#WrestleBelgrade

World Championships Day 3 semis set

By Ken Marantz & Vinay Siwach

BELGRADE, Serbia (September 12) -- More wrestling coming your way as the World Championships enter day three in Belgrade. Women's wrestling is also beginning with 55kg and 62kg. The final two Greco-Roman categories will be in action.

WATCH LIVE | MATCH ORDER

14:09: Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) has her second tough match of the session, but manages to do enough to defeat European silver medalist Luisa NIEMESCH (GER) 4-0 to make the women's 62kg semifinals. Tynybekova gains an activity clock point in the first period, then adds a stepout and a late takedown. Still, she hardly looks like the same wrestler who stormed to the gold in Oslo; perhaps she has not sufficiently recovered from the ankle injury she suffered in losing the final at the Asian Championships in April to Ozaki?

14:05: Returning silver medalist Kayla MIRACLE (USA) shuts out Tetiana OMLECHENKO (AZE) with a 6-1 win in the quarterfinals at 62kg.

14:03: Ana GODINEZ (CAN) hangs on for a 4-1 win over Lais NUNES (BRA) after getting a takedown in the activity period and a stepout. She moves into the 62kg semifinals.

14:01: Blink and you missed it as 2021 world bronze medalist Nonoka OZAKI (JPN) needed just 36 seconds to put away Ilona PROKOPEVNIUK (UKR), getting a takedown and locking up the ankles, then four quick rolls and that was that for a 10-0 technical fall.

13:57: Jacarra WINCHESTER (USA) stays on track to regain the women's 55kg title she won in 2019 as she held on for a 4-2 quarterfinal victory over Roksana ZASINA (POL). Winchester scores a first-period takedown, then adds a stepout and a shot-clock point in the second.

13:56: Olympic champion Mayu SHIDOCHI (JPN) chalks up a workmanlike 6-0 victory over Mengyu XIE (CHN) to advance to the women's 55kg semifinals as she chases her third career world title. Shidochi scores a takedown in the first period and two in the second as she remains unscored upon in the tournament.

13:52: With 32 seconds remaining, Karla GODINEZ (CAN) leads 2-1 against European champion Andreea ANA (ROU) with all three points being inactivity. But Godinez will move into the semifinals at 55kg.

13:50: At women's 55kg, upcoming star Oleksandra KHOMENETES (UKR) with a four-pointer to lead 6-3 against Sushma SHOKEEN (IND) before adding another takedown and roll to make it 10-3. She gives up a takedown but will take home a 10-5 win and a spot in the semifinals.

13:44: Four-time Asian medalist Muminjon ABDULLAEV (UZB) gets a 4-point headlock in the second period that gives him a 5-2 victory in the Greco 130kg quarterfinals over European silver medalist Danila SOTNIKOV (ITA).

13:41: Oskar MARVIK (NOR) led 1-0 against Mantas KNYSTAUTAS (LTU) but doesn't ask for the par terre position. Knystautas takes the lead when Marvik is called for passivity in the second period. He rolls Marvik two times for a 5-1 lead. He wins the quarterfinal and will wrestle in the 130kg semifinals.

13:40: U23 world champion Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) up against Olympic silver medalist Iakobi KAJAIA (GEO) who gets the first advantage with par terre position. But Kajaia fails to get any turn from par terre. In the second period, Mirzazadeh with a 1-1 lead on criteria. With 1:20 remaining, Kajaia gets the par terre again but fails to get any turn. Mirzazadeh will wrestle in the 130kg semifinal

13:39: Riza KAYAALP (TUR) barrels into the Greco 130kg semifinals by overpowering Alin ALEXUC CIURARIU (ROU) with an 8-0 technical fall in 2:17. After three stepouts, Kayaalp gets a passivity point and the top position in par terre. Two slow-motion rolls later and that's it for the Romanian.

13:33: Two-time world champion Kenichiro FUMITA (JPN) prevails in a contentious Greco 60kg quarterfinal with Kerem KAMAL (TUR) that was filled with challenges and cautions. Fumita withstands the pressure after twice being put into the bottom of par terre, and scores a last-second takedown for a 6-3 victory.

13:26: 20-year-old Edmond NAZARYAN (BUL), holding the lead on criteria after each received a passivity point, gets a stepout in the second period to clinch a 2-1 victory over 2021 bronze medalist Murad MAMMADOV (AZE) and gain a place in the 60kg semifinals.

13:24: Aidos SULTANGALI (KAZ) reverses a par terre position to score a takedown and lead 2-1 against Liguo CAO (CHN). He then gets the par terre before securing a 7-1 win

13:18: Returning silver medalist Zholoman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) with the toss against Ildar HAFIZOV (USA) and secures the fall in the 60kg quarterfinals.

13:10: 2021 world silver medalist Kayla MIRACLE (USA) falls behind 6-5 against Xiaojuan LUO (CHN) in their women's 62kg match, but comes back with a cradle for 2, with a 2-point penalty tacked on. From there it is all Miracle, as she scores a 4-point tackle, then ends the match against the exhausted Luo with a takedown and roll for a 17-6 win.

12:59: In a clash between 2021 gold medalists, defending champion Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) barely holds on to defeat 59kg titlist Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL) 3-2 for a spot in the 62kg quarterfinals. In the first period, Tynybekova scores a stepout with one second left on the shot clock. In the second, she goes up 3-0 with a single-leg takedown. Dudova puts the pressure on and scores a stepout with 1:01 left. In the final seconds, she gets in on a double leg, but can't finish it off and only gets another stepout.

12:57: Olympic champion Mayu SHIDOCHI (JPN) puts on an impressive display of driving double-leg takedowns as she powers into the women's 55kg quarterfinals with a 10-0 technical fall in 2:44 over Marina SEDNEVA (KAZ).

12:54: Returning bronze medalist Nonoka OZAKI (JPN) warms up with a 54-second fall over Anna SZEL (HUN). She will face European champion Ilona PROKOPEVNIUK (UKR) in the quarterfinals.

12:48: On Mat D, Sonam MALIK (IND) wrestling U23 world champion Ana GODINEZ (CAN). Malik with a stepout and Godinez was penalized for passivity. Malik leads 2-0 at the break. In the second period, an activity clock on Malik and she fails to score in the 30 seconds. Godinez shoots for the legs and gets the takedown and a leg lace to lead 5-2. A late takedown and a 7-2 win for Godinez

12:45: European champion Ilona PROKOPEVNIUK (UKR) with a huge fall over Yagmur CAKMAK (TUR) at 62kg. She used a cradle to get the fall.

12:44: Superstar Riza KAYAALP (TUR), looking for his fifth world title and first since 2019,  gets started with a 5-1 victory at Greco 130kg over Oleksandr CHERNETSKYY (UKR) to advance to the quarterfinals.

12:40: In a doozy on Mat A, 2019 Asian champion Mengyu XIE (CHN) gives up the go-ahead takedown to 2021 world silver medalist Nina HEMMER (GER) with :32 left, only to come back with a double-leg takedown of her own with 7 seconds left for a 6-4 win at women's 55kg.

12:30: Oleksandra KHOMENETS (UKR) survived a pin attempt from Mariana DRAGUTAN (MDA) and rallied to score points at will to win 13-6 against Dragutan 

12:21: Aidos SULTANGALI (KAZ) uses a reverse headlock to secure a fall over Gevorg GHARIBYAN (ARM) and advance to the Greco 60kg quarterfinals.

12:20: Oskar MARVIK (NOR), a bronze medalist a year ago in Oslo, proves too much for two-time world junior medalist Cohlton SCHULTZ (USA), notching a 5-0 victory to advance to the Greco 130kg quarterfinals.

12:05: Tserenchimed SUKHEE (MGL), a 2014 world champion and silver medalist the following year, loses a wild one at women's 62kg to see Xiaojuan LUO (CHN). Sukhee trailed 7-6 in the final 20 seconds when she headlocked Luo to her back, only to have the Chinese roll her over with :04 left and gain a 9-8 win.

11:50: 2021 world U23 bronze medalist Anna SZEL (HUN) secures the fall against Hanbit LEE (KOR) at women's 62kg. That earns her a round-of-16 clash with the mighty Nonoka OZAKI (JPN).

11:45: Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL), the 2021 world champion at women's 59kg who has moved up to the Olympic weight of 62kg,  scores a go-behind takedown with :36 left and adds a cross-face exposure to defeat Ameline DOUARRE (FRA) 5-1.

11:45: Olympic champion Mayu SHIDOCHI (JPN) is returning to international competition since her gold in Tokyo. Wrestling Elvira KAMALOGLU (TUR) in the 55kg qualification, Shidochi with two single leg attacks to lead 4-0 before a takedown to make it 6-0 at the break. She starts the second period with another takedown, and finishes the bout 10-0 with two minutes remaining.

11:40: European bronze medalist Dariusz VITEK (HUN) gets the fall at 130kg when 2018 world bronze medalist Minseok KIM (KOR), down 5-0, tries desperation back drop but is stopped on his won back.

11:30: Two-time U17 world champion and U20 world silver Sonam MALIK (IND) plans it extremely well with a activity in the first period and slowing it down in the second. She wins 8-0 over Ayaulym KASSYMOVA (KAZ).

11:14: Rabby KILANDI (COD) made history when he notched the first-ever Greco victory by a wrestler from the Democratic Republic of Congo at a World Championships, winning an 11-9 nail-biter over Viktor PETRYK (UKR) at 60kg. Kilandi, an African bronze medalist at 55kg (he also placed fifth in freestyle!), got the winning points with 4-point counter to a bear hug late in the second period. 

11:13: In the first featured match of the session, European champion Kerem KAMAL (TUR) puts away former Asian 55kg champion Ilkhom BAKHROMOV (UZB) by a 9-0 technical fall. He'll face Mohsen Nejad next.

11:09: U23 world champion Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) with a 5-0 win over Alimkhan SYZDYKOV (KAZ). Mirzazadeh defeated world champion Aliakbar YOUSIFI (IRI) in the trials to win the spot on the national team

11:05: Just like Mohsen Nejad on the adjacent mat, 2021 Asian champion Aidos SULTANGALI (KAZ) recorded a fall after he had built up enough for a technical fall against Alexandru TRANDAFIR (ROU). Sultangali was a world bronze medalist in 2018. 

11:02: Asian silver medalist Mehdi MOHSEN NEJAD (IRI) advances at 60kg with a fall over Hanjae CHUNG (KOR). Mohsen Nejad scored a takedown and roll to go up 8-0, which would have ended the match anyway but got the fall when his opponent stopped fighting.

10:59: 34-year-old Ildar HAFIZOV (USA), who won an Asian silver in 2011 for his native Uzbekistan, has a successful challenge wipe out eight points by his opponent as he defeats Dicther TORO (COL) 9-6 at 60kg.  That avenged a loss in the final of the 2021 Pan Am Championship.

10:56: Edmond NAZARYAN (BUL) will be in the highlight package of every wrestling video. He begins his day in Belgrade with an 11-0 win

10:55: With China returning to the international stage, Liguo CAO (CHN), a two-time fifth-place finisher, takes little time in scoring a 9-0 technical fall over Abdelkarim FERGAT (ALG) to advance at 60kg. 

10:39: Gyanender DAHIYA (IND) and Leo TUDEZCA (FRA) in the first qualification bout of the day at 60kg. Dahiya gets the par terre and then two turns to lead 5-1. Second-period par terre for Dahiya again but Tudezca gets takedown and a roll. He cuts down the lead to 6-4 but Dahiya hangs on for the win. 

10:29: We're ready for Day 3, with the preliminary rounds in the last two weights in Greco (60kg and 130kg) and the first two in Women's Wrestling (55kg and 62kg).

#WrestleBelgrade

Women’s Preview: Star-studded Japan juggernaut set for medal feast

By Ken Marantz

BELGRADE, Serbia (September 11) -- After both secured their places on Japan's team to the World Championships, Yuka KAGAMI (JPN) presented Akari FUJINAMI (JPN), a friend from her junior days, with a matching T-shirt emblazoned with "PARIS".

The action next week will take place on the mats in the Belgrade Stark Arena, but thoughts of the French capital will be on the minds of the wrestlers as they battle for the first qualifying places for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

The World Championships offers 90 spots for the Paris Games, 30 in each style. The four medal winners in an Olympic weight class along with the winner of the playoff between bronze-medal bout losers will receive a quota for their respective National Olympic Committees.

Given the gruelling process that they had to go through just to make it to Belgrade -- in which three of Japan's four gold medalists in women's wrestling at the Tokyo Olympics fell by the wayside -- the Japanese wrestlers in the Olympic weight classes are determined to secure their tickets to Paris now.

The Japan federation has decreed that a wrestler winning a medal in an Olympic weight class will also automatically fill that spot in Paris without any playoff. The last thing any of them want to do is give a rival another chance, as the saga of Yui SUSAKI (JPN) remains proof-positive of how that can backfire.

Susaki, the Tokyo 2021 gold medalist and defending world champion at 50kg, and Fujinami, looking to regain the world title she won at 53kg in 2021 but abdicated due to injury, lead what is arguably the strongest-ever Japanese women's contingent at a senior World Championships.

Add in the four non-Olympic weight classes, which include two world champions from 2022 and a two-time former champion, and is not too far a stretch to see a Japanese on every podium, with perhaps as many as eight on the top step.

That's not to say it will be easy for any of them. Veterans with proven track records like Mariya STADNIK (AZE), Helen MAROULIS (USA), Irina RINGACI (MDA), Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) and Adeline GRAY (USA) will be aiming to derail the Japanese juggernaut and add to their own formidable lists of laurels.

Naturally, the emergence of new young stars can't be discounted, such as was seen in 2022 with powerful teenager Amit ELOR (USA).

Here's a look at the ones to watch in each weight class:

50kg
There is no sure thing in wrestling, but Yui SUSAKI (JPN) may be about as close as you can get at this tournament. Susaki, who followed up her victory at the Tokyo Olympics by capturing a third world title last year in Belgrade, has still never lost to a non-Japanese opponent.

And the 24-year-old will be laser-focused not to slip up as she pursues her goal of a second straight Olympic gold. It was well documented how her Olympic dreams had seemed all but over when she lost out to Yuki IRIE (JPN) for a place at the 2019 World Championships, but was given new life when Irie failed to medal in Nur-Sultan. She never again wants to place her fate in the hands of others.

After taking a break after Tokyo, Susaki added both the world senior and U23 golds in 2022, making her the first-ever to achieve the Golden Grand Slam, comprised of the four world age group titles and the Olympic gold. Earlier this year, she picked up the title at the Ranking Series Zagreb Open to assure herself of the top seed in Belgrade.

The three other medalists from last year's worlds in Belgrade are back -- silver medalist Otgonjargal DOLGORJAV (MGL) and bronze medalists Sarah HILDEBRANDT (USA) and Anna LUKASIAK (POL). But Susaki's most dangerous threat could come from ageless Mariya STADNIK (AZE), the 35-year-old four-time Olympic medalist who has the experience to find a way to pierce the Japanese star's armor.

Stadnik, who along with Hildebrandt was a bronze medalist at the Tokyo Olympics, captured her eighth career European title in April. She missed a clash with Susaki in Zagreb when she defaulted their semifinal match due to injury. The two have met twice, both times in a final in 2018, with Susaki winning 2-2 at the Klippan Lady Open and 10-0 at the World Championships.

Akari FUJINAMI (JPN)Akari FUJINAMI (JPN) is coming into the World Championship on a 122-match winning streak. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

53kg
If there is a way to defeat Akari FUJINAMI (JPN), no one on the planet has been able to figure it out since she was in junior high school. The 19-year-old collegian will be putting a 122-match winning streak -- which includes a victory by fall over Tokyo Olympic champion Mayu SHIDOCHI (JPN) in a long-awaited showdown in June -- on the line in Belgrade with the express purpose of regaining the world title she won in 2021 and securing a spot for the Paris Olympics.

Fujinami missed last year's worlds due to a foot injury (and the world U23 a month later because of knee trouble), but she has since been healthy and as invincible as ever. She started the year off with a bang, winning the Zagreb Open, Dan Kolov-Nikola Petrov International and Asian Championships in consecutive months -- 13 victories, all by fall or technical fall without conceding a point.

"Last year, I didn't listen to my body," Fujinami told the Japan media. "The feeling that all I had to do was put on a 'last spurt' got bigger, and that led to injuries. Now I'm going through the final prepping, but I'm listening closely to my body."

Dominique PARRISH (USA), who won the gold last year in Fujinami's absence, is back, as well as bronze medalist Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE). Others who could do some damage are 2017 world champion and Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist Vanesa KALADZINSKAYA (AIN), world silver medalist Iulia LEORDA (MDA) and 2021 world bronze medalist Samantha STEWART (CAN).

A pair of European champions are also in the field in Jonna MALGREN (SWE) and Andreea ANA (ROU), the latter of whom has moved down to the Olympic weight from 55kg.

The wrestler that most intrigues Fujinami is Olympic silver medalist Qianyu PANG (CHN), this year's Asian champion at 55kg. "I have never faced a Chinese wrestler in my life," said Fujinami, who did not cross paths with China's entry at the Asian Championships. "It's not that there will be no pressure. But the tournament atmosphere is different overseas, which gets me excited."

Jacarra WINCHESTER (USA)Jacarra WINCHESTER (USA) is a world champion from 2019 at 55kg. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

55kg
This non-Olympic weight class features a pair of former world champions in Haruna OKUNO (JPN) and Jaccara WINCHESTER (USA). Okuno had failed to dislodge Fujinami at 53kg and won a playoff for the consolation prize of a ticket to Belgrade at 55kg.

Okuno won a world gold at 55kg in 2017, then dropped down to 53kg and won there the next year. But when the process began for qualifying for the Tokyo Olympics, she played second fiddle to Mayu MUKAIDA (JPN) (now SHIDOCHI) at 53kg and never got back to the senior worlds. Then Fujinami emerged and knocked them both out.

Okuno went into a bit of a funk after missing out on Tokyo, but has since regrouped mentally, enough to defeat Shidochi last December for the first time in 10 career meetings. Two months earlier, she captured a third world U23 title.

Winchester triumphed at 55kg the last time the worlds were serving as the initial Olympic qualifier in 2019. After that, she made the U.S. Olympic team at 53kg, but had to settle for fifth place in Tokyo, the same result she would get at the 2022 worlds.

But the 30-year-old got her year off to a good start with victories at international tournaments in Alexandria and Budapest.

Others to watch will be world bronze medalist Karla GODINEZ (CAN), who was second to Winchester in Budapest; 2021 world 53kg bronze medalist Katarzyna KRAWCZYK (POL); European silver medalist Erika BOGNAR (HUN); Asian silver medalist Otgontuya CHINBOLD (MGL) and world U20 champion Aryna MARTYNAVA (AIN).

57kg
In arguably the most stacked women's weight class, the de facto gold-medal match could come in the semifinals. If the seedings go to form, that would be where defending champion and No. 3 seed Tsugumi SAKURAI (JPN) and former Olympic gold medalist and No. 2 seed Helen MAROULIS (USA) would meet in a rematch of the 2022 final.

Sakurai and Maroulis both won world titles in 2021, the former at 55kg and the latter at 57kg. Sakurai made the move up to the Olympic weight last year and never missed a beat, striking gold at 57kg in Belgrade. That was all in the absence of Tokyo Olympic champion Risako KAWAI (JPN) (now KINJO), who took extended time off to get married and give birth to her first child.

To get back to Belgrade, the 22-year-old Sakurai beat Kinjo by technical fall in their only meeting in one of Japan's world qualifying tournaments. But her biggest hurdle turned out to be Sae NANJO (JPN). Sakurai twice came within seconds of missing out on a ticket to Belgrade, but each time pulled off last-second victories over Nanjo. By comparison, Maroulis defeated Nanjo 6-4 in the world semifinals in 2021.

Maroulis made a name for herself in Japan by becoming the conqueror of the legendary Saori YOSHIDA (JPN) and preventing her from becoming a four-time Olympic champion with a stunning win in the final at the 2016 Rio Games. She went through hard times battling concussion after that triumph, but came back strong with a full collection of global medals in the two-year span in 2021-22. Maroulis will turn 33 on September 19, the day of the qualification rounds and semifinals at 57kg.

The two favorites will have no dearth of competition, most noticeably from the dangerous Anastasia NICHITA (MDA), the 2022 world champion and this year's European gold medalist at 59kg who has dropped into the 57kg mix. In her first foray at 57kg since placing seventh at the Tokyo Olympics, Nichita struck gold at the Budapest international tournament in July.

The two others who made the podium in Tokyo, silver medalist Iryna KURACHKINA (AIN) and bronze medalist Evelina NIKOLOVA (BUL), are also among the preliminary entries, while Alina HRUSHYNA AKOBIIA (UKR) comes in as the top seed on the strength of her third-place finish last year and European title this year.

Others to watch are veteran Odunayo ADEKUOROYE (NGR), who will try for her fourth world medal and first since 2019; SARITA (UWW), a 2021 world bronze medalist at 59kg; Anhelina LYSAK (POL), a bronze medalist last year; and Kexin HONG (CHN), the runner-up to Nichita in Budapest.

Yulia TKACH (UKR)Yulia TKACH (UKR), a world champion at 63kg in 2014, is going for her second world title at 59kg. (Photo: UWW / Martin Gabor)

59kg
With the top names funnelling either up or down into the Olympic weight classes, the door is open at 59kg for a less-heralded wrestler to come away with a first world title, or, in the case of veteran Yulia TKACH (UKR), her first in a decade.

Sae NANJO (JPN), a 2021 world bronze medalist at 57kg who failed to make Japan's team at that weight, had to defeat Olympic champion Risako KINJO (JPN) among three wins in a playoff just to get to Belgrade at the non-Olympic weight.

Nanjo, the 2022 world U23 champion and Asian champion this year at 57kg, fought back from a six-point deficit to defeat Kinjo with a dramatic 6-6 victory, and she will be determined not to squader such a moment by slipping up in Belgrade.

The 34-year-old Tkach won her only world title in 2014, and the last of her four world medals in 2018. But the three-time Olympian has shown this year she can still be competitive, winning Ranking Series events in Alexandria and Bishkek and placing second at the European Championships.

Jowita WRZESIEN (POL) is the lone returning medalist in the weight class, having won a bronze last year. Others who could figure in the medal chase are two-time Asian medalist Bolortuya KHURELKHUU (MGL), 2021 world U23 bronze medalist Krystsina SAZYKINA (AIN) and Qi ZHANG (CHN), a bronze medalist this year in both Zagreb and Budapest.

62kg
Just what Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) needs: another physically tough Japanese to contend with. Sakura MOTOKI (JPN) is the latest wrestler from her country standing between Tynybekova and a third career world gold, and given what it took for Motoki to get to Belgrade, you can bet she will battling tooth and nail.

Motoki, a bronze medalist last year at 59kg who has moved up to the Olympic weight class, had to defeat both the Olympic champion (Yukako KAWAI (JPN)) and the defending world champion (Nonoka OZAKI (JPN)) in epic battles to secure the 62kg spot on Japan's team.

Both Kawai and Ozaki had been nemeses of Tynybekova in recent years, with wins and losses on both sides on the world and continental levels. How Motoki fares should the two meet for the first time poses one of the intriguing questions of the tournament.

Motoki, the 2022 world U20 champion at 59kg, picked up some international experience at the heavier weight by winning the Zagreb Open in February, beating Grace BULLEN (NOR) 7-0 in the final. Bullen has also moved up from 59kg, where she was the world runner-up last year to Anastasia NICHITA (MDA), who had beaten Motoki in the semifinals.

Motoki has some strong incentives to take the gold and earn the ticket to Paris. First, she wants to become an Olympian like her father Yasutoshi, who competed in Greco-Roman at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Another is to catch up to a pair of Ikuei University teammates when it comes to success on the world stage.

Ikuei's Tsugumi SAKURAI (JPN) is the defending champion at 57kg, while Ami ISHI (JPN) was the silver medalist last year at 68kg. "It would be amazing if the three of us go to the Olympics," Motoki told the Japanese media. "Last year, I finished the lowest. This year, I want to catch up to other two and all three of us win championships."

Bullen has also made a smooth adjustment to 62kg, chalking up second-place finishes at the Zagreb Open, European Championships and Poland Open.

The list is long of other contenders, including Xiaojuan LUO (CHN), a bronze medalist a year ago and a two-time former Asian champion. This year, Luo scored a stunning 10-4 first-round win over Tynybekova in Zagreb, but Tynybekova avenged that loss three weeks later with a 3-2 win in the final in Alexandria.

There's also Kayla MIRACLE (USA), who won her second straight world silver medal in 2022, and Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR), who captured the European title this year.

Added to the mix are 2021 world 59kg champion Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL), Poland Open champion Luisa NIEMENSCH (GER), Asian silver medalist and former world champ Orkhon PUREVDORJ (MGL) and 2022 world 65kg bronze medalist Kriszta INCZE (ROU), leaving little room for error for the favorites.

Nonoka OZAKI (JPN)Nonoka OZAKI (JPN) has moved up to 65kg after failing to make the Japan team at the Olympic weight of 62kg. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

65kg
The 65kg throne became open when 2022 champion Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN) moved up to 68kg. Nonoka OZAKI (JPN) is the prohibitive favorite to keep the title in Japanese hands as she attempts to salvage her season after missing out at 62kg, in which she would have been the defending champion.

Ozaki lost out at 62kg to Sakura MOTOKI (JPN), then -- given how nothing is ever easy when it comes to the Japanese women -- she needed to defeat Olympic champion Yukako KAWAI (JPN) in a playoff just for the consolation prize of a ticket to Belgrade at 65kg.

The 20-year-old Ozaki, a product of the JOC Elite Academy that produced Yui SUSAKI (JPN) and Takuto OTOGURO (JPN), takes a 46-2 record against non-Japanese opponents into Belgrade. Both of the losses were to Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ), whom she has also beaten twice.

Ozaki's disappointment this year follows one of incredible success in 2022, when she won the Asian title in April -- beating Tynybekova in the final -- then reeled off victories at the world U20, senior and U23 in consecutive months from August.

The threats to Ozaki in Belgrade appear to be few and far between, but the leading contenders are European champion Mimi HRISTOVA (BUL) and Macey KILTY (USA), who seems to have a penchant for silver. The American finished second at the world U20 and U23 in 2019, and in Krasnoyarsk and Istanbul in 2022.

Oksana KUKHTA HERHEL (UKR), a world champion in 2015, will see if she has enough left in the tank to get back onto the medal podium.

Ami ISHII (JPN)Ami ISHII (JPN) is the returning silver medalist at 68kg. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

68kg
With the departure of Olympic and world champion Tamyra MENSAH STOCK (USA) to the professional wrestling ring, there will be a new face topping the medal podium at 68kg. Who that will be is anyone's guess, and there is no shortage of possibilities.

The leading candidate would have to be the silver medalist from a year ago, Ami ISHII (JPN), who also won the world U20 title in 2022 and picked up the senior Asian crown this year. Her loss in the 2022 final to Mensah Stock was the lone defeat of her career to a non-Japanese opponent dating back to 2018.

In Japan's grueling qualifying process, the 20-year-old Ishii turned back the challenges of world 65kg champion Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN) and a desperation attempt from Tokyo Olympic 62kg gold medalist Yukako KAWAI (JPN).

Leading the bids to deny Ishii a gold medal will be Irina RINGACI (MDA), a bronze medalist last year who won the world 65kg title in 2021. That victory in Oslo, where she beat Morikawa in the final, made Ringaci the first-ever woman in Moldova history to win a world wrestling title.

This year, Ringaci finished third at the Zagreb Open, took the silver medal behind rival Mimi HRISTOVA (BUL) at 65kg at the European Championships, and most recently won the 65kg title at an international tournament in Budapest.

Two 2022 medalists in other weight classes have joined the 68kg fray. Koumba LARROQUE (FRA), who won the gold in Zagreb this year, will be looking to improve on her bronze medal at 65kg and secure an Olympic berth for the host country in Paris, while Alexandra ANGHEL (ROU) has moved down from 72kg, in which she won a bronze last year and the European title in April.

There will also be two Olympic medalists on hand, Tokyo silver medalist Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR) and bronze medalist Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ). Zhumanazarova won the world gold in 2021 by injury default in the final over Rin MIYAGI (JPN), who had stunned Mensah Stock with a victory by fall in the semifinals. Ishii defeated Zhumanazarova 6-2 in the semifinals of the Asian Championships in April en route to the gold.

Two-time world medalist Feng ZHOU (CHN), who turns 30 on September 12, has been in good form this year, finishing third at the Asian Championships and striking gold in Bishkek and Budapest. She will be aiming for her first world medal since 2018.

Others to keep an eye on are European champion Yuliana YANEVA (BUL) and Adela HANZLICKOVA (CZE), the winner at the Poland Open and runner-up in Zagreb.

72kg
Is there anyone who can stop the human bulldozer better known as Amit ELOR (USA)? Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN) feels she is up to the task, even though it meant going up two weight classes and facing what she deferentially termed "monsters."

The 19-year-old Elor, who became the youngest American world champion in history when she captured the 72kg title last year in Belgrade, is the clear favorite as she returns to the Serbian capital in a bid for a repeat.

Elor, who takes an unofficial 30-1 career record in international matches into the tournament, could hardly have been more dominant in 2022, winning the world U20, senior and U23 titles in succession. Add in her cadet (U17) title from the previous year, and she completed the Grand Slam of age group titles while still a teenager.

This year has seen no letdown, as the former judoka swept to the Pan American and world U20 titles without conceding a point.

The lone loss of Alor's career came at the 2019 World U17 Championships, a 3-1 decision to Honoka NAKAI (JPN). Now another Japanese is aiming for the American, and one with the credentials -- at least on paper -- to pull it off.

Morikawa, last year's world 65kg champion after finishing second in 2021, had moved up to 68kg in the Olympic year but failed to oust Ami ISHII (JPN). Intent on getting to Belgrade somehow -- but not so enthusiastic about cutting the weight she had just put on -- she opted to go up to 72kg, where she prevailed in a playoff for the world team spot.

Also vying for the medals will be Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ), who won her second straight world silver last year in Belgrade and picked up her third Asian title this year, world U23 68kg champion Nesrin BAS (TUR) and world U20 silver medalist Nurzat NURTAEVA (KGZ).

Ilana KRATYSH (ISR), making her seventh appearance at the World Championships dating back to 2011, has perhaps her best chance to become the first-ever Israeli to medal in women's wrestling. The 33-year-old finished fifth at the European Championships.

76kg
She's ba-a-a-a-ck. Two years after winning a U.S. record sixth world title and a little more than a year after giving birth to twins, Adeline GRAY (USA) will be in Belgrade aiming to add more gold to her luminous collection.

When last seen, Gray had lost a heartbreaking final at the Tokyo Olympics to longtime friend and foe Aline FOCKEN (GER), then bounced back two months later and captured the world title in Oslo to break a tie with Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) for most-ever won by an American.

Gray gave birth to twins on July 23, 2022, and returned to training in January. She lost to teenager Kennedy BLADES (USA) at the U.S. Open in April, but came back to beat her in the U.S. world team trials in June.

Gray will see some familiar faces and some new ones as she begins a quest into unchartered waters. As she said after the trials, "There’s pieces of wrestling that you have to put together. It’s just going to take me a little bit of time.”

Those most capable of derailing the Gray Express would be 2022 silver medalist Samar HAMZA (EGY) and bronze medalists Epp MAE (EST) and Yuka KAGAMI (JPN), as well as Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ).

Hamza already has world silver and bronze medals -- the latter won in Oslo in 2021 which made her the first-ever Egyptian woman to win a world medal -- and would love nothing more than to finish the collection with a gold. She will have to step up her game, however, having finished no higher than seventh this year in Zagreb, Alexandria and Budapest.

Mae, a bronze medalist last year, gave Gray a tough fight in the 2021 final, leading 4-2 in the final minute before the American scored a takedown to go ahead on criteria then worked Mae over for a fall with two seconds remaining. Mae also lost to Gray in the 2014 and 2018 world finals, and she would relish the chance to finally come out on top.

Kagami, the 2022 Asian runner-up to Medet Kyzy who will turn 22 on September 14, is aiming to become Japan's first world champion in the heaviest women's weight class since Kyoko HAMAGUCHI (JPN) in 2003. Her season was delayed after undergoing shoulder surgery in January, but she seems to have fully recovered.

Conversely, Medet Kyzy has been quite busy, and successful, this season. The 2021 world bronze medalist finished second in Zagreb, third in Alexandria, second at the Asian Championships and won the Ranking Series event as the hometown favorite in Bishkek.

Others with the potential to shake things up are Milaimys MARIN (CUB), Tatiana RENTERIA (COL) and Anastasiya ALPYEYEVA (UKR).

The World Championships run from September 16 to 24 with Women’s Wrestling scheduled on September 18, 19 and 20. The action will be live on UWW+ around the world and on FloSports in the U.S.