#WrestleOslo

#WrestleOslo Day Four Preview: WW 50kg, 53kg, 65kg and 76kg

By Vinay Siwach

CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (September 21) -- It may be missing the latest Olympic champion Aline FOCKEN (GER) but the 76kg weight class in women's wrestling at the Oslo World Championships promises to be another minefield for the competitors as four Olympic medalist including a former champion are wrestling on October 5 in Oslo, Norway. A young force of wrestlers will aim to show their dominance in Oslo as Wednesday will give them an opportunity to claim the world titles.

Tokyo Olympics silver medalist and five-time defending world champion Adeline GRAY (USA) will lead the field which will also has fellow Tokyo medalist Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ). Rio Olympic bronze medalist Elmira SYZDYKOVA (KAZ) is also entered.

Gray become the first US wrestler in all styles to win the World Championships five times and she will be looking to defend the gold she won in Nursultan in Oslo. In Tokyo, she won the silver medal after falling to Focken in a close final. Focken announced her retirement after winning the medal.

Kyzy and Gray faced each other in the semifinal of the Tokyo Olympics and the American managed to pull off a late score to beat the Kyrgyzstan wrestler. A highly anticipated rematch between the two looks a big possibility and could well be the match of the tournament in women's wrestling.

But Wiebe, who suffered an opening round loss at the Olympics, will look to bounce back and try to win a World Championships medal. The Canadian has suffered some unexpected losses since the quarterfinal loss to Epp MAEE (EST) at the 2019 World Championships. It was again Maee who defeated her in Tokyo in the opening round ending her Olympic defence. Oslo will offer her an opportunity to make a comeback and make a run for Paris in 2024.

Even Maee will look to put the disappointment of Tokyo behind her. The senior European champion lost to Hiroe MINAGAWA (JPN) in the quarterfinals and failed to progress further as the Japanese lost her next bout. With a number of wrestlers missing from Oslo, Maee can lay claim to the title.

Kazakhstan veteran Syzdykova is another wrestler trying to win a World medal. Since her bronze in Rio, she has not been able to keep up the performance but a gold at the Asian Championships earlier this year in Almaty have rekindled her career.

Sarah HildebrandtSarah HILDEBRANDT (USA) won a bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics. (Photo: UWW / Tony Rotundo)

On the same day, the lightest weight class in women's wrestling 50kg will also be in action and all eyes will be on Tokyo Olympics bronze medalist Sarah Hilderbrandt. It's an opportunity to win a world title in the same year as the Olympic medal and with other three medalists from Tokyo missing, the USA wrestler is the biggest contender. Her exceptional run at the Olympics saw her reach the semifinal where she was leading Sun YANAN (CHN) but the latter hit a front headlock late in the bout to win. Hilderbrandt has a silver medal at the Worlds from 2018 and three years later she has a chance to get one step further.

Trying to stop her from doing that will be Miglena SELISHKA (BUL) who won the gold medal at the 2020 European Championships and faced the USA wrestler in the quarterfinal of Tokyo Olympics. Hilderbrandt notched up a stunning 12-2 win and advanced to the semifinal. Selishka will now try to reverse that result if the two face each other in Oslo.

Another of Hilderbrandt's victim in Tokyo was Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR) who lost to her in the first round. The USA wrestler scored a 11-0 shut out win. The Turkey wrestler will be eyeing her first World medal.

Three of world's best 50kg wrestler have decided to skip the event. Tokyo Olympic champion Yui SUSAKI (JPN) and four-time Olympic medalist Maria STADNIK (AZE) will not be there is Oslo, putting an break on their fancied rivalry. Yanan, who won silver in Tokyo, will also be missing the event as the whole Chinese contingent has decided to give it a miss.

Japan will enter Remina YOSHIMOTO (JPN) who has won gold at cadet World and Asian Championships and will be under tremendous pressure on her international Worlds debut and keep the gold in her country in the absence of Susaki.

Another former cadet world champion and U23 world finalist Nadezhda SOKOLOVA (RWF) will also be challenging her more accomplished opponents. Sokolova has been on the fringes of the national team for quite some time now but this is her first major break given that Russia in a transition phase after Tokyo Olympics. She recently won gold at the Alexander Medved tournament in Belarus.

Akari FujinamiAkari FUJINAMI (JPN) will be Japan's representative at 53kg in Oslo. (Photo: UWW / Martin Gabor)

The second Olympic weight class that will be in action on Wednesday will be 53kg and it awaits the senior debut of Japan's much talked about star Akari FUJINAMI (JPN).

In May, Fujinami won the All Japan Championships to qualify for Oslo. The 2017 cadet world champion earned the spot with a 10-0 technical fall win in the final over Nanami IRIE (JPN), the 2019 world silver medalist at 55kg, in a repeat of the gold-medal match at the Emperor's Cup.

"It gives me some boost of confidence, but looking at the world, I feel I need to get much stronger," Fujinami had said after her victory in May. "Many issues that need to be addressed came out, and heading to the World Championships, I will have to practice harder."

That was not the only high profile win for her as she won the semifinal 11-2 over two-time former world champion Haruna OKUNO (JPN),  who has been trying to work out of a slump after losing out on the Olympic spot at 53kg to Mayu MUKAIDA.

Fujinami, who stands at 1.63 meters, has not lost since June 2017, when she was defeated in the final of the national junior high school championships to Umi ITO (JPN), who placed second on Thursday at 50kg.

But the youngster will face tough challenge from Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist Bolortuya BAT OCHIR (MGL) and 2021 junior world champion Emma MALMGREN (SWE). Bat Ochir reached the semifinal in Tokyo but lost to eventual champion Mukaida. Then she defeated Joseph ESSOMBE (CMR) in the bronze medal match. She is now Mongolia's second ever Olympic medalist.

Malmgren will look to repeat her performance from Ufa, Russia as she won the world title in stunning fashion. The compact Malmgren has been performing at the senior level but has not registered significant results. But at the junior Worlds, she managed to overcome most opponents including a strong Moldovan in the final, winning 7-3. Malmgren, who trains at Helsingborg which has given Sweden multiple World medalists and Olympians, will now be hoping to step up at the senior level.

Irina RINGACIIrina RINGACI (MDA) and Tetiana RIZHKO (UKR) are both entered at 65kg for Oslo. (Photo: UWW / Dogukan Karadag)

The final weight class on Wednesday is 65kg which will be a mix of experience and youth. Rio Olympic silver medalist Maryia MAMASHUK (BLR) will lead the field with Tokyo Olympians Elis MANOLOVA (AZE), Mimi HRISTOVA (BUL) and Kriszta INCZE (ROU).

2021 junior world champion Irina RINGACI (MDA) and 2020 Individual World Cup champion Tetiana RIZHKO (UKR) are also entered for the competition. Japan is sending Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN), a junior world champion from 2019.

Mamashuk failed to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics but will be a force to reckon at the Oslo Worlds. She won the 2021 Alexander Medved tournament but before that she had struggled to pull off results at major tournaments.

Manolova and Hritsova wrestled at the 68kg weight class in Tokyo while Incze wrestled at 62kg. Manolova lost to Blessing OBRUDUDU (NGR), the silver medalist, in the opening round and later to Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ) in the repechage round. Her on and off performances at the international level make her a dark horse in Oslo but a lot will depend on her draw. Hritsova is also in a similar situation and it will be a wait-and-watch as she tries to win a World medal. She lost to Zhumanazarova in the open round in Tokyo.

Incze too has failed to win a medal at the World Championships despite winning medals at the European Championships and Games. She lost to Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) in the quarterfinal and later to Anastasija GRIGORJEVA (LAT) in the repechage rounds.

Ringaci and Rizhko will be resuming their fierce rivalry in Oslo and the two has exchanged finals at the 2020 Individual World Cup and senior European Championships in 2021. Ringaci won the final in Warsaw while it was Rizhko who won in Belgrade.

Ringaci has been part of Moldova's strong female contingent for some time but did not have any world title. But in August, she had a run of her life in Ufa, Russia to win the gold and claim her first one. In Oslo, she can well be on the part to claim her second one and first senior-level World gold. Rizhko on the other hand lost the senior Euros but won the U23 European gold.

#WrestleOslo

Senior World Championships Live Blog: Day 1 FS 61kg, 74kg, 86kg, 125kg

By Vinay Siwach

Welcome to the Senior World Championships from Oslo, Norway. Day one will see wrestlers from freestyle weigh classes of 61kg, 74kg, 86kg and 125kg take the mat. In a blockbuster start, Olympic champion David TAYLOR (USA), silver medalists Hassan YAZDANI (IRI), Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO), and bronze medalists Kyle DAKE (USA), Artur NAIFONOV (RWF), Taha AKGUL (TUR), Amir ZARE (IRI) and a host of young stars at 61kg are ready to put on a show.

MATCH ORDER | WATCH LIVE

What a session we had! A few expected wins, a few upsets but some storylines still on track. David Taylor and Hassan Yazdani on the path for a 86kg final and so are Geno Petriashvili and Taha Akgul at 125. But Amir Zare looks strong here in Oslo. Kyle Dake closer to his third world title while 61kg is still a massively open weight class. Join us at 1630 local time for the semifinals

1400: And we have our final set of semifinalists at 86kg. David TAYLOR (USA) picks up a 29-second pin over Akhmed AIBUEV (FRA). He will face Abubakr ABAKAROV (AZE). Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) won by technical superiority over Ethan RAMOS (PUR) and he will wrestle Artur NAIFONOV (RWF) in the semifinals.

1345: Individual World Cup winner Abasgadzhi MAGOMEDOV (RWF) and U23 world champion Toshihiro HASEGAWA set a semifinal clash against each other at 61kg. The other semifinal is between Daton FIX (USA) and Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM)

1335: At 74kg, two last-second finishes as Tajmuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK) scores a stepout against Timur BIZHOEV (RWF) to win 2-2 while Azamat NURYKAU (BLR) scored a takedown against Hetik CABOLOV (SRB) to win 7-7. Kyle DAKE (USA) and  Avtandil KENTCHADZE (GEO) are the other two semifinalists

1315: Amir ZARE (IRI) wins his quarterfinal against Nicholas GWIAZDOWSKI (USA). He will face Taha AKGUL (TUR) who defeats Zelimkhan KHIZRIEV (RWF) 5-0 to advance. Tokyo Olympic silver medalist Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) wins 5-0 against Johannes LUDESCHER (AUT) and will face Oleg BOLTIN (KAZ) as he wins 6-3 against  Oleksandr KOLDOVSKYI (UKR) in the quarterfinal

1300: Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) is making his way to Mat D! He will wrestle Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ) at 86kg. We will quickly move into the quarterfinals after this bout

1245: Down goes the defending world champion! RAVINDER (IND) beats world champion at 61kg Beka LOMTADZE (GEO) 6-2 and he will now face Daton FIX (USA) in the quarterfinals

1225: U23 world champion Adlan ASKAROV (KAZ) cannot keep up with the pace of Artur HARUTUNYAN (ARM) and gives up points in a series to lose his opening bout 10-18

1210: The 125kg podium finishers in Tokyo -- Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO), Taha AKGUL (TUR) and Amir ZARE (IRI) -- all notch up wins to begin their quest for a world title in Oslo

1150: Kyle DAKE (USA) is a two-time world champion at 79kg and he just began his 74kg debut at Worlds with an 11-0 win over Vasile DIACON (MDA). All USA wrestler begin with a win

1130: An upset on Mat D. Tuvshintulga TUMENBILEG (MGL) comes from behind to defeat U23 world champion Ulukbek ZHOLDOSHBEKOV (KGZ) 7-7 and advance 

1120: U23 World Championships silver medalist RAVINDER (IND) begins with a 13-2 win over Sunggwon KIM (KOR). And now on Mat D is the U23 world champion Ulukbek ZHOLDOBESHKOV (KGZ)

1105: 61kg weight class now and Daton FIX (USA) begins with an 11-0 win over Tokyo Olympian Georgi VANGELOV (BUL). On mat B now is junior world champion Rahman AMOUZADKHALILI (IRI) taking on Gamzatgadzsi HALIDOV (HUN)

1045: Hetik CABOLOV (SRB) begins with a technical superiority win at 74kg. All four mats are beginning with 74kg 

1000: If you missed our pre-tournament coverage, here the link to everything -- #WrestleOslo 

Bouts begin in half an hour so get ready for an exciting day of freestyle wrestling.