BAKU – World and European champions highlight an elite corps of competitors arriving in the Azerbaijani capital of Baku for the seventh annual Golden Grand Prix Final – wrestling’s largest prize money event.

Former world champions and London 2012 Olympic Games medalists Maria STADNYK (AZE) and Yulia RATKEVICH (AZE) lead the charge for the host country while visitors include 2011 world champion Riza KAYAALP (TUR) and London silver medalist Vladimir KHINCHEGASHVILI (GEO).

Freestyle

Khinchegashvili will help kick off the competition in men’s freestyle at 57kg on Friday as he seeks to build on the European championship title he grabbed in April.  Standing in his way, however, may be last year’s 60kg winner Akhmednabi GVARZATILOV (AZE), also entered at 57kg.

European champions Haji ALIEV (AZE) and Ruslan DIBIRGADZHIEV (AZE) head up the fields at 61kg and 70kg, respectively, while 65kg is up for grabs with world bronze medalist GANZORIG Mandakhnaran (MGL) leading the way.

European silver medalist Jabrail HASANOV (AZE) hopes to build on his German Grand Prix win last month at 74kg, but world bronze medal winner Rashid KURBANOV (UZB) returns to defend the title he won here in November.

Another bronze medal winner from last year’s world meet will be Ehsan LASHGARI (IRI), who heads up the field at 86kg, while 97kg may well belong to world and European silver medalist Khetag GAZUMOV (AZE), the defending champion and three-time winner in Baku.

Meanwhile, three-time world runner-up for Cuba Alexis RODRIGUEZ VALERA (AZE) gets another start for Azerbaijan at 125kg, but will face a crowded field with the likes of Ali Aliev winner and teammate Ali ISAEV (AZE) along with world runner-up Alen ZASEEV (UKR) and Universiade silver medalist Aleksander KHOTSIANIVSKI (UKR)

Female Wrestling

Former world champions Stadnyk and Ratkevich lead their respective categories at 48kg and 60kg, but Ratkevich is certain to feel the pressure from world champion Marianna SASTIN (HUN) and European champion Johanna MATTSSON (SWE).  Yuki IRIE (JPN), No.2 in Japan, will have a chance to test herself against Stadnyk.

Two-time European champion Sofia MATTSSON (SWE) continues her quest at 53kg, while 55kg is wide open with Patimat MAGOMEDOV (AZE) trying regain her old form and Chiho HAMADA (JPN) trying build on her world student triumph earlier in the month.

Another wide open category is 58kg with world bronze medalist Emese BARKA (HUN), European runner-up Irina NETREBA, Euro bronze winner Petra OLLI and Asia No.2 Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ).

Top-ranked Anastasija GRIGORJEVA (LAT) seeks to rebound from her loss at the German Grand Prix, but faces a tough field that includes Asia champion Yurika ITO as well as European bronze medalist Yulia TKACH (UKR).

At 69kg, world champion Alina MAKHINIA (UKR) and 2012 world champ Jenny FRANSSON (SWE) are the class of the field while Vasilisa MARZALIUK (BLR) seeks a rematch of the European championships 75kg final with five-time world champion Stanka ZLATEVA (BUL).

Greco-Roman

Two-time Olympic Games silver medalist Rovshan BAYRAMOV (AZE) is back at 59kg, perhaps, looking at a run to Rio 2016, but will likely have to face European champ Alexander KOSTADINOV (BUL) or recently returned world champion Ivo ANGELOV (BUL).

European silver medalists Hasan ALIYEV (AZE) and Rasul CHUNAYEV (AZE) lead the way for the hosts at 66kg and 71kg. Chunayev will face a tougher go of it at 71kg with European champion Tamas LORINCZ (HUN) and former world champion Saeid ABDVALI (IRI) also entered.

Rafik HUSEYNOV (AZE) defeated Mark MADSEN (DEN), 5-1, in last November’s GGP final at 74kg and both are back at 75kg, while European champion Peter BACSI (HUN) and European bronze medal winner Elvin MURSALIYEV head the field at 80kg.

World bronze medal winner Viktor LORINCZ (HUN) and 2013 European runner-up Vladimir GEGESHIDZE (GEO) appear to be the class of 85kg, while 84kg world silver medalist Saman TAHMASEBI (AZE) has moved up to 98kg to do battle with Euro runner-up Cenk ILDEM (TUR) and bronze medal winner Marthin NIELSEN (NOR).

The four medal winners at 120kg from last year’s world championships – Heiki NABI (EST), Riza KAYAALP (TUR), Numakhan TINALIEV (KAZ) and Johan EUREN (SWE) – are all entered at 130kg.  Enough said.

Organizers of the Golden Grand Prix Final will award $10,000 USD to each champion, $5,000 USD to each runner-up and $2,000 to each bronze medal winner as well as to the coach of each of the champions.

Schedule

Friday, July 25
10:00-14:00  Qualification & Repechage Rounds, Freestyle, All Categories
14:00-14:30  Weigh-in Female Wrestling, All Categories
17:00-18:00  Opening Ceremony
18:00-20:00  Finals and Award Ceremonies

Saturday, July 26
10:00-14:00  Qualification & Repechage Rounds, Female Wrestling, All Categories
14:00-14:30  Weigh-in Greco-Roman, All Categories
17:00-19:00  Finals and Award Ceremonies

Sunday, July 27
10:00-15:00  Qualification & Repechage Rounds, Greco-Roman, All Categories
17:00-19:00  Finals and Award Ceremonies