#WrestleBelgrade

#WrestleBelgrade World Championships entry list

By Vinay Siwach

BELGRADE, Serbia (August 24) -- More than 800 wrestlers will arrive in Belgrade to compete at the World Championships beginning September 10 at the Stark Arena.

The tournament will kick off with Greco-Roman as Iran looks to win the team title it missed in Oslo. The field includes stars from Iran, Georgia, Azerbaijan and Turkey. Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) is returning to competition since his silver medal at the Tokyo Olympics.

In freestyle, the team race can end up being a thriller between Iran and the USA. Iran finished third in Oslo, six points behind the USA. A few rivalries may also see a new chapter added to them in Belgrade.

In women's wrestling, Japan will be the favorite to win the team title with the USA once again trying to challenge them for the top spot. The return of China to the World Championships after three years will interesting as they hope for a podium finish as well.

The tournament will see four Greco-Roman weight classes on Saturday before four more on Sunday. September 12 will have two women's and two Greco-Roman weight classes. Tuesday and Wednesday will be about women's wrestling with four weights on the mat each day. Freestyle competition begins with four weights on Friday, three on Saturday and three on Sunday, the final day of the tournament.

All the live action and highlights from the World Championships will be on uww.org

* This is a provisional entry list. The NFs have the right to change a wrestler 24 hours before the draw of the respective style.

Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI)Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI), red, will look to defend his 125kg title in Belgrade. (Photo: UWW / Tony Rotundo)

Freestyle

57kg
Zelimkhan ABAKAROV (ALB)
Manvel KHNDZRTSYAN (ARM)
Georgii OKOROKOV (AUS)
Aliabbas RZAZADE (AZE)
Darthe CAPELLAN (CAN)
Wanhao ZOU (CHN)
Rabby KILANDI (COD)
Oscar TIGREROS (COL)
Reineri ORTEGA (CUB)
Levan VARTANOV (ESP)
Valentin DAMOUR (FRA)
Diamantino IUNA FAFE (GBS)
Beka BUJIASHVILI (GEO)
Horst LEHR (GER)
Edwin SEGURA GUERRA (GUA)
Ravi KUMAR (IND)
Alireza SARLAK (IRI)
Toshihiro HASEGAWA (JPN)
Rakhat KALZHAN (KAZ)
Bekbolot MYRZANAZAR UULU (KGZ)
Sunggwon KIM (KOR)
Roberto BLANCO (MEX)
Zanabazar ZANDANBUD (MGL)
Vladimir EGOROV (MKD)
Darian CRUZ (PUR)
Razvan KOVACS (ROU)
Jakobo TAU (RSA)
Stevan MICIC (SRB)
Muhamad IKROMOV (TJK)
Muhammet KARAVUS (TUR)
Kamil KERYMOV (UKR)
Thomas GILMAN (USA)
Gulomjon ABDULLAEV (UZB)

61kg
Islam DUDAEV (ALB)
Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM)
Islam BAZARGANOV (AZE)
Georgi VANGELOV (BUL)
Jason LUNEAU (CAN)
Minghu LIU (CHN)
Jordan KABONGO (COD)
Khamzat ARSAMERZOUEV (FRA)
Teimuraz VANISHVILI (GEO)
Pankaj MALIK (IND)
Reza ATRI (IRI)
Rei HIGUCHI (JPN)
Assyl AITAKYN (KAZ)
Ulukbek ZHOLDOSHBEKOV (KGZ)
Igor CHICHIOI (MDA)
Narankhuu NARMANDAKH (MGL)
Besir ALILI (MKD)
Ali ABURUMAILA (PLE)
Eduard GRIGOREV (POL)
Joseph SILVA (PUR)
Nikolai OKHLOPKOV (ROU)
Suleyman ATLI (TUR)
Andrii DZHELEP (UKR)
Seth GROSS (USA)
Jahongirmirza TUROBOV (UZB)

65kg
Agustin DESTRIBATS (ARG)
Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM)
Haji ALIYEV (AZE)
Haji ALI (BRN)
Vladimir DUBOV (BUL)
Lachlan MCNEIL (CAN)
Raby BAPELEKIA (CGO)
Shaohua YUAN (CHN)
Norva BUKASA (COD)
Alejandro VALDES (CUB)
Arman ELOYAN (FRA)
Mbunde CUMBA MBALI (GBS)
Beka LOMTADZE (GEO)
Alexander SEMISOROW (GER)
Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN)
Bajrang PUNIA (IND)
Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI)
Kaiki YAMAGUCHI (JPN)
Adil OSPANOV (KAZ)
Alibek OSMONOV (KGZ)
Junsik YUN (KOR)
Vitalie BUNICI (MDA)
Tsogbadrakh TSEVEENSUREN (MGL)
Krzysztof BIENKOWSKI (POL)
Sebastian RIVERA (PUR)
Stefan COMAN (ROU)
Cavit ACAR (TUR)
Erik ARUSHANIAN (UKR)
John DIAKOMIHALIS (USA)
Abbos RAKHMONOV (UZB)

70kg
Arman ANDREASYAN (ARM)
Joshgun AZIMOV (AZE)
Ramazan RAMAZANOV (BUL)
Vincent DE MARINIS (CAN)
Elie DJEKOUNDAKOM DJERAYOM (CHA)
Nuerlanbieke WURENIBAI (CHN)
Anthony WESLEY (CPV)
Bacar NDUM (GBS)
Zurabi IAKOBISHVILI (GEO)
Kevin HENKEL (GER)
Daniel ANTAL (HUN)
Naveen MALIK (IND)
Amirmohammad YAZDANI (IRI)
Joshua FINESILVER (ISR)
Gianluca TALAMO (ITA)
Taishi NARIKUNI (JPN)
Syrbaz TALGAT (KAZ)
Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ)
Yongseok JEONG (KOR)
Maxim SACULTAN (MDA)
Temuulen ENKHTUYA (MGL)
Fati VEJSELI (MKD)
Marc DIETSCHE (SUI)
Daniel CHOMANIC (SVK)
Servet COSKUN (TUR)
Oleksii BORUTA (UKR)
Zain RETHERFORD (USA)
Nodir RAKHIMOV (UZB)

74kg
Hrayr ALIKHANYAN (ARM)
Simon MARCHL (AUT)
Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE)
Cesar ALVAN (BRA)
Miroslav KIROV (BUL)
Jasmit PHULKA (CAN)
MENGHEJIGAN (CHN)
Redy MUPOMPA (COD)
Franklin MAREN CASTILLO (CUB)
Aimar ANDRUSE (EST)
Giorgi SULAVA (GEO)
Enrique PEREZ CASTELLANOS (GUA)
Sagar JAGLAN (IND)
Yones EMAMI (IRI)
Mitchell FINESILVER (ISR)
Frank CHAMIZO (ITA)
Daichi TAKATANI (JPN)
Nurkozha KAIPANOV (KAZ)
Mathayo MAHABILA (KEN)
Islambek OROZBEKOV (KGZ)
Seungbong LEE (KOR)
Vasile DIACON (MDA)
Diego SANDOVAL (MEX)
Suldkhuu OLONBAYAR (MGL)
Jean STE MARIE (MRI)
Kamil RYBICKI (POL)
Franklin GOMEZ (PUR)
Maxim VASILIOGLO (ROU)
Malik AMINE (SMR)
Hetik CABOLOV (SRB)
Tajmuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK)
Soner DEMIRTAS (TUR)
Zielimkhan TOHUZOV (UKR)
Kyle DAKE (USA)
Asomiddin HASANOV (UZB)

79kg
Arman AVAGYAN (ARM)
Ashraf ASHIROV (AZE)
Ali UMARPASHAEV (BUL)
Adam THOMSON (CAN)
Shengsong XIA (CHN)
Assane BALLO (CIV)
Andy MUKENDI (COD)
Erik REINBOK (EST)
Saifedine ALEKMA (FRA)
Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO)
Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE)
Csaba VIDA (HUN)
Deepak MIRKA (IND)
Mohammad NOKHODI (IRI)
Dan TSESARSKY (ISR)
Yudai TAKAHASHI (JPN)
Bolat SAKAYEV (KAZ)
Arsalan BUDAZHAPOV (KGZ)
Bumgue SEO (KOR)
Alans AMIROVS (LAT)
Kornelijus STULGINSKAS (LTU)
Stefan CANTIR (MDA)
Dulguun ALTANZUL (MGL)
Dejan MITROV (MKD)
Iakub SHIKHDZHAMALOV (ROU)
Akhsarbek GULAEV (SVK)
Shuhrat BOZOROV (TJK)
Sahergeldi SAPARMYRADOV (TKM)
Muhammet AKDENIZ (TUR)
Vasyl MYKHAILOV (UKR)
Jordan BURROUGHS (USA)
Bekzod ABDURAKHMONOV (UZB)

86kg
Benjamin GREIL (AUT)
Abubakr ABAKAROV (AZE)
Akhmed MAGAMAEV (BUL)
Alexander MOORE (CAN)
Zushen LIN (CHN)
Barthelemy TSHOSHA (COD)
Yurieski TORREBLANCA (CUB)
Taimuraz FRIEV (ESP)
Rakhim MAGAMADOV (FRA)
Tarzan MAISURADZE (GEO)
Lars SCHAEFLE (GER)
Patrik PUESPOEKI (HUN)
Sanjeet KUNDU (IND)
Hassan YAZDANI (IRI)
Aron CANEVA (ITA)
Shota SHIRAI (JPN)
Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ)
Gwanuk KIM (KOR)
Ivars SAMUSONOKS (LAT)
Ivan ICHIZLI (MDA)
Noel TORRES (MEX)
Bat BYAMBASUREN (MGL)
Sebastian JEZIERZANSKI (POL)
Ethan RAMOS (PUR)
Myles AMINE (SMR)
Stefan REICHMUTH (SUI)
Boris MAKOEV (SVK)
Dovletmyrat ORAZGYLYJOV (TKM)
Fatih ERDIN (TUR)
Khasan ZAKARIIEV (UKR)
David TAYLOR (USA)
Bobur ISLOMOV (UZB)

92kg
Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE)
Ahmed BATAEV (BUL)
Richard DESCHATELETS (CAN)
Yuxiang BI (CHN)
Aron MBO (COD)
Maxwell LACEY (CRC)
Miriani MAISURADZE (GEO)
Johannes MAYER (GER)
Vicky HOODA (IND)
Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI)
Simone IANNATTONI (ITA)
Sohsuke TAKATANI (JPN)
Adilet DAVLUMBAYEV (KAZ)
Jinmyeong KIM (KOR)
Georgii RUBAEV (MDA)
Gankhuyag GANBAATAR (MGL)
Radoslaw MARCINKIEWICZ (POL)
Johan MOSTERT (RSA)
Strahinja DESPIC (SRB)
Feyzullah AKTURK (TUR)
Illia ARCHAIA (UKR)
Jden COX (USA)

97kg
Magomedkhan MAGOMEDOV (AZE)
Nishan RANDHAWA (CAN)
Tuerxunbieke MUHEITE (CHN)
Ulrich MANOUAN (CIV)
Givi MATCHARASHVILI (GEO)
Erik THIELE (GER)
Vladislav BAITSAEV (HUN)
Viky CHAHAR (IND)
Mohammadhossein MOHAMMADIAN (IRI)
Benjamin HONIS (ITA)
Takashi ISHIGURO (JPN)
Mamed IBRAGIMOV (KAZ)
Minwon SEO (KOR)
Lukas KRASAUSKAS (LTU)
Samhan JABRAILOV (MDA)
Batzul ULZIISAIKHAN (MGL)
Magomedgadji NUROV (MKD)
Zbigniew BARANOWSKI (POL)
Samuel SCHERRER (SUI)
Batyrbek TSAKULOV (SVK)
Mucahit CELIK (TUR)
Mahamed ZAKARIIEV (UKR)
Kyle SNYDER (USA)

125kg
Catriel MURIEL (ARG)
Aydin AHMADOV (AZE)
Amarveer DHESI (CAN)
Zhiwei DENG (CHN)
Reineris SALAS PEREZ (CUB)
Youssif HEMIDA (EGY)
Jere HEINO (FIN)
Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO)
Gennadij CUDINOVIC (GER)
Daniel LIGETI (HUN)
Dinesh DHANKAR (IND)
Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI)
Taiki YAMAMOTO (JPN)
Oleg BOLTIN (KAZ)
Yeihyun JUNG (KOR)
Lkhagvagerel MUNKHTUR (MGL)
Robert BARAN (POL)
Magomedgadzhi NURASULOV (SRB)
Abdullah KARIM (SYR)
Zyyamuhammet SAPAROV (TKM)
Taha AKGUL (TUR)
Oleksandr KHOTSIANIVSKYI (UKR)
Hayden ZILLMER (USA)
Khasanboy RAKHIMOV (UZB)

Helen MAROULIS (USA)Helen MAROULIS (USA) is the defending world champion at 57kg. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Women's wrestling

50kg
Patricia BERMUDEZ (ARG)
Kamila BARBOSA (BRA)
Miglena SELISHKA (BUL)
Madison PARKS (CAN)
Ziqi FENG (CHN)
Julie SABATIE (FRA)
Lisa ERSEL (GER)
Szimonetta SZEKER (HUN)
Neelam SIROHI (IND)
Yui SUSAKI (JPN)
Svetlana ANKICHEVA (KAZ)
Miran CHEON (KOR)
Rita ROJAS (MEX)
Otgonjargal DOLGORJAV (MGL)
Mercy GENESIS (NGR)
Anna LUKASIAK (POL)
Emilia VUC (ROU)
Zehra DEMIRHAN (TUR)
Oksana LIVACH (UKR)
Sarah HILDEBRANDT (USA)
Jasmina IMMAEVA (UZB)
Thi NGUYEN (VIE)

53kg
Leyla GURBANOVA (AZE)
Samantha STEWART (CAN)
Yuhong ZHONG (CHN)
Nogona BAKAYOKO (CIV)
Laura HERIN AVILA (CUB)
Lucia YEPEZ GUZMAN (ECU)
Marina RUEDA FLORES (ESP)
Tatiana SALAH (FRA)
Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE)
Mercedesz DENES (HUN)
Vinesh PHOGAT (IND)
Zhuldyz ESHIMOVA (KAZ)
Hyunyoung OH (KOR)
Iulia LEORDA (MDA)
Karla ACOSTA (MEX)
Khulan BATKHUYAG (MGL)
Katarzyna KRAWCZYK (POL)
Jonna MALMGREN (SWE)
Zeynep YETGIL (TUR)
Liliia MALANCHUK (UKR)
Dominique PARRISH (USA)
Aktenge KEUNIMJAEVA (UZB)
Thi KIEU (VIE)

55kg
Karla GODINEZ (CAN)
Mengyu XIE (CHN)
Yaynelis SANZ VERDECIA (CUB)
Luisa VALVERDE (ECU)
Nina HEMMER (GER)
Sushma SHOKEEN (IND)
Mayu SHIDOCHI MUKAIDA (JPN)
Marina SEDNEVA (KAZ)
Mariana DRAGUTAN (MDA)
Otgonjargal GANBAATAR (MGL)
Roksana ZASINA (POL)
Andreea ANA (ROU)
Elvira KAMALOGLU (TUR)
Oleksandra KHOMENETS (UKR)
Jacarra WINCHESTER (USA)
Shokhida AKHMEDOVA (UZB)
Thi NGUYEN (VIE)

57kg
Zhala ALIYEVA (AZE)
Giullia PENALBER (BRA)
Evelina NIKOLOVA (BUL)
Hannah TAYLOR (CAN)
Yongxin FENG (CHN)
Sandra PARUSZEWSKI (GER)
Sarita MOR (IND)
Tsugumi SAKURAI (JPN)
Emma TISSINA (KAZ)
Hyungjoo KIM (KOR)
Alma VALENCIA ESCOTO (MEX)
Davaachimeg ERKHEMBAYAR (MGL)
Esther KOLAWOLE (NGR)
Anhelina LYSAK (POL)
Bediha GUN (TUR)
Alina HRUSHYNA (UKR)
Helen MAROULIS (USA)
Laylokhon SOBIROVA (UZB)
Thi NGUYEN (UZB)

59kg
Alyona KOLESNIK (AZE)
Fatme SHABAN (BUL)
Laurence BEAUREGARD (CAN)
Qi ZHANG (CHN)
Elena BRUGGER (GER)
Mansi AHLAWAT (IND)
Sakura MOTOKI (JPN)
Diana KAYUMOVA (KAZ)
Anastasia NICHITA (MDA)
Shoovdor BAATARJAV (MGL)
Grace BULLEN (NOR)
Jowita WRZESIEN (POL)
Ebru DAGBASI (TUR)
Solomiia VYNNYK (UKR)
Abigail NETTE (USA)

62kg
Tetiana OMELCHENKO (AZE)
Lais DE OLIVEIRA (BRA)
Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL)
Ana GODINEZ (CAN)
Xiaojuan LUO (CHN)
Lydia PEREZ (ESP)
Ameline DOUARRE (FRA)
Luisa NIEMESCH (GER)
Anna SZEL (HUN)
Sonam MALIK (IND)
Nataliia SHAFIR (ISR)
Nonoka OZAKI (JPN)
Ayaulym KASSYMOVA (KAZ)
Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ)
Hanbit LEE (KOR)
Tserenchimed SUKHEE (MGL)
Anna FABIAN (SRB)
Sara LINDBORG (SWE)
Marwa AMRI (TUN)
Yagmur CAKMAK (TUR)
Ilona PROKOPEVNIUK (UKR)
Kayla MIRACLE (USA)
Ariukhan JUMABAEVA (UZB)
Thi NGUYEN (VIE)

65kg
Elis MANOLOVA (AZE)
Mimi HRISTOVA (BUL)
Aleah NICKEL (CAN)
Jia LONG (CHN)
Koumba LARROQUE (FRA)
SHAFALI (IND)
Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN)
Yelena SHALYGINA (KAZ)
Purevsuren ULZIISAIKHAN (MGL)
Kriszta INCZE (ROU)
Asli DEMIR (TUR)
Tetiana RIZHKO (UKR)
Mallory VELTE (USA)
Dinora RUSTAMOVA (UZB)

68kg
Grabriela DA ROCHA (BRA)
Sofiya GEORGIEVA (BUL)
Linda MORAIS (CAN)
Feng ZHOU (CHN)
Rosie TABORA (COD)
Adela HANZLICKOVA (CZE)
Pauline LECARPENTIER (FRA)
Noemi SZABADOS (HUN)
Nisha DAHIYA (IND)
Dalma CANEVA (ITA)
Ami ISHII (JPN)
Madina BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ)
Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ)
Sujin PARK (KOR)
Danute DOMIKAITYTE (LTU)
Irina RINGACI (MDA)
Ambar GARNICA (MEX)
Delgermaa ENKHSAIKHAN (MGL)
Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR)
Natalia STRZALKA (POL)
Patricia ELNOUR (SUD)
Nesrin BAS (TUR)
Alla BELINSKA (UKR)
Tamyra MENSAH STOCK (USA)
Dieu LAI (VIE)

72kg
Shauna KUEBECK (CAN)
QIANDEGENCHAGAN (CHN)
Kendra DACHER (FRA)
Lilly SCHNEIDER (GER)
REETIKA (IND)
Masako FURUICHI (JPN)
Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ)
Davaanasan ENKH AMAR (MGL)
Patrycja SPERKA (POL)
Alexandra ANGHEL (ROU)
Buse TOSUN (TUR)
Anastasiya ALPYEYEVA (UKR)
Amit ELOR (USA)
Svetlana OKNAZAROVA (UZB)

76kg
Martina KUENZ (AUT)
Justina DI STASIO (CAN)
Juan WANG (CHN)
Amy YOUIN (CIV)
Tatiana RENTERIA (COL)
Milaimys POTRILLE (CUB)
Genesis VALDEZ (ECU)
Samar HAMZA (EGY)
Epp MAE (EST)
Francy RAEDELT (GER)
Jemima NYARKO OFORI (GHA)
PRIYANKA (IND)
Enrica RINALDI (ITA)
Yuka KAGAMI (JPN)
Gulmaral YERKEBAYEVA (KAZ)
Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ)
Seoyeon JEONG (KOR)
Kamile GAUCAITE (LTU)
Ariunjargal GANBAT (MGL)
Catalina AXENTE (ROU)
Fanni NAGY NAD (SRB)
Yasemin ADAR (TUR)
Anastasiia SHUSTOVA (UKR)
Dymond GUILFORD (USA)
Thi DANG (VIE)

Luis ORTA SANCHEZ (CUB)Olympic champion Luis ORTA SANCHEZ (CUB) is returning to competition in Belgrade. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Greco-Roman

55kg
Rudik MKRTCHYAN (ARM)
Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE)
Nedyalko PETROV (BUL)
Jiahao LIU (CHN)
Rabby KILANDI (COD)
Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO)
Fabian SCHMITT (GER)
Arjun HALAKURKI (IND)
Poya DAD MARZ (IRI)
Giovanni FRENI (ITA)
Mostafa ALQADE (JOR)
Yu SHIOTANI (JPN)
Amangali BEKBOLATOV (KAZ)
Hyeokjin JEON (KOR)
Artiom DELEANU (MDA)
Ekrem OZTURK (TUR)
Koriun SAHRADIAN (UKR)
Max NOWRY (USA)
Jasurbek ORTIKBOEV (UZB)

60kg
Abdelkarim FERGAT (ALG)
Gevorg GHARIBYAN (ARM)
Murad MAMMADOV (AZE)
Marat GARIPOV (BRA)
Edmond NAZARYAN (BUL)
Liguo CAO (CHN)
Simeon MABIALA (COD)
Dicther TORO CASTANEDA (COL)
Kevin DE ARMAS (CUB)
Haithem MAHMOUD (EGY)
Helary MAEGISALU (EST)
Leo TUDEZCA (FRA)
Pridon ABULADZE (GEO)
Etienne KINSINGER (GER)
Krisztian KECSKEMETI (HUN)
Gyanender DAHIYA (IND)
Mehdi MOHSEN NEJAD (IRI)
Kenichiro FUMITA (JPN)
Aidos SULTANGALI (KAZ)
Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ)
Hanjae CHUNG (KOR)
Justas PETRAVICIUS (LTU)
Michal TRACZ (POL)
Alexandru TRANDAFIR (ROU)
Ardit FAZLJIJA (SWE)
Kerem KAMAL (TUR)
Viktor PETRYK (UKR)
Ildar HAFIZOV (USA)
Ilkhom BAKHROMOV (UZB)

63kg
Abdeldjebar DJEBBARI (ALG)
Hrachya POGHOSYAN (ARM)
Taleh MAMMADOV (AZE)
Nikolay VICHEV (BUL)
Cristobal TORRES (CHI)
Erbatu TUO (CHN)
Jordan KABONGO (COD)
Ivan LIZATOVIC (CRO)
Luis ORTA SANCHEZ (CUB)
Leri ABULADZE (GEO)
Abdolmohammad PAPI (GER)
Emerson FELIPE ORDONEZ (GUA)
Erik TORBA (HUN)
NEERAJ (IND)
Ali Reza NEJATI (IRI)
Ryuto IKEDA (JPN)
Galym KABDUNASSAROV (KAZ)
Tynar SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ)
Jinseub SONG (KOR)
Aleksandrs JURKJANS (LAT)
Victor CIOBANU (MDA)
Jose RODRIGUEZ (MEX)
Razvan ARNAUT (ROU)
Sebastian NAD (SRB)
Virgil BICA (SWE)
Ahmet UYAR (TUR)
Oleksandr HRUSHYN (UKR)
Samuel JONES (USA)
Aker AL OBAIDI (UWW)
Turabek TIRKASHEV (UZB)

67kg
Ishak GHAIOU (ALG)
Slavik GALSTYAN (ARM)
Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE)
Kenedy MORAES PEDROSA (BRA)
Nestor ALMANZA TRUYOL (CHI)
Husiyuetu HUSIYUETU (CHN)
Norva BUKASA (COD)
Julian HORTA ACEVEDO (COL)
Mohamed ELSAYED (EGY)
Mamadassa SYLLA (FRA)
Joni KHETSURIANI (GEO)
Krisztian VANCZA (HUN)
ASHU (IND)
Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI)
Katsuaki ENDO (JPN)
Din KOSHKAR (KAZ)
Amantur ISMAILOV (KGZ)
Hansu RYU (KOR)
Donior ISLAMOV (MDA)
Diego MARTINEZ DE LEIJA (MEX)
Morten THORESEN (NOR)
Mateusz BERNATEK (POL)
Pedro MORAIS (POR)
Mihai MIHUT (ROU)
Mate NEMES (SRB)
Andreas VETSCH (SUI)
Murat FIRAT (TUR)
Parviz NASIBOV (UKR)
Alejandro SANCHO (USA)
Abror ATABAEV (UZB)

72kg
Ulvu GANIZADE (AZE)
Deyvid DIMITROV (BUL)
Arnaud MAMBOU (CGO)
Reangan NDOMBASI (COD)
Pavel PUKLAVEC (CRO)
Jakub BIELESZ (CZE)
Matias LIPASTI (FIN)
Ibrahim GHANEM (FRA)
Shmagi BOLKVADZE (GEO)
Samuel BELLSCHEIDT (GER)
Jose VARELA GARCIA (GUA)
Robert FRITSCH (HUN)
VIKAS (IND)
Mohammad Reza MOKHTARI (IRI)
Taishi HORIE (JPN)
Ibragim MAGOMADOV (KAZ)
Jiyeon LEE (KOR)
Kristupas SLEIVA (LTU)
Valentin PETIC (MDA)
Gevorg SAHAKYAN (POL)
Ali ARSALAN (SRB)
Selcuk CAN (TUR)
Andrii KULYK (UKR)
Benjamin PEAK (USA)
Mirzobek RAKHMATOV (UZB)

77kg
Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM)
Rohan KALISCH (AUS)
Sanan SULEYMANOV (AZE)
Joilson DE BRITO (BRA)
Aik MNATSAKANIAN (BUL)
Rui LIU (CHN)
Redy MUPOMPA (COD)
Antonio KAMENJASEVIC (CRO)
Yosvanys PENA FLORES (CUB)
Oldrich VARGA (CZE)
Oliver KRUEGER (DEN)
Johnny BUR (FRA)
Iuri LOMADZE (GEO)
Idris IBAEV (GER)
Georgios PREVOLARAKIS (GRE)
David CHOC HUOC (GUA)
Zoltan LEVAI (HUN)
SACHIN (IND)
Mohammadali GERAEI (IRI)
Riccardo ABBRESCIA (ITA)
Shohei YABIKU (JPN)
Tamerlan SHADUKAYEV (KAZ)
Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ)
Hyeonwoo KIM (KOR)
Paulius GALKINAS (LTU)
Emmanuel BENITEZ (MEX)
Per KURE (NOR)
Viktor NEMES (SRB)
Fabio DIETSCHE (SUI)
Per OLOFSSON (SWE)
Yunus BASAR (TUR)
Yasaf ZEINALOV (UKR)
Kamal BEY (USA)
Aram VARDANYAN (UZB)

82kg
Karapet CHALYAN (ARM)
Rafig HUSEYNOV (AZE)
Rosian DERMANSKI (BUL)
Chengwu WANG (CHN)
Andy MUKENDI (COD)
Filip SACIC (CRO)
Petr NOVAK (CZE)
Ranet KALJOLA (EST)
Gela BOLKVADZE (GEO)
Roland SCHWARZ (GER)
Tamas LEVAI (HUN)
Harpreet SINGH (IND)
Pejman POSHTAM (IRI)
David ZHYTOMYRSKY (ISR)
Matteo MAFFEZZOLI (ITA)
Sultan EID (JOR)
Yuya OKAJIMA (JPN)
Dias KALEN (KAZ)
Sejin YANG (KOR)
Mihail BRADU (MDA)
Daniel VICENTE (MEX)
Denis HORVATH (SVK)
Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR)
Yaroslav FILCHAKOV (UKR)
Spencer WOODS (USA)
Jalgasbay BERDIMURATOV (UZB)

87kg
Bachir SID AZARA (ALG)
Michael WAGNER (AUT)
Ronisson BRANDAO SANTIAGO (BRA)
Yoan DIMITROV (BUL)
Haitao QIAN (CHN)
Barthelemy TSHOSHA (COD)
Vjekoslav LUBURIC (CRO)
Turpal BISULTANOV (DEN)
Mohamed METWALLY (EGY)
Roberti KOBLIASHVILI (GEO)
Hannes WAGNER (GER)
David LOSONCZI (HUN)
Sunil KUMAR (IND)
Naser ALIZADEH (IRI)
Mirco MINGUZZI (ITA)
Masato SUMI (JPN)
Nursultan TURSYNOV (KAZ)
Atabek AZISBEKOV (KGZ)
Jinhyeok KIM (KOR)
Viorel BURDUJA (MDA)
Alfonso LEYVA (MEX)
Szymon SZYMONOWICZ (POL)
Nicu OJOG (ROU)
Zurabi DATUNASHVILI (SRB)
Damian VON EUW (SUI)
Alex KESSIDIS (SWE)
Ali CENGIZ (TUR)
Andrii ANTONIUK (UKR)
Alan GARCIA (USA)
Nurbek KHASHIMBEKOV (USA)

97kg
Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM)
Daniel GASTL (AUT)
Arif NIFTULLAYEV (AZE)
Igor ALVES DE QUEIROZ (BRA)
Kiril MILOV (BUL)
Yan LIU (CHN)
Aron MBO (COD)
Juan CONDE IBANEZ (CUB)
Artur OMAROV (CZE)
Mathias BAK (DEN)
Giorgi MELIA (GEO)
Lucas LAZOGIANIS (GER)
Alex SZOKE (HUN)
Deepanshu AHLAWAT (IND)
Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI)
Nikoloz KAKHELASHVILI (ITA)
Takahiro TSURUDA (JPN)
Islam UMAYEV (KAZ)
Beksultan MAKHMUDOV (KGZ)
Seyeol LEE (KOR)
Vilius LAURINAITIS (LTU)
Felix BALDAUF (NOR)
Tadeusz MICHALIK (POL)
Mihail KAJAIA (SRB)
Aleksandar STJEPANETIC (SWE)
Metehan BASAR (TUR)
Vladlen KOZLIUK (UKR)
Braxton AMOS (USA)
Rustam ASSAKALOV (UZB)

130kg
David OVASAPYAN (ARM)
Sabah SHARIATI (AZE)
Eduard SOGHOMONYAN (BRA)
Yasmani ACOSTA FERNANDEZ (CHI)
Lingzhe MENG (CHN)
Abdellatif MOHAMED (EGY)
Konsta MAEENPAEAE (FIN)
Iakobi KAJAIA (GEO)
Jello KRAHMER (GER)
Dariusz VITEK (HUN)
SATISH (IND)
Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI)
Danila SOTNIKOV (ITA)
Arata SONODA (JPN)
Alimkhan SYZDYKOV (KAZ)
Minseok KIM (KOR)
Mantas KNYSTAUTAS (LTU)
Oskar MARVIK (NOR)
Rafal KRAJEWSKI (POL)
Alin ALEXUC CIURARIU (ROU)
Delian ALISHAHI (SUI)
Riza KAYAALP (TUR)
Oleksandr CHERNETSKYY (UKR)
Cohlton SCHULTZ (USA)
Muminjon ABDULLAEV (UZB)

#EmperorsCup

Kiyooka exacts revenge on world champ Okuno for 55kg gold

By Ken Marantz

TOKYO (December 22)--Moe KIYOOKA went to this year's World Championships as a warm-up partner for Ikuei University teammate Tsugumi SAKURAI, but that was never her original intention.

Kiyooka had planned to go as a competitor, and on Friday, she got revenge on the person who not only kept that from happening, but had come home with the world gold that she had been aiming for.

Kiyooka avoided the mistakes that cost her the last time she faced Haruna OKUNO and held on for a 5-1 victory in the women's 55kg final at the Emperor's Cup All-Japan Championships on the second day of the four-day tournament in Tokyo.

"I got revenge, so that's good," said Kiyooka, who had lost to Okuno in a playoff last July for the 55kg spot for the world team to Belgrade.

"[Losing in the playoff] was really hard to take. I really blew my chance after getting so close. I had to go back and determine what was the problem and work it out. Little by little I was able to overcome my issues and this was the result."

With the victory, Kiyooka earned a ticket to the Asian Championships in Bishkek in April, which will mark her senior debut on a major international stage.

The 20-year-old Kiyooka had gone into this year with such promise. She captured golds at both the world U20 and U23 championships, and won her first All-Japan title, albeit it came at 55kg while most of the top competitors had funneled into the Olympic weight classes.

Kiyooka eventually made her Olympic bid by dropping down to 53kg for the Meiji Cup All-Japan Invitational Championships, the second domestic qualifier for Belgrade held in June, but failed to depose the invincible Akari FUJINAMI.

She then entered the wrestle-offs for the world team spot at 55kg, but lost a heartbreaking 2-2 decision to Okuno, who then beat Rino KATAOKA for the ticket to Belgrade. There, Okuno won her third world gold and first since 2018, while Kiyooka went along to help Sakurai capture the 57kg gold and a place in Paris.

In between, Kiyooka had suffered another setback, when she surprisingly failed to defend her world U20 title in Jordan. She was leading Georgiana LIRCA (ROM) in the semifinals when she got caught and lost by fall, and had to settle for a bronze medal.

"My disappointment faded a little after the playoff, but I became lax and left myself open," Kiyooka said. "A lot of people said to me, 'It's a good thing that didn't happen at the All-Japan or an Olympic qualifier.' The important thing was what I learned from it."

JPNMoe KIYOOKA gets behind for a takedown against Haruna OKUNO in the women's 55kg final. (Photo: Takeo Yabuki / Japan Wrestling Federation)

At the World Championships, Kiyooka remained dedicated to the task at hand, but deep down the torment of being left out on the sidelines ate at her. "I had intended to go as a competitor, and to be in that place was agonizing," Kiyooka said. "Every night when I went back to the hotel in Serbia I was close to tears."

Still, her relationship with Sakurai, one year her senior, has been nothing but positive and goes back to their days together as kids in the Kochi Club. It also made her opt to go to Ikuei, bypassing current powerhouse Nippon Sports Science University which older brother Kotaro attends.

"Tsugumi and I have been wrestling together since we were small," Kiyooka said. "She was behind my going to Ikuei. I train with the aim of getting to her level. I try my best to score on her when we are sparring. That's something I wouldn't get at another university. So I feel blessed with the training environment."

In the final against Okuno, Kiyooka gave up an activity point in the first period, but quickly went ahead in the second when she countered a sudden lunge by Okuno and got behind for a takedown. After Kiyooka picked up an activity point to go up 3-1, it became a matter of avoiding a costly mistake.

With time running out, she latched onto Okuno's lower leg, but wasn't able to finish off the takedown. Okuno tried with all of her might to counter lift, but in the end, Kiyooka stepped over to get a 2-point exposure in the final seconds.

"My style is to step it up in the second period," Kiyooka said. "I have confidence in myself in that. I was behind by a point, but I believed I could turn it around. My body reacted naturally and that led to the points."

Ikuei coach Yoshimaro YANAGAWA revealed that Kiyooka was not in top shape heading into the tournament, and praised her outstanding performance under the circumstances.

"Before the tournament, her condition was not so good, but I'm glad she could endure and end up winning," he said.

Looking ahead, Yanagawa said, "The Kiyooka of today has to be looking at the Los Angeles Olympics [in 2028]. She can no longer go to Paris, so she had to regard this tournament as the start and had to win first in Japan."

JPN1Sosuke TAKATANI keeps Tatsuya SHIRAI in bounds before finishing up a takedown in their freestyle 86kg semifinal. (Photo: Takeo Yabuki / Japan Wrestling Federation)

Takatani barely keeps Olympic hopes alive

In Olympic weight classes in which Japan has not yet secured a place in Paris, the tournament is also serving as the qualifier for the Asian Olympic qualifying tournament that will also be held in Bishkek, the week after the Asian Championships.

Veteran Sosuke TAKATANI, aiming to make it to his fourth Olympics and a first in tandam with his younger brother, moved a step closer by making it to the final of freestyle 86kg, but he still has a big wall to get over.

Takatani was his own worst critic after he eked past 2022 world U23 champion Tatsuya SHIRAI 2-0 in the semifinals to set up a clash with defending champion Hayato ISHIGURO.

"It wasn't my wrestling at all," said the 34-year Takatani, who is also seeking his 13th consecutive All-Japan title. "If I'm going to be like that, it's meaningless to aim for the Olympics. I'm really mad at myself. It's been awhile since I felt like that."

Takatani grabbed a low single and keep Shirai in bounds for a takedown midway through the first period. That was the lone score and Takatani manged to make it hold up as he held off Shirai's late charges.

The win earned Takatani a shot at the title against Ishiguro, who beat him 3-0 in the Meiji Cup final in June to clinch a place on the team to Belgrade. Ishiguro placed 13th in the world after starting the year by taking a silver medal at the Zagreb Open and a bronze at the Asian Championships.

"I'm the challenger," Takatani said. "There is the fact that I'm 34. But I prepared to win this and I'm determined to do just that."

Takatani's younger brother Daichi already has a ticket to Paris after winning a bronze medal in Belgrade at 74kg--the same weight class that Sosuke won a world silver medal in back in 2014.

JPNSo SAKABE, left, and Masato SUMI square off in the Greco 87kg final. (Photo: Takeo Yabuki / Japan Wrestling Federation)

Japan's entrants for the Asian Olympic qualifier in the three upper weights of Greco were also decided, with So SAKABE pipping teammate and longtime rival Masato SUMI 3-1 for the spot at 87kg, Yuri NAKAZATO filling the 97kg place by capturing his first national title, and Sota OKAMURA repeating at 130kg to earn his ticket.

Sakabe and Sumi, teammates on the Self-Defense Forces Physical Training School team, have completely dominated the 87kg division in recent years, with Sumi more often getting the best of his comrade.

Sumi came into the tournament with a 5-2 lead in head-to-head meetings with Sakabe, winning their most recent encounter in a playoff for the world team spot in July. Sumi lost in the second round in Belgrade, but bounced back to take a bronze medal at the Asian Games.

In Friday's final, Sakabe was trailing on criteria 1-1 after each were hit with a passivity call. He was then put in the top position in the third par terre of the match and took advantage with a gut wrench to snatch the win.

"We're on the same team and we're always thinking about what the other is up to," Sakabe said. "I knew it would come down to getting points on the ground, not from standing. I was able to defend. I made a mistake at the Meiji Cup and that cost me a place at the World Championships."

Sakabe realizes the burden he now shoulders as he tries to become the first Japanese since 2012 to qualify for an Olympics in a Greco weight class over 80kg.

"I will be going to the Asian Olympic qualifier as a representative of Japan," he said. "In the time I have left, I want to raise my level a notch or two and bring back the Olympic berth."

Nakazato scored a second-period stepout to defeat Takahiro TSURUTA 2-1, while Okamura beat Shion OBATA 1-1 after getting the second of the match's two passivity points.

In other action, a day after joining his father as a national champion by winning the freestyle 61kg title, Kaisei TANABE was back on the mat for the Greco 63kg competition.

Tanabe, who acknowledged he only practiced one or two times over the past 10 days, held his own pretty well, winning his opening match before losing a close 3-2 decision to Yamato HAGIWARA in the quarterfinals. His bid for a medal ended with a loss in the repechage.

Tanabe said he was inspired to try the double by Nippon Sports Science University head coach Shingo MATSUMOTO. Matsumoto won nine straight All-Japan titles in Greco from 1999 to 2007, then capped his career by taking the freestyle 98kg gold on a lark in 2008.

At women's 62kg, Yuzuka INAGAKI won her first title since 2018 and second overall with a 7-0 victory in the final over Kiwa IWASAWA.

Inagaki is among that group of Japanese women who have been wildly successful overseas, but can't seem to break into the elite at home. Inagaki won her second world U23 title this year, and won previously on the cadet (U17) and junior (U20) levels.

Her only loss to date in 11 career overseas touraments came in her lone appearance at a senior World Championships in 2019, when she fell 11-8 to Pooja DHANDA (IND) in the third round at 59kg and left Nur-Sultan without a medal.

JPN3Ryusei FUJITA, left, and younger brother Hosei go at it for a bronze medal at freestyle 125kg. (Photo: Takeo Yabuki / Japan Wrestling Federation)

Family matters crop up throughout day

With a number of weight classes having siblings among the entrants, it seemed only a matter of time before two would meet on the mat, and that's what happened in a bronze-medal match at freestyle 125kg.

Nihon University's Ryusei FUJITA kept his pride intact by defeating high schooler and younger brother Hosei 4-0, adding the bronze to the silver medal he won last year.

"It was fun," Fujita said of the brothers' first-ever clash in an official match. Acknowledging the pressure of being expected to beat his younger sibling, he said, "Yeah, that's true. I just tried to keep my legs moving."

He said the two practice together and as kids had the usual occasional fight. Comparing the two, Fujita said, "He's taller and heavier, but I have the better technique."

Freestyle 57kg also had a pair of brothers in the draw, and while they didn't face each other, Akito MUKAIDA may have thought he was seeing double when he faced them in consecutive matches.

Mukaida, the younger brother of women's Tokyo Olympic champion Mayu MUKAIDA (now SHIDOCHI), edged Haruto YUMIYA 3-2 in the quarterfinals to set up a semifinal against Yumiya's twin brother Kento.

In a wild battle in which the lead changed hands several times, Yumiya emerged with a 14-10 win, putting him into Saturday's final against Rikuto ARAI.

Another noticeable name to fall was Hiyori MOTOKI, whose older sister Sakura secured a place at the Paris Olympics by winning the silver medal at 62kg at the World Championships. Like the eight other Paris-bound wrestlers, Sakura is sitting out this tournament, which meant giving up the title she won last year.

Hiyori, however, was left empty-handed when she lost in the semifinals Thursday to Iwasawa, then in a bronze-medal match to high schooler Shirin TAKEMOTO.

Ishii, Ozaki drawn in 1st-round clash

Meanwhile, the fireworks will start early in the stacked women's 68kg division that gets underway Saturday when Ami ISHII was drawn to face Nonoka OZAKI in the first round.

Ishii, the reigning champion, secured Japan's ticket to Paris in the weight class by placing fifth at the World Championships in Belgrade. But because she did not win a medal, the berth remains lone women's one up for grabs.

Ishii will clinch the berth by winning the tournament. If she loses, she will face the eventual champion in a playoff at a date to be determined.

She will be facing an Ozaki who is not lacking for motivation. Ozaki lost out to Motoki at 62kg, then won the world gold at 65kg as a sort of consolation. Second chances are few and far between in the sport, and Ozaki will be determined to take advantage of this opportunity.

The winner will face Mei SHINDO, with the winner of that bout getting a possible semifinal clash with Tokyo Olympic 62kg gold medalist Yukako KAWAI.

On the other side of the draw, world 72kg champion Miwa MORIKAWA will likely have to get by 2021 world silver medalist Rin MIYAJI and 2021 world 72kg champion Masako FURUICHI to make the final.

Day 2 Results

Freestyle

57kg (17 entries)
Semifinal--Rikuto ARAI df. Yuto TAKESHITA, 6-1
Semifinal--Kento YUMIYA df. Akito MUKAIDA, 14-10

74kg (13 entries)
GOLD----Kota TAKAHASHI df. Kojiro SHIGA by TF, 10-0, 3:54

BRONZE--Daiju SUZUKI df. Ryotaro TOGIYA by TF, 11-0, 2:47
BRONZE--Shoto KANEKO df. Shuri ITO by TF, 12-2, 2:30

86kg (14 entries)
Semifinal--Hayato ISHIGURO df. Mao OKUI, 5-1
Semifinal--Sosuke TAKATANI df. Tatsuya SHIRAI, 2-0

92kg (21 entries)
GOLD--Satoshi MIURA df. Leon KAKEGAWA, 7-4

BRONZE--Takato UCHIDA df. Chihiro MOTOHASHI by TF, 10-0, 2:43
BRONZE--Issa KIKUCHI df. Daichi OKA, 7-2

Semifinal--Satoshi MIURA df. Takato UCHIDA, 3-1
Semifinal--Reon KAKEGAWA df. Daichi OKA by TF, 10-0, 1:06

125kg (17 entries)
GOLD----Taiki YAMAMOTO df. Koki YAMAMOTO by TF, 11-1, 5:22

BRONZE--Ryusei FUJITA df. Hosei FUJITA, 4-0
BRONZE--Yuji FUKUI df. Naoya IWATA by TF, 12-1, 5:33

Greco-Roman

60kg (16 entries)

Semifinal--Maito KAWANA df. Yasuhito MORI, 6-1
Semifinal--Kaito INABA df. Kosei TAKESHITA  by Fall, 6:00 (3-1)

63kg (20 entries)
GOLD--Ayata SUZUKI df. Yamato HAGIWARA by TF, 9-1, 4:04

BRONZE--Komei SAWADA df. Ryuto IKEDA by Def.
BRONZE--Kodai MITANI df. Takeru ARIGA by TF, 9-0, 1:44

Semifinal--Yamato HAGIWARA df. Ryuto IKEDA, 8-5
Semifinal--Ayata SUZUKI df. Takeru ARIGA, 5-1

77kg (12 entries)
Semifinal--Isami HORIKITA df. Keisei SHIMABUKURO, 2-1
Semifinal--Taishi TOMOYOSE df. Kenryu KUZUYA, 1-1

87kg (16 entries)
GOLD----So SAKABE df. Masato SUMI, 3-1

BRONZE--Minto MAEDA df. Tomofumi IWAI by TF, 9-0, 1:48}
BRONZE--Tatsuya FUJII df. Sorato KANAZAWA by TF, 11-0, 2:33

97kg (13 entries)
GOLD----Yuri NAKAZATO df. Takahiro TSURUTA, 2-1

BRONZE--Yuta NARA df. Daisho KATO by Fall, :26 (4-0)
BRONZE--Masayuki AMANO df. Ren TAKEDA by TF, 8-0, 1:46

130kg (11 entries)
GOLD----Sota OKAMURA df. Shion OBATA, 1-1

BRONZE--Naoto YAMAGUCHI df. Kyo KITAWAKI, 7-1
BRONZE--Keita KOBAYASHI def. Yuma MIYAUCHI by Def.

Women's Wrestling

53kg (9 entries)
GOLD----Rino KATAOKA df. Mihoko TAKEUCHI by Fall, 2:52 (6-0)

BRONZE--Nagisa HARADA df. Mako ONO, 8-4
BRONZE--Chiaki KAWAI df. Karen SASAKI, 10-5

55kg (12 entries)
GOLD--Moe KIYOOKA df. Haruna OKUNO, 5-1

BRONZE--Umi IMAI df. Ruka NATAMI, 3-0
BRONZE--Sowaka UCHIDA df. Noa ITO by TF, 11-0, 3:25

Semifinal--Haruna OKUNO df. Ruka NATAMI, 8-6
Semifinal--Moe KIYOOKA df. Sowaka UCHIDA, 3-2

62kg (11 entries)
GOLD----Yuzuka INAGAKI df. Kiwa IWASAWA, 7-0

BRONZE--Naomi RUIKE df. Suzu SASAKI by TF, 10-0, 3:35
BRONZE--Shirin TAKEMOTO df. Hiyori MOTOKI, 7-4

65kg (11 entries)
GOLD--Mahiro YOSHITAKE df. Nana IKEHATA by TF, 11-1, 3:43

BRONZE--Momoko KITADE df. Nagisa ITO, 5-0
BRONZE--Rin TERAMOTO df. Kaeda MATSUYAMA, 5-3

Semifinal--Mahiro YOSHITAKE df. Momoko KITADE by Fall, 4:36 (6-0)
Semifinal--Nana IKEHATA df. Rin TERAMOTO, 5-5

76kg (4 entries)
GOLD--Mizuki NAGASHIMA (3-0)
SILVER--Yasuha MATSUYUKI (2-1)
BRONZE--Makoto KOMADA (1-2)

Key Match: Mizuki NAGASHIMA df. Yasuha MATSUYUKI 3-2 in 1st round