#WrestleParis

Wrestling at Paris 2024 by numbers: Quotas, countries, records

Saturday, July 13, 2024 - 09:39 By Vinay Siwach

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PARIS (July 5) -- The 291 wrestlers for the Paris 2024 from 63 countries have been confirmed and it is the United States sending the most wrestlers with 16. It has six spots in Freestyle, six in Women's Wrestling and four in Greco-Roman.

The U.S. is followed by Japan which managed 13 quotas for Paris Olympics with six in Women's Wrestling, four in Freestyle and three in Greco-Roman. Azerbaijan and China managed to get 12 quotas each. Azerbaijan has six in Freestyle, five in Greco-Roman and one in Women's Wrestling while China has five in Women's Wrestling, four in freestyle and three in Greco-Roman.

PARIS 2024 SCHEDULE | PARIS 2024 NEWS

Egypt, Iran and Turkiye are tied with 11 quotas each from the qualification process. Egypt has qualified all six in Greco-Roman, four in Freestyle and one in Women's Wrestling. Iran won six in Greco-Roman and five in Freestyle. Turkiye has five in women's wrestling, four in Greco-Roman and two in freestyle.

Cuba and Kyrgyzstan also touched double digits with 10 quotas. Cuba has five quotas in Greco-Roman, three in Freestyle and two in Women's Wrestling. Kyrgyzstan has four quotas in Greco-Roman and three each in women's wrestling and freestyle.

Mongolia and Ukraine earned nine spots for Paris 2024 with the former qualifying all six in Women's Wrestling and three in Freestyle. Ukraine has four in Women's Wrestling, three in Freestyle and two in Greco-Roman.

Algeria and Kazakhstan have eight quotas while four countries have seven. Five countries have six quotas each while four nations have five quotas. Four countries got four each, eight got three each and six earned two quotas each for the Paris Games.

There will be 15 countries that won one quota. In addition, two Individual Neutral Athletes will take part in Paris 2024 along with two refugee athletes.

Wrestlers by continents

Europe - 111 (38.54 percent)
Asia - 84 (29.17 percent)
Americas - 55 (19.10 percent)
Africa - 32 (11.11 percent)
Oceania - 6 (2.08 percent).

Quotas by continents

Europe - 26 countries (42.62 percent)
Asian - 12 countries (19.67 percent)
American - 12 countries (19.67 percent)
Africa - 7 countries (11.48)
Oceania - 4 countries (6.56 percent)

Debuts

- Four countries will be making their debuts at the Olympics in Women's Wrestling - Lithuania, Algeria, New Zealand and Uzbekistan
- Honduras is sending its first-ever Greco-Roman wrestler to the Olympics
- The Dominican Republic is sending its first-ever Freestyle wrestler to the Olympics

Full List of Quotas

Country Quota FS WW GR
USA 16 6 6 4
JPN 13 4 6 3
AZE 12 6 1 5
CHN 12 4 5 3
EGY 11 4 1 6
IRI 11 5  - 6
TUR 11 2 5 4
CUB 10 3 2 5
KGZ 10 3 3 4
MGL 9 3 6  -
UKR 9 3 4 2
ALG 8 1 2 5
KAZ 8 4  - 4
GEO 7 4  - 3
GER 7 1 4 2
MDA 7 2 3 2
UZB 7 3 1 3
BUL 6 1 2 3
CAN 6 2 4  -
IND 6 1 5  -
NGR 6 1 5  -
SRB 6 2   4
ARM 5 2 - 3
HUN 5 2 1 2
POL 5 2 2 1
ROU 5  - 3 2
COL 4  - 2 2
ECU 4  - 3 1
PUR 4 4  -  -
VEN 4 1 2 1
ALB 3 3  -  -
FRA 3  - 2 1
ITA 3 1 2  -
KOR 3  -  1 2
LTU 3 - 1 2
PRK 3 - 2 1
TUN 3 - 2 1
GRE 3 2 1  -
AIN 2 1  - 1
AUS 2 2  -  -
CHI 2  -  - 2
FIN 2  -  - 2
GBS 2 2  -  -
GUM 2  - 2  -
MEX 2 2  -  -
SWE 2  - 2  -
EOR (UWW) 2  1 1  -
BRA 1  - 1  -
BRN 1 1  -  -
DEN 1  -  - 1
DOM 1 1    
EST 1  -  - 1
HON 1  -  - 1
MAR 1  -  - 1
MKD 1 1  -  -
NOR 1  - 1  -
NZL 1  - 1  -
RSA 1 1  -  -
SAM 1 1  -  -
SMR 1 1  -  -
SVK 1 1  -  -
TJK 1 1  -   -
Total = 63 290 97 96 97

#UWWAwards

UWW History Makers of 2025: Kougioumtsidis, Reasco, Sultangali

Tuesday, December 23, 2025 - 12:29 By Eric Olanowski

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CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (December 22) -- United World Wrestling has announced the History Makers of the Year 2025. The performance of these three wrestlers transcended competition and produced a once-in-a-generation accomplishment.

Freestyle’s History Maker 2025: Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE)

If there’s one nation that’s draped in sports tradition, it’s Greece, but surprisingly enough, the nation had never produced a male wrestling world champion.

Prior to 2025, wrestlers from Greece were 0-3 in gold-medal matches and had not reached a world finals since 1991. Then came 23-year-old Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS who stunned the world by defeating Levi HAINES (USA) 3-2 in the 79kg final to become his nation’s first-ever world champion.

Up until Kougioumtsidis' victory, Georgios ATHANASSIADIS (GRE) lost both of his world finals matches and Iraklis DESKOULIDIS (GRE) lost the final in 1991. The lone Greek woman to ever step to the top of the medal podium at the World Championships was Sofia POUMPOURIDOU (GRE), who won the women's 51kg gold on home soil in 2002.

"I'm very lucky that I am Greek," Kougioumtsidis said. "So I feel like I made all Greeks proud. I am Greek and I love my country." He continued, saying, “I'm the first male [from Greece] who won a gold medal at the World Championships. It's my dream come true. I think this year is a good achievement. I achieved my goal."

Women’s Wrestling History Maker: Genesis REASCO (ECU)

Reasco made history by becoming Ecuador's first-ever world champion, which came two years following Lucia YEPEZ (ECU) silver-medal finish at the 2023 World Championships where she still become the Ecuador's first-ever world medalist.

Reasco reached the pinnacle of the sport with a 4-2 victory in the 76kg final over two-time world medalist Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ), which came one match removed from knocking off Paris bronze medalist Milaimy MARIN (CUB) in the semifinals.

"I went in, gave my all, and it worked," Reasco said. "That’s how the gold medal was achieved, because honestly, I have a lot of respect for all my opponents. They gave everything out there on the mat, and they were really good matches -- both yesterday’s and today’s. Everything was very tough, very close."

Greco-Roman’s History Maker: Aidos SULTANGALI (KAZ)

Sultangali ended a 26-year Greco-Roman drought, giving Kazakhstan their first Greco world champion since 1999 with a very quick victory over Uzbek youngster Alisher GANIEV (UZB) in the 60kg finals at the World Championships.

Sultangali, who won two world bronze medals between 2018 and 2022, only needed 1:07 to cap off masterful first-period 9-0 win over Asian runner-up GANIEV (UZB).

"I didn’t plan to win the final match so easily and quickly," Sultangali said. "But it happened. Today is a historic day for our country because the last gold medal for Kazakhstan came in 1999, 26 years ago," said Sultangali, "I am happy that my country is happy."