#WrestleIstanbul

World Paris Olympic Qualifier 2024 Entry List

By United World Wrestling Press

ISTANBUL, Turkiye (April 29) -- After the World Championships and four continental qualifiers, it all comes down to the last chance World OG Qualifier in Istanbul for the wrestlers hoping to earn a spot for the Paris Olympics.

The qualifier in Istanbul will offer 54 Olympic quotas in each of the six weight classes of the three styles. Every weight category offers three Paris Olympic spots -- one each to the two finalists and one to the winner of the playoff between the two bronze medalists.

Greco-Roman will kick off the competition on May 9 followed by Women's Wrestling and Freestyle finishing it on May 13. All details of the schedule can be found here -- World OG Qualifier Schedule

Freestyle

57kg
Georgi VANGELOV (BUL)
Darthe CAPELLAN (CAN)
Zhipeng JIANG (CHN)
Roland TAMBI (CMR)
Peter HAMMER CUDE (CRC)
Guesseppe REA VILLARROEL (ECU)
Levan METREVELI VARTANOV (ESP)
Ilman MUKHTAROV (FRA)
Roberti DINGASHVILI (GEO)
Horst LEHR (GER)
Tsz Shing LEUNG (HKG)
AMAN (IND)
Alireza SARLAK (IRI)
Simone PIRODDU (ITA)
Rakhat KALZHAN (KAZ)
Sunggwon KIM (KOR)
Ben TARIK (MAR)
Zanabazar ZANDANBUD (MGL)
Vladimir EGOROV (MKD)
Ali ABURUMAILA (PLE)
Chong HAN (PRK)
Razvan KOVACS (ROU)
Ibrahim BUNDUKA (SLE)
Thomas EPP (SUI)
Kabe MATJANOV (TKM)
Muhammet KARAVUS (TUR)
Andrii YATSENKO (UKR)
Spencer LEE (USA)

65kg
Niurgun SKRIABIN (AIN)
Islam DUDAEV (ALB)
Josh FAILAUGA (ASA)
Shannon HANNA (BAH)
Ayub MUSAEV (BEL)
Alibeg ALIBEGOV (BRN)
Mikyay NAIM (BUL)
Lachlan MCNEIL (CAN)
Baowen WEI (CHN)
Anthony WESLEY (CPV)
Joshua KRAMER (ECU)
Khamzat ARSAMERZOUEV (FRA)
Junjun ASEBIAS (FSM)
Gibriel CHOW (GAM)
Andre CLARKE (GER)
Tsz Hei HEUNG (HKG)
Sujeet SUJEET (IND)
Joshua Stuart FINESILVER (ISR)
Adlan ASKAROV (KAZ)
Davies ORIWA (KEN)
Junsik YUN (KOR)
Maxim SACULTAN (MDA)
Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL)
Besir ALILI (MKD)
Lowe BINGHAM (NRU)
Muhammad ABDULLAH (PAK)
Abdullah ASSAF (PLE)
Cristian NICOLESCU (PLW)
Krzysztof BIENKOWSKI (POL)
Kwang Jin KIM (PRK)
Stefan Ionut COMAN (ROU)
Sahid Tejan KARGBO (SLE)
Nino LEUTERT (SUI)
Abdulmazhid KUDIEV (TJK)
Jelaletdin SEYIDOV (TKM)
Ahmet DUMAN (TUR)
Abdullah TOPRAK (TUR)
Erik ARUSHANIAN (UKR)
Zain RETHERFORD (USA)
Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB)
Ibrahim GUZAN (YEM)

74kg
Cherman VALIEV (ALB)
Hrayr ALIKHANYAN (ARM)
Simon MARCHL (AUT)
Ibragim VELIEV (BEL)
Khidir SAIPUDINOV (BRN)
Miroslav KIROV (BUL)
Stone LEWIS (CAN)
Michel DOLE BONDELE (CGO)
Yi LI (CHN)
Jacques MONTY (CMR)
Mohammad MOTTAGHINIA (ESP)
Erik REINBOK (EST)
Zelimkhan KHADJIEV (FRA)
Avtandil KENTCHADZE (GEO)
Shamil USTAEV (GER)
Luis BARRIOS (HON)
Murad KURAMAGOMEDOV (HUN)
JAIDEEP (IND)
Mitchell FINESILVER (ISR)
Frank CHAMIZO (ITA)
Nurkozha KAIPANOV (KAZ)
Mathayo MAHABILA (KEN)
Orozobek TOKTOMAMBETOV (KGZ)
Byungmin GONG (KOR)
Egzon XHONI (KOS)
Vasile DIACON (MDA)
Raul PALACIOS (MEX)
Suldkhuu OLONBAYAR (MGL)
Rasul SHAPIEV (MKD)
Kamil RYBICKI (POL)
Sonny SANTIAGO (PUR)
Krisztian BIRO (ROU)
Malik Michael AMINE (SMR)
Tobias PORTMANN (SUI)
Tajmuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK)
Viktor RASSADIN (TJK)
Arslan AMANMYRADOV (TKM)
Soner DEMIRTAS (TUR)
Jamal ABDUL (UGA)
Vadym TSURKAN (UKR)
*Iman MAHDAVI (UWW)
Abdulkareem AL RABEDHI (YEM)

86kg
Arkadzi PAHASIAN (AIN)
Mushegh MKRTCHYAN (ARM)
Ariston BARTLEY (ASA)
Benjamin GREIL (AUT)
Pedro GONCALVES (BRA)
Magomed SHARIPOV (BRN)
Magomed RAMAZANOV (BUL)
Peilong LI (CHN)
Taimuraz FRIEV NASKIDAEVA (ESP)
Aimar ANDRUSE (EST)
Rakhim MAGAMADOV (FRA)
Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO)
Lars SCHAEFLE (GER)
Dauren KURUGLIEV (GRE)
Yip Cheuk YEUNG (HKG)
Patrik PUESPOEKI (HUN)
Deepak PUNIA (IND)
Uri KALASHNIKOV (ISR)
Aron CANEVA (ITA)
Atai IZABEKOV (KGZ)
Gwanuk KIM (KOR)
Ivars SAMUSONOKS (LAT)
Saad AMANDAR (MAR)
Georgii RUBAEV (MDA)
Noel TORRES (MEX)
Ahmad MAGOMEDOV (MKD)
Pool AMBROCIO (PER)
Sebastian JEZIERZANSKI (POL)
Stefan REICHMUTH (SUI)
Boris MAKOEV (SVK)
Dovletmyrat ORAZGYLYJOV (TKM)
Osman GOCEN (TUR)
Ivan MASAKWE (UGA)
Vasyl MYKHAILOV (UKR)
Pedro CEBALLOS (VEN)

97kg
Sergey SARGSYAN (ARM)
Thomas BARNS (AUS)
Ahmed BATAEV (BUL)
Nishan Preet RANDHAWA (CAN)
Tuerxunbieke MUHEITE (CHN)
Cedric ABOSSOLO (CMR)
Maxwell LACEY (CRC)
Adlan VISKHANOV (FRA)
Babacarr MBOGE (GAM)
Erik Sven THIELE (GER)
Theodoros KYRIAKIDIS (GRE)
Vlagyiszlav BAJCAJEV (HUN)
DEEPAK (IND)
Benjamin HONIS (ITA)
Arash YOSHIDA (JPN)
Andrei ARONOV (KGZ)
Juhwan SEO (KOR)
Radu LEFTER (MDA)
Gankhuyag GANBAATAR (MGL)
Magomedgadji NUROV (MKD)
Zbigniew BARANOWSKI (POL)
Georgian TRIPON (ROU)
Samuel SCHERRER (SUI)
Adam JAKSIK (SVK)
Shatlyk HEMELYAYEV (TKM)
Murazi MCHEDLIDZE (UKR)
Magomed IBRAGIMOV (UZB)
Cristian SARCO COLMENAREZ (VEN)

125kg
Paris KAREPI (ALB)
Lyova GEVORGYAN (ARM)
Johannes LUDESCHER (AUT)
Shamil SHARIPOV (BRN)
Georgi IVANOV (BUL)
BUHEEERDUN (CHN)
Jose CUBA VAZQUEZ (ESP)
Gennadij CUDINOVIC (GER)
Gino AVILA DILBERT (HON)
Daniel LIGETI (HUN)
SUMIT (IND)
Abraham CONYEDO (ITA)
Aaron JOHNSON (JAM)
Taiki YAMAMOTO (JPN)
Joel TUKAI (KEN)
Aiaal LAZAREV (KGZ)
Yeihyun JUNG (KOR)
Robert BARAN (POL)
Zyyamuhammet SAPAROV (TKM)
Oleksandr KHOTSIANIVSKYI (UKR)
Khasanboy RAKHIMOV (UZB)
Jose DIAZ ROBERTTI (VEN)

Selcuk CAN (TUR)Selcuk CAN (TUR) will look to win the Paris Olympic spot in Greco-Roman 67kg in front of the home crowd in Istanbul. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Greco-Roman

60kg
Hleb MAKARANKA (AIN)
Sadyk LALAEV (AIN)
Bajram SINA (ALB)
Gevorg GHARIBYAN (ARM)
Josh FAILAUGA (ASA)
Murad MAMMADOV (AZE)
Nedyalko PETROV (BUL)
Nikolai MOHAMMADI (DEN)
Daniel BOBILLO VIGIL (ESP)
Leo TUDEZCA (FRA)
Pridon ABULADZE (GEO)
Christopher KRAEMER (GER)
SUMIT (IND)
Melkamu FETENE (ISR)
Dahyun KIM (KOR)
Rayan HAWSAWI (KSA)
Aleksandrs JURKJANS (LAT)
Justas PETRAVICIUS (LTU)
Ismail ETTALIBI (MAR)
Alexis RODRIGUEZ (MEX)
Munkh Erdene BATKHUYAG (MGL)
Romio GOLIATH (NAM)
Michal Jacek TRACZ (POL)
Razvan ARNAUT (ROU)
Ibrahim BUNDUKA (SLE)
Georgij TIBILOV (SRB)
Virgil BICA (SWE)
Umit DURDYYEV (TKM)
Viktor PETRYK (UKR)
Dalton ROBERTS (USA)
*Jamal VALIZADEH (UWW)

67kg
Aliaksandr LIAVONCHYK (AIN)
Aslan VISAITOV (AIN)
Gjete PRENGA (ALB)
Abu AMAEV (BUL)
Ji LENG (CHN)
Dominik ETLINGER (CRO)
Mohamed ELSAYED (EGY)
Artur JEREMEJEV (EST)
Matias LIPASTI (FIN)
Ramaz ZOIDZE (GEO)
Etienne KINSINGER (GER)
Krisztian Istvan VANCZA (HUN)
Muhammad ALIANSYAH (INA)
Ashu ASHU (IND)
Andrea SETTI (ITA)
Din Mukhamed KOSHKAR (KAZ)
Hansu RYU (KOR)
Ahmed BARAHMAH (KSA)
Adomas GRIGALIUNAS (LTU)
Valentin PETIC (MDA)
Haavard JOERGENSEN (NOR)
Nilton SOTO GARCIA (PER)
Mateusz BERNATEK (POL)
Yong Jin RO (PRK)
Mihai Radu MIHUT (ROU)
Sahid Tejan KARGBO (SLE)
Andreas VETSCH (SUI)
Niklas Jan Olov Pontus OEHLEN (SWE)
Begmyrat NOBATOV (TKM)
Selcuk CAN (TUR)
Ellis COLEMAN (USA)
Makhmud BAKHSHILLOEV (UZB)

77kg
Adlet TIULIUBAEV (AIN)
Tsimur BERDYIEU (AIN)
Kevin KUPI (ALB)
Joilson RAMOS (BRA)
Aik MNATSAKANIAN (BUL)
John YEATS (CAN)
Tongyu CHEN (CHN)
Antonio KAMENJASEVIC (CRO)
Oldrich VARGA (CZE)
Oliver KRUEGER (DEN)
Marcos SANCHEZ (ESP)
Johnny BUR (FRA)
Iuri LOMADZE (GEO)
Idris IBAEV (GER)
Georgios PREVOLARAKIS (GRE)
Zoltan LEVAI (HUN)
Vikas VIKAS (IND)
Riccardo ABBRESCIA (ITA)
Dowon LEE (KOR)
Hassan BARNAWI (KSA)
Paulius GALKINAS (LTU)
Alexandrin GUTU (MDA)
Emmanuel BENITEZ (MEX)
Per Anders KURE (NOR)
Kamil CZARNECKI (POL)
Jonathan VIRUET (PUR)
Ilie COJOCARI (ROU)
Viktor NEMES (SRB)
Fabio DIETSCHE (SUI)
Per Albin OLOFSSON (SWE)
Bazargeldi EZIMOV (TKM)
Volodymyr YAKOVLIEV (UKR)
Kamal BEY (USA)

87kg
Kiryl MASKEVICH (AIN)
Gevorg TADEVOSYAN (ARM)
Elias Lauofo VAOIFI (ASA)
Lukas STAUDACHER (AUT)
Rafig HUSEYNOV (AZE)
Ioannis NARLIDIS (CAN)
Ivan HUKLEK (CRO)
Daniel GREGORICH (CUB)
Turpal BISULTANOV (DEN)
Raido LIITMAEE (EST)
Waltteri LATVALA (FIN)
Lasha GOBADZE (GEO)
Hannes WAGNER (GER)
Ilias PAGKALIDIS (GRE)
Ariel ALFONSO (HON)
Sunil KUMAR (IND)
Mirco MINGUZZI (ITA)
Soh SAKABE (JPN)
Azat SALIDINOV (KGZ)
Sanghyeok PARK (KOR)
Martynas NEMSEVICIUS (LTU)
Mihail BRADU (MDA)
Jose VARGAS (MEX)
Marcel STERKENBURG (NED)
Exauce MUKUBU (NOR)
Arkadiusz KULYNYCZ (POL)
Nicu OJOG (ROU)
Damian VON EUW (SUI)
Alex KESSIDIS (SWE)
Yhlas ABDURAZAKOV (TKM)
Jalgasbay BERDIMURATOV (UZB)

97kg
Artur SARGSIAN (AIN)
Markus RAGGINGER (AUT)
Murad AHMADIYEV (AZE)
Kaloyan IVANOV (BUL)
Houzhi HAO (CHN)
Filip SMETKO (CRO)
Mathias BAK (DEN)
Richard KARELSON (EST)
Arvi SAVOLAINEN (FIN)
Lucas LAZOGIANIS (GER)
Michail IOSIFIDIS (GRE)
Alex Gergo SZOKE (HUN)
Nitesh NITESH (IND)
Nikoloz KAKHELASHVILI (ITA)
Yuri NAKAZATO (JPN)
Iussuf MATSIYEV (KAZ)
Uzur DZHUZUPBEKOV (KGZ)
Ibrahim FALLATAH (KSA)
Badamdorj BALTMUNKH (MGL)
Tyrone STERKENBURG (NED)
Felix BALDAUF (NOR)
Tadeusz MICHALIK (POL)
Mihail KAJAIA (SRB)
Ramon BETSCHART (SUI)
Aleksandar STJEPANETIC (SWE)
Amanberdi AGAMAMMEDOV (TKM)
Metehan BASAR (TUR)
Vladlen KOZLIUK (UKR)

130kg
Pavel HLINCHUK (AIN)
David OVASAPYAN (ARM)
Daniel GASTL (AUT)
Sabah SHARIATI (AZE)
Heiki NABI (EST)
Matti KUOSMANEN (FIN)
Iakobi KAJAIA (GEO)
Nikolaos NTOUNIAS (GRE)
Darius VITEK (HUN)
Naveen NAVEEN (IND)
Sota OKUMURA (JPN)
Roman KIM (KGZ)
Mantas KNYSTAUTAS (LTU)
Oskar MARVIK (NOR)
Kamil KOSCIOLEK (POL)
Alin ALEXUC CIURARIU (ROU)
Boris PETRUSIC (SRB)
Eduard BABENOSHEV (TJK)
Aybegshazada KURRAYEV (TKM)
Mykhailo VYSHNYVETSKYI (UKR)
Moises PEREZ (VEN)

Mariya STADNIK (AZE)Four-time Olympic medalist Mariya STADNIK (AZE) will wrestle in Istanbul for a Paris spot in 50kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Women's Wrestling

50kg
Viyaleta REBIKAVA (AIN)
Mariya STADNIK (AZE)
Kamila BARBOSA (BRA)
Miglena SELISHKA (BUL)
Geneviève MORRISON (CAN)
Rosine NTSA ASSOUGA (CMR)
Jacqueline MOLLOCANA (ECU)
Aintzane GORRIA GONI (ESP)
Julie SABATIE (FRA)
Anastasia BLAYVAS (GER)
Marina KARAPANAGIOTIDOU (GRE)
Emanuela LIUZZI (ITA)
Laura GANIKYZY (KAZ)
Emma WANGILA (KEN)
Miran CHEON (KOR)
Gabija DILYTE (LTU)
Mariana DIAZ MUNOZ (MEX)
Miesinnei GENESIS (NGR)
Yorlenis MORAN (PAN)
Anna LUKASIAK (POL)
Son Hyang KIM (PRK)
Beatrice FERENT (ROU)
Nipuni WASANA (SRI)
Svenja JUNGO (SUI)
Meng Hsuan HSIEH (TPE)
Thi Xuan NGUYEN (VIE)
 
53kg
Oleksandra KOGUT (AUT)
Gultakin SHIRINOVA (AZE)
Sabrina GAMA TAPAJOS (BRA)
Irena BINKOVA (BUL)
Karla GODINEZ (CAN)
Nogona BAKAYOKO (CIV)
Miriam NGOE WASE (CMR)
Laura HERIN AVILA (CUB)
Maria BAEZ DILONE (ESP)
Tatiana DEBIEN (FRA)
Annika WENDLE (GER)
Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE)
Sztalvira ORSOS (HUN)
Fabiana RINELLA (ITA)
Marina SEDNEVA (KAZ)
Aruuke KADYRBEK KYZY (KGZ)
Seoyoung PARK (KOR)
Zineb ECH CHABKI (MAR)
Mariana DRAGUTAN (MDA)
Zeltzin HERNANDEZ (MEX)
Khulan BATKHUYAG (MGL)
Veronika RJABOVOLOVA (MKD)
Yusneiry AGRAZAL WEST (PAN)
Jowita WRZESIEN (POL)
Nethmi AHINSA (SRI)
Zeynep YETGIL (TUR)
Mariia VYNNYK (UKR)
Shokhida AKHMEDOVA (UZB)
Thi My Trang NGUYEN (VIE)

57kg
Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (AIN)
Alyona KOLESNIK (AZE)
Giullia PENALBER (BRA)
Evelina NIKOLOVA (BUL)
Yaynelis SANZ (CUB)
Graciela SANCHEZ (ESP)
Mathilde RIVIERE (FRA)
Ramona GALAMBOS (HUN)
Aurora RUSSO (ITA)
Laura ALMAGANBETOVA (KAZ)
Sezim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ)
Youngjin KWON (KOR)
Zineb HASSOUNE (MAR)
Alma VALENCIA (MEX)
Khongorzul BOLDSAIKHAN (MGL)
Marija CVETANOVA (MKD)
Ester ABRAHAM (NAM)
Othelie HOEIE (NOR)
In Sun JONG (PRK)
Kateryna ZHYDACHEVSKA (ROU)
Evelina HULTHEN (SWE)
Elvira KAMALOGLU (TUR)
Alina HRUSHYNA AKOBIIA (UKR)
Laylokhon SOBIROVA (UZB)

62kg
Veranika IVANOVA (AIN)
Nachi MASUDA (AUS)
Ruzanna MAMMADOVA (AZE)
Lais NUNES (BRA)
Yaru WU (CHN)
Lydia PEREZ (ESP)
Ameline DOUARRE (FRA)
Mansi MANSI (IND)
Elena ESPOSITO (ITA)
Irina KUZNETSOVA (KAZ)
Hanbit LEE (KOR)
Anastasija GRIGORJEVA (LAT)
Mariana CHERDIVARA (MDA)
Melanie JIMENEZ (MEX)
Arian CARPIO (PHI)
Natalia KUBATY (POL)
Kriszta INCZE (ROU)
Annatina LIPPUNER (SUI)
Sara LINDBORG (SWE)
Nesrin BAS (TUR)
Astrid MONTERO (VEN)

68kg
Alina SHAUCHUK (AIN)
Albina DRAZHI (ALB)
Elis MANOLOVA (AZE)
Mimi HRISTOVA (BUL)
Linda MORAIS (CAN)
Qian JIANG (CHN)
Blandine NGIRI (CMR)
Adela HANZLICKOVA (CZE)
Noémi SZABADOS (HUN)
Nisha NISHA (IND)
Ilana KRATYSH (ISR)
Dalma CANEVA (ITA)
Yelena SHALYGINA (KAZ)
Ohyoung HA (KOR)
Elma ZEIDLERE (LAT)
Danute DOMIKAITYTE (LTU)
Ambar GARNICA (MEX)
Uilau TARKONG (PLW)
Alexandra ANGHEL (ROU)
Zsuzsanna MOLNAR (SVK)
Tindra SJOEBERG (SWE)
Alina BEREZHNA (UKR)
Nabira ESENBAEVA (UZB) 

76kg
Rita TALISMANOVA (AIN)
Anastasiya ZIMIANKOVA (AIN)
Annie ALOISIO (ASA)
Martina KUENZ (AUT)
Yuliana YANEVA (BUL)
Amy YOUIN (CIV)
Samar HAMZA (EGY)
Epp MAE (EST)
Pauline LECARPENTIER (FRA)
Francy RAEDELT (GER)
Agoro PAPAVASILEIOU (GRE)
Enrica RINALDI (ITA)
Elmira SYZDYKOVA (KAZ)
Eunju HWANG (KOR)
Kamile GAUCAITE (LTU)
Davaanasan ENKH AMAR (MGL)
Patrycja SPERKA (POL)
Catalina AXENTE (ROU)
Hui Tsz CHANG (TPE)
Anastasiia SHUSTOVA (UKR)
Maria ACOSTA (VEN)

Iman MAHDAVI and Jamil VALIZADEH are part of the refugee and will be eligible for qualification in Istanbul as both are already qualified as part of the IOC Refugee Team for the Paris 2024. 

#WrestleZagreb

Valiev outsmarts Sidakov again to reach Worlds final

By Vinay Siwach

ZAGREB, Croatia (September 14) -- For five minutes and 50 seconds in both the 74kg semifinals, there was little indication that the results will change. But 10 seconds were enough for Chermen VALIEV (ALB) and Kota TAKAHASHI (JPN) to change the outcome.

Valiev was down 4-2 against Zaurbek SIDAKOV (UWW) but managed to elevate the latter's leg from an attack before tripping him on the edge for a two-point takedown, taking a 4-4 criteria lead with three seconds remaining.

Sidakov tried a desperate attack but gave up another takedown even in that short time as Valiev reached his first-ever World Championships final on debut in Zagreb, Croatia.

Takahashi was down 4-1 against Taimuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK) but the Japanese scored a takedown and turned Salkazanov through a gut-wrench to lead 5-4. He still had 6 seconds to defend and he managed to do it with ease. Slovakia challenged for fleeing from Takahashi but that was lost which added an additional point to make it 6-4.

Valiev and Takahashi, both with clutch wins, will now clash in the 74kg final for the world title on Monday.

Three other weight classes were also in action on Sunday and the United States was the only country to put two wrestlers in the finals -- Levi HAINES (USA) at 79kg and Trent HIDLAY (USA) at 92kg.

Haines, who stunned world champion Akhmed USMANOV (UWW) in the quarterfinals, scored a controlled 4-1 victory over Suldkhuu OLONBAYAR (MGL) in the semifinals. Olonbayar got the first point via passivity of Haines but the U.S. wrestler scored a counter exposure for two points and take a 2-1 lead.

He scored a ankle pick for another two-point takedown and defended his 4-1 lead for the win and reach the final, a surprise in a tough 79kg bracket.

On Monday, he will try to stop Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE) from becoming Greece's first-ever wrestling world champion in history. The European champion from Greece showed some of the most high-paced wrestling in the semifinal against world silver medalist Mohammad NOKHODI (IRI) to win 8-3.

Nokhodi, was often stood squared-up, had no answered to Kougioumtsidis' constant attacks as the Greece wrestlers led 6-3 at the break. He scored a single-leg takedown in the second period and won 8-3.

Hidlay, who has switched levels in his career this year, reached the final at 92kg after destroying world silver medalist Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE), 15-4, in the semifinals.

Nurmagomedov was in the match when the score was 5-4 with 2:23 left but Hidlay switch gears since, scoring a go-behind, a feet-to-back four-pointer and a takedown to finish with a technical superiority win.

He will face Amanula GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (UWW) for the gold medal after Gadzhimagomedov managed to hold off Amirhossein FIROUZPOUR (IRI) for an 11-6. Firouzpour, who had multiple age-group world titles, kept shooting for Gadzhimagomedov's legs but the UWW wrestler kept countering those attack with lift exposures.

Gadzhimagomedov then sealed the win with stepout, handing him a 9-6 lead and a takedown finishing the match 11-6.

Harutyunyan pinned after Lee heroics

Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) undoubtedly had the most impressive win of the morning session when he defeated Olympic silver medalist Spencer LEE (USA) 14-3 in the quarterfinals.

The win put Harutyunyan as the favorite to advance to the final at 57kg. However, Asian champion Chongsong HAN (PRK) had different ideas. He hit a lateral drop on Harutyunyan in the semifinals and secured a fall to enter the final. Han is the first Freestyle wrestler from the DPR Korea to enter the final in 11 years.

Han will now try to become a world champion when he takes on Bekzat ALMAZ UULU (KGZ) in the 57kg final after the Kyrgyz wrestler took it to Paris Olympic bronze medalist Gulomjon ABDULLAEV (UZB), winning 8-0.

Abdullaev seemed to have burnt out from the earlier matches and had little fight left in him as Almaz Uulu scored points at his will in the semifinals including four stepouts.

RESULTS

57kg
GOLD: Chongsong HAN (PRK) vs. Bekzat ALMAZ UULU (KGZ)

SF 1: Chongsong HAN (PRK) df. Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM), via fall
SF 2: Bekzat ALMAZ UULU (KGZ) df. Gulomjon ABDULLAEV (UZB), 8-0

74kg
GOLD: Chermen VALIEV (ALB) vs. Kota TAKAHASHI (JPN)

SF 1: Chermen VALIEV (ALB) df. Zaurbek SIDAKOV (UWW), 6-4
SF 2: Kota TAKAHASHI (JPN) df. Taimuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK), 6-4

79kg
GOLD: Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE) vs. Levi HAINES (USA)

SF 1: Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE) df. Mohammad NOKHODI (IRI), 8-3
SF 2: Levi HAINES (USA) df. Suldkhuu OLONBAYAR (MGL), 4-1

92kg
GOLD: Trent HIDLAY (USA) vs. Amanula GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (UWW)

SF 1: Trent HIDLAY (USA) df. Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE), 15-4
SF 2:  Amanula GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (UWW) df. Amirhossein FIROUZPOUR (IRI), 9-6