SARAJEVO (August 21) – A new wave of continental champions, medalists and other teen wrestling hopefuls travel to the Bosnian city of Sarajevo with dreams of jump-starting their international careers at the Cadet World Championships. 

Some 500 wrestlers, most aged 16-17 years old, and including a handful of returning champions are expected to vie for the championship hardware in each of wrestling’s three Olympic Games disciplines.

The competition will be held August 25-30 at Amel Beckovic Sports Hall in the capital city of Bosnia and Hercegovina where an encouraging performance could become the steppingstone to greater achievements at the junior and senior levels.

Earlier this month, 2014 cadet world champions Zviadi PATARIDZE (GEO), Miho IGARASHI (JPN), Spencer LEE (USA) and Teymur MAMMADOV (AZE) all added junior world champ to their list of accomplishments.

This year, a handful of returning champions -- Joni KHETSURIANI (GEO) in Greco-Roman, Yumeka TANABE (JPN) and Yui SUSAKI (JPN) in the women’s events and Erfan Alireza AEINI (IRI) in freestyle -- will attempt to make it two in a row at the cadet level.

Meanwhile, junior world champion Leyla GURBANOVA (AZE) takes her last shot at winning cadet world title.

Gurbanova, who turns 17 in October and can wrestle as a junior and cadet this year, was silver medalist in last year’s cadet world championships in Snina (SVK) as well as at the Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing (CHN).

But, with three-time cadet world champ Kika KAGATA (JPN), YOG gold medalist Mayu MUKAIDA (JPN) and European rival Olena KREMZER (UKR), all born in 1997 and locked into the junior ranks, Gurbanova appears to one of the more solid picks for a gold medal in Sarajevo. 

Greco-Roman (August 25-26)
Joni KHETSURIANI (GEO), who won the 50kg crown in 2014, is entered at 54kg after taking a bronze medal at the European cadet meet in Subotica (SRB), earlier in August.

Another world champion, Atmir KOTCHEV (RUS) is listed as the alternate at 46kg on the Russian entry form behind Anzor KARAGULOV (RUS). Karagulov, however, was held to a bronze medal in Subotica behind winner Kerim KAMAL (TUR), the 2014 world silver medalist at 42kg to Kotchev.

Meanwhile, Emin SEFERSHAEV (RUS) is entered at 50kg and will look for a second world title after winning the 2013 cadet crown at 42kg for Ukraine. Sefershaev won the European cadet title three weeks ago in Subotica.

Taylor LAMONT (USA) comes to Sarajevo as a double-winner in freestyle and Greco-Roman at the Pan American cadet meet in July. Lamont, however, will have his hands full at 58kg with the likes of Khetsuriani and European finalists Miakhdi YAKHIAEV (RUS) and Andrej GINC (GER).

Yakhiaev is listed as an alternate to Taimuraz KABLAKHOV (RUS).

Among the continental champions expected to wrestle in Sarajevo are:
 
42kg – Vladimir ZABEYVOROTA (RUS), Europe
46kg – Mourtada NAANAA (ALG), Africa
50kg – Emin SEFERSHAEV (RUS), Europe
58kg – Taylor LAMONT (USA), Americas; Miakhdi YAKHIAEV (RUS), Europe
63kg – Aivengo RIKADZE (GEO), Europe
69kg – Aleksander KOMAROV (RUS, alternate), Europe
76kg – Islam OPIEV (RUS, alternate), Europe
85kg – Wyatt KOELLING (USA), Americas; Gerard KURNICZAK (POL), Europe
100kg – Amin MIRZADEH (IRI), Asia; Jamal FEYZIEV (AZE), Europe

Women’s Wrestling (August 27-28)

One year ago, Japan had a crew of multiple cadet world champions that included Mayu MUKAIDA, Kika KAGATA and Miho IGARASHI – even as three-time world champ Masako FURUICHI left for the junior ranks.

Yumeka TANABE (JPN) and Yui SUSAKI (JPN) won their first world titles at 40kg and 43kg in Snina and return to keep the Japanese tradition alive, trying for a second cadet crown at 43kg and 46kg, respectively.

Along with the Japanese duo, returning world champion Khanum VELIEVA (RUS) will seek to defend her 65kg crown. Joining Velieva in the hunt for gold will be Aleksandra SHIRENKO (RUS), a world bronze medalist at 40kg last year, who is entered at 43kg this year.

European champion Koumba LARROQUE (FRA) was runner-up at last year’s world meet at 60kg to Grace BULLEN (NOR) and appears ready to challenge Velieva at 65kg.

Two-time European champion Alina KAZYMOVA (RUS), also the world silver medalist in 2013 and 2014, is the second alternative for Russia at 52kg but may get her chance at a first world title. Aleksandra NITSENKO (RUS), a bronze medalist in Europe last year, is listed as the first entry.

Among the 2015 continental champions entered in the women’s events are:

38kg – Miu SHIMIZU (JPN), Asia
40kg – Ibtissem DOUDOU (ALG), Africa; Vayle BAKER (USA), Americas; Teresa LUMIA (ITA), Europe
43kg - Stefania PRICEPUTU (ROU), Europe
46kg – Lisa ERSEL (GER), Europe
49kg – Ellen RIESTERER (GER), Europe
52kg – Alina KAZYMOVA (RUS, 2nd alternate)
56kg – Gabriela RAMOS (PUR), Americas; Anastasia NICHITA (MDA), Europe
60kg – Anzhelina LYSAK (UKR), Europe
70kg – Maria OOSTHUIZEN (RSA), Africa

Freestyle (August 29-30)

The close of the weeklong world championships promises to be a wide-open affair with only one 2014 champion returning and a relatively low number of continental champions entered in Saturday and Sunday’s matches.

Erfan Alireza AEINI (IRI), the lone freestyle world champion on the entry list at the writing of this preview, won the world title at 46kg and will seek a second at 50kg. Asia champion Amir Aliakbar PARATESH (IRI) will represent Iran at 46kg.

Missing from the mix at 50kg is defending champion Spencer LEE (USA), who is still eligible to compete as a cadet. Lee opted, however, to wrestle at the junior world championships in Brazil where he blew the field away with five technical falls for the 50kg crown.

Asian champion Naelim Rahim HASSANZADEH (IRI) was a bronze medalist in Snina and may well have to face European champion Alimagomed ALIKHMAYEV (AZE) if he is going win the 100kg championship.
 
42kg – Tomike KATAMADZE (GEO), Europe
46kg – Amir Aliakbar PARATESH (IRI), Asia
50kg – Islam BAZARGANOV (AZE), Europe
58kg – Ishak BOUKHORS (ALG), Africa; Aleko LOMIDZE (GEO), Europe
69kg – Iveriko JULAKIDZE (GEO), Europe
100kg – Naelim Rahim HASSANZADEH (IRI), Asia; Alimagomed ALIKHMAYEV (AZE), Europe

Schedule
 
Monday, August 24
17:30-19:00 – Medical Check & Weigh-in, Greco-Roman 50, 54, 58, 63, 100kg

Tuesday, August 25
10:00-14:00 – Qualification Rounds & Repechage, Greco-Roman 50, 54, 58, 63, 100kg
17:30-19:00 – Medical Check & Weigh-in, Greco-Roman 42, 46, 69, 76, 85kg
19:00-19:30 – Opening Ceremony
19:30-21:30 – Finals & Awards Ceremonies, Greco-Roman 50, 54, 58, 63, 100kg

Wednesday, August 26
10:00-14:00 – Qualification Rounds & Repechage, Greco-Roman 42, 46, 69, 76, 85kg
16:00-17:45 - Medical Check & Weigh-in, Women 38, 43, 49, 56, 65kg
18:00-20:00 - Finals & Awards Ceremonies, Greco-Roman 42, 46, 69, 76, 85kg

Thursday, August 27
10:00-14:00 – Qualification Rounds & Repechage, Women 38, 43, 49, 56, 65kg
16:00-17:45 - Medical Check & Weigh-in, Women 40, 46, 52, 60, 70kg
18:00-20:00 - Finals & Awards Ceremonies, Women 38, 43, 49, 56, 65kg

Friday, August 28
10:00-14:00 – Qualification Rounds & Repechage, Women 40, 46, 52, 60, 70kg
16:00-17:45 - Medical Check & Weigh-in, Freestyle 42, 50, 58, 69, 85kg
18:00-20:00 - Finals & Awards Ceremonies, Women 40, 46, 52, 60, 70kg

Saturday, August 29
10:00-14:00 – Qualification Rounds & Repechage, Freestyle 42, 50, 58, 69, 85kg
16:00-17:45 - Medical Check & Weigh-in, Freestyle 46, 54, 63, 76, 100kg
18:00-20:00 - Finals & Awards Ceremonies, Freestyle 42, 50, 58, 69, 85kg

Sunday, August 30
10:00-14:00 – Qualification Rounds & Repechage, Freestyle 46, 54, 63, 76, 100kg
18:00-20:00 - Finals & Awards Ceremonies, Freestyle 46, 54, 63, 76, 100kg