#WrestleSkopje

#WrestleSkopje Weight-to-watch: 87kg (Greco-Roman)

Friday, May 14, 2021 - 12:05 By Eric Olanowski

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SKOPJE, North Macedonia (May 13) – Rising stars Aleksandr KOMAROV (RUS) and Istvan TAKACS (HUN) headline the 18-man 87kg Greco-Roman bracket at the U23 European Championships (May 17-23). The weight will also feature a total of seven wrestlers with age-group world medals. 

Komarov, the four-time age-group world and European gold medalist, will make his U23 debut in Skopje. He closed out his junior career in '18 – winning a fourth consecutive world title before grabbing the reigns at 87kg on Russia's senior squad.

Komarov's success from the cadet and junior levels quickly transitioned to the senior level. In his 14 senior-level appearances, the young Russian stud claimed a whopping ten gold medals – highlighted by '19 gold medals at the Russian National Championships and the Dan Kolov - Nikola Petrov Ranking Series Tournament.

Most recently, Komarov appeared in Russia's lineup at the '20 European Championships. He went 3-1 and finished with a bronze medal. Despite falling to eventual champion Semen NOVIKOV (UKR) in the semifinals, Komarov ended his trip to Italy with a shocking 3-1 win over two-time world champion Metehan BASAR (TUR).

Komarov's biggest threat to winning 87kg U23 European gold will be one of the future faces of Hungarian wrestling, Istvan TAKACS (HUN). 

Takacs, a '19 junior world champion and three-time age-group world medalist, will also be making his U23 debut. Like Komarov's ascent to the senior level after winning his junior world title, Takacs did the same. He grabbed gold at the '19 Junior World Championships in Tallin, Estonia, and bumped up to the senior circuit.

Takacs finished in second place at the Hungarian Championships in his first senior outing. He then dropped to a seventh-place finish at the Individual World Cup but stormed back to win Ranking Series gold at January's Matteo Pellicone. During his run to a first senior gold medal, Takacs stopped '19 world silver medalist Viktor LORINCZ (HUN) and David LOSONCZI (HUN). He halted Lorincz from winning a historic seventh Ranking Series title before avenging his Hungarian c'ship finals loss to Losonczi to win gold.

Other guys who command attention at 87kg are '18 U23 world silver medalist Nicu OJOG (ROU), cadet world champs Lachin VALIYEV (AZE) and Dmytro KIIASHOK (UKR) and junior world bronze medalists Ihar YARASHEVICH (BLR) and Muhutdin SARICICEK (TUR)

Two other dark horses who are poised to make some noise at 87kg are '18 European champion Temuri TCHKUASELIDZE (GEO) and Mirco MINGUZZI (ITA). Although his resume lacks a world or continental medal, in late March, Minguzzi finished with a bronze medal at the European Olympic Qualifier and was one match short of earning an Italian Tokyo quota at 87kg.

Catch all the action from the U23 European Championships live on www.uww.org. Freestyle action begins on Monday, women's wrestling takes center stage on Wednesday and Greco-Roman closes out the competition beginning on Friday.

87kg Entries
Gevorg TADEVOSYAN (ARM)
Lachin VALIYEV (AZE)
Ihar YARASHEVICH (BLR)
Svetoslav Nikolaev NIKOLOV (BUL)
Matej MANDIC (CRO)
Andreas VAELIS (EST)
Juho Matias PAHIKAINEN (FIN)
Temuri TCHKUASELIDZE (GEO)
Ilias PAGKALIDIS (GRE)
Istvan TAKACS (HUN)
Mirco MINGUZZI (ITA)
Tyrone STERKENBURG (NED)
Szymon SZYMONOWICZ (POL)
Nicu Samuel OJOG (ROU)
Aleksandr Andreevitch KOMAROV (RUS)
Mario VUKOVIC (SRB)
Muhutdin SARICICEK (TUR)
Dmytro KIIASHOK (UKR)

Development

UWW partners with Shigakkan University to expand global wrestling training opportunities

Wednesday, April 16, 2025 - 11:59 By United World Wrestling Press

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CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (April 16) – In a significant step towards enhancing training opportunities for athletes, coaches, and the global wrestling community, United World Wrestling has formed a strategic partnership with Shigakkan University, Japan.

Recognized as a pioneering institution in wrestling education, Shigakkan University has been home to many legendary Japanese wrestlers and has played a crucial role in the sport’s development.

The predecessor school of the university was founded in 1905, and its legacy in wrestling education traces back to Chukyo Women’s University Wrestling Club, established in 1989.

Over the years, the institution became highly regarded in the field of physical education, producing numerous Olympic medallists and world-class wrestlers. In 2010, the university was renamed Shigakkan University, opening its door as coeducational institution while continuing their mission of excellence in sports education.

At the heart of Shigakkan University’s philosophy is the principle of “Capacity Building”, which focuses on five key pillars:

  • Wellness – Promoting physical and mental well-being
  • Intellectual Insight – Encouraging academic excellence and innovation
  • Social Ability – Fostering teamwork and communication skills
  • Self-Development – Encouraging continuous personal growth
  • Effective Citizenship – Cultivating leadership and global engagement

UWW President Nenad LALOVIC expressed his enthusiasm for the partnership, stating: “We are thrilled about this new collaboration with Shigakkan University, a prestigious institution recognized as the school of Japanese wrestling and highly respected within the global wrestling community. We are eager and excited to work with our colleagues at SUJ to contribute to the continued development of women’s wrestling worldwide.”

As part of this partnership, the UWW Development Department and Shigakkan University will work together to implement a range of high-impact initiatives, including:

  • Training camps for selected elite wrestlers, providing them with advanced technical, tactical, and physical preparation.
  • Education courses for wrestling coaches, aimed at equipping them with the latest coaching methodologies and sports science knowledge.
  • Knowledge-sharing activities, such as seminars, educational sessions, and coach exchanges, to promote continuous learning and best practices within the wrestling community.

These initiatives will play a vital role in strengthening world-class athlete preparation systems, supporting referees and coaches, and ensuring experience-sharing, particularly in the advancement of women’s wrestling.

Through this collaboration, UWW and Shigakkan University aim to elevate the sport by fostering international cooperation, enhancing training standards, and nurturing the next generation of wrestling champions.