#WrestleAstana

Asian Championships entry list

By Eric Olanowski & Vinay Siwach

ASTANA, Kazakhstan (March 27) -- The Paris Olympics qualification cycle will officially begin with the Asian Championships. Astana will host the continental championships from April 9 to 14 and the nations competing in Astana will be eligible to compete at the World Championships in September, the first qualifying event for Paris 2024.

China, India, Japan and Kazakhstan are the four nations with 30 entries which means that these countries will be allowed to place 30 wrestlers at the World Championships as well. Iran has a full squad for freestyle and Greco-Roman.

In freestyle, Iran will be the favorite to lift the team trophy but Kazakhstan and India will be its biggest challenges, especially with the home advantage for the former. Kyrgyzstan too has a strong squad for freestyle.

In women's wrestling, Japan is bringing a mixed squad with defending champion Akari FUJINAMI (JPN) leading the charge. World champion Nonoka OZAKI (JPN), 2021 world champion Remina YOSHIMOTO (JPN) and Sae NANJO (JPN) are also part of the squad.

But China, returning to Asian Championships after four years, will be keen on making a mark after finishing second to Japan in the team race at the World Championships. Olympic silver medalist Qianyu PANG (CHN) will be wrestling at 55kg while world silver medalist Jia LONG (CHN) is at 65kg.

In Greco-Roman, Iran is bringing a solid team with world silver medalist Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) leading. While the squad is young, it still has hammers like Poya DAD MARZ (IRI), Mehdi MOHSEN NEJAD (IRI) and various other U23 world medalists.

Kyrgyzstan will see world champions Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) and Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) taking the mat in Astana. Hansu RYU (KOR) and Hyeonwoo KIM (KOR) will also feature in the tournament.

Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI)World and Asian champion Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI), right, will be wrestling at 65kg. (Photo: UWW / Bayrem Ben Mrad)

Freestyle

57kg
Wanhao ZOU (CHN)
AMAN (IND)
Alireza SARLAK (IRI)
Rikuto ARAI (JPN)
Rakhat KALZHAN (KAZ)
Almaz SMANBEKOV (KGZ)
Sunggwon KIM (KOR)
Zanabazar ZANDANBUD (MGL)
Muhammad BILAL (PAK)
Ali M M ABURUMAILA (PLE)
Ekanayaka MUDIYANSELAGE (SRI)
Sunatullo BOBOEV (TJK)
Nodirjon SAFAROV (UZB)

61kg
Minghu LIU (CHN)
PANKAJ (IND)
Yasin REZAEI (IRI)
Kodai OGAWA (JPN)
Nurbolat ABDUALIYEV (KAZ)
Taiyrbek ZHUMASHBEK UULU (KGZ)
Hyeonsik SONG (KOR)
Ali ALMOHAINI (KUW)
Tuvshintulga TUMENBILEG (MGL)
Eddy BIN KHIDZER (SGP)
Muhamad IKROMOV (TJK)
Myrat HOJANEPESOV (TKM)
Ibrahim GUZAN (YEM)
Sardor RUZIMOV (UZB)

65kg
Shaohua YUAN (CHN)
Anuj KUMAR (IND)
Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI)
Mohammed KAREEM (IRQ)
Ryoma ANRAKU (JPN)
Sanzhar MUKHTAR (KAZ)
Ulukbek ZHOLDOSHBEKOV (KGZ)
Changsu KIM (KOR)
Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL)
Zi Xyan LIM (SGP)
Divoshan CHARLES FERNANDO (SRI)
Ahmad DIRKI (SYR)
Abdulmazhid KUDIEV (TJK)
Gurbanmuhammet CHARYYEV (TKM)
Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB)

70kg
Agudamu AGUDAMU (CHN)
Mulaym YADAV (IND)
Morteza GHIASI CHEKA (IRI)
Ali AL OBAIDI (IRQ)
Orts ISAKOV (JOR)
Yoshinosuke AOYAGI (JPN)
Sanzhar DOSZHANOV (KAZ)
Orozobek TOKTOMAMBETOV (KGZ)
Suhyeon PARK (KOR)
Mohammed ABDULKAREEM (KUW)
Khanburged GANKHUYAG (MGL)
Inayat ULLAH (PAK)
Mohamed BIN ABDULLAH (SGP)
Karuna PELI GEDARA (SRI)
Mustafo AKHMEDOV (TJK)
Perman HOMMADOV (TKM)
Zafarbek OTAKHONOV (UZB)

74kg
Magomedrasul ASLUEV (BRN)
Shengsong XIA (CHN)
YASH (IND)
Hossein ABOUZARIPASHKOLAEI (IRI)
Erzo ISAKOV (JOR)
Kirin KINOSHITA (JPN)
Darkhan YESSENGALI (KAZ)
Adilet ZHAPARKULOV (KGZ)
Byungmin GONG (KOR)
Suldkhuu OLONBAYAR (MGL)
Abdullrahman IBRAHIM (QAT)
Hong LOU (SGP)
Udayantha FERNANDO (SRI)
Magomet EVLOEV (TJK)
Jumadurdy MAMISHOV (TKM)
Jafar CHULIBOYEV (UZB)

79kg
Khidir SAIPUDINOV (BRN)
Peilong LI (CHN)
DEEPAK (IND)
Amirhossein KAVOUSI (IRI)
Yajuro YAMASAKI (JPN)
Bolat SAKAYEV (KAZ)
Adilet MARATBAEV (KGZ)
Gunwoo LEE (KOR)
Byambadorj BAT ERDENE (MGL)
Shuhrat BOZOROV (TJK)
Vepa HEMENEKOV (TKM)
Bekzod ABDURAKHMONOV (UZB)

86kg
Zushen LIN (CHN)
Jointy KUMAR (IND)
Alireza KARIMI (IRI)
Mustafa AL OBAIDI (IRQ)
Zaid SHISHANI (JOR)
Hayato ISHIGURO (JPN)
Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ)
Nurtilek KARYPBAEV (KGZ)
Gwanuk KIM (KOR)
Bat Erdene BYAMBASUREN (MGL)
Noman ZAKA (PAK)
Weng CHOW (SGP)
Dovletmyrat ORAZGYLYJOV (TKM)
Bobur ISLOMOV (UZB)

92kg
Magomed SHARIPOV (BRN)
Xiao SUN (CHN)
Deepak PUNIA (IND)
Arashk MOHEBI (IRI)
Issa AL OBAIDI (IRQ)
Abdul ABUIDAIJ (JOR)
Arash YOSHIDA (JPN)
Rizabek AITMUKHAN (KAZ)
Mirlan CHYNYBEKOV (KGZ)
Woomin JANG (KOR)
Gankhuyag GANBAATAR (MGL)
Ajiniyaz SAPARNIYAZOV (UZB)

97kg
Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN)
Awusayiman HABILA (CHN)
DEEPAK (IND)
Mojtaba GOLEIJ (IRI)
Takashi ISHIGURO (JPN)
Bekzat URKIMBAY (KAZ)
Arslanbek TURDUBEKOV (KGZ)
Juhwan SEO (KOR)
Ulziisaikhan BAASANTSOGT (MGL)
Shatlyk HEMELYAYEV (TKM)
Makhsud VEYSALOV (UZB)

125kg
Zhiwei DENG (CHN)
Anirudh KUMAR (IND)
Amirreza MASOUMI VALADI (IRI)
Ahmed AL JAMIE (IRQ)
Taiki YAMAMOTO (JPN)
Yusup BATIRMURZAEV (KAZ)
Muzafar ZHAPPUEV (KGZ)
Yeihyun JUNG (KOR)
Lkhagvagerel MUNKHTUR (MGL)
Omar SAREM (SYR)
Zyyamuhammet SAPAROV (TKM)
Sardorbek KHOLMATOV (UZB)

Nonoka OZAKI (JPN)Nonoka OZAKI (JPN) and Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) will be renewing their rivarly in Astana. (Photo: UWW / Bayrem Ben Mrad)

Women’s Wrestling

50kg
Ziqi FENG (CHN)
NEELAM (IND)
Remina YOSHIMOTO (JPN)
Ellada MAKHYADDINOVA (KAZ)
Miran CHEON (KOR)
Namuuntsetseg TSOGT OCHIR (MGL)
Lachyn ANNAMURADOVA (TKM)
Yi Jing CHEN (TPE)
Jasmina IMMAEVA (UZB)
Thi Xuan NGUYEN (VIE)

53kg
Li DENG (CHN)
ANTIM (IND)
Akari FUJINAMI (JPN)
Altyn SHAGAYEVA (KAZ)
Hyunyoung OH (KOR)
Bolortuya BAT OCHIR (MGL)
Hsiao LIM (SGP)
Ahinsa PORUTHOTAGE (SRI)
Meng Hsuan HSIEH (TPE)
Aktenge KEUNIMJAEVA (UZB)
Thi Dao BUI (VIE)

55kg
Qianyu PANG (CHN)
SITO (IND)
Rino KATAOKA (JPN)
Marina SEDNEVA (KAZ)
Aruuke KADYRBEK KYZY (KGZ)
Otgontuya CHINBOLD (MGL)
Shokhida AKHMEDOVA (UZB)
Thi NGUYEN (VIE)

57kg
Qi ZHANG (CHN)
ANSHU (IND)
Sae NANJO (JPN)
Nilufar RAIMOVA (KAZ)
Bermet NURIDIN KYZY (KGZ)
Youngjin KWON (KOR)
Erdenesuvd BAT ERDENE (MGL)
Danielle LIM (SGP)
Yu Han CHENG (TPE)
Laylokhon SOBIROVA (UZB)​​​​​​
Thi Anh TRAN (VIE)

59kg
ZHUOMALAGA (CHN)
SARITA (IND)
Yui SAKANO (JPN)
Diana KAYUMOVA (KAZ)
Kalmira BILIMBEKOVA (KGZ)
Bolortuya KHURELKHUU (MGL)
Sarbinaz JIENBAEVA (UZB)

62kg
Xiaojuan LUO (CHN)
SONAM (IND)
Nonoka OZAKI (JPN)
Irina KUZNETSOVA (KAZ)
Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ)
Subeen JO (KOR)
Orkhon PUREVDORJ (MGL)
Sachini WERADUWAGE (SRI)
Hsin Ping PAI (TPE)
Dilfuza AIMBETOVA (UZB)
Anh Tuyet TRAN (VIE)

65kg
Jia LONG (CHN)
MANISHA (IND)
Mahiro YOSHITAKE (JPN)
Albina KAIRGELDINOVA (KAZ)
Dilnaz SAZANOVA (KGZ)
Shoovdor BAATARJAV (MGL)
Nadeesha PERERA (SRI)
Ariukhan JUMABAEVA (UZB)

68kg
Feng ZHOU (CHN)
NISHA (IND)
Ami ISHII (JPN)
Yelena SHALYGINA (KAZ)
Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ)
Minji HA (KOR)
Delgermaa ENKHSAIKHAN (MGL)
Deepthika KUMARASINGHE (SRI)
Oguljan EGEMBERDIYEVA (TKM)
Dieu Thuong LAI (VIE)
Firuza ESENBAEVA (UZB)

72kg
QIANDEGENCHAGAN (CHN)
REETIKA (IND)
Sumire NIIKURA (JPN)
Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ)
Nurzat NURTAEVA (KGZ)
Davaanasan ENKH AMAR (MGL)
Ping Tsen HUNG (TPE)
Svetlana OKNAZAROVA (UZB)

76kg
Juan WANG (CHN)
PRIYA (IND)
Mizuki NAGASHIMA (JPN)
Elmira SYZDYKOVA (KAZ)
Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ)
Seoyeon JEONG (KOR)
Ariunjargal GANBAT (MGL)
Hui Tsz CHANG (TPE)
Ozoda ZARIPBOEVA (UZB)
Thi Linh DANG (VIE)

Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI)Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) will lead Iran's charge in Astana. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Greco-Roman

55kg
Sailike WALIHAN (CHN)
RUPIN (IND)
Poya DAD MARZ (IRI)
Mostafa ALQADE (JOR)
Taiga ONISHI (JPN)
Amangali BEKBOLATOV (KAZ)
Sardarbek KONUSHBAEV (KGZ)
Hyeokjin JEON (KOR)
Abduvali RAHIMBAYEV (TKM)
Ikhtiyor BOTIROV (CHN)

60kg
Liguo CAO (CHN)
SUMIT (IND)
Mehdi MOHSEN NEJAD (IRI)
Maito KAWANA (JPN)
Yernur FIDAKHMETOV (KAZ)
Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ)
Hanjae CHUNG (KOR)
Aslamdzhon AZIZOV (TJK)
Umit DURDYYEV (TKM)
Jui Chi HUANG (TPE)
Akmal KHAMROEV (UZB)

63kg
Haodong TAN (CHN)
NEERAJ (IND)
Iman Hossein Khoon MOHAMMADI (IRI)
Chiezo MARUYAMA (JPN)
Mukhamedali MAMURBEK (KAZ)
Dastan KADYROV (KGZ)
Jinseub SONG (KOR)
Siyovush ACHILOV (TJK)
Shermukhammad SHARIBJANOV (UZB)

67kg
HUSIYUETU (CHN)
ASHU (IND)
Reza Mahdi ABBASI (IRI)
Kyotaro SOGABE (JPN)
Almat KEBISPAYEV (KAZ)
Razzak BEISHEKEEV (KGZ)
Hansu RYU (KOR)
Firuz MIRZORAJABOV (TJK)
Begmyrat NOBATOV (TKM)
Hong Yu CHEN (TPE)
Abror ATABAEV (UZB)

72kg
Jian TAN (CHN)
VIKAS (IND)
Sajjad IMENTALABFOUMANI (IRI)
Ali Mohammed ALABODA (IRQ)
Taishi HORIE (JPN)
Ibragim MAGOMADOV (KAZ)
Adilkhan NURLANBEKOV (KGZ)
Jiyeon LEE (KOR)
Loiqi AMIRKHONZODA (TJK)
Toyly ORAZOV (TKM)
Jamol JUMABAEV (UZB)

77kg
Rui LIU (CHN)
SAJAN (IND)
Amin KAVIYANINEJAD (IRI)
Amro SADEH (JOR)
Kodai SAKURABA (JPN)
Demeu ZHADRAYEV (KAZ)
Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ)
Hyeonwoo KIM (KOR)
Bakhit K BADR (QAT)
Gadiel MISSO (SGP)
Jeyhun OVEZDURDYYEV (TKM)
Lai Hsing YAO (TPE)
Aram VARDANYAN (UZB)

82kg
Halishan BAHEJIANG (CHN)
Rohit DAHIYA (IND)
Alireza MOHMADIPIANI (IRI)
Sultan EID (JOR)
Yuya MAETA (JPN)
Dias KALEN (KAZ)
Islam YEVLOYEV (KAZ)
Akylbek TALANTBEKOV (KGZ)
Sejin YANG (KOR)
Aryan BIN AZMAN (SGP)
Sukhrob ABDULKHAEV (TJK)
Mukhammadkodir RASULOV (UZB)

87kg
Chengwu WANG (CHN)
Sunil KUMAR (IND)
Naser ALIZADEH (IRI)
Masato SUMI (JPN)
Nursultan TURSYNOV (KAZ)
Atabek AZISBEKOV (KGZ)
Byeongcheol SHIN (KOR)
Saidislomiddin ASLAMOV (TJK)
Shyhazberdi OVELEKOV (TKM)
Jalgasbay BERDIMURATOV (UZB)

97kg
Yiming LI (CHN)
Narinder CHEEMA (IND)
Mehdi BALIHAMZEHDEH (IRI)
Ali AL KAABI (IRQ)
Yuta NARA (JPN)
Olzhas SYRLYBAY (KAZ)
Uzur DZHUZUPBEKOV (KGZ)
Seyeol LEE (KOR)
Azizdzhon ZARIPOV (TJK)
Amanberdi AGAMAMMEDOV (TKM)
Abrorbek NURMUKHAMMEDOV (UZB)

130kg
Lingzhe MENG (CHN)
NAVEEN (IND)
Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI)
Ali AL SHARUEE (IRQ)
Sota OKUMURA (JPN)
Alimkhan SYZDYKOV (KAZ)
Roman KIM (KGZ)
Minseok KIM (KOR)
Timothy Yu LOH (SGP)
Aybegshazada KURRAYEV (TKM)
Temurbek NASIMOV (UZB)

#WrestleTirana

U23 Worlds: Ganiev, Beishekeev end title droughts for Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan

By Vinay Siwach

TIRANA, Albania (October 22) -- Alisher GANIEV (UZB) was a little harsh on himself when he failed to win gold at the U20 Asian Championships in July. He even called it a 'painful defeat'. Little did he know that three months later, he would be creating history for Uzbekistan.

The 19-year-old Ganiev became the first U23 world champion for Uzbekistan in any style. The country did not have a medalist at the U23 World Championships in Greco-Roman until Ganiev changed that with a gold medal.

"Last year, I finished third at the U20 World Championships," Ganiev said. "That loss gave me a lot of motivation. This is my first Worlds gold. I lost at the U20 Asian championships this year. That was a painful defeat. I guess those losses hugely influenced the way I prepared for this World championships."

Ganiev won all his bouts on Monday via technical superiority and on Tuesday, he defeated Dinislam BAMMATOV (AIN) 8-4 in the 60kg final to clinch the first-ever gold medal for his country.

"The final was the most difficult one," he said. "But the right plan and technique made my dream come true."

Ganiev was off to a flyer and finished the final in the first period when he tossed Bammatov for four points and the referees called a foul on Bammatov to give a 9-0 lead for Ganiev. However, on challenge, Bammatov received a lifeline as he had not committed a foul and the scored was reversed to 7-0.

But the gap was too big got Bammatov to make a comeback in the second period. He managed to score four points over Ganiev but he failed to change the outcome of the final. 

"It might have looked so easy but it was definitely tough," he said. "We have been preparing the tactics for every single opponent. That’s why it worked out."

Kyrgyzstan too crowned its first U23 world champion in Greco-Roman as Razzak BEISHEKEEV (KGZ) clinched the 67kg with a 6-1 victory over European bronze medalist Diego CHKHIKVADZE (GEO) in the final. Beishekeev got the early advantage as he used an arm-throw to get four points and since, Chkhikvadze was only playing catch-up.

In the last few years, Kyrgyzstan has got its first senior world champion, a U23 world champion and more recently a U20 world champion. The last time it won a U17 world title was won by Kyrgyzstan wrestler, was in 2018. Incidentally, Beishekeev was the last U17 world champion.

Another wrestler chasing a first for his country fell short as Mohammad NAGHOUSI (IRI) defeated Beka MELELASHVILI (USA), 4-3, in the 82kg final. 

Melelashvili was the first Greco-Roman wrestler from the United States to secure a medal at the U23 World Championships and had the chance to become the first champion. However, Naghousi kept his cool and managed to eke out a 4-3 win.

At 97kg, Hayk KHLOYAN (ARM), who has never placed on a podium before, won the gold medal by beating Paris Olympian Abubakar KHASLAKHANAU (AIN), 11-6, in the final.

Prior to the World Championships, Khloyan had finished 14th and fifth. But none of that mattered on Tuesday as he built a 7-0 lead over Khaslakhanau. Khloyan got the first par terre advantage and to everyone's surprise, managed to turn Khaslakhanau three times to lead Iran. Khaslakhanau got his opportunity in the second period but he failed to get even a single turn.

Georgia was also crowned a champion at 72kg after Giorgi CHKHIKVADZE (GEO) defeated Shant KHACHATRYAN (ARM), 3-1, in the gold medal bout.

Chkhikvadze was leading 1-1 on criteria but the referees awarded a third passivity to Khachatryan who went for a par terre position. As he tried to turn Chkhikvadze, Khachatryan was blocked during the turn and Chkhikvadze scored two points for exposure.

This was Chkhikvadze's first world title as he had finished with a silver at the U20 World Championships in 2021. He had defeated Khachatryan in the semifinals of that tournament. However, Khachatryan leveled the head-to-head score by beating Chkhikvadze in the opening round of the U23 World Championships.

RESULTS

60kg
GOLD: Alisher GANIEV (UZB) df. Dinislam BAMMATOV (AIN), 8-4

BRONZE: Pridon ABULADZE (GEO) df. SURAJ (IND), 9-1
BRONZE: Denis MIHAI (ROU) df. Nihad GULUZADE (AZE), 

67kg
GOLD: Razzak BEISHEKEEV (KGZ) df. Diego CHKHIKVADZE (GEO), 6-1

BRONZE: Daniial AGAEV (AIN) df. Yanis GUENDEZ NIFRI (FRA), 2-1
BRONZE: Arslanbek SALIMOV (POL) df. Farid KHALILOV (AZE), 8-4

72kg
GOLD: Giorgi CHKHIKVADZE (GEO) df. Shant KHACHATRYAN (ARM), 3-1

BRONZE: Imran ALIEV (AIN) df. Adilkhan NURLANBEKOV (KGZ), 11-1
BRONZE: Danial SOHRABI (IRI) df. Georgios BARBANOS (SWE), 9-0

82kg
GOLD: Mohammad NAGHOUSI (IRI) df. Beka MELELASHVILI (USA), 4-3

BRONZE: Data CHKHAIDZE (GEO) df. Elmin ALIYEV (AZE)
BRONZE: Deni NAKAEV (GER) df. Emad ABOUELATTA (EGY), 5-1

97kg
GOLD: Hayk KHLOYAN (ARM) df. Abubakar KHASLAKHANAU (AIN), 11-6

BRONZE: Shayan HABIBZARE (IRI) df. Richard KARELSON (EST), 8-5
BRONZE: Magomed MURTAZALIEV (AIN) df. Anton VIEWEG (GER), 11-0

Semifinals

55kg
GOLD: Ali AHMADI VAFA (IRI) vs. Rashad MAMMADOV (AZE)

SF 1: Ali AHMADI VAFA (IRI) df. Vishvajit MORE (IND), 14-5
SF 2: Rashad MAMMADOV (AZE) df. Kohei YAMAGIWA (JPN), 12-2

63kg
GOLD: Vitalie ERIOMENCO (MDA) vs. Komei SAWADA (JPN)

SF 1: Vitalie ERIOMENCO (MDA) df. Arman VARDANYAN (ARM), 14-5
SF 2: Komei SAWADA (JPN) df. Bekir ATES (TUR), 7-0

77kg
GOLD: Samuel BELLSCHEIDT (GER) vs. Alexandrin GUTU (MDA)

SF 1: Samuel BELLSCHEIDT (GER) df. Temuri ORJONIKIDZE (GEO), 2-1
SF 2: Alexandrin GUTU (MDA) df. Doniyorkhon NAKIBOV (UZB), 6-1

87kg
GOLD: Aues GONIBOV (AIN) vs. Marcel STERKENBURG (NED)

SF 1: Aues GONIBOV (AIN) df. Asan ZHANYSHOV (KGZ), 2-1
SF 2: Marcel STERKENBURG (NED) df. Yasin YAZDI (IRI), 5-1

130kg
GOLD: Dmitrii BABORYKO (AIN) vs. Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI)

SF 1: Dmitrii BABORYKO (AIN) df. Albert VARDANYAN (ARM), via fall
SF 2: Fardin HEDAYATI (IRI) df. Koppany LASZLO (HUN), 8-0