Three world champs highlight Greco-Roman at Asian Games

Tuesday, October 3, 2023 - 07:03 By Vinay Siwach

HANGZHOU, China (October 3) -- Kyrgyzstan has only won one Greco-Roman gold medal in Asian Games history. But on Wednesday, it will have a chance to win two on the same day as world champions Zholoman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) and Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) take the mat on October 4 in Hangzhou.

The Chinese city is hosting the 19th Asian Games which kicked off on September 23. Wrestling is scheduled to be held from October 4 to 7 at the Lin'an Sports and Culture Center in 18 weight classes.

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Apart from Sharshenbekov and Makhmudov, 130kg world champion Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) is also wrestling at the Asian Games, leading Iran which hopes to improve on the two-gold finish from 2018.

One of the gold medals was at 77kg, won by Mohammadali GERAEI (IRI) after beating Makhmudov in the final. But since that loss, Makhmudov has won an Olympic silver medal, two world titles and two Asian Championships.

Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) is a returning silver medalist. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Makhmudov will be the favorite to win the gold medal in his weight despite the presence of former Asian champion Amin KAVIYANINEJAD (IRI). The Iranian and Makhmudov met in the Asian Championships final in April but the former forfeited the gold-medal bout due to an injury.

Kaviyaninejad will be up against Hyeonwoo KIM (KOR), a veteran of three Asian Games, in his first bout at 77kg. Kim will look for another medal to his Asian Games haul as he won a gold medal in 2014 and a bronze medal in 2018. The London Olympic Games champion and world champion from 2013 has lost some steam with age catching up but still has it in him to win against the best.

Asian Championships bronze medalists Kodai SAKURABA (JPN) and Rui LIU (CHN) are also wrestling in Hangzhou with the Japanese falling on Makhmudov's side of the bracket while Liu is with Kaviyaninejad and Kim.

U23 Asian champion Dilshod OMONGELDIYEV (UZB) will also look to make his mark at the senior event and will face the winner of the Kaviyaninejad-Kim bout in the quarterfinals.

For Sharshenbekov to win his Asian Games medal, he will have to go through a bracket that includes some of the best Asian wrestlers. Sharshenbekov had an extremely successful World Championships in which he defended his gold medal and defeated Islomjon BAKHRAMOV (UZB), Mehdi MOHSEN NEJAD (IRI) and Kenichiro FUMITA (JPN) in successive bouts.

Bakhramov won the bronze medal at the World Championships via repechage and will look to continue his good form at the Asian Games. But to win a medal, he will have to go past fellow world bronze medalist from Belgrade Liguo CAO (CHN). The two are expected to wrestle in the quarterfinals with Sharshenbekov likely waiting in the semifinals.

Bakhramov is a 2019 Asian champion and reached the semifinal in the 2018 edition of the Asian Games before finishing fifth.

The surprise of the 60kg weight class could be 2014 Youth Olympic champion Seung RI (PRK) who was fifth in Jakarta after losing to eventual silver medalist Kanybek Zholchubekov (KGZ). But Ri was a silver medalist at the 2019 Asian Championships in Xi'an, China and a fifth-placer at the 2018 World Championships.

The 26-year-old will look to mark his return to international competitions after years with a medal at the Asian Games. He is likely to face two-time Asian bronze medalist Ayata SUZUKI (JPN) in his second bout. Suzuki has not competed since the 2022 Asian Championships in Mongolia and has recently recovered from an injury.

63kg world champion in 2021 Meysam DALKHANI (IRI) is dropping down to the 60kg weight class for the first time. Since that gold medal, he has only wrestled at four international competitions and won the Ibrahim Moustafa Ranking Series 63kg gold medal in February. Dalkhani comes in with a lot of experience but has never won a gold medal at the continental level.

He will open his campaign against Gyanender DAHIYA who finished eighth at the 2018 Asian Games.

Two-time world bronze medalist Aidos SULTANGALI (KAZ) is also entered at 60kg. Sultangali is a 2021 Asian champion and has wins over Cao but has lost to Sharshenbekov.

Iran will look forward to Mirzazadeh's performance as he comes into the Asian Games after joining the short list of wrestlers with wins over Riza KAYAALP (TUR). Mirzazadeh stunned Kayaalp 2-2 in the World Championships final to win his first gold medal.

The top six wrestlers from the 2023 Asian Championships are wrestling in Hangzhou. But the champion Mirzazadeh is likely to have a rematch of the Asian final against Lingzhe MENG (CHN) who finished fifth at the recent World Championships in Belgrade. Meng finished seventh at the 2018 Asian Games after losing in the quarterfinals.

Roman KIM (KGZ) and Minseok KIM (KOR) are set to clash in the quarterfinals at 130kg. Roman is a three-time Asian bronze medalist including this year after losing to Mirzazadeh in the quarterfinals. He came back to win the bronze against Temurbek NASIMOV (UZB).

Misnseok is a returning bronze medalist and has three Asian Championships medals including two silvers he won in 2020 and 2022. He lost to Mirzazadeh in 2020 and to Alimkhan SYZDYKOV (KAZ) in 2022. He finished fifth this year after suffering a loss to Meng and later to Syzdykov in the bronze medal bout.

Youngster Nasimov finished fifth at the Asian Championships but has a chance to win a medal at the Asian Games. NAVEEN (IND) will look to avenge his 2018 loss to Meng as the two are likely to meet in the quarterfinals.

Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) and Rustam ASSAKALOV (UZB) will face each other in the opening round in Hangzhou. (Photo: UWW / Martin Gabor)

World Championships bronze medalist Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) will be the favorite at 97kg even though he has veteran Rustam ASSAKALOV (UZB) in the opening bout. Saravi, a world champion in 2021, finished with a bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics and has previously defeated Assakalov.

But the 39-year-old Uzbek has so many tricks that Saravi won't take him lightly. Assakalov won the Asian Games gold medal in 2014 and added a silver medal in 2018. But those medals came at 85kg and 87kg respectively.

The winner of the bout will face returning bronze medalist Uzur DZHUZUPBEKOV (KGZ) as the Kyrzgystan wrestler chases the gold medal this year. The Asian champion in 2019 has four other medals in the continental event including a silver medal this year.

Two-time Asian Games silver medalist Seyeol LEE (KOR) will face Narinder CHEEMA in his first bout but can find it tough against the winner of Takahiro TSURUDA (JPN) or Yiming LI (CHN).

Hansu RYU (KOR) is a two-time Asian Games champion. (Photo: UWW / Bayrem Ben Mrad)

Two-time defending champion Hansu RYU (KOR) has a chance to become a three-time Asian Games champion as he returns at 67kg. The 35-year-old won a bronze medal in Budapest in July after losing to Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE), the young sensation and world silver medalist. Ryu may face a similar fate in Hangzhou as the younger wrestlers continue to make a mark. The two-time world champion's first big test is likely to be 21-year-old Danial SOHRABI (IRI) who won the U23 World Championships in 2022. At the recent Ranking Series in Bishkek and Budapest, Sohrabi came home with gold medals at 72kg.

The Asian Games will also mark the return of 2018 world bronze medalist Meiirzhan SHERMAKHANBET (KAZ) who was out of action since June 2022 due to an injury. The Asian champion in 2022 after beating Ryu, is also looking for a gold medal for Kazakhstan as one of the leading prospects for the wrestling-obsessed country. Shermakhanbet, who lost to Ryu in the 2019 Asian final, last wrestled at the 2022 Bolat Turlykhanov Cup at 72kg in Almaty and stunned Olympic champion Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI).

2018 U23 world champion Katsuaki ENDO (JPN) will have his task cut out on the lower side of the bracket if he wants to reach the final at 67kg. Former U17 world champion Razzak BEISHEKEEV (KGZ), who won bronze at the Asian Championships this year, can prove to be a real hurdle. If Endo holds, he is likely to face Makhmud BAKHSHILLOEV (UZB) who is wrestling at his first international tournament since the 2022 Asian Championships.

Bakhshilloev, a silver medalist in the 2020 Asian Championships, will have to first beat NEERAJ (IND) who has moved up from 63kg.

Naser ALIZADEH (IRI) will look to add an Asian Games gold to his three Asian Championships gold medals. (Photo: UWW / Bayrem Ben Mrad)

Three-time defending 87kg Asian Championships gold medalist Naser ALIZADEH (IRI) will look to win the gold at the Asian Games as well. He gets three-time Asian Championships silver medalist Atabek AZISBEKOV (KGZ) in the opening bout.

Alizadeh has been a dominant force at the continental level and it is unlikely that he will be challenged in Hangzhou. If he moves past Azisbekov, the route to the final looks rather simple.

Challenging Alizadeh is 2014 Asian Games bronze medalist Fei PENG (CHN), who is returning to competition for only the second time after the Tokyo Olympics, has Sunil KUMAR (IND) in the opening bout. Kumar won the gold medal in 2020 and is the bronze medalist from 2023 after he lost to Alizadeh.

But Jalgasbay BERDIMURTOV (UZB) will be hoping to avenge his 2022 Asian final loss to Alizadeh if the two meet. The two can only face each other in the final as both are on different sides of the bracket. Berdimuratov, a world silver medalist from 2022 at 82kg, won a bronze medal at the Asian Championships this year after beating Azisbekov 2-2.

Masato SUMI (JPN), who finished eighth in Jakarta, and U23 Asian champion Maksat SAILAU (KAZ) will hope to return with medals at 87kg.

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Vintage Susaki in Asian final; Morikawa vs Zhumanazarova for 68kg Gold

Wednesday, April 8, 2026 - 05:29 By Ken Marantz & Vinay Siwach

BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan (April 8) -- Yui SUSAKI (JPN) may have been away from the mat for over 20 months but she showed no signs of rust as she reached the Asian Championships final at 50kg in Bishkek on Wednesday.

With two falls and a technical superiority win, it was vintage Susaki as she did not give up a single point in the three bouts. First up was Ziqi FENG (CHN), a fellow bronze medalist from 2024 Paris Olympics, and Susaki blocked an arm-spin attempt from Feng to score two points. As Feng landed on her back, Susaki kept her in the same position to secure the first fall.

NEELAM (IND) tried to challenge Susaki a few times in the quarterfinals but her attempted front headlock counters did not work and Susaki scored an 11-0 technical superiority win in 2:51. The semifinal was a similar story as Susaki pinned Maral TANGIRBERGENOVA (KAZ) in just two minutes.

Susaki scored a go-behind to open the scoring before a gut-wrench turn gave her a 4-0 lead. A sweep-single to takedown made it 6-0, and Susaki continued the sequence into an arm-bar to secure the fall.

"This is my first official UWW tournament in one year and eight months and I'm really happy to be back on this stage, and I'm filled with gratitude," Susaki said. "In my three matches, I was able to put out what I did in practice. Looking ahead to tomorrow's final, I think they were good matches."

The theme of the final will also be vintage as Susaki faces an opponent she last wrestled nine years ago. She will take on Son Hyang KIM (PRK) for the gold medal bout, a wrestler Susaki defeated 10-0 to win her first Asian gold aged 18 in 2017.

While she is focused on winning the gold medal on Thursday, Susaki is treating the Asian Championships as the launch pad for a newer version of herself.

"I'm here to start toward winning this year's World Championships and Asian Games, and then the Los Angeles Olympics. To face the DPR Korean and firmly win would establish my presence to the world," she said.

The new Susaki also includes a improved weight management, an issue she struggled with in the past. After the Paris Olympics, Susaki gave considerable thought to moving up to 53kg but as the 2025 Emperor's Cup approached in December, she decided to remain at 50kg, a weight in which she won Olympic gold in Tokyo.

"It's my first time to get down to 50kg overseas since the Paris Olympics," she said. "Since then, I've made some changes to my diet, and it was really smooth this time and I was able to maintain my strength. I could keep eating while dropping weight, so my condition is very good."

Susaki will have a chance to win her third Asian title on Thursday when she takes on Kim.

A former world bronze medalist, Kim wrestled Aktenge KEUNIMJAEVA (UZB) in the other semifinal and scored an early takedown to open the scoring. She used a lace lock and twisted the Uzbekistan wrestler over three times for an 8-0 lead before the match hit the minute mark.

But Keunimjaeva, a three-time Asian bronze medalist, did not go down meekly, as she used a whizzer for a 4-point takedown at the edge to cut the lead in half before the break. Kim opened the second period with a duck under to a double-leg takedown to make it 10-4.

Two years ago in the Asian Olympic qualifying tournament in Bishkek, Keunimjaeva pulled off a miracle late comeback to beat Kim, and she nearly did it again. Locking Kim's arms, Keunimjaeva muscled Kim directly to her back for a 4-pointer in the last 20 seconds. But she failed to get the fall, and Kim got a late exposure for a 12-8 win.

In other semifinals, local stars Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) and Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ) both made it to gold medal bouts at 76kg and 68kg respectively.

After her close call in the quarterfinals, Medet Kyzy leaves no margin for error in storming to an 11-0 win over Hui Tsz CHANG (TPE) in pursuit of her third straight Asian gold and fourth overall. Medet Kyzy spins behind for the opening takedown, then hits two gut wrenches, then adds a 2-point exposure. When Chang tries to escape by going over the top, Medet Kyzy somersaults her over onto her back for the winning points that end the match in 1:04. An unsuccessful challenge of who-knows-what adds a final point.

Two-time Asian bronze medalist Davaanasan ENKH AMAR (MGL) enters her first-ever Asian Championships final after a 7-2 win over Gulmaral YERKEBAYEVA (KAZ). She got the first point for Yerkebayeva's passivity before a double-leg takedown to lead 3-0. As the clock ticked, Yerkebayeva tried a few fake attacks but missed them and Enkh Amar scored two counter takedowns to extend her lead to 7-0. Yerkebayeva scored a late takedown to cut the lead.

68kg semifinals - Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN), wrestling her first Asian Championships at 68kg, into the finals after 7-0 victory over former world silver medalist Delgermaa ENKHSAIKHAN (MGL) in the semifinals. She started off with a point for Enkhsaikhan's passivity, then got a takedown when she was put on the activity clock. As the match progressed, Morikawa kept her pressure and scored two different takedowns on the edge to enter the final

Two-time Olympic medalist Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ) ends the reign of defending champion Zelu LI (CHN) with a 1-1 victory, much to the delight of the home crowd despite the lack of technical points scored — Zhumanazarova came out on top by virtue of receiving the second of the two activity points. LI gets her activity point in the first period as neither wrestler can find an opening. In the second period, Zhumanazarova gets in on a single-leg takedown, but Li forces the situation to a stalemate. Li is then put on the activity clock, which puts Zhumanazarova up on criteria. In the final minute, Li twice launches an attack, but Zhumanazarova sprawls to safety to make the final for the first time since 2022.

59kg semifinals - Sena NAGAMOTO (JPN) becomes the third Japan wrestler to reach the final after a 10-0 blanking of Ulmeken ESENBAEVA (UZB) in the 59kg semifinals. She built a 6-0 lead in the first period before another takedown to start the second period to make it 8-0. A sweep-single takedown was her last move to complete a technical superiority victory.

Mengyu XIE (CHN), a former Asian champion looking to improve on her bronze medal from 2025, shrugs NEHA (IND) by and gets behind for an early takedown, to which she adds a gut-wrench. Neha comes back with counter roll for 2 from a front body lock, which the Chinese side unsuccessfully challenges, cutting Xie's lead to 4-3 at the break. A deep single-leg takedown and gut wrench by Xie makes it 8-3. When Xie shoots for a double, Neha locks her up again, this time spinning behind for a takedown, making it 8-5 with a minute to go. Neha twice tries to force Xie over with a front headlock roll, but each time, the Chinese resists and holds the Indian's back toward the mat for a pair of 2-point exposures and a 12-5 win.

55kg semifinals - World bronze medalist Sowaka UCHIDA (JPN) continues to dominate in her senior Asian debut, advancing to the final with a one-side 10-0 victory over Ariunzaya ODONCHIMEG (MGL). Uchida, who won world U17 and U20 titles in recent years but had never competed in a continental tournament, finishes off the match after a second takedown, locking Odonchimeg's arm and levering her over three times to end the bout in 1:33.

Uchida will face returning silver medalist Yuxuan LI (CHN) for the gold medal after the China wrestler completed a dominant 11-1 victory over Hansika LAMBA (IND). Li got on the scoreboard when Lamba was called passive in the first period. Li then tripped Lamba for a takedown and used two gut-wrenches to lead 7-0. Lamba tried getting a takedown but Li was quick to counter and scored a takedown before giving up a reversal for a 9-1 lead. She finished the match with a takedown 6 seconds before the clock expired.

Qualification Session Higlights

12:42: Gulmaral YERKEBAYEVA (KAZ) with an excellent fake attack to get a takedown against KAJAL (IND) to secure the win int the 76kg quarterfinals. Kajal led 3-1 when Yerkebayeva scored a stepout with 25 seconds left. Yerkebayeva managed a leg attack soon but let it go when Kajal fell forward to defend it. The Kazakhstan wrestler just jumped behind to get a takedown which stunned Kajal. Yerkebayev with a 5-3 win, as India challenged at the end and lost it.

12:37: Former world silver medalist Davaanasan ENKH AMAR (MGL) secures her spot in the 76kg semifinals with an 8-2 victory over Eunju HWANG (KOR). Leading 4-0, Enkh Amar gains two takedowns in the second period before Hwang gets on the scoreboard with a late takedown

12:35: Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ), one of the host nation's top stars, avoided what would have arguably been the biggest upset of the tournament so far when she snatched a victory from the jaws of defeat in her 76kg quarterfinal with Wenji LI (CHN). Li, the 2023 Asian U23 champion at 72kg, was the dominant wrestler, using her double-leg takedown to build up a 6-2 lead deep into the second period. But there is a reason that Medet Kyzy is a three-time Asian champion and three-time world medalist. Just when it looked like all was lost, she shot in on a double, rose up to secure a bear hug, and tripped Li directly to her back in the final minute. That four points would have given her the win, but Li wasn't going anywhere and Medet Kyzy secured the fall with :29 left.

12:25: Two-time Olympic medalist Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ), looking for her first Asian gold to go with two bronzes and a silver, gets her campaign at 68kg started with an 11-0 win over Thi Linh DANG (VIE). Zhumanazarova is limited to two takedowns in the first period by the gutsy Dang, but after a second-period takedown, she ends the match with a 4-point takedown.

12:24: After a slow first period in which Yelena SHALYGINA (KAZ) got a point for Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN) passivity in their 68kg bout, Morikawa managed to score 10 points in the second to complete a victory over the Kazakhstan wrestler. A takedown and gut-wrenches is what Morikawa used to score her points.

12:16: Yui SUSAKI (JPN) uses her low single to deadly effectiveness in an 11-0 victory over NEELAM (IND) at 50kg that she completes eight seconds inside the first-period buzzer. Neelam did her best to counter Susaki's singles, but the Japanese star kept piling up the points in a four-takedown effort.

12:10: Son Hyang KIM (PRK) continues to impress at 50kg, hitting three gut wrenches after her second takedown to defeat Munkhnar BYAMBASUREN (MGL) 10-0 in 1:10 and advance to the semifinals

12:07: Sena NAGAMOTO (JPN), winner at the Zagreb Ranking Series who is making her senior Asian debut, gets off to a roaring start at 59kg with an 10-0 victory over Sezim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ)

12:02: Former Asian champion and world bronze medalist Mengyu XIE (CHN) overwhelms two-time Asian medalist Bolortuya KHURELKHUU (MGL), scoring seven points in the first period and then ending the match in the second for an 11-0 win to advance to the 59kg semifinals

11:59: Rising star Sowaka UCHIDA (JPN), a 2025 world bronze medalist a year after winning the world U20 gold, storms to a 10-0 victory over Jeongbin OH (KOR) to secure her spot in the 55kg semifinals

11:58: Ulmeken ESENBAEVA (UZB), a multiple-time medalist at age-group Asian Championships, begins with a fall over Hyebin AHN (KOR) at 59kg.

11:56: Wenji LI (CHN) proves too powerful for Yasuha MATSUYUKI (JPN) in their qualifying round bout at 76kg, handing the Japanese squad its first loss by topping off two of her three takedowns with 2-point rolls in a 12-2 technical superiority win in 5:31

11:55: NEHA (IND), a former U20 world bronze medalist, starts with a fall over Viktoriia KHUSAINOVA (KAZ) at 59kg. She built a 6-0 lead before scoring a takedown and then used a cradle to secure the fall

11:53: An impressive start for last year's runner-up at 55kg, Yuxuan LI (CHN). After a stepout to get started against Aruuke KADYRBEK KYZY (KGZ), Li gains a takedown, then reels off four gut wrenches in succession for an 11-0 victory in just over a minute.

11:52: Five-time Asian medalist and 2023 world silver medalist Delgermaa ENKHSAIKHAN (MGL) scores two stepouts in the first period, the second with Svetlana OKNAZAROVA (UZB) on the activity clock, and adds two takedowns in the second before finishing the match with a 4-point takedown in the last seconds for an 11-0 victory at 68kg.

11:41: Yi Hui LIN (TPE) stuns Ngoc Linh DO (VIE) with a 4-point takedown with :16 left, then holds on for a 5-4 victory at 50kg in the opening match on Mat B.

11:35: Son Hyang KIM (PRK), a world bronze medalist and Asian silver medalist way back in 2017, storms into the quarterfinals at 50kg with a 10-0 thrashing of Nipuni HEWA PEDIGE (SRI). Kim's most recent accomplishment was a silver at the 2023 Asian Games.

11:34: 53-second fall for Yui SUSAKI (JPN) in her first international match since the 2024 Paris Olympics! Susaki got Ziqi FENG (CHN) in her opening bout at 50kg, a rematch of the final from the 2024 Asian Championships final. Susaki tried two leg attacks but failed to covert them into points. Out of nowhere, Feng tried an arm-spin which was blocked by Susaki. Feng fell back first on the mat and Susaki kept the pressure to secure the fall!

11:30: After two days of exciting Greco-Roman in the morning, the Asian Championships will see Women's Wrestling on the mats. Local stars Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ) and Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) will be the favorites at 68kg and 76kg

Three world champs highlight Greco-Roman at Asian Games

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Vintage Susaki in Asian final; Morikawa vs Zhumanazarova for 68kg Gold