALJOLA (EST)
Roni Ilmari PUROLAINEN (FIN)
Laszlo SZABO (HUN)
Tamas LEVAI (HUN)
Magnus GROENVIK (NOR)
Mateusz Lukasz WOLNY (POL)
Filip Kacper KAZIMIERCZAK (POL)
Alex Michel BJURBERG KESSIDIS (SWE)
Yaroslav FILCHAKOV   (UKR)
Jalgasbay BERDIMURATOV (UZB)

87kg
Bachir SID AZARA (ALG)

Ronisson BRANDAO SANTIAGO (BRA)
Mohamed Moustafa Ahmed Abdall METWALLY (EGY)
Istvan TAKACS (HUN)
David LOSONCZI (HUN)
Viktor LORINCZ (HUN)
Michal Andrzej DYBKA (POL)
Arkadiusz Marcin KULYNYCZ  (POL)
Szymon SZYMONOWICZ (POL)
Metehan BASAR (TUR)
Dogan GOKTAS (TUR)
Semen NOVIKOV (UKR)
Alan Ernesto VERA GARCIA (USA)
Rustam ASSAKALOV (UZB)

97kg
Adem BOUDJEMLINE  (ALG)
Islam ABBASOV (AZE)
Mathias BAK (DEN)
Arvi Martin SAVOLAINEN (FIN)
Jan ZIRN (GER)
Ilja KLASNER (GER)
Erik SZILVASSY (HUN)
Balazs KISS (HUN)
Alex Gergo SZOKE (HUN)
Mehdi Mohammad BALIHAMZEHDEH (IRI)
Mohammadhadi Abdollah SARAVI (IRI)
Gerard Cyprian KURNICZAK (POL)
Piotr CHUDZIK (POL)
Tadeusz MICHALIK (POL)
Mihail KAJAIA  (SRB)
Ergali AYKHIMBAEV (UZB)

130kg
Yasmani ACOSTA FERNANDEZ (CHI)
Abdellatif Mohamed Ahmed MOHAMED (EGY)
Heiki NABI (EST)
Eduard POPP (GER)
Adam VARGA (HUN)
Aliakbar Hossein YOUSOFIAHMADCHALI (IRI)
Amin Mohammadzaman MIRZAZADEH (IRI)
Amir Mohammadali GHASEMIMONJEZI (IRI)
Mantas KNYSTAUTAS (LTU)
Romas FRIDRIKAS (LTU)
Nikola MILATOVIC (NOR)
Rafal Andrzej KRAJEWSKI (POL)
Dominik Tomasz KRAWCZYK (POL)
Alin ALEXUC CIURARIU (ROU)
Lenard Istvan BEREI (ROU)
Cohlton Michael SCHULTZ (USA)
Muminjon ABDULLAEV (UZB)


Two-time world champion Mariya STADNIK (AZE) headlines the women's wrestling entries at 50kg. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

Women’s Wrestling

50kg
Mariya STADNIK (AZE)
Valentina Ivanovna ISLAMOVA BRIK  (KAZ)
Adijat Avorshai IDRIS  (NGR)
Anna LUKASIAK (POL)
Agata Marta WALERZAK (POL)
Katarzyna MADROWSKA (POL)
Emilia Alina VUC (ROU)
Mariia TIUMEREKOVA (RUS)
Nadezhda SOKOLOVA (RUS)
Aynur ERGE (TUR)
Oksana LIVACH (UKR)
Erin Simone GOLSTON (USA)

53kg
Samantha Leigh STEWART (CAN)

Joseph Emilienne ESSOMBE TIAKO (CMR)
Annika WENDLE (GER)
Vinesh VINESH (IND)
Sumiya ERDENECHIMEG (MGL)
Roksana Marta ZASINA (POL)
Katarzyna KRAWCZYK (POL)
Ekaterina POLESHCHUK (RUS)
Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (RUS)
Esra PUL (TUR)
Ronna Marie HEATON (USA)
Amy Ann FEARNSIDE  (USA)

55kg
Aisha UALISHAN (KAZ)
Dominika Ewa KULWICKA (POL)
Alicja CZYZOWICZ (POL)
Andreea Beatrice ANA (ROU)
Stalvira ORSHUSH (RUS)
Zeynep YETGIL (TUR)
Iryna KHARIV CHYKHRADZE (UKR)

57kg
Iryna KURACHKINA (BLR)
Mathilde Hélène RIVIERE (FRA)
Elena Heike BRUGGER (GER)
Fatoumata Yarie CAMARA (GUI)
Anshu ANSHU (IND)
Odunayo Folasade ADEKUOROYE (NGR)
Patrycja GIL (POL)
Jowita Maria WRZESIEN (POL)
Magdalena Urszula GLODEK (POL)
Irina OLOGONOVA (RUS)
Veronika CHUMIKOVA (RUS)
Valeria KOBLOVA ZHOLOBOVA (RUS)
Mehlika OZTURK (TUR)
Eda TEKIN (TUR)
Alina HRUSHYNA AKOBIIA (UKR)
Tetyana KIT (UKR)
Helen Louise MAROULIS (USA)

59kg
Diana KAYUMOVA (KAZ)
Nuraida ANARKULOVA (KGZ)
Nazira MARSBEK KYZY (KGZ)
Anastasiia SIDELNIKOVA (RUS)
Elif YANIK (TUR)

62kg
Lais NUNES DE OLIVEIRA (BRA)
Ana Paula GODINEZ GONZALEZ (CAN)
Marianna SASTIN (HUN)
Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ)
Aminat Oluwafunmilayo ADENIYI (NGR)
Svetlana LIPATOVA (RUS)
Liubov OVCHAROVA (RUS)
Marwa AMRI (TUN)
Cansu AKSOY (TUR)
Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR)
Ilona PROKOPEVNIUK (UKR)
Kayla Colleen Kiyoko MIRACLE (USA)

65kg
Taybe Mustafa YUSEIN (BUL)
Aina TEMIRTASSOVA  (KAZ)
Aleksandra WOLCZYNSKA (POL)
Kamila Czeslawa KULWICKA (POL)
Kriszta Tunde INCZE (ROU)
Linnea Antonia SVENSSON (SWE)
Malin Johanna MATTSSON (SWE)
Henna Katarina JOHANSSON  (SWE)
Asli DEMIR (TUR)
Asli TUGCU (TUR)
Oksana KUKHTA HERHEL (UKR)

68kg
Elis MANOLOVA (AZE)
Danielle Suzanne LAPPAGE (CAN)
Enas Mostafa Youssef Khourshed AHMED (EGY)
Koumba Selene Fanta LARROQUE (FRA)
Anna Carmen SCHELL (GER)
Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ)
Battsetseg SORONZONBOLD  (MGL)
Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR)
Natalia Iwona STRZALKA (POL)
Ewelina Weronika CIUNEK (POL)
Wiktoria CHOLUJ (POL)
Khanum VELIEVA (RUS)
Tindra Linnea SJOEBERG (SWE)}
Nesrin BAS (TUR)
Alla CHERKASOVA (UKR)
Alina BEREZHNA STADNIK MAKHYNIA (UKR)
Forrest Ann MOLINARI (USA)|

72kg
Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ)

Catalina AXENTE (ROU)
Evgeniia ZAKHARCHENKO (RUS)
Buse TOSUN (TUR)
Alla BELINSKA (UKR)

76kg
Vasilisa MARZALIUK (BLR)

Aline DA SILVA FERREIRA (BRA)
Erica Elizabeth WIEBE (CAN)
Samar Amer Ibrahim HAMZA (EGY)
Epp MAEE (EST)
Aline ROTTER FOCKEN (GER)
Francy RAEDELT (GER)
Elmira SYZDYKOVA (KAZ)
Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ)
Tumentsetseg SHARKHUU (MGL)
Patrycja SPERKA (POL)
Natalia VOROBEVA (RUS)
Alena STARODUBTSEVA (RUS)
Aysegul OZBEGE (TUR)
Dymond Precious GUILFORD  (USA)

#WrestleBaku, #WrestleParis

Sadulaev leads star-studded line-up for European OG Qualifier

By Vinay Siwach

BAKU, Azerbaijan (March 31) -- For the first time in his career, Abdulrashid SADULAEV (AIN) will participate in 'qualifiers' hoping to earn a spot for the Paris Olympics. His previous two appearances at the Olympics, Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020, came after winning the preceding World Championships in 2015 and 2019, respectively.

Sadulaev, if he qualifies, won't go to Paris as the world champion. Nor would he be the clear pick to win the gold. However, Sadulaev will be the favorite in Baku.

The two-time Olympic champion, who withdrew from his semifinal at the 2023 World Championships due to injury, is set to compete in the European OG Qualifiers in Baku from April 5 to 7, aiming to secure a Paris quota as an Individual Neutral Athlete in the 97kg category. This marks his return to competition following the World Championships and subsequent neck surgery.

The 97kg bracket includes some notable contenders aiming to secure quotas for Paris 2024 including Vlagyiszlav BAJCAJEV (HUN), who clinched a bronze medal at the European Championships, veteran Magomedgadji NUROV (MKD), Radoslaw BARAN (POL), and Tokyo Olympian Aliaksandr HUSHTYN (AIN).

Sadulaev is expected to be seeded second, barring any last-minute changes to the entries, while Erik THIELE (GER) is set to receive the top seed, placing him separate from Sadulaev. As a result, Bajcajev is likely to be the third seed, and if the seeds hold, he will meet Sadulaev in the semifinal, with the winner securing the Paris 2024 spot.

Baran is slated to be the fourth seed, positioning him in the top half of the bracket. Hushtyn, Nurov, Radu LEFTER (MDA), and Benjamin HONIS (HUN) will be drawn randomly.

Despite the time away from international competition and being in unfamiliar territory, Sadulaev will look to leave no doubt that he remains an unbeaten force.

Haji ALIYEV (AZE)Haji ALIYEV (AZE) wrestling at the World Championships where he lost in the quarterfinal. (Photo: UWW / Kostadin Andonov)

Another wrestler hoping to earn a Paris 2024 spot is two-time Olympic medalist Haji ALIYEV (AZE). When he last competed at a European qualifier, Aliyev had a relatively straightforward path to the final, securing his qualification for the Tokyo Olympics. However, this year may present different challenges.

Aliyev will have to tackle a lot, both on and off the mat, to qualify for his third Olympics. He will be dealing with some additional pressure of leading a formidable Azerbaijan team looking to qualify in five Olympic weight classes in Baku.

The 65kg bracket in Baku will feature the latest European champion, Islam DUDAEV (ALB), European silver medalist Mikyay NAIM (BUL), former European bronze medalist Erik ARUSHANIAN (UKR), and 2024 European bronze medalist Andre CLARKE (GER), among others.

Dudaev won the gold in February after beating Gadzhimurad RASHIDOV (AIN) in the final, throwing his name in the mix to earn a Paris Olympic quota in Baku.

Aliyev will be seeded number three with Maxim SCULTAN (MDA) taking the top seed, Joshua FINESILVER (ISR) at number two and Nino LEUTERT (SUI) at number four.

The weight cut for Aliyev will also be a challenge. Since the Tokyo Olympics, he has participated in six United World Wrestling competitions, wrestling at 70kg in three of them. The Baku tournament will also mark his first competition since the World Championships in September last year, where he exited after suffering a loss to Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM) in the quarterfinals.

Aliabbas RZAZADE (AZE)Aliabbas RZAZADE (AZE) is looking to qualify Azerbaijan at 57kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling)

Joining Aliyev in the Azerbaijan team are Aliabbas RZAZADE (AZE) at 57kg, Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE) at 74kg, Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE) at 86kg and Giorgi MESHVILDISHVILI (AZE) at 125kg.

Rzazade failed to move past the Round of 16 at the World Championships and even lost his cool in that bout. But with Stevan MICIC (SRB), Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM), Zelimkhan ABAKAROV (ALB) and Zavur UGUEV (AIN) already earning a spot from the World Championships, the European field does offer a huge opportunity for Rzazade.

He will be seeded fourth in a bracket that also has Tokyo Olympian Georgi VANGELOV (BUL), Horst LEHR (GER), Robert DINGASHVILI (GEO), Simone PIRODDU (ITA),  Vladimir EGOROV (MKD), Suleyman ATLI (TUR) and Kamil KERYMOV (UKR).

Atli and Egorov, former European champions, will be drawn randomly while Vangelov will be seeded number three after Lehr, who is number two.

Artur NAIFONOV (AIN)Artur NAIFONOV (AIN) is returning since the 2021 World Championships. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

At 86kg, Nurmagomedov will have to repeat his heroics from the 92kg weight class that saw him become a world silver medalist and European champion. Azerbaijan will hope that Nurmagomedov can finish the job in Baku and not leave things to the final qualifiers in Istanbul in May.

But it won't be easy as Tokyo bronze medalist Artur NAIFONOV (AIN) returns for his first competition in three years. He will be among the contenders to claim one of the two spots. A few familiar opponents will greet Naifonov as Magomed RAMAZANOV (BUL) will turn up for Bulgaria while Dauren KURUGLIEV (GRE) will turn up for Greece.

Naifonov last wrestled at the World Championships in Oslo in 2021, winning a bronze medal. He will now be in Baku to earn the 86kg spot as an Individual Neutral Athlete.

Kurugliev won the European Championships in February and will start among the favorites to win one of the two spots in Baku. But he has to look out for Naifonov who will be drawn at random in the bracket.

The top seed will be European bronze medalist Osman GOCEN (TUR) who impressed at the European Championships. He will followed by Ramazanov as the second seed and Rakhim MAGAMADOV (FRA) as the third seed. Kurguliev will be fourth, putting him on the same side as Gocen.

Two-time World Championships medalist Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO) at 79kg has entered 86kg since the start of the year with hopes of qualifying Georgia. Former world medalists Boris MAKOEV (SVK) and Vasyl MYKHAILOV (UKR) are expected to surprise the field.  

The 125kg can throw a few close match-ups with little to predict. European bronze medalists Meshvildishvili and Alen KHUBULOV (BUL) will look to seize this opportunity and earn Paris spots. Joining them is Dzianis KHRAMIANKOU (AIN) who finished fifth in Bucharest, former Euro medalist Daniel LIGETI (HUN), Tokyo Olympian Abraham CONYEDO (ITA) and Oleksandr KHOTSIANIVSKYI (UKR).

Ligeti was a win away from getting the spot at the World Championships but he has another chance in Baku. He will be the top seed followed by Meshvildishvili at number two. Khotsianivskyi will be at number three and Khramiankou at number four.

Mahamedkhabib KADZIMAHAMEDAU (AIN)Mahamedkhabib KADZIMAHAMEDAU (AIN) is a silver medalist in the Tokyo Olympics. (Photo: UWW / Kostadin Andonov)

74kg minefield

Perhaps the most unpredictable weight class in the world right now. A host of Olympic and World Championships medalists will make their way to Baku to earn Paris 2024 quotas. But many will leave without one.

Tokyo silver medalist Mahamedkhabib KADZIMAHAMEDAU (AIN), who exited the World Championships after a first-round loss, has some forgetful memories of a European qualifier as he suffered a heartbreaking 4-4 loss four years ago.

However, a European Championships silver medal in February will boost Kadzimahamedau's confidence as he heads to Baku unseeded.

Bayramov, who came agonizingly close to winning a Paris spot in Belgrade before being cautioned out, will lead the Azerbaijan challenge as the top seed. He finished with a bronze medal at the European Championships after dropping his semifinal against Tajmuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK).

Both will be separated in Baku as Salkazanov is seeded second and will be on the other side of the bracket. However, he will be drawn with Soner DEMIRTAS (TUR),  the third seed, and if the seeds hold, both will meet in the semifinals. The two wrestled in the European Championships final and Salkazanov won 5-0.

Murad KURAMAGOMEDOV (HUN) will be the fourth seed for the competition which leaves Frank CHAMIZO (ITA) and Avtandil KENTCHADZE (GEO) unseeded. They will be roaring after missing out on medals at the World Championships. Chamizo even spent 10 days in Tokyo to prepare for the qualifiers. (Yes, the video if you keep scrolling).

Out of the 22 wrestlers entered at 74kg, only two can earn the spots for the Paris Games. The others will have to give it another shot in Istanbul in May.