#BeachWrestling

Beach Wrestling World Series grows to 3 continents in 2023

Tuesday, March 7, 2023 - 13:01 By United World Wrestling Press

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CROSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (March 7) -- The Beach Wrestling World Series continues to gather popularity with its incredible athleticism, non-stop action, easy-to-understand points system and rules, as well as a growing recognition in relevance from the world of sports.

Already the fastest-growing style on the United World Wrestling (UWW) calendar, beach wrestling gets underway in a brand new location. The season opener will take place in Buenos Aires, Argentina on May 7-8, following UWW's senior Pan-American Championships, It will mark the return of the World Series to the continent for the first time since the inaugural season in 2019.

The tour will then head to its first-ever stop on Asian sands as it touches down in Singapore on June 10 and 11, making its debut on the continent.

The first two stops of the World Series are also qualifying events for the ANOC World Beach Games, which will take place in Bali on August 11 and 12. Beach Wrestling is a core event at the Games.

The third stop will see the wrestlers move to the sensational sands of Saint Laurent du Var, bringing that Cote D’Azur French flair to the season for the third year in a row with the event doubling up as the sport's U17 and U20 European Championships.

The penultimate event will take place on September 9 and 10 on magical Mamaia Beach in Constanta, Romania which has been the venue for the final stop of the World Series’ past two seasons. With the U17 and U20 World Championships taking place in the days before, the sand will be warmed up for the seniors to show their skills.

The final stop will see the Kings and Queens of the Beach coronated in Sarigerme, an area of marvelous Mugla, Turkey, and the site of the 2022 season opener, on October 14 and 15 as the curtain comes down on another year of the strongest show on the sand.

The Beach Wrestling World Series is popular with fans and athletes alike, providing a festival atmosphere as the sun shines on the sand, the music plays and the spectators’ "ooohs" and "ahhhs" accompany the wrestlers on their way to gold.

The adrenaline-filled action helps feed the vibe and it’s easy to see why the sand side crowd continues to grow with each event. With Beach Wrestling being named one of ANOC’s Beach Games core disciplines for 2023 and 2025, the popularity of the sport is sure to continue to grow at the rapid rate it has so far.

More than 700 athletes from 48 countries have participated in the World Series since its introduction in 2019 with 267 women and 445 men taking to the sand with World Series gold in their sights. More new faces, talents and potential title challengers are expected for the new season.

Registration is open for four different weight categories for both men and women, with the men's competing in -70kg, -80kg, -90kg and +90kg, and the women competing in -50kg, -60kg, -70kg and +70kg. Each bout lasts three minutes, or first to three points.

The UWW has put prize money of 1000 Swiss Francs for the gold medalists, 500 Swiss Francs for the silver medalists and 250 Swiss Francs for each of the two bronze medalists. Along with that, the ‘Top Technique’ award for the best move over the weekend, voted by the fans via the World Series’ official Instagram page, will see the winners take home 1000 Swiss Francs for each gender.

Who will take home the gold in this series? Will the Big Gun, Azerbaijan’s Oyan Nazariani make a victorious return after an injury-hit 2022? Will the Glorious Georgians go on another gold run? Will anyone be able to match Romania’s 50kg ‘heavyweight’ Stefania Princeputu? Can the ever-growing Team USA make an impression this year?

Will the impressive Indian team continue its upwards trajectory, or will the Brilliant Bulgarians shine on the sand? It’s anyone’s guess as we head towards the start of the series with competitors from all over the world gearing up for the biggest Beach Wrestling World Series to date.

Tune in to see how the drama unfolds and who will be the Kings and Queens on Sand, come October in Mugla.

Dates and Locations, Beach Wrestling World Series 2023
Stop 1 – Buenos Aires (ARG), May 7-8, 2023  
Stop 2 – Singapore (SGP), June 10-11, 2023
Stop 3 – Saint-Laurent-du-Var (FRA), June 29-30, 2023
Stop 4 – Constanta (ROU), September 9-10, 2023
FINAL – Mugla (TUR), October 14-15, 2023

UWW Beach Wrestling
UWW, then known as FILA, codified the form of beach wrestling in 2004. Beach Wrestling is standing wrestling done by wrestlers inside a sand-filled circle measuring 7 meters (23 ft) in diameter. The style originally mirrored the rules used before the use of wrestling mats, and Beach Wrestling has been regarded as the oldest version of international competitive wrestling. The international rules were modified by UWW in 2015, with the current rules allowing wrestlers to score points via takedowns, pushing their opponent out of bounds, or bringing the opponent down to their back.

Introduced in 2019, the Beach Wrestling World Series crowns the world champions during the finals of the five-legged competitive season in beach locations across South America, Asia and Europe.

Weight Classes
Women: 50kg, 60kg, 70kg, and +70kg
Men: 70kg, 80kg, 90kg, and +90kg

Find out all about the Beach Wrestling World Series at www.beachwrestling.org

Follow us on social media
IG @uwwbeachwrestling
FB @ Beachwrestlingworldseries
YT @ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCU82VJze6xdYhhp3uEFA_tw/featured - watch the competitions live

#WrestleBelgrade

Throwback to 2019 World Championships: Game before the Games

Wednesday, August 16, 2023 - 07:53 By Gaurav Bhatt

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BELGRADE, Serbia (August 16) -- As the clock ticks down and the global wrestling community holds its breath, we stand just a month from the 2023 Wrestling World Championships in Belgrade. This year is particularly poignant for the honors at stake and the Olympic dreams intertwined with every bout. 

Before we dive into the intense competition that awaits, it's essential to cast a glance back to draw parallels, lessons, and inspiration. The 2019 Wrestling World Championships in Astana set the stage for Tokyo 2020, offering a blend of strategy, skill, and heart-stopping moments. As we gear up for another thrilling chapter, let’s revisit the 2019 drama to appreciate better the spectacle that 2023 promises to be.

The Tokyo Implication: Game Before The Game

In the shadow of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, every move on the mats of Astana was calculated, every win cherished, and every loss a setback. With only the top-6 finishers in each Olympic weight category ensuring a berth for their nation, the pressure was tangible. Wrestling powerhouses with decades' of traditions faced a unique challenge: Whom to field in these all-important qualifiers? This brought in an element of strategy and playbooks.

Kyle DAKE (USA)Kyle DAKE (USA) won the world title at 79kg in Astana. (Photo: UWW / Tony Rotundo)

The American Approach

With its depth of talent in wrestling, the United States faced an intriguing challenge. They had to make crucial decisions with categories like 79kg and 92kg not featuring in the Olympics. Would Kyle DAKE (USA) and J'den COX (USA) — world champions at Budapest 2018 — adjust weights to target Olympic glory? 

The U.S. trusted their seasoned champions, betting on their adaptability. Both Dake and Cox defended their titles in Astana. Dake went on to earn bronze in Tokyo, while Cox was out of the USA Wrestling Trials before they even began after choosing to bulk up and failing to make weight for the 97kg bracket.

Deepak PUNIA (IND)Deepak PUNIA (IND) won a silver medal at 86kg in Astana. (Photo: UWW / Martin Gabor)

India’s Bet

Contrastingly, India decided to invest in its future. Deepak PUNIA (IND) was their trump card, a young prodigy in the 86kg freestyle category. At 20 years, Punia showcased maturity beyond his years in Astana, clinching a silver medal and securing an Olympic spot. India's gamble was clear: trust the young, hungry talent to rise to the occasion.

In Tokyo, Punia let his lead slip in the final seconds to lose the bronze-medal match.

Risako KAWAI (JPN)Risako KAWAI (JPN) was unstoppable as she won the gold in Astana. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Japan's Phenoms

Japan was under immense scrutiny and pressure as the host nation for the upcoming Olympics. And they leaned on established, yet young, phenoms like Risako KAWAI (JPN) and Takuto OTOGURO (JPN). 

Otoguro, the youngest Japanese male to win a world title in 2018, had a rough go in the 65kg category in Astana. The category featured a murderers' row of wrestlers such as (eventual champion) Gadzhimurad RASHIDOV, three-time world champion Haji ALIYEV (AZE), Olympic gold medalist Vladimir KHINCHEGASHVILI (GEO), two-time world bronze medalist Alejandro TOBIER (CUB), returning silver medalist Bajrang PUNIA (IND) and three-time NCAA champion Zain RETHERFORD (USA) to name a few.

Otoguro missed out on bronze in 2019. However, he later clinched a berth to Tokyo and overcame his nemeses to clinch gold in front of his home crowd. 

The Outcome

Astana's mats witnessed a unique blend of experience and exuberance. While some nations leaned heavily on their seasoned warriors, hoping their experience would shine in pressure situations, others bet on their youth's unyielding spirit and vigor. This strategic chess game yielded mixed results, with some bets paying off handsomely and others serving as learning experiences.

Ultimately, the road to Tokyo 2020 was as much about mental fortitude and strategic planning as it was about skill, strength, and technique.

In Greco-Roman, Kenchiro FUMITA (JPN) ended his compatriot Shinobu OTA (JPN) hopes of winning a medal in Tokyo as Fumita won gold at 60kg while Ota won at 63kg, a non-Olympic weight class.

Cuba's show

Rio Olympic champion Ismail BURRERO (CUB) won the gold in Astana at 67kg, two weight classes up. Oscar PINO (CUB), the constant substitute for Mijain LOPEZ (CUB) at 130kg, went on to make it to the final before winning a silver medal.

 

Running Roughshod, From Astana to Tokyo

Numerous wrestlers who qualified for Tokyo at the 2019 World Championships went on to reaffirm their dominance on the Olympic stage.

Zaur UGUEV (57kg Freestyle)
After successfully defending his title in Astana, Uguev continued his impressive form in Tokyo, winning gold and proving himself to be the undisputed best.

Risako KAWAI (JPN) (57kg Women's Wrestling)
Kawai’s triumph in Nur-Sultan was her third world title in as many divisions (60kg, 59kg, and 57kg). It was also a precursor to her Olympic success. In Tokyo, she clinched the gold medal, defending her Olympic title from Rio and cementing her legacy as one of the premier female wrestlers of her time.

Tamyra MENSAH STOCK (68kg Women's Wrestling)
After her dominant gold in the 2019 World Championships, Mensah captured gold in Tokyo, showcasing her consistent prowess on the international stage. The American also won the world title in Belgrade last year.

Abdulrashid SADULAEV (97kg Freestyle)
The Tank, after defeating Kyle Snyder in what many termed the "Match of the Century" in Astana, continued his dominance by securing the gold medal in Tokyo. He already had an Olympic gold and three world titles before stepping onto the mat in Kazakhstan. Sadulaev's rivalry with Snyder and consistent performance against other competitors solidified his status as one of the best in his category.

Hungary brothers

Tamas LORINCZ (HUN) and Viktor LORINCZ (HUN) ended up winning the gold and silver at 77kg and 87kg respectively. In Tokyo, the brothers would repeat the performance with Tamas becoming an Olympic champion and Viktor ending up with a silver medal to Zhan BELENUIK (UKR). Both brothers retired after the Olympics.

Stacking Up For Paris

As we stand on the cusp of the 2023 World Championships, the memory of Astana serves as both an inspiration and a cautionary tale. The road to Paris will be paved in Astana's legacy.

Wrestlers will be eyeing the world title and the golden ticket to Paris. The Olympic weight classes are set, and while many from 2019 will return, new faces are bound to emerge.

The wrestling community can expect the usual suspects -- U.S., Japan, and Iran -- to be strong contenders across categories. However, nations like India, Georgia, and Turkey, among others, have shown that they can disrupt the status quo.

Japan and the U.S. will likely remain dominant in women's wrestling. But with nations investing more in women's sports, expect more countries to challenge the old guard.

The 2019 World Championships were a masterclass in wrestling, passion, strategy, and heartbreak. They served as a reminder of the beauty of the sport and its ability to surprise and enthrall. As the world of wrestling looks ahead to the 2023 Championships and beyond to Paris, the echoes of Astana will undoubtedly be ringing in their ears.

Every takedown, every pin, and every bout will have the weight of Olympic dreams behind it. Here's to hoping for a championship that matches or even surpasses the spectacle of 2019. Paris awaits!