UWW reallocates 16 Olympic Games Paris 2024 quotas

Thursday, June 27, 2024 - 15:51 By United World Wrestling Press

CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (June 27) -- United World Wrestling has reallocated 16 wrestling quotas for Paris 2024. This decision was taken after the International Olympic Committee, last week, released a list of eligible athletes in the first group of sports that have finished their qualifying process for the Olympic Games Paris 2024.

The IOC had approved 16 out of the 26 Individual Neutral Athletes who won the Paris Olympic spots in various qualifying tournaments of UWW. However, six wrestlers did not accept the invitation to Paris 2024 despite being deemed eligible by the IOC.

The 16 reallocations were carried out by UWW to the next highest-ranked eligible NOC, not yet qualified, at the event at which the quota place was obtained, respecting the maximum quota per gender and per NOC.

The NOCs must confirm the reallocated quotas respecting the deadlines imposed by United World Wrestling.

List of Paris 2024 quotas reallocations

Freestyle
57kg - North Macedonia (Baku)
74kg - China (Belgrade)
74kg - Italy (Baku)
97kg - Ukraine (Baku)
97kg - Moldova (Baku)
125kg - Poland (Baku)

Greco-Roman
60kg - Romania (Istanbul)
77kg - United States (Istanbul)
87kg - Georgia (Istanbul)
130kg - Bulgaria (Baku)
130kg - Estonia (Istanbul)

Women's Wrestling
50kg - Lithuania (Baku)
53kg - Greece (Belgrade)
57kg - Ukraine (Baku)
57kg - Mongolia (Istanbul)
62kg - Sweden (Istanbul)

In Freestyle, the 57kg reallocation went to North Macedonia as Vladimir EGOROV (MKD). He finished as the highest-ranked wrestler after the quota winners at the European Olympic Qualifier in Baku.

Two 74kg quotas were reallocated. The spot from the World Championships in Belgrade was awarded to China as Feng LU (CHN) was the best-ranked non-qualified wrestler. Originally, Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE) finished as the best-ranked wrestler but he qualified Azerbaijan from Baku hence making him ineligible for the reallocation.

The second reallocation was for the Baku quota after an approved wrestler did not accept the invitation. The Baku spot will now go to Italy.

Similarly, there were two reallocations at 97kg, both from Baku. Ukraine and Moldova got the Paris 2024 spots from the European OG Qualifier. Ukraine got the spot despite Zbigniew BARANOWSKI (POL) being the next best-ranked wrestler in Baku because the Polish wrestler qualified his country in Istanbul. The next best after Ukraine was Moldova which will have an Olympian in Freestyle for the first time in eight years. Moldova was the beneficiary of a declined invitation from an approved wrestler at this weight class.

At 125kg, Poland was awarded the reallocation quota from the European OG Qualifier in Baku.

Greco-Roman saw the reallocations awarded to Romania at 60kg, the United States at 77kg, Georgia at 87kg , and Bulgaria and Estonia at 130kg.

Romania, the United States and Georgia finished the best-ranked wrestlers after the qualified wrestlers at the World Olympic Qualifier in Istanbul while the 130kg quota to Bulgaria was reallocated from Baku. Azerbaijan and Romania were the next best wrestlers in Baku but both NOCs qualified the weight class in Istanbul, leaving Bulgaria getting the spot.

The second 130kg was reallocated from Istanbul with Estonia being the next best non-qualified NOC at the event after an approved wrestler declined the invitation.

Women's Wrestling saw five Paris 2024 spots being reallocated. Lithuania, Greece, Ukraine, Mongolia and Sweden were the beneficiaries of the reallocations.

Lithuania is set to send its first-ever wrestler in Women's Wrestling after it got the allocation at 50kg from the European OG Qualifier in Baku. Anastasia BLAYVAS (GER) finished third in Baku but she qualified Germany from Istanbul, and the Baku quota was transferred to Lithuania.

The 53kg reallocation was from the Belgrade World Championships after an approved wrestler did not accept the invitation. The quota will now go to Greece as it had the next-best wrestler at the event after the quota-winning wrestlers.

Two 57kg quotas were reallocated, one each from Baku and Istanbul. Ukraine received the 57kg quota from Baku after Alina HRUSHYNA (UKR) finished third at the European OG Qualifier in Baku. The second reallocated quota at 57kg went to Mongolia after an approved wrestler did not accept the invitation to participate in the Paris Games despite being deemed eligible by the IOC.

Mongolia had the best wrestler at 57kg in Istanbul and with this reallocation, it will become the third country, after Japan and the United States, to qualify in all six weight classes of Women's Wrestling for Paris 2024.

At 62kg, Sweden will now have two wrestlers in women's wrestling after it received a quota reallocated from Istanbul. Sweden was the best NOC after the qualified wrestlers at the World Olympic Qualifier. The country already has a spot at 53kg from the World Championships.

The deadline for the AINs to accept the invitation for Paris 2024 was June 20 after which UWW proceeded with the reallocations. The AINs who have accepted the invitation have agreed to the Conditions of Participation applicable to all participants that contain a commitment to respect the Olympic Charter, including “the peace mission of the Olympic Movement”.

The following are the eligible AINs who accepted the invitation to compete at the Olympic Games Paris 2024:

Wrestlers with a Russian passport:

Freestyle
Nachin MONGUSH
Shamil MAMEDOV
Arslan BAGAEV
Abdulla KURBANOV

Greco-Roman
Alan OSTAEV
Magomed MURTAZALIEV

Women's Wrestling
Natalya MALYSHEVA
Alina KASABIEVA
Elizaveta PETLIAKOVA

Wrestlers with a Belarusian passport

Greco-Roman
Abubakar KHASLAKHANAU

#WrestleZagreb

Kayaalp Returns with Gold at Zagreb Open; Gomi stuns Ganiev

Monday, February 9, 2026 - 01:45 By Vinay Siwach

ZAGREB, Croatia (February 8) -- Wearing gold medals is nothing new for Riza KAYAALP (TUR), an Olympic, world and 12-time European champion with a career spanning more than 15 years.

But wearing the Zagreb Open gold on Sunday felt different for Kayaalp.

Returning to the mat after a hiatus of 18 months, Kayaalp wrestled at the Ranking Series event and claimed the 130kg gold medal. The 36-year-old looked sharp in Zagreb, repeatedly using the trademark gut-wrench to win his bouts. He showed no signs of fading in any bout and remained in complete control throughout.

Kayaalp opened with a 9-0 technical superiority win over Aden ATTAO (USA) and followed with another 9-0 victory against Rati TALIKISHVILI (GEO). In the semifinals, he was content with winning 4-0 against Olzhas SYRLYBAY (KAZ), getting both passivity advantages.

Facing Cohlton SCHULTZ (USA) in the final, Kayaalp scored three turns from par terre to lead 7-0. Schultz was given par terre advantage in the second period but failed to score as Kayaalp secured a 7-1 victory.

"It has been a day full of pride and joy for me to return to this beautiful mat," Kayaalp said. "I returned to the place that has been a part of my life, and to wear the gold medal here again."

At the 2023 European Championships at the same Arena Zagreb, Kayaalp had won his record-tying 12th gold medal. Later that year, he qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympics with a silver medal at the World Championships.

However, his career stalled in 2024 when he received a competition ban. Following a lengthy appeal process, Kayaalp cleared his name and returned to the sport, with the Zagreb Open being his first tournament.

"It was a stressful time. Things I never wanted happened to me," he said. "There is nothing worse in life than not being able to explain yourself. But we still have something to live for."

Kayaalp had planned to retire after the Paris Games. After missing the event, however, he returned with renewed motivation to win medals at the Olympics, World Championships and the European Championships.

"There is great fire, ambition and renewal within me," he said. "That old boredom in my mind is gone. I got angry, very angry. But now I hope to have good goals."

Riza KAYAALP (TUR) receives the gold medal from Taha AKGUL (TUR). (Photo: United World Wrestling / Jake Kirkman)

Taha AKGUL (TUR), a long-time teammate of Kayaalp but in Freestyle and now the President of the Turkish Wrestling Federation, called Kayaalp the magician.

"He came here with around twenty percent preparation," Akgul said about Kayaalp. "We have the European Championship ahead and we will prepare well. Hopefully, he will break Karelin's record by becoming European champion for the thirteenth time."

Kayaalp and Aleksandr KARELIN are tied at 12 European gold medals, and the former nearly broke the record in 2024. However, he got pinned by Sergey SEMENOV (UWW) in the final.

"He is the brother, the captain, the magician of the team," Akgul said. "We set out on this journey as two brothers. It was the same when I was an athlete. We won our gold medals together. Now, we want to represent Turkish wrestling in the same way."

Turkiye won the second gold medal of the day through Yuksel SARICICEK (TUR) who denied Mihail BRADU (MDA), 5-0, in the final.

As soon as the second period began, Bradu tried hitting an arm-throw on Saricicek but the Turkiye wrestler countered and flung Bradu and got four points.

That was the only action in the second period as Saricicek claimed the gold medal. Saricicek survived a tough semifinal against Ibragim MAGOMADOV (KAZ) but managed to scrap past 4-3.

Alex SZOKE (HUN) tries to score against Islam YEVLOYEV (KAZ) in the 97kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Alex SZOKE (HUN) took a step closer to making the Hungarian team at 97kg for the European Championships after winning gold medal at the same weight here in Zagreb.

Facing former U20 world champion Islam YEVLOYEV (KAZ) in the final, Szoke managed to get both par terre position and also a turn to lead 4-0, which was also the winning score for him.

Hajiali HOSSEINVAND (IRI) emerged as the latest entry in Iran for a weight class. Poya DAD MARZ (IRI) had long been Iran's go-to at 55kg but then emerged Payam AHMADI (IRI) who won gold at U20 World Championships and silver at the senior level.

Now, Hosseinvand defeated Dad Marz in the semifinal in Zagreb and later went on to win the gold medal, defeating Ikhtiyor BOTIROV (UZB), 2-0, in the final.

Hosseinvand got both par terre advantages in the match. While he did not score any points in the final, he defended his positions and did not give any either to claim the gold medal.

At 72kg, former U20 world champion Moustafa ALAMELDIN (EGY) controlled his final against Nika BROLADZE (GEO) and won the gold medal, posting a 4-1 victory.

Alameldin was put in par terre in the first period which gave Broladze a point. As he was unable to score any points, Broladze led only 1-0 at the break.

Broladze gave up a point via stepout at the start of the second period which gave Alameldin a 1-1 criteria lead. Alameldin then got the par terre advantage, making the score 2-1.

In the final 30 seconds, Broladze tried some desperate moves but Alameldin bodylocked him and brought him down for two points which sealed the win for him.

RESULTS

55kg
GOLD: Hajiali HOSSEINVAND (IRI) df. Ikhtiyor BOTIROV (UZB), 2-0

BRONZE: Omer RECEP (TUR) df. Arsen ZHUMA (KAZ), 8-0
BRONZE: Poya DAD MARZ (IRI) df. LALIT (IND), 5-3

60kg
GOLD: Koto GOMI (JPN) df. Alisher GANIEV (UZB), 10-0

BRONZE: Amangali BEKBOLATOV (KAZ) df. Yu SHIOTANI (JPN), 1-1
BRONZE: Yerbol KAMALIYEV (KAZ) df. Sajjad ABBASPOUR (IRI), via fall

72kg
GOLD: Moustafa ALAMELDIN (EGY) df. Nika BROLADZE (GEO), 4-1

BRONZE: Almatbek AMANBEK (KAZ) df. Abror ATABAEV (UZB), 3-3
BRONZE: Shakhzod KUCHKOROV (UZB) df. Alejandro SANCHO (USA), 11-0

82kg
GOLD: Yuksel SARICICEK (TUR) df. Mihail BRADU (MDA), 5-0

BRONZE: Reza MOKHTARI (IRI) df. Beka MELELASHVILI (USA), 10-1
BRONZE: Ibragim MAGOMADOV (KAZ) df. Jesse PORTER (USA), 7-2

97kg
GOLD: Alex SZOKE (HUN) df. Islam YEVLOYEV (KAZ), 4-0

BRONZE: Hadi SEYDI AVENDI (IRI) df. Iussuf MATSIYEV (KAZ), 1-1
BRONZE: Giorgi MELIA (GEO) df. Mihail KAJAIA (SRB), 2-1

130kg
GOLD: Riza KAYAALP (TUR) df. Cohlton SCHULTZ (USA), 7-1

BRONZE: Darius VITEK (HUN) df. Artur SARKISJAN (CZE), 1-1
BRONZE: Olzhas SYRLYBAY (KAZ) df. Rati TALIKISHVILI (GEO), 6-1

UWW reallocates 16 Olympic Games Paris 2024 quotas

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Kayaalp Returns with Gold at Zagreb Open; Gomi stuns Ganiev