Eight Reigning World Medalists Competing This Weekends at Hungarian Grand Prix

Thursday, February 21, 2019 - 15:13 By Eric Olanowski

GYOR, Hungary (February 21) – The Hungary Grand Prix returns in 2019 as one of United World Wrestling four Greco-Roman Ranking Series events. The two day tounrament, which begins on Saturday, features over 175 wrestlers from 25 different nations.

Azerbaijan's reigning world champion Eldaniz AZIZLI headlines the entry list which includes a total of eight returning world medalists.

Every weight except 55kg will have at least one world or Olympic medalist entered, with 130kg leading the charge with eight combined world and Olympic medalists.

Budapest World Medalists
Gold
60kg - Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE)

Bronze
60kg - WALIHAN Sailike (CHN)
72kg - Rasul CHUNAYEV (AZE)
77kg - KIM Hyeonwoo (KOR)
77kg - Viktor NEMES (SRB)
82kg - Viktar SASUNOUSKI (BLR)
97kg - Mihail KAJALA (SRB)
130kg - KIM Minseok (KOR)

The Deepest Weight: 130kg (Sunday Night)
Super-Heavyweight (130kg) features four wrestlers who've combined for a total of six world medals and two Olympic top-three finishes.

The two Olympic medalists entered at 130kg are London runner-up Heiki NABI (EST) and Rio bronze medalist Sabah SHARIATI (AZE).

In addition to Nabi’s Olympic silver medal in 2012, he also medaled at four world championships, including a gold at the 2006 and 2013 world championships and a bronze in 2014. Most recently, Nabi fell short in the 2017 world finals, departing Paris with a silver.

Nabi, who finished in fifth at the 2018 world championships, brings 20 Ranking Series points (20rsp) and is the eighth-ranked wrestler in the world coming into the Hungary Grand Prix.

Outside of the Olympic medal winners, world bronze medalists KIM Minseok (KOR) and Yasmani ACOSTA FERNANDEZ (CHI) are also wrestling at 130kg.

Kim wrapped up last year’s Budapest world championships with a bronze, while Acosta Fernandez completed his 2017 season with a third-place finish.

Acosta (28rsp) is coming off a third-place finish at the Zagreb Open and jumped up to the third spot in the latest rankings, and Kim (25rsp) lost in the opening round of Zagreb Open but is still ranked No. 5 in the world.

Reigning world champion Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE) will be wrestling up a weight at 60kg for the third time in his career. (Photo: Martin Gábor)

World Champion Azizli Moves Up to 60kg (Sunday Night)
Eldaniz Azizli, KIM Seunghak (KOR), and WALIHAN Sailike (CHN) lead a tight pack of competitors at 60kg.

Azerbaijan’s reigning 55kg world champion Eldaniz Azizli could be the safest bet to take top billing, but the Azeri has struggled in his two previous outings at 60kg.

Before his run to the top of the podium in Budapest, Azizli wrestled up at 60kg at the Oleg Karavaev Memorial and Vehbi Emre & Hamit Kaplan Tournament in 2018, failing to medal at both tournaments, finishing in fifth and tenth place respectively.

Kim Seunghak (12rsp) and Walihan Sailike (25rsp), the pair of 60kg world bronze medalists, are the other two wrestlers who have a shot at earning the eight first-place points.

Walihan won the 2018 world bronze medal and is ranked third in the world coming into the Hungarian GP, while Kim, the 2017 world bronze medalist, finished in fifth place at the Zagreb Open and No.16 in the world.

Kim and Nemes to Rekindle Rivalry (Sunday Night)
Without a doubt, the two favorites to reach Sunday’s 77kg finals are Korea’s Olympic champion KIM Hyeonwoo and 2017 world champion Viktor NEMES (SRB). The pair, who have reached the top of the world podium, are looking to rekindle their rivalry from 2015 where Kim knocked off Nemes 3-2 in the second round of the World Championships.

Both guys won bronze medals at the 2018 world championships and sit inside the top-five of the latest world rankings.

Kim (25rsp) finished in third place at the Zagreb Open and is ranked No. 3 in the world, while Nemes (25rsp) is making his 2019 Ranking Series debut and is ranked No. 4 in the world.

Rio Olympic runner-up Shinobu OTA (JPN) won the last meeting with Stig-Andre BERGE (NOR). The two can meet again in Saturday night's finals. (Photo: Martin Gábor)

The Clash of Rio Olympic Medalists at 63kg (Saturday Night)
At 63kg, Stig-Andre BERGE (NOR) and Shinobu OTA (JPN) could meet in what would be a rematch of their quarterfinal round match at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

The last time the pair met, the Japanese wrestler grabbed the 4-0 victory, using a head pinch and a high-level shot, which put him into the Olympic semifinals.

Ota went on to finish with silver, and Berge fought back, winning a pair of matches to capture the bronze medal.

Olympic Bronze Medalist Chunayev Makes Ranking Series Debut (Saturday Night)
Rasul CHUNAYEV (AZE), one of Greco-Roman’s most consistent wrestlers over the past five years, will wrestle in the first Ranking Series event of his career.

Chunayev, who is entered at 72kg, has wrestled in four world championships and the Rio Olympic Games since 2014, and won a title in 2015, and a pair of world and Olympic bronze medals. The only year he did not medal was in 2017 when he finished in seventh place.

Possible Collision of World Champs at 67kg (Sunday Night)
World champions Katsuaki ENDO (JPN) and RYU Hansu (KOR) are favored to meet in the 67kg finals, and it could mean a turn in tides for weight class supremacy for the pair of Asian stars.

Korea’s two-time world champion Ryu Hansu has been one of Asia’s top-men at this weight since winning his first world title in 2013. He earned his second world title in 2017.

Ryu also has three Asian titles on his resume. Most recently, Ryu won the 2018 Asian Games last season in Jakarta.

Endo is making his second Ranking Series appearance. Last year, he competed at the Vehbi Emre, where he finished in tenth place.

U23 Talent Litters 82kg (Saturday Night)
The 82kg weight class is littered with U23 world-level talent and features three guys who have at least reached the finals at the U23 world championships.

Gela BOLKVADZE (GEO) won the U23 world title in 2018, while Rajbek BISULTANOV (DEN) and Lasha GOBADZE (GEO) each fell short in the finals.

Bisultanov dropped the 2018 finals, and Gobadze lost in 2017 finals.

Belarus’ two-time world medalist Viktar SASUNOUSKI (BLR) will also wrestle at 82kg. He’s the only wrestler who has reached the podium on the senior level. Sasunouski fell in the 2015 finals and won the bronze medal last year in Budapest. The Belarusian is the fourth-ranked wrestler in the world at 82kg and has 25 Ranking Series points (25rsp).

Reigning World Bronze Medalist Kajala Favored at 97kg (Saturday Night)
Reigning world bronze medalist Mihail KAJALA (SRB) is the clear favorite at 97kg coming into the Hungarian Grand Prix. The Serbian is looking to continue his 2018 hot streak, where he claimed at least a bronze medal in every competition he entered.

Kajala reached the finals of the 2018 Dan Kolov - Nikola Petrov Tournament and the European Championships and grabbed bronze medals at the World Championship, Mediterranean Games, and the Grand Prix of Zagreb.

Kajala enters the Hungarian Grand Prix with 25 Ranking Series points and is the fourth-ranked wrestler in the world at 97kg.

Ghanderian Standing Alone at 87kg (Sunday Night)
Iran’s Yousef Ahmad GHADERIAN is the lone senior-level medalist entered at 87kg. He represents Iran at three consecutive world championships beginning in 2015, where he defeated Kazakhstan’s Askhat DILMUKHAMEDOV (KAZ) 4-0 to win the bronze medal.

Wide Open Weight: 55kg (Saturday Night)
Alexandru Vasile BOTEZ (ROU) and Reza Kheirollah KHEDRI (IRI) are only two wrestlers who have won world medals, and they’ve both come at the age-group level.

Iran’s Reza Kheirollah Khedri captured the 2011 cadet world title and the 2015 junior world title, and Romania’s Alexandru Botez grabbed the 2013 cadet world bronze medal.

SCHEDULE

Friday (February 22)
Till 12:00 - Final entries for GR cat. 55, 63, 72, 82, 97 kg
16:00 - Technical conference – all teams
17:00 - Draw – GR cat. 55, 63, 72, 82, 97 kg

Saturday (February 23)
08:00 - Medical examination & Weigh-in for GR cat. 55, 63, 72, 82, 97kg
10:00 - Qualification rounds and repechage for GR cat. 55, 63, 72, 82, 97kg
Till 12:00 - Final entries for GR cat. 60, 67, 77, 87, 130kg
16:30 - Draw – GR cat. 60, 67, 77, 87, 130kg
17:00 - Opening Ceremony
18:00 - Finals for GR cat. 55, 63, 72, 82, 97kg Award ceremonies

Sunday (February 24)
8.30 - Medical examination & Weigh-in for GR cat. 60, 67, 77, 87, 130kg
10.00 - Qualification rounds and repechage for GR cat. 60, 67, 77, 87, 130kg
16.00 - Finals for GR cat. 60, 67, 77, 87, 130kg and Award ceremonies

#wrestlebishkek

Hong Ends Bronze Age, Helps China Usher in Possible Golden Era

Friday, April 10, 2026 - 18:28 By Ken Marantz

BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan (April 10) -- By ending her own personal Bronze Age, Kexin HONG (CHN) helped China possibly usher in the beginning of a new Golden Era.

Hong was one of four Chinese to strike gold on the final day of the women’s competition at the Asian Championships, winning the 57kg title on Friday to end a rash of recent third-place finishes.

“Each bronze medal made me a little bit stronger by the competition,” Hong said. “So this time, I feel really happy, especially when yesterday I finished the semifinal and made it to the final. Finally, a final.”

The other Chinese who made the top of the podium in Bishkek’s Zhastkyk Arena were Jin ZHANG (CHN) at 53kg, LILI (CHN) at 65kg and Jia LONG (CHN) at 72kg, capping a performance in which all 10 of the country’s wrestlers took home medals.

The lone other medal at stake on Friday went to two-time former world champion Nonoka OZAKI (JPN), who had ousted a Chinese opponent in the quarterfinals the previous day before snatching the 62kg gold by avenging one of her few international losses -- which led to a nice surprise for her on the medal podium.

China pipped rival Japan for the team title when Lili and Long defeated Japanese opponents in their gold-medal matches. China, with five golds overall, finished on top with 205 points, followed by Japan with 191 and Mongolia in third with 126.

“It shows that every single member of our team has been working hard behind the scenes,” Long said. “And because we have a good coach who draws up excellent plans for us, we execute them with dedication, all for the sake of our shared dream.”

Kexin HONG (CHN) celebrates after winning the gold medal at 57kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Hong completed a spotless run to the gold with a victory by fall over former world silver medalist Khulan BATKHUYAG (MGL) in the 57kg final.

Hong is no stranger to ending tournaments with victories, and her resume includes medals from every major global event. Unfortunately, none of those wins had come in finals over the past three years.

According to a Chinese team official, her teammates tease Hong about having an affinity for bronze, nicknaming her "Tong Pai Da Man Guan," which loosely translates to "Bronze Medalist Grand Slam." It’s not hard to see why. In the past three years, she has taken home medals of that color at four major competitions -- the 2023 Asian Games, the 2024 Paris Olympics, the 2025 Asian Championships and the 2025 World Championships.

The closest she came to breaking the hex came in Paris, where she was leading 7-0 in her semifinal against Anastacia NICHITA (MDA) when disaster struck and she got caught and pinned.

“Nobody wants to lose, but that's part of competition,” Hong said. “I really felt sad for that moment, but it also meant there was some weakness in my wrestling.

“So, I accepted and recovered, and told myself that I can become better and better. Now I’m happy to see myself improve.”

There were no slipups in her demolition of Batkhuyag in Friday’s final. Hong opened with a takedown and lace lock for a quick 4-0 lead. After a second takedown and exposure, she got her arm between Batkhuyag’s knees, lifted up and planted the Mongolian on her back, securing the fall in 1:31.

“Before, I never thought about that I can finish so fast,” said Hong, who won all three of her matches by technical superiority or fall, without conceding a point.

“Just before the competition, I just thought to be ready for the six minutes, ready to fight to the last second and just try my best to show all my advantages.”

Nonoka OZAKI (JPN) defeated Hyon Gyong MUN (PRK) to win her third Asian gold medal. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

At 62kg, Japan’s Ozaki completed an equally flawless run to her third Asian gold and fifth medal overall by scoring two 4-point takedowns in a 10-0 victory over Hyon Gyong MUN (PRK).

“I was able to win by technical superiority, but before the match, I never thought I could have such a large gap in points like this, so I'm really happy,” said Ozaki, a Paris Olympic bronze medalist at 68kg.

The victory in 2:15 avenged a particularly frustrating loss to Mun in the final of the 2023 Asian Games. Ozaki had been leading when Mun used an arm throw to toss her onto her back, then held her in the near fall position for the final minute to win 6-6 on criteria.

“One of my main objectives coming here was to beat that DPR Korean wrestler,” Ozaki said. “There were also big hurdles to get over. As such, I want to view this result in a positive light and regard it as doing a good job.”

Ozaki’s reward for a job well done came on the medal podium, where she was surprised to see that the presenter was none other than longtime rival and local superstar Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ), the three-time world champion and two-time Olympic medalist who is currently on a hiatus.

They shared a hug after the medal was placed around a beaming Ozaki’s neck.

“Aisuluu-san is a hero,” Ozaki said. “I have so much respect for her. Of course, I respected her while she was competing. She's really a special person. To be at a competition and receive the medal this way is really an honor and I am proud of it.”

To get to Bishkek, Ozaki had to defeat reigning world and Olympic champion Sakura MOTOKI (JPN) at the All-Japan Championships in December. Now, to achieve her goal of getting to this year’s World Championships and Asian Games, she will have to beat Motoki again, either at next month’s Meiji Cup or a subsequent playoff.

Jin ZHANG (CHN) works on a takedown against MEENAKSHI (IND) during the 53kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

At 53kg, Zhang picked up her first gold in her second trip to the Asian Championships with a lightning-quick 10-0 victory over MEENAKSHI (IND). A single-leg takedown, a lace lock and four quick spins gave Zhang the victory in 53 seconds.

Zhang, the 2024 world silver medalist at 55kg, got over her biggest hurdle in the semifinals, when she pancaked former world champion Moe KIYOOKA (JPN) for a stunning victory by fall.

“I never think about when what kind of action I can win from,” Zhang said. “I just follow the coach’s instructions, to be tough and do your attack.”

Zhang said she will not succumb to the pressure that comes with being a newly crowned Asian champion.

“After I stepped off this podium, everything will go to zero and it's a new start,” she said. “I will never think about I'm Asian champion now. I will surely fight for the higher step of the podium.”

Going into the last two finals, Japan could have won the team title with victories in both. Instead, the Chinese swept the two, with one match coming down to a challenge decision and the other a more forthright victory.

LILI (CHN) tries to score a takedown against Nana IKEHATA (JPN) during the 65kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

At 65kg, China’s Lili had the winning takedown confirmed by challenge for a 3-2 victory after it appeared that Nana IKEHATA (JPN) had held on for the title.

Ikehata, the winner at the Zagreb Ranking Series this year and the 2024 world U20 champion, was leading 2-1 with all of the points coming on the activity clock when Lili made a low lunge for Ikehata’s leg with :30 to go.

Lili caught Ikehata’s heel and the Japanese tumbled onto her backside, but immediately got up and fought desperately to keep Lili from completing the takedown as time ran out.

But on challenge, it was decided that Ikehata’s initial drop to the mat constituted a takedown for Lili, who was awarded the 2 and the victory, giving her an Asian gold to go with her 2023 world bronze, and leaving Ikehata stunned.

Jia LONG (CHN) turns Mahiro YOSHITAKE (JPN) using a high gut wrench. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

In the final bout of the night, Long completed the Chinese gold rush with a 10-2 victory in the 72kg final over Mahiro YOSHITAKE (JPN) -- a repeat of the 65kg final in 2023.

After a stepout and activity clock gave Long a 2-0 lead at the break, she finally got Yoshitake to the mat with a single-leg takedown. From there she used her deadly high gut wrench for three consecutive rolls.

That should have ended the proceedings right there, but on the final one, Yoshitake managed to fluidly step over for a 2-point exposure that kept the action going with 1:20 left. But Yoshitake never threatened and Long came away with her second Asian gold.

Long has been gradually moving up in weight, having won the 2022 world silver and 2024 world gold at 65kg and a bronze at last year’s World Championships at 68kg.

“Perhaps there were some challenges with strength,” Long said of competing at 72kg. “But in terms of speed, it might have been a bit better than at 68kg.”

Sara NATAMI (JPN) defeated MANISHA (IND) to win the 57kg bronze medal. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Kiyooka, Natami bounce back

Kiyooka and Sara NATAMI (JPN), who were both handed stunning losses by fall in the semifinals, bounced back to take home bronze medals with one-sided victories.

Kiyooka, the silver medalist a year ago, completed the collection of Asian medals with a 10-0 rout of Aziza KELDIBEKOVA (KGZ) in 1:24 at 53kg. Kiyooka also has 55kg gold from 2024, the year she also won a world title at that weight.

Sakibjamal ESBOSYNOVA (UZB) took home the other bronze at 53kg, using a fireman’s carry to take Seoyoung PARK (KOR) directly to her back and secure a fall in 2:00.

Natami, whose defense of the 57kg title was ended in the semifinals by Batkhuyag, needed slightly more time than Kiyooka to finish up her 10-0 win over MANISHA (IND). The winning points were decided on a Japanese challenge when the referee undercounted the number of spins Natami accomplished with her lace lock.

Natami, who came to Bishkek as a substitute for injured Olympic champion Akari FUJINAMI (JPN), now also has the full collection of Asian medals. In addition to last year’s gold, she won a silver in 2018 and another gold in 2022.

In the other match at 57kg, Youngjin KWON (KOR) gave Korea its lone medal in Women’s Wrestling by scoring three 2-point exposures off a takedown counter in the second period to top Thi My Trang NGUYEN (VIE) 7-2.

Qi ZHANG (CHN), the lone Chinese not wrestling in a final on the night, assured she would not leave Bishkek empty-handed when she converted her second takedown of Nigina SABIROVA (UZB) into a fall in 1:31 at 62kg.

The victory gave Zhang a second straight bronze and fourth of her career in a fourth different weight class. She also has a gold at 59kg from 2024, as well as the 2023 world gold at that weight.

A first-period fall also decided the other 62kg bronze, with Tserenchimed SUKHEE (MGL) building up a 7-0 lead over Tynys DUBEK (KAZ) before using an arm bar to end the match at 1:48.

Both the home team and India bagged bronzes in the two heavier weights.

At 65kg, Gulnura TASHTANBEKOVA (KGZ) gave up an early takedown to Firuza ESENBAEVA (UZB), but came back with a 4-point takedown to the back that she topped off with a fall in 2:02 to add to the Asian bronze she won at 68kg in 2024.

Two-time world U23 bronze medalist MONIKA (IND) also had a 4-point takedown in a 9-0 victory over Hanbit LEE (KOR) for the other 65kg bronze.

Nurzat NURTAEVA (KGZ), a world bronze medalist at 72kg, scored a first-period takedown while on the activity clock and that was enough to edge Odgerel ERDENE OCHIR (MGL) 2-0 for her first Asian bronze.

In the other 72kg bout, HARSHITA (IND) added to her 2024 silver medal with a victory by fall over Sevinchoy POLVONOVA (UZB) in 3:25 after building up a 5-0 lead.

Day 5 Results

Women’s Wrestling

53kg (11 entries)
GOLD: Jin ZHANG (CHN) df. MEENAKSHI (IND) by TS, 10-0, :53

BRONZE: Moe KIYOOKA (JPN) df. Aziza KELDIBEKOVA (KGZ) by TS, 11-0, 1:24
BRONZE: Sakibjamal ESBOSYNOVA (UZB) df. Seoyoung PARK (KOR) by Fall, 2:00 (2-0)

57kg (11 entries)
GOLD: Kexin HONG (CHN) df. Khulan BATKHUYAG (MGL) by Fall, 1:31 (10-0)

BRONZE: Youngjin KWON (KOR) df. Thi My Trang NGUYEN (VIE), 7-2
BRONZE: Sara NATAMI (JPN) df. MANISHA (IND) by TS, 10-0, 1:50

62kg (11 entries)
GOLD: Nonoka OZAKI (JPN) df. Hyon Gyong MUN (PRK) by TS, 10-0, 2:15

BRONZE: Qi ZHANG (CHN) df. Nigina SABIROVA (UZB) by Fall, 1:31 (4-0)
BRONZE: Tserenchimed SUKHEE (MGL) df. Tynys DUBEK (KAZ) by Fall, 1:48 (7-0)

65kg (9 entries)
GOLD: LILI (CHN) df. Nana IKEHATA (JPN), 3-2

BRONZE: Gulnura TASHTANBEKOVA (KGZ) df. Firuza ESENBAEVA (UZB) by Fall, 2:02 (4-2)
BRONZE: MONIKA (IND) df. Hanbit LEE (KOR), 9-0

72kg (8 entries)
GOLD: Jia LONG (CHN) df. Mahiro YOSHITAKE (JPN), 10-2

BRONZE: Nurzat NURTAEVA (KGZ) df. Odgerel ERDENE OCHIR (MGL), 2-0
BRONZE: HARSHITA (IND) df. Sevinchoy POLVONOVA (UZB) by Fall, 3:25 (5-0)

Freestyle

57kg (11 entries)
SF 1: Munkh Erdene BATKHUYAG (MGL) df. Abdymalik KARACHOV (KGZ), 4-1
SF 2: Milad VALIZADEH (IRI) df. Fuga SASAKI (JPN) by TS, 11-0, 3:23

65kg (12 entries)
SF 1: SUJEET (IND) df. Abdulmazhid KUDIEV (TJK), 7-2
SF 2: Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB) df. Alibeg ALIBEGOV (BRN), 5-3

70kg (10 entries)
SF 1: ABHIMANYOU (IND) df. Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ), 6-3
SF 2: Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL) df. Sina KHALILI (IRI), 5-1

79kg (12 entries)
SF 1: Keyvan GHAREHDAGHI (JPN) df. Razambek JAMALOV (UZB), 4-3
SF 2: Sandeep Singh MANN (IND) df. Somonjon IKROMOV (TJK) by TS, 10-0, 3:13

97kg (13 entries)
SF 1: Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI) df. VICKY (IND), 2-0
SF 2: Arash YOSHIDA (JPN) df. Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN), 15-6

Eight Reigning World Medalists Competing This Weekends at Hungarian Grand Prix

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Hong Ends Bronze Age, Helps China Usher in Possible Golden Era