#WrestleBelgrade

Throwback to 2019 World Championships: Game before the Games

Wednesday, August 16, 2023 - 07:53 By Gaurav Bhatt

Share this article

BELGRADE, Serbia (August 16) -- As the clock ticks down and the global wrestling community holds its breath, we stand just a month from the 2023 Wrestling World Championships in Belgrade. This year is particularly poignant for the honors at stake and the Olympic dreams intertwined with every bout. 

Before we dive into the intense competition that awaits, it's essential to cast a glance back to draw parallels, lessons, and inspiration. The 2019 Wrestling World Championships in Astana set the stage for Tokyo 2020, offering a blend of strategy, skill, and heart-stopping moments. As we gear up for another thrilling chapter, let’s revisit the 2019 drama to appreciate better the spectacle that 2023 promises to be.

The Tokyo Implication: Game Before The Game

In the shadow of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, every move on the mats of Astana was calculated, every win cherished, and every loss a setback. With only the top-6 finishers in each Olympic weight category ensuring a berth for their nation, the pressure was tangible. Wrestling powerhouses with decades' of traditions faced a unique challenge: Whom to field in these all-important qualifiers? This brought in an element of strategy and playbooks.

Kyle DAKE (USA)Kyle DAKE (USA) won the world title at 79kg in Astana. (Photo: UWW / Tony Rotundo)

The American Approach

With its depth of talent in wrestling, the United States faced an intriguing challenge. They had to make crucial decisions with categories like 79kg and 92kg not featuring in the Olympics. Would Kyle DAKE (USA) and J'den COX (USA) — world champions at Budapest 2018 — adjust weights to target Olympic glory? 

The U.S. trusted their seasoned champions, betting on their adaptability. Both Dake and Cox defended their titles in Astana. Dake went on to earn bronze in Tokyo, while Cox was out of the USA Wrestling Trials before they even began after choosing to bulk up and failing to make weight for the 97kg bracket.

Deepak PUNIA (IND)Deepak PUNIA (IND) won a silver medal at 86kg in Astana. (Photo: UWW / Martin Gabor)

India’s Bet

Contrastingly, India decided to invest in its future. Deepak PUNIA (IND) was their trump card, a young prodigy in the 86kg freestyle category. At 20 years, Punia showcased maturity beyond his years in Astana, clinching a silver medal and securing an Olympic spot. India's gamble was clear: trust the young, hungry talent to rise to the occasion.

In Tokyo, Punia let his lead slip in the final seconds to lose the bronze-medal match.

Risako KAWAI (JPN)Risako KAWAI (JPN) was unstoppable as she won the gold in Astana. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Japan's Phenoms

Japan was under immense scrutiny and pressure as the host nation for the upcoming Olympics. And they leaned on established, yet young, phenoms like Risako KAWAI (JPN) and Takuto OTOGURO (JPN). 

Otoguro, the youngest Japanese male to win a world title in 2018, had a rough go in the 65kg category in Astana. The category featured a murderers' row of wrestlers such as (eventual champion) Gadzhimurad RASHIDOV, three-time world champion Haji ALIYEV (AZE), Olympic gold medalist Vladimir KHINCHEGASHVILI (GEO), two-time world bronze medalist Alejandro TOBIER (CUB), returning silver medalist Bajrang PUNIA (IND) and three-time NCAA champion Zain RETHERFORD (USA) to name a few.

Otoguro missed out on bronze in 2019. However, he later clinched a berth to Tokyo and overcame his nemeses to clinch gold in front of his home crowd. 

The Outcome

Astana's mats witnessed a unique blend of experience and exuberance. While some nations leaned heavily on their seasoned warriors, hoping their experience would shine in pressure situations, others bet on their youth's unyielding spirit and vigor. This strategic chess game yielded mixed results, with some bets paying off handsomely and others serving as learning experiences.

Ultimately, the road to Tokyo 2020 was as much about mental fortitude and strategic planning as it was about skill, strength, and technique.

In Greco-Roman, Kenchiro FUMITA (JPN) ended his compatriot Shinobu OTA (JPN) hopes of winning a medal in Tokyo as Fumita won gold at 60kg while Ota won at 63kg, a non-Olympic weight class.

Cuba's show

Rio Olympic champion Ismail BURRERO (CUB) won the gold in Astana at 67kg, two weight classes up. Oscar PINO (CUB), the constant substitute for Mijain LOPEZ (CUB) at 130kg, went on to make it to the final before winning a silver medal.

 

Running Roughshod, From Astana to Tokyo

Numerous wrestlers who qualified for Tokyo at the 2019 World Championships went on to reaffirm their dominance on the Olympic stage.

Zaur UGUEV (57kg Freestyle)
After successfully defending his title in Astana, Uguev continued his impressive form in Tokyo, winning gold and proving himself to be the undisputed best.

Risako KAWAI (JPN) (57kg Women's Wrestling)
Kawai’s triumph in Nur-Sultan was her third world title in as many divisions (60kg, 59kg, and 57kg). It was also a precursor to her Olympic success. In Tokyo, she clinched the gold medal, defending her Olympic title from Rio and cementing her legacy as one of the premier female wrestlers of her time.

Tamyra MENSAH STOCK (68kg Women's Wrestling)
After her dominant gold in the 2019 World Championships, Mensah captured gold in Tokyo, showcasing her consistent prowess on the international stage. The American also won the world title in Belgrade last year.

Abdulrashid SADULAEV (97kg Freestyle)
The Tank, after defeating Kyle Snyder in what many termed the "Match of the Century" in Astana, continued his dominance by securing the gold medal in Tokyo. He already had an Olympic gold and three world titles before stepping onto the mat in Kazakhstan. Sadulaev's rivalry with Snyder and consistent performance against other competitors solidified his status as one of the best in his category.

Hungary brothers

Tamas LORINCZ (HUN) and Viktor LORINCZ (HUN) ended up winning the gold and silver at 77kg and 87kg respectively. In Tokyo, the brothers would repeat the performance with Tamas becoming an Olympic champion and Viktor ending up with a silver medal to Zhan BELENUIK (UKR). Both brothers retired after the Olympics.

Stacking Up For Paris

As we stand on the cusp of the 2023 World Championships, the memory of Astana serves as both an inspiration and a cautionary tale. The road to Paris will be paved in Astana's legacy.

Wrestlers will be eyeing the world title and the golden ticket to Paris. The Olympic weight classes are set, and while many from 2019 will return, new faces are bound to emerge.

The wrestling community can expect the usual suspects -- U.S., Japan, and Iran -- to be strong contenders across categories. However, nations like India, Georgia, and Turkey, among others, have shown that they can disrupt the status quo.

Japan and the U.S. will likely remain dominant in women's wrestling. But with nations investing more in women's sports, expect more countries to challenge the old guard.

The 2019 World Championships were a masterclass in wrestling, passion, strategy, and heartbreak. They served as a reminder of the beauty of the sport and its ability to surprise and enthrall. As the world of wrestling looks ahead to the 2023 Championships and beyond to Paris, the echoes of Astana will undoubtedly be ringing in their ears.

Every takedown, every pin, and every bout will have the weight of Olympic dreams behind it. Here's to hoping for a championship that matches or even surpasses the spectacle of 2019. Paris awaits!

#WomensWrestling

'Women who fight are strong and beautiful': How wrestlers have broken barriers, one takedown at a time

Saturday, March 8, 2025 - 06:03 By United World Wrestling Press

Share this article

CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (March 8) -- They come from the gleaming futuristic city that is Tokyo to an ancient Moldovan hamlet; the American suburbs to the rustic Indian villages. They belong to diverse backgrounds, different cultures and have undertaken contrasting journeys from obscurity to the top.

It doesn’t matter if you are Nonoka OZAKI (JPN), Anastasia NICHITA (MDA), Amit ELOR (USA) or ANTIM (IND). One thing binds them all.

At every step, they were told: “Wrestling isn't for girls.” Taunted and heckled for cutting their hair short and playing a ‘man’s sport’, they shattered stereotypes and broke barriers one takedown at a time. Today, they are role models for wrestlers not just in their respective countries but beyond borders.

“Every time I was told that wrestling isn’t for girls, I thought, "I'll prove them wrong. Gender has nothing to do with strength,” two-time world champion Ozaki says.

Elor adds: “Every time I felt doubted or like I didn’t belong, it only made me work harder to prove them wrong. I love showing that women are just as tough, skilled, and capable as anyone else on the mat.”

For some, discrimination started at home. Antim -- Hindi for ‘last’ -- got her name because her family hoped she would be the last girl child. Antim grew up to land an ever-lasting punch to patriarchy with her exploits on the mat, which have contributed to the changing mindset towards women in her village in Northern India.

Thousands of miles away, Nichita faced similar struggles. Growing up in Tataresti, Moldova, Nichita was told by her family not to wrestle, as it wasn’t ‘meant for girls’. “But I loved this sport so much that I didn’t pay attention to what others were saying. When you do something with your heart, something you truly love, it doesn’t matter what others think,” she says.

Sarah HILDEBRANDT (USA)Sarah HILDEBRANDT (USA) is the Olympic champion at 50kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Empowerment and self-belief

Sarah HILDEBRANDT (USA) insists wrestling ‘empowered’ her ‘confidence and self-belief because its lessons and processes’ gave her the opportunity to ‘combine things like strength and grace, logic and intuition, deliberateness and flow…and endless other dualities’.

Hildebrandt won the gold medal in the 50 kg weight class at last year’s Paris Olympics. It was a classic redemption for her, having missed out on the gold medal in a cruel manner at the Tokyo Olympics. And on her way to the top of the podium in Paris, Hildebrandt showcased her wide-ranging skills, which she says also help her in everyday life.

"Through that, I’ve gotten to learn just who I am and challenge myself not only to grow through wrestling but also to express who I’ve uncovered. To feel confidence because what I uncover is authentically ME," Hildebrandt says. "It’s given me identity- not through accolade or achievement but through my process and the values I sharpen as I work toward those achievements. I can apply these lessons and skills to all areas of my life. It’s invaluable."

Zaineb SGHAIER (TUN)Zaineb SGHAIER (TUN) is a two-time Olympian from Tunisia. (Photo: United World Wrestling /Amirreza Aliasgari)

Teenage prodigy Zaineb SGHAIER (TUN) agrees that wrestling is a great source of 'confidence and patience', which help them in daily life. "It might not be easy to be a woman wrestler in a male-dominated society but with love for the wrestling and passion rooted in our hearts, no one can stop us," the two-time Olympian says.

Hildebrandt is conscious that the sport will test them in ‘countless ways’. “Being a woman in this sport is an additional test at times. But a woman wrestler is not deterred by those tests. They recognize the power the lessons in wrestling hold,” the American wrestler says. “The vulnerability required to step on the mat is exactly why it is the greatest sport in the world and a woman wrestler is a woman who craves that so they can discover just who they are.”

Anastasia NICHITA (MDA)Paris Olympic silver medalist at 57kg Anastasia NICHITA (MDA). (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Indeed, the challenges for a wrestler extend beyond the mat. For Nichita, the constant injuries pegged her back but she braved them to finish second on the podium in the French capital last year.

"The biggest obstacle I had to overcome was injuries. Throughout my career, I’ve had to push through many injuries—knees, shoulders, back, ribs—but it was all worth it for the sake of my dream and my love for wrestling,” Nichita says.

Eventually, love for the sport is what keeps them going.

For Ozaki, wrestling is a way to best express herself. “Women who fight are strong and beautiful,” she says. “You can see this by watching women’s wrestling.”

Elor dreams that ‘women’s wrestling continues to grow worldwide, with more opportunities, more support, and more respect.’

As the new Olympic cycle gains momentum, the wrestlers are resetting their targets and evolving their training plans. Nichita, for one, hopes to covert her Paris silver into gold at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics gold medal. ”I know it will be very difficult,” she says. “But after everything I’ve been through, nothing scares me anymore.

But amidst her personal goals, she hasn’t lost the sight of the bigger picture: “I will continue to prove that wrestling is not just for boys."