Zagreb Open FS, GR Preview: Stars try to find space in Olympic weights

Thursday, January 4, 2024 - 08:08 By Vinay Siwach

ZAGREB, Croatia (January 4) -- More than 550 wrestlers will reach Zagreb for the season-opening Ranking Series event and it's no surprise that the Olympic weight classes have higher entries than the non-Olympic ones.

As the qualification for the Paris Olympics this year begins two months later, wrestlers are trying to fit in the respective Olympic weight classes for the Games in August.

That has led to two-time 92kg world champion Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI) jump to 97kg on his return to the mat after an absence of more than a year. He last competed at the World Cup in December 2022. His debut there at 97kg ended in a loss to world champion Kyle SNYDER (USA). The two may face again as Snyder is also coming to Zagreb.

Ghasempour will have to make sure he is in peak fitness as he may have to battle with compatriot Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI) for the spot on the team.

Another former world and Olympic champion was expected to return to an Olympic weight class but Jordan BURROUGHS (USA), who last competed at 74kg internationally four years ago, pulled out Wednesday.

But the USA will still see a good representation as Jason NOLF (USA) is headed to Zagreb to challenge international stars. The challengers include Dzhabrail GADZHIEV (AZE), Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE), Yones EMAMI (IRI) among others.

Zelimkhan KHADJIEV (FRA) is returning at 74kg as his ban for a doping violation is over.

Amirreza MASOUMI (IRI) will challenge world champion Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI) at 125kg. (Photo: UWW / Amirreza Aliasgari)

At 125kg, Iran has sent both Amirreza MASOUMI (IRI) and world champion Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI) as it looks to finalize the team for the Olympics using international competitions. Other world medalists entered in the weight class are Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) and Mason PARRIS (USA).

As usual, the 65kg weight class will see some big names trying to upset each other. World silver medalist Sebastian RIVERA (PUR) and bronze medalist Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM) are both entered along with former world champion Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI) who will look to beat Abbas EBRAHIMZADEHSAVADKOUHI (IRI) to cement his place in the Iran national team.

Other mini battles include John DIAKOMIHALIS (USA) and Joseph MCKENNA (USA). The latter defeated Diakomihalis in Taraz in November. Azerbaijan may be trying to push Ziraddin BAYRAMOV (AZE) at 65kg after Haji ALIYEV (AZE) failed to win the Olympic quota at the World Championships.

92kg world silver medalist Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE) is going down to 86kg where he will also have U20 world champion Rakhim MAGAMADOV (FRA), 79kg world silver medalist Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO), world bronze medalist Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ), Osman GOCEN (TUR), Zahid VALENCIA (USA) and Chandler MARSTELLER (USA).

Luis ORTA (CUB) and Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) are likely to meet in Zagreb again. The bout will be a rematch of the World Championships final at 67kg. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

Greco-Roman

A World Championships final rematch is on the cards at 67kg as world champion Luis ORTA (CUB) and Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) are entered. But the weight class also has HUSIYUETU (CHN) who defeated Orta twice last year, Tokyo bronze medalist Mohamed ELSAYED (EGY), Danial SOHRABI (IRI), former world champion Sebastian NAD (SRB) and Tokyo silver medalist Parviz NASIBOV (UKR).

The 87kg will also see some big names as Islam ABBASOV (AZE) and 82kg world champion Rafig HUSEYNOV (AZE) challenge for that one spot on the Azerbaijan team. Former world silver medalist Kiryl MASKEVICH (AIN) is also entered.

Hungary has decided to go with Istvan TAKACS (HUN) and joint-world champion David LOSONCZI (HUN) while Iran is sending Alireza MOHMADIPIANI (IRI). Marcel STERKENBURG (NED), Exauce MUKUBU (NOR) and Milad ALIRZAEV (AIN) can challenge the big names.

Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR), a regular at 82kg, is going down to the Olympic weight class of 77kg. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Turkiye is trying to find a representative for the qualifiers at 77kg with Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR), Yunus BASAR (TUR) and Ahmet YILMAZ (TUR) entered for the competition. Basar lost in the Turkish national competition while Yilmaz won gold.

World silver medalist Sanan SULEYMANOV (AZE) is entered along with 72kg world champion Ibrahim GHANEM (FRA), Idris IBAEV (GER), former world silver medalist Zoltan LEVAI (HUN), Amir Ali ABDI (IRI), world bronze medalist Nao KUSAKA (JPN), former 72kg world champion Ali ARSALAN (SRB) and Kamal BEY (USA).

At 97kg, Murat LOKIAYEV (AZE) and Murad AHMADIYEV (AZE) are battling for one spot for Azerbaijan while U20 world champion Abubakar KHASLAKHANAU (AIN) and U23 world champion Pavel HLINCHUK (AIN) are also entered. Hungary is sending Tamas LEVAI (HUN) and Alex SZOKE (HUN).

World bronze medalist Artur OMAROV (CZE), Tokyo fifth-placer Arvi SAVOLAINEN (FIN), former Asian champion Mehdi BALIHAMZEHDEH (IRI) and Tyrone STERKENBURG (NED) are also in.

Like last year, Oscar PINO (CUB) will be the favorite to win the 130kg world medal as he competes alongside Sabah SHARIATI (AZE), Beka KANDELAKI (AZE), Lingzhe MENG (CHN), Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI), Sergei SEMENOV (AIN) and Adam COON (USA) among others.

At 60kg, Edmond NAZARYAN (BUL) will be looking to get back to form after a disappointing World Championships. He will be joined by Nihat MAMMADLI (AZE), world bronze medalist Liguo CAO (CHN), 55kg world silver medalist Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO), former world champion Victor CIOBANU (MDA) and Anvar ALLAKHIAROV (AIN).

#WrestleParis

Youngest wrestlers heading to Paris 2024

Monday, July 15, 2024 - 12:18 By Eric Olanowski

PARIS, France (July 15) — As we approach the Paris 2024 Olympic Games (August 5-11), fans' attention will be split between the already-established stars and a promising new wave of Olympians aiming to make their mark in history.

Out of the 290 athletes (288 athletes + 2 refugees) bound for Paris 2024, 19 wrestlers under 21 can potentially become some of the youngest Olympic champions ever. Here’s how they break down by age:

18 years old: 1 wrestler
19 years old: 1 wrestler
20 years old: 5 wrestlers
21 years old: 12 wrestlers

Women’s wrestling dominates the youth spotlight, boasting the six youngest wrestlers in the field. There are 19 competitors under 21 years old, with freestyle and Greco-Roman each having seven wrestlers under this age bracket.

Xu WANG (CHN) remains the youngest-ever Olympic champion in women’s wrestling, a record now standing for over two decades. Wang clinched the 72kg gold at the Athens 2004 Games at just 18 years, 10 months and 27 days old.

Among the Paris contenders, Sol Gum PAK (PRK) stands out as the only wrestler young enough to challenge Wang’s enduring record. Born on November 2, 2005, Pak will compete in the 68kg category on August 5, with a chance to break the record on August 6. If she reaches the gold-medal bout, she’ll be 18 years, 9 months and 4 days old, surpassing Wang by 1 month and 23 days.

While Pak aims for history, rising star Antim Antim (IND) can also make waves in women’s wrestling by potentially surpassing Kaori ICHO (JPN) with a gold medal in the 53kg category.

Antim, at 19 years, 11 months and 8 days, would edge out Icho’s age of 20 years, 2 months and 10 days during her Athens 2004 victory.

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Elsewhere, young talents and reigning world champions Amit ELOR (USA), Akari FUJINAMI (JPN) and Nonoka OZAKI (JPN) will also be looking to leave a last impression on the record books.

Fujinami, who heads into Paris with a 120+ match winning streak, is the third youngest women’s wrestler. If Fujinami, the two-time world champion, comes out on top as most expect, she’d move into the No. 4 slot on the list, just ahead of London 2012 champ Natalya VOROBIEVA (RUS), who won at 21 years, 2 months and 13 days old.

Fujinami would be 21 years and 10 months old on the day of the 53kg finals.

If Elor, aged 20 years, 7 months, and 4 days, secures victory in the 68kg bracket on August 6, she will become the third-youngest women’s wrestling Olympic champion, beating Jiao WANG’s age by nine days (20 years, 7 months, and 13 days).

Ozaki is aiming for a top-five spot, potentially overtaking Risako KAWAI (JPN), who was 21 years, 8 months, and 28 days old during her Rio 2016 victory. Ozaki, at 21 years, 4 months, and 13 days, could achieve this if she triumphs in France.

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In Greco-Roman wrestling, Islambek ALBIEV (RUS) holds the record as the youngest Olympic gold medalist, set at the Beijing 2008 Games at 19 years, 7 months and 15 days old.

Saied ESMAEILI, turning 21 on July 15, is the youngest competitor in the Greco-Roman field for Paris 2024. While Esmaeili is “too old” to challenge the top six spots, he could potentially become the seventh-youngest Greco-Roman Olympic champion, surpassing Boris GUREVICH’s (URS) age of 21 years, 4 months, and 4 days if he wins the 67kg final on August 8.

In freestyle wrestling, Aman AMAN (IND), Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN), and Rahman AMOUZAD are the youngest contenders on the entry list.

Aman, presently 20 years old but is turning 21 on July 16, is the youngest freestyle wrestler. He isn’t within reach of the youngest-ever title, currently held by Saban TRSTENA (YUG), who won gold at 19 years, 7 months and 9 days in Los Angeles 1984. But if Aman wins gold on August 9-10, aged 21 years, 0 months, and 25 days, he will rank as the 11th youngest Olympic champion, overtaking George DE RELWYSKOW (GBR), who won gold at the 1908 London Games at 21 years, 1 month and 6 days old.

While Amouzad is just out of reach of breaking into the top 15, Tazhudinov, who’ll be 21 years, 7 months and 24 days old on August 11, would steal the No. 14 spot from Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) by seven days.

Wrestling at the Paris Olympic Games starts Agust 5-11 and can be followed on www.uww.org.

Zagreb Open FS, GR Preview: Stars try to find space in Olympic weights

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Youngest wrestlers heading to Paris 2024