#WrestleTokyo

#WrestleTokyo Greco-Roman Previews

By United World Wrestling Press

Greco-Roman Previews

60kg
The last time the Olympics were held in Tokyo, Japan won two gold medals in Greco-Roman wrestling. 57 years later, Kenichiro FUMITA (JPN) will have a chance to repeat the feat the world champion at 60kg leads the country's hope for a Greco-Roman Olympic champion in 37 years.

FULL PREVIEW

67kg
Big challenges lie ahead of returning Olympic champion Ismael BORRERO MOLINA (CUB). The first is he is making his return in a new weight category, eight kilograms above the 59kg in which won a gold medal in the Rio Olympics.

Five world champions appear in the category which may throw a surprise Olympic champion given a mix of youth and veterans at this weight.

FULL PREVIEW

77kg
Two-time defending Olympic champion Roman VLASOV's (RUS) reign as the top wrestler will be over after nine years. The winner of the gold medal in 2012 and 2016 failed to win the spot on the Russian team, which means a new Olympic champion will be crowned at this weight.

FULL PREVIEW

87kg
Zhan BELENIUK (UKR) will look to improve on the Olympic silver medal he won at the 2016 Rio Games. He won gold at the 2019 World Championships in Nur-Sultan, which was his second world title after claiming gold in 2015. The 30-year-old Beleniuk has five world medals and four European gold medals. Earlier this year, Beleniuk won gold at the Grand Prix of Zagreb before getting a bronze at the European Championships in April. He enters the Tokyo Olympics as the No.2 seed at 87kg.

FULL PREVIEW

97kg
One of wrestling's greatest rivalries could be renewed in Tokyo if the seeds hold. Musa EVLOEV (RUS) and Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM), two of Greco-Roman's biggest stars, enter Tokyo Games as the top two seeds at 97kg. They have combined to win every world or Olympic title in this weight category since 2014.

FULL PREVIEW

130kg
Mijain LOPEZ NUNEZ (CUB) will look to make history at the Tokyo Olympics. The Cuban wrestling legend, who enters unseeded, has a chance to become the first four-time Olympic champion in Greco-Roman and the second wrestler in any style to accomplish the feat. (At the 2016 Rio Olympics, Japan's Kaori ICHO became the first four-time Olympic champion wrestler in any style.) The 38-year-old Lopez is not only unbeaten at the Olympic Games since 2008, but he has won five world titles and three world silver medals. Two of his three losses in world championship competition have come to Riza KAYAALP (TUR), who enters the Tokyo Olympics as the top seed at 130kg.

FULL PREVIEW

#Anti-Doping

UWW strengthens its anti-doping education program

By Eric Olanowski

CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (June 19) --- United World Wrestling (UWW) has placed a strong emphasis on upholding the integrity of competitions and promoting Clean Wrestling. In collaboration with the International Testing Agency (ITA), UWW has launched a series of five webinars focused on anti-doping.

The series commences July 6, with one-hour webinars being held every week during July. The topics cover all essentials aspects of anti-doping for athletes and athletes support personnel, from the doping control processes to medication and supplements, or the principles and values of clean sport. 

UWW asks that all that all athletes in the 2023 Senior World Championships be able to demonstrate basic knowledge on anti-doping, by either attending all five webinars and obtaining their final certificate, or by showing a training certificate obtained from another recognized organization (National Anti-doping Organizations or WADA’s Adel education platform). 

“Our fight for clean sport is a permanent commitment, and education is an essential component of this fight,” said Mr Lalovic. “I already thank all wrestlers who take their responsibilities in this regard.”

The links to the webinars can be found here. Simultaneous translation from English to Arabic, Mandarin Chinese, French, Russian and Spanish. 

The course is open to athlete and athletes support personnel from all ages, in all styles and disciplines (Olympic styles, Associated Styles).