#ANOCAwards2021

ANOC NEWS: ANOC Awards 2021 Honors Best Athletes of Tokyo 2020

Monday, October 25, 2021 - 12:10 By United World Wrestling Press

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CRETE, Greece (October 25) --- Wrestling's Mijain LOPEZ (CUB) was honored on Sunday night at the ANOC Awards 2021. The Cuban Giant earned the Outstanding Athlete Performance award for becoming the first-ever male wrestler to win four Olympic titles. ANOC News provided a breakdown of Sunday night's award winners.

A breathtaking ANOC Awards 2021 ceremony took place at the Creta Maris Beach Resort tonight, with the world coming together in celebration of some of the leading names in Olympic sport.

The athletes who shone at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 earlier this year were recognised for their inspiring performances. The best female and male athletes, as well as the best female and male teams from team sports were honoured, whilst an outstanding athlete performance was announced. Additionally, female and male award categories were introduced for the best multiple athlete event, which recognises outstanding collective performances by more than one athlete in sports that can also be practiced individually. Finally, there were awards for the outstanding National Olympic Committee (NOC) of Tokyo 2020 and for individual contribution to the Olympic Movement.

The ANOC Awards winners for 2021 are:

  • Best Female Multiple Athlete Event of Tokyo 2020: Estonia Fencing Épée Team
  • Best Male Multiple Athlete Event of Tokyo 2020: Italy Cycling-Track Team Pursuit
  • Best Female Team of Tokyo 2020: New Zealand Rugby Sevens
  • Best Male Team of Tokyo 2020: Japan Baseball
  • Best Female Athlete of Tokyo 2020: Maggie Mac Neil
  • Best Male Athlete of Tokyo 2020: Eliud Kipchoge
  • Outstanding Athlete Performance: Mijaín López
  • Outstanding NOC of Tokyo 2020: Japanese Olympic Committee
  • Contribution to the Olympic Movement: John Coates

The ANOC Awards was created to show appreciation to NOCs and their athletes for their dedication to the Olympic Movement and for promoting the Olympic values all year round. During the ceremony, Diplomas were presented to the breakthrough NOCs that had historic sporting moments at Tokyo 2020.

The ANOC Diploma for Breakthrough NOCs recipients are:

  • Bermuda Olympic Association – Triathlete Flora Duffy became Olympic champion, in doing so making Bermuda the smallest country by population to win a gold medal.
  • Philippine Olympic Committee – Weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz made history by winning the women’s 55 kg category to become the first Olympic gold medallist from the Philippines.
  • Qatar Olympic Committee – Fares Elbakh won his country’s first ever Olympic gold at Tokyo 2020 and shortly after, high jump star Mutaz Essa Barshim claimed Qatar’s second gold in what was one of the most memorable moments of Tokyo 2020, as he shared the gold medal with Italy’s Gianmarco Tamberi.
  • Burkina Faso National Olympic Committee – Hugues Fabrice Zango became the country’s first Olympic bronze medallist as he claimed third spot in the men’s triple jump.
  • San Marino National Olympic Committee – It was a Games to remember for San Marino. At the start of play, they had never reached an Olympic podium, but by the end of the Games they had won one silver and one bronze.
  • National Olympic Committee of Turkmenistan – Tokyo 2020 saw Turkmenistan win its first Olympic medal, when Polina Guryeva won silver in the women’s weightlifting 59 kg category.

In addition to the ANOC Awards, the Hellenic Olympic Committee dedicated an award to the Best Greek Athlete of Tokyo 2020. Greek Deputy Sports Minister Lefteris Avgenakis presented Tokyo 2020 long jump champion Miltiadis Tentoglou with the award, following his stunning gold medal winning performance at the Games.

Representatives from 155 of the 205 NOCs were joined in-person by other stakeholders throughout the Olympic Movement for a spectacular seventh edition of the ANOC Award, with many others tuning in online. Athletes, NOCs and International Federations were all actively engaged in the ANOC Awards across all social media platforms throughout the evening, as the global celebration demonstrated how shared sporting values continue to unite different countries and cultures.

The awards ceremony was shown live by Greek broadcaster ERT. The event was also streamed live on the ANOC YouTube Channel, ensuring the whole sporting world was able to enjoy captivating mix of sport and culture.

Click the link to read more on the ANOC Olympic site...ANOC Awards 2021 Honors Best Athletes of Tokyo 2020 

#WrestleBaku

Europe's best in Baku for Paris 2024 qualification in Greco-Roman

Thursday, April 4, 2024 - 11:01 By United World Wrestling Press

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BAKU, Azerbaijan (April 4) -- Europe qualified four wrestlers for the Paris Olympics at 87kg from the World Championships in Belgrade. That number is the highest for Europe in any Greco-Roman weight class.

Yet, some of the top wrestlers in the continent have not been able to earn a Paris 2024 spot. Those stars will clash at the European OG Qualifier in Baku from April 5 to 7 to earn the two quotas available at 87kg.

Leading the field at 87kg is newly minted European champion Aleksandr KOMAROV (SRB) who looked in top form at the European Championships. In the final, he even convincingly beat world champion Ali CENGIZ (TUR).

Islam ABBASOV (AZE) is seeded number one at 87kg and Komarov is number four resulting in the two falling on the same side of the bracket. The two met in the semifinal at the European Championships which Komarov won 3-1. European bronze medalist Kiyrl MASKEVICH (AIN) gets the second seed and Alex KESSIDIS (SWE) is third, putting them together on the lower side of the bracket.

Though they will be unseeded, former U23 world champion Milad ALIRZAEV (AIN) and former European champion Turpal BISULTANOV (DEN) will be roaring to go as the latter returns from injury. Former U23 world champion Exauce MUKUBU (NOR) also hopes to earn the quota.

A few other big clashes are expected in Baku, especially with wrestlers from non-Olympic weight classes moving to the Olympic ones.

Leri ABULADZE (GEO), a 63kg world champion, is moving down to 60kg to earn an Olympic quota. But it won't be easy for him. A two-time U23 world champion Anvar ALLAKHIAROV (AIN) and European champion Nihat MAMMADLI (AZE) will be the biggest challenges for the unseeded Abuladze.

Add to the line-up top seed and Tokyo Olympian Victor CIOBANU (MDA) who reached the final at the European Championships before losing to Mammadli. Ciobanu and Mammadli are separated by seeding and will not face each other in Baku. Leo TUDEZCA (FRA) enjoys the third seed and Jacopo SANDRON (ITA) will be seeded fourth.

Tokyo Olympic silver medalist Parviz NASIBOV (UKR) will be looking to return to the Olympics by winning a quota in Baku. He was at 72kg at the European Championships and won a bronze medal. The European champion at 72kg, Selcuk CAN (TUR), is dropping to 67kg.

Nasibov will be seeded number four in Baku which pits him on the same side as top seed Krisztian VANCZA (HUN). Mamadassa SYLLA (FRA) is seeded second with Mihai MIHUT (ROU) getting the third seed.

European bronze medalist Abu AMAEV (BUL) is entered for the tournament along with some hammers like Diego CHKHIKVADZE (GEO), Kristupas SLEIVA (LTU), Morten THORESEN (NOR), Gevorg SAHAKYAN (POL) and Niklas OEHLEN (SWE).

At 97kg, Magomed MURTAZALIEV (AIN) will look to build on his silver-medal finish at the European Championships and earn a spot for the Paris Games. He defeated Kiril MILOV (BUL) and Arvi SAVOLAINEN (FIN) before losing to Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM).

Milov has pulled out due to an injury and will not be competing at the Paris Olympics. Savolainen will be in Baku and seeded number one for the competition followed by Mindaugas VENCKAITIS (LTU) at number two and Mihail KAJAIA (SRB) at three. Aleksandar STJEPANETIC (SWE) is seeded number four.

Alex SZOKE (HUN), Nikoloz KAKHELASHVILI (ITA), Tyrone STERKENBURG (NED) and Felix BALDAUF (NOR), among others, will be drawn randomly.

European champion and two-time Olympic medalist Sergei SEMENOV (AIN) has the best chance to earn a Paris 2024 spot. He stunned Riza KAYAALP (TUR) in the 130kg final, denying the legend a record-breaking 13th European title. Despite his gold, Semenov will be unseeded in Baku.

Romas FRIDRIKAS (LTU) is the top seed followed by 2012 London Olympic silver medalist Heiki NABI (EST) at second. Beka KANDELAKI (AZE) will be number three and Alin ALEXUC CIURARIU (ROU) is number four.

At 77kg, world champion at 72kg Ibrahim GHANEM (FRA), former world silver medalist Zoltan LEVAI (HUN), U23 world champion Alexandrin GUTU (MDA), Viktor NEMES (SRB) and former world champion Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR) will battle for the two spots.