#WrestleRome

European Championship Entries

By Eric Olanowski

*Updated entries are listed in bold.

ROME, Italy (February 3) --- The European Championships kick off February 10-16 in Rome, Italy, and there are seven reigning world champions and 16 returning European champions that highlight the list of 515 entries. 

Here are the returning world and European champions that'll be in action in Italy:

Freestyle 

2019 World Champions
61kg - Beka LOMTADZE (GEO)
97kg - Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RUS)
125kg - Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO)

2019 European Champions
61kg - Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM)
74kg - Frank CHAMIZO MARQUEZ (ITA)
97kg - Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RUS)

Women’s Wrestling 

2019 World Champions
65kg  - Inna TRAZHUKOVA (RUS)
72kg - Natalia VOROBEVA (RUS)

2019 European Champions
50kg - Oksana LIVACH (UKR)
53kg - Stalvira ORSHUSH (RUS)
53kg - Iryna HUSYAK (UKR)
59kg - Bilyana Zhivkova DUDOVA (BUL)
62kg - Taybe Mustafa YUSEIN (BUL)
65kg - Elis MANOLOVA (AZE)
68kg - Alla CHERKASOVA (UKR)
72kg - Alina BEREZHNA STADNIK MAKHYNIA (UKR)
76kg - Yasemin ADAR (TUR)

Greco-Roman

2019 World Champions
55kg - Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO)
130kg - Riza KAYAALP (TUR)

2019 European Champions
55kg - Vitalii KABALOEV (RUS)
63kg - Victor CIOBANU (MDA)
82kg - Rajbek Alvievich BISULTANOV (DEN)
130kg - Riza KAYAALP (TUR)

Reigning world silver medalist Suleyman ATLI (TUR) is registered at 57kg. (Photo: Gabor Martin)

Freestyle

57kg
Mihran JABURYAN (ARM)
Afgan KHASHALOV (AZE)
Dzimchyk RYNCHYNAU (BLR)
Georgi Valentinov VANGELOV (BUL)
Levan METREVELI VARTANOV (ESP)
Valentin DAMOUR (FRA)
Otari GOGAVA (GEO)
Horst Justin Junior LEHR (GER)
Ioannis MARTIDIS (GRE)
Givi DAVIDOVI (ITA)
Anatolii BURUIAN (MDA)
Andrei DUKOV (ROU)
Azamat TUSKAEV (RUS)
Stevan Andria MICIC (SRB)
Suleyman ATLI (TUR)
Taras MARKOVYCH (UKR)

61kg
Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM)
Intigam VALIZADA (AZE)
Uladzislau KOIKA (BLR)
Vladimir DUBOV (BUL)
Anvar SUVINIITTY (FIN)
Beka LOMTADZE (GEO)
Viktor Viktorowitsch LYZEN (GER)
Georgios PILIDIS (GRE)
Daniel POPOV (ISR)
Simone Vincenzo PIRODDU (ITA)
Leomid COLESNIC (MDA)
Vladimir EGOROV (MKD)
Nikolai OKHLOPKOV (ROU)
Aleksandr BOGOMOEV (RUS)
Randy Adrian VOCK (SUI)
Hamza ALACA (TUR)
Ivan BILEICHUK (UKR)

65kg
Valodya FRANGULYAN (ARM)
Gabriel JANATSCH (AUT)
Ali RAHIMZADE (AZE)
Niurgun SKRIABIN (BLR)
Stefan Ganchev IVANOV (BUL)
Juan Pablo GONZALEZ CRESPO (ESP)
Marwane Ahmed YEZZA (FRA)
George Anthony RAMM (GBR)
Vladimer KHINCHEGASHVILI (GEO)
Niklas Dietmar DORN (GER)
Fotios PAPADAKIS (GRE)
Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN)
Abdellatif MANSOUR (ITA)
Maxim SACULTAN (MDA)
Nicolai GRAHMEZ (MDA)
Krzysztof BIENKOWSKI (POL)
George BUCUR (ROU)
Kurban SHIRAEV (RUS)
David HABAT (SLO)
Malik Michael AMINE (SMR)
Selahattin KILICSALLAYAN (TUR)
Erik ARUSHANIAN (UKR)

70kg
Eriglent PRIZRENI (ALB)
Gevorg MKHEYAN (ARM)
Aghahuseyn MUSTAFAYEV (AZE)
Viktar SERADA (BLR)
Mihail Iliev GEORGIEV (BUL)
Nicolae COJOCARU (GBR)
Mirza SKHULUKHIA (GEO)
Kevin Christopher HENKEL (GER)
Roman ASHARIN (HUN)
Gianluca TALAMO (ITA)
Alban SOPA (KOS)
Artem AUGA (LTU)
Mihail SAVA (MDA)
Fati VEJSELI (MKD)
Magomedmurad GADZHIEV (POL)
Israil KASUMOV (RUS)
Marc DIETSCHE (SUI)
Haydar YAVUZ (TUR)
Oleksii BORUTA (UKR)

Frank CHAMIZO MARQUEZ (ITA), a two-time world champion, will look to win a European title in his home country of Rome. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

74kg
Hrayr ALIKHANYAN (ARM)
Khadzhimurad GADZHIYEV (AZE)
Andrei KARPACH (BLR)
Miroslav Stefanov KIROV (BUL)
Jonatan ALVAREZ DIAZ (ESP)
Aimar ANDRUSE (EST)
Charles André AFA (FRA)
Charlie James BOWLING (GBR)
Avtandil KENTCHADZE (GEO)
Kyrillos BINENMPAOUM (GRE)
Murad KURAMAGOMEDOV (HUN)
Mitchell Louis FINESILVER (ISR)
Frank CHAMIZO MARQUEZ (ITA)
Valentin BORZIN (MDA)
Patryk Krzysztof OLENCZYN (POL)
Zurab KAPRAEV (ROU)
Magomedrasul GAZIMAGOMEDOV (RUS)
Zaur EFENDIEV (SRB)
Jakub SYKORA (SVK)
Soner DEMIRTAS (TUR)
Denys PAVLOV (UKR)

79kg
Arman AVAGYAN (ARM)
Simon MARCHL (AUT)
Jabrayil HASANOV (AZE)
Mahamedkhabib KADZIMAHAMEDAU (BLR)
Dzhemal Rushen ALI (BUL)
Erik REINBOK (EST)
Saifedine ALEKMA (FRA)
Zurabi ERBOTSONASHVILI (GEO)
Alexandros TSANTIKIDIS (GRE)
Hanoc RACHAMIN (ISR)
Salvatore DIANA (ITA)
Andrius MAZEIKA (LTU)
Evgheni NEDEALCO (MDA)
Gheorghi PASCALOV (MDA)
Omaraskhab NAZHMUDINOV (ROU)
Magomed Eldarovitch RAMAZANOV (RUS)
Akhsarbek GULAEV (SVK)
Batuhan DEMIRCIN (TUR)
Vasyl MYKHAILOV (UKR)

86kg
Hovhannes MKHITARYAN (ARM)
Abubakr ABAKAROV (AZE)
Rasul TSIKHAYEU (BLR)
Akhmed Adamovitch MAGAMAEV (BUL)
Taimuraz FRIEV NASKIDAEVA (ESP)
Ville Tapani HEINO (FIN)
Akhmed AIBUEV (FRA)
Dato MARSAGISHVILI (GEO)
Lars SCHAEFLE (GER)
Georgios SAVVOULIDIS (GRE)
Mihaly NAGY (HUN)
Uri KALASHNIKOV (ISR)
Aron CANEVA (ITA)
Ivars SAMUSONOKS (LAT)
Piotr IANULOV (MDA)
Denis BALAUR (MDA)
Radoslaw MARCINKIEWICZ (POL)
Artur NAIFONOV (RUS)
Myles Nazem AMINE (SMR)
Stefan REICHMUTH (SUI)
Boris MAKOEV (SVK)
Fatih ERDIN (TUR)
Illia ARCHAIA (UKR)

92kg
Marzpet GALSTYAN (ARM)
Aslanbek ALBOROV (AZE)
Amarhajy MAHAMEDAU (BLR)
Irakli MTSITURI (GEO)
Angelos KOUKLARIS (GRE)
Bendeguz TOTH (HUN)
Simone IANNATTONI (ITA)
Edon SHALA (KOS)
Georgii RUBAEV (MDA)
Zbigniew Mateusz BARANOWSKI (POL)
Batyrbek TCAKULOV (RUS)
Samuel SCHERRER (SUI)
Suleyman KARADENIZ (TUR)
Roman RYCHKO (UKR)


Wrestling's biggest star Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RUS) will wrestle at 97kg. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

97kg
Sargis HOVSEPYAN (ARM)
Nurmagomed GADZHIYEV (AZE)
Dzianis KHRAMIANKOU (BLR)
Georgi Genadiev DIMITROV (BUL)
Alejandro CANADA PANCORBO (ESP)
Elizbar ODIKADZE (GEO)
Gennadij CUDINOVIC (GER)
Christos PETRIDIS (GRE)
Pavel OLEJNYIK (HUN)
Abraham de Jesus CONYEDO RUANO (ITA)
Lukas KRASAUSKAS (LTU)
Nicolai CEBAN (MDA)
Magomedgadji Omardibirovich NUROV (MKD)
Radoslaw BARAN (POL)
Albert SARITOV (ROU)
Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RUS)
Ibrahim BOLUKBASI (TUR)
Murazi MCHEDLIDZE (UKR)

125kg
Paris KAREPI (ALB)
Levan BERIANIDZE (ARM)
Johannes LUDESCHER (AUT)
Jamaladdin MAGOMEDOV (AZE)
Elhad HUKIC (BIH)
Ibragim SAIDOV (BLR)
Jose CUBA VAZQUEZ (ESP)
Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO)
Nick MATUHIN (GER)
Daniel LIGETI (HUN)
Ryan John MALO (ITA)
Egzon SHALA (KOS)
Alexandr ROMANOV (MDA)
Samhan JABRAILOV (MDA)
Boban DANOV (MKD)
Robert BARAN (POL)
Rares Daniel CHINTOAN (ROU)
Baldan TSYZHIPOV (RUS)
Tanju GEMICI (TUR)
Oleksandr KHOTSIANIVSKYI (UKR)

Riza KAYAALP (TUR) is one of two reigning Greco-Roman world champions that are set to compete in Rome. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

Greco-Roman

55kg
Rudik MKRTCHYAN (ARM)
Sargis GEVORGIZYAN (AUT)
Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE)
Edmond Armen NAZARYAN (BUL)
Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO)
Fabian Bernhard SCHMITT (GER)
Maksym VYSOTSKYI (ISR)
Giovanni FRENI (ITA)
Artium DELEANU (MDA)
Snorre Harsem LUND (NOR)
Florin TITA (ROU)
Vitalii KABALOEV (RUS)
Dogus AYAZCI (TUR)
Koriun SAHRADIAN (UKR)

60kg
Gevorg GHARIBYAN(ARM)
Murad BAZAROV(AZE)
Yahor BELIAK (BLR)
Avgustin Boyanov SPASOV (BUL)
Helary MAEGISALU (EST)
Juuso Aleksi LATVALA (FIN)
Amiran SHAVADZE (GEO)
Krisztian KECSKEMETI (HUN)
Jacopo SANDRON (ITA)
Przemyslaw PIATEKI (POL)
Teodor HORATAU (ROU)
Zhambolat LOKYAEV (RUS)
Dimitar Ivaylov SANDOV (SUI)
Kerem KAMAL (TUR)
Zhora ABOVIAN (UKR)

63kg
Sahak HOVHANNISYAN (ARM)
Taleh MAMMADOV (AZE)
Maksim NEHODA (BLR)
Rumen Boyanov SAVCHEV (BUL)
Levani KAVJARADZE (GEO)
Christos THEODORAKIS (GRE)
Erik TORBA (HUN)
Justas PETRAVICIUS (LTU)
Victor CIOBANU (MDA)
Stig-Andre BERGE (NOR)
Dawid KARECINSKI (POL)
Mihai Radu MIHUT (ROU)
Ibragim LABAZANOV (RUS)
Perica DIMITRIJEVIC (SRB)
Rahman BILICI (TUR)
Lenur TEMIROV (UKR)

67kg
Karen ASLANYAN (ARM)
Islambek DADOV (AZE)
Aliaksandr LIAVONCHYK (BLR)
Deyvid Tihomirov DIMITROV (BUL)
Danijel JANECIC (CRO)
Ott SAAR (EST)
Elmer Joakim MATTILA (FIN)
Yasin OZAY (FRA)
Giorgi SHOTADZE (GEO)
Witalis LAZOVSKI (GER)
Manrikos THEODORIDIS (GRE)
Krisztian Istvan VANCZA (HUN)
Ignazio SANFILIPPO (ITA)
Aleksandrs JURKJANS (LAT)
Kristupas SLEIVA (LTU)
Donior ISLAMOV (MDA)
Morten THORESEN (NOR)
Roman PACURKOWSKI (POL)
Nazir Rachidovitch ABDULLAEV (RUS)
Mate NEMES (SRB)
Andreas VETSCH (SUI)
Oskar Simon ERLANDSSON (SWE)
Enes BASAR (TUR)
Denys DEMYANKOV (UKR)
Aker AL OBAIDI (UWW)

Frank STAEBLER(GER), a three-time world champion, will compete at the non-Olympic weight of 72kg. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

72kg
Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM)
Christoph BURGER (AUT)
Ulvu GANIZADE (AZE)
Agron SADIKAJ (BIH)
Yury KANKOU (BLR)
Stoyan Stoychev KUBATOV (BUL)
Dominik ETLINGER (CRO)
Mikko Petteri PELTOKANGAS (FIN)
Ibrahim Mahmoud Hamed Hassan GHANEM (FRA)
Iuri LOMADZE (GEO)
Frank STAEBLER (GER)
Petros MANOUILIDIS (GRE)
Robert Attila FRITSCH (HUN)
Riccardo GLAVE (ITA)
Anatolie POPOV (MDA)
Valentin PETIC (MDA)
Juan Sebastian AAK (NOR)
Mateusz Lucjan BERNATEK (POL)
Adam KURAK (RUS)
Davor STEFANEK (SRB)
Leos DRMOLA (SVK)
Selcuk CAN (TUR)
Andrii KULYK (UKR)

77kg
Karapet CHALYAN (ARM)
Sanan SULEYMANOV (AZE)
Pavel LIAKH (BLR)
Aik MNATSAKANIAN (BUL)
Pavel PUKLAVEC (CRO)
Oldrich VARGA (CZE)
Ranet KALJOLA (EST)
Tero Antero Matias HALMESMAEKI (FIN)
Evrik NIKOGHOSYAN (FRA)
Demuri KAVTARADZE (GEO)
Pascal EISELE (GER)
Georgios PREVOLARAKIS (GRE)
Zotlan LEVAI (HUN)
Roman ZHERNOVETSKI (ISR)
Matteo MAFFEZZOLI (ITA)
Paulius GALKINAS (LTU)
Daniel CATARAGA (MDA)
Alexandrin GUTU (MDA)
Marcel STERKENBURG (NED)
Per Anders KURE (NOR)
Edgar BABAYAN (POL)
Islam OPIEV (RUS)
Viktor NEMES (SRB)
Nicolas Peter CHRISTEN (SUI)
Denis HORVATH (SVK)
Alex Michel BJURBERG KESSIDIS (SWE)
Yunus Emre BASAR (TUR)
Volodymyr YAKOVLIEV (UKR)

82kg
Ruben GHARIBYAN (ARM)
Michael WAGNER (AUT)
Rafig HUSEYNOV (AZE)
Stanislau SHAFARENKA (BLR)
Daniel Tihomirov ALEKSANDROV (BUL)
Filip SACIC (CRO)
Rajbek Alvievich BISULTANOV (DEN)
Lasha GOBADZE (GEO)
Hannes WAGNER (GER)
Ilias PAGKALIDIS (GRE)
Laszlo SZABO (HUN)
Igor PETRISHIN (ISR)
Ciro RUSSO (ITA)
Mihail BRADU (MDA)
Tyrone STERKENBURG (NED)
Mateusz Lukasz WOLNY (POL)
Shamil Letkaevitch OZHAEV (RUS)
Bogdan KOURINNOI (SWE)
Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR)
Andrii ANTONIUK (UKR)

Viktor LORINCZ (HUN), Greco-Roman's "Wrestler of the Year" could gain the No. 1 ranking in the world with a win in Rome. He'll wrestle at 87kg. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

87kg
Maksim MANUKYAN (ARM)
Islam ABBASOV (AZE)
Kiryl MASKEVICH (BLR)
Tarek Mohamed ABDELSLAM SHEBLE MOHAMED (BUL)
Vjekoslav LUBURIC (CRO)
Petr NOVAK (CZE)
Jesus GASCA FRESNEDA (ESP)
Erik INT (EST)
Tornike DZAMASHVILI (GEO)
Viktor LORINCZ (HUN)
Mirco MINGUZZI (ITA)
Eividas STANKEVICIUS (LTU)
Arkadiusz Marcin KULYNYCZ (POL)
Aleksandr Andreevitch KOMAROV (RUS)
Nikolaj Georgiev DOBREV (SRB)
Zurabi DATUNASHVILI (SRB)
Ramon Rainer BETSCHART (SUI)
Emil SANDAHL (SWE)
Metehan BASAR (TUR)
Semen NOVIKOV (UKR)

97kg
Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM)
Markus RAGGINGER (AUT)
Orkhan NURIYEV (AZE)
Dzmitry KAMINSKI (BLR)
Kiril Milenov MILOV (BUL)
Artur OMAROV (CZE)
Matti Elias KUOSMANEN (FIN)
Mélonin NOUMONVI (FRA)
Revazi NADAREISHVILI (GEO)
Anestis ZARIFES (GRE)
Alex Gergo SZOKE (HUN)
Nikoloz KAKHELASHVILI (ITA)
Vilius LAURINAITIS (LTU)
Tadeusz MICHALIK (POL)
Aleksandr GOLOVIN (RUS)
Mihail KAJAIA (SRB)
Damian VON EUW (SUI)
Cenk ILDEM (TUR)
Oleksandr SHYSHMAN (UKR)

130kg
David OVASAPYAN (ARM)
Sabah Saleh SHARIATI (AZE)
Pavel RUDAKOU (BLR)
Radoslav Plamenov GEORGIEV (BUL)
Stepan DAVID (CZE)
Arvi Martin SAVOLAINEN (FIN)
Levan ARABULI (GEO)
Jello KRAHMER (GER)
Adam VARGA (HUN)
El Mahdi ROCCARO (ITA)
Romas FRIDRIKAS (LTU)
Oskar MARVIK (NOR)
Rafal Andrzej KRAJEWSKI (POL)
Alin ALEXUC CIURARIU (ROU)
Zurabi GEDEKHAURI (RUS)
Riza KAYAALP (TUR)
Mykola KUCHMII (UKR)

Mariya STADNIK (AZE), the No.1-ranked wrestler in the world at 50kg, is on a quest to win her tenth European gold medal (European Championships: Seven, European Games: Two). (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

Women's Wrestling

50kg
Turkan NASIROVA (AZE)
Kseniya STANKEVICH (BLR)
Miglena Georgieva SELISHKA (BUL)
Aintzane GORRIA GONI (ESP)
Julie Martine SABATIE (FRA)
Emanuela LIUZZI (ITA)
Emilia CIRICU BUDEANU (MDA)
Maria LEORDA (MDA)
Ramona ERIKSEN (NOR)
Anna LUKASIAK (POL)
Emilia Alina VUC (ROU)
Milana DADASHEVA (RUS)
Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR)
Oksana LIVACH (UKR)

53kg
Tatyana VARANSOVA (AZE)
Vanesa KALADZINSKAYA (BLR)
Sezen Behchetova BELBEROVA (BUL)
Marina RUEDA FLORES (ESP)
Hilary Ysaline HONORINE (FRA)
Annika WENDLE (GER)
Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE)
Mercedesz DENES (HUN)
Sara ETTAKI (ITA)
Violeta PONOMARJOVA (LAT)
Iulia LEORDA (MDA)
Jessica Cornelia Francisca BLASZKA (NED)
Silje Knutsen KIPPERNES (NOR)
Katarzyna KRAWCZYK (POL)
Suzanna Georgiana SEICARIU (ROU)
Stalvira ORSHUSH (RUS)
Zeynep YETGIL (TUR)
Iryna HUSYAK (UKR)

55kg
Evelina Georgieva NIKOLOVA (BUL)
Ellen RIESTERER (GER)
Ambra CAMPAGNA (ITA)
Mariana DRAGUTAN (MDA)
Alicja CZYZOWICZ (POL)
Andreea Beatrice ANA (ROU)
Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (RUS)
Sofia Magdalena MATTSSON (SWE)
Bediha GUN (TUR)
Solomiia VYNNYK (UKR)

57kg
Alyona KOLESNIK (AZE)
Iryna KURACHKINA (BLR)
Tanya Dobromirova TENEVA (BUL)
Lenka HOCKOVA MARTINAKOVA (CZE)
Maria Victoria BAEZ DILONE (ESP)
Mathilde Hélène RIVIERE (FRA)
Arianna CARIERI (ITA)
Grace Jacob BULLEN (NOR)
Magdalena Urszula GLODEK( POL)
Marina SIMONYAN (RUS)
Sara Johanna LINDBORG (SWE)
Mehlika OZTURK (TUR)
Alina AKOBIIA (UKR)

59kg
Elmira GAMBAROVA (AZE)
Yuliya PISARENKA (BLR)
Bilyana Zhivkova DUDOVA (BUL)
Laura MERTENS (GER)
Ramona GALAMBOS (HUN)
Teresa LUMIA (ITA)
Anastasia NICHITA (MDA)
Dominika Ewa KULWICKA (POL)
Liubov OVCHAROVA (RUS)
Elif YANIK (TUR)
Anhelina LYSAK (UKR)

Taybe YUSEIN (BUL), last year's European champion and world runner-up, will wrestle at 62kg. (Photo: Gabor Martin)

62kg
Tetiana OMELCHENKO (AZE)
Veranika IVANOVA (BLR)
Taybe YUSEIN (BUL)
Lydia PEREZ TOURINO (ESP)
Luisa Helga Gerda NIEMESCH (GER)
Marianna SASTIN (HUN)
Aurora CAMPAGN A(ITA)
Kornelija ZAICEVAITE (LTU)
Mariana CHERDIVARA ESANU (MDA)
Katarzyna MADROWSKA (POL)
Inna TRAZHUKOVA (RUS)
Elif Jale YESILIRMAK (TUR)
Yuliia TKACH OSTAPCHUK (UKR)

65kg
Elis MANOLOVA (AZE)
Yauheniya ANDREICHYKAVA (BLR)
Mimi Nikolova HRISTOVA (BUL)
Petra Maarit OLLI (FIN)
Gabriella SLEISZ (HUN)
Veronica BRASCHI (ITA)
Ramina MAMEDOVA (LAT)
Kriszta Tunde INCZE (ROU)
Mariia KUZNETSOVA (RUS)
Henna Katarina JOHANSSON (SWE)
Asli TUGCU (TUR)
Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR)

68kg
IrIna  Petrovna NETREBA (AZE)
Hanna SADCHANKA (BLR)
Sofiya Hristova GEORGIEVA (BUL)
Adela HANZLICKOVA (CZE)
Koumba Selene Fanta LARROQUE (FRA)
Anna Carmen SCHELL (GER)
Ilana KRATYSH (ISR)
Dalma CANEVA (ITA)
Danute DOMIKAITYTE (LTU)
Agnieszka Jadwiga WIESZCZEK KORDUS (POL)
Khanum VELIEVA (RUS)
Kadriye AKSOY (TUR)
Alla CHERKASOVA (UKR)

Reigning 72kg world champion Natalia VOROBEVA (RUS) will comete back down at the non-Olympic weight class after bumping up to 76kg for the Matteo Pellicone. (Photo: Tony Rotundo)

72kg
Anastasiya ZIMIANKOVA (BLR)
Kendra Augustine Jocelyne DACHER (FRA)
Maria SELMAIER (GER)
Enrica RINALD I(ITA)
Catalina AXENTE (ROU)
Natalia VOROBEVA (RUS)
Merve PUL (TUR)
Alina BEREZHNA STADNIK MAKHYNIA (UKR)

76kg
Martina KUENZ (AUT)
Sabira ALIYEVA (AZE)
Vasilisa MARZALIUK (BLR)
Mariya Gerginova ORYASHKOVA (BUL)
Pauline Denise LECARPENTIER (FRA)
Georgina Olwen NELTHORPE (GBR)
Aline ROTTER FOCKEN (GER)
Aikaterini Eirini PITSIAVA (GRE)
Zsanett NEMETH (HUN)
Eleni PJOLLAJ (ITA)
Kamile GAUCAITE (LTU)
Svetlana SAENKO (MDA)
Iselin Maria Moen SOLHEIM (NOR)
Kamila Czeslawa KULWICKA (POL)
Ekaterina BUKINA (RUS)
Yasemin ADAR (TUR)
Alla BELINSKA (UKR)

*Please note that entries are subject to change and are not official until 24 hours before the start of competition.

#WrestleZagreb

Onishi encounters rough waters before sailing to 59kg gold

By Ken Marantz

ZAGREB, Croatia (September 16) -- Looking over at her coach was enough to inspire rising teenage star Sakura ONISHI (JPN) after she suffered a rare lapse early in the match. Having a four-time Olympic champion in your corner will have that effect.

Onishi bounced back from an early deficit to pile on points before notching a late victory by fall over Maria VYNNYK (URK) in the 59kg final at the World Championships in Zagreb on Tuesday, when the first two golds were awarded in women's wrestling.

"I'm really happy," said Onishi, who fell behind 6-1 before building up a 17-8 lead and ending the match with :09 left, giving her the gold in her senior world debut a month after winning a second straight world U20 title.

In a battle between continental champions for the other gold up for grabs, Asian titlist Kyong Ryong OH (PRK) needed less than a period to rout European winner Ekaterina VERBINA (UWW) 10-0 and become the second women's world champion in her country's history.

Also Read: Amouzad avenges Paris loss to Kiyooka

The 19-year-old Onishi currently attends powerhouse Nippon Sport Science University, where among her teammates is Paris Olympic champion Akari FUJINAMI (JPN). And one of her coaches is four-time Olympic champion Kaori ICHO (JPN), who is also among the Japanese team staff in Zagreb and was in Onishi's corner on Tuesday.

When Vynnyk, a three-time European U23 bronze medalist, scored an arm-drag takedown and added two gut wrenches to take a 6-1 lead, Onishi looked for the best source of inspiration she could find.

"I panicked a little, 'What should I do?'" Onishi said. "But I was determined to get the points back. Even if I give up a lot of points, it was still within what I had imagined might happen. There was still time and I thought it was alright.

"I looked at Kaori's face and thought, 'OK, just do it.'"

Kaori ICHO (JPN)Kaori ICHO (JPN), left, congratulates Sakura ONISHI (JPN) after the 59kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

From that point, Onishi went on a rampage, scoring a double-leg takedown and gut wrench combination, an ankle-pick takedown, then a snapdown takedown to finish the first period with a 9-6 lead.

She opened the second period with another takedown, but then gave up points -- awarded on challenge -- when Vynnyk hit a counter lift. That made her wary and more precise with her attacks after that.

"I thought that that was what she was aiming for," Onishi said. "I had practiced stopping it. I knew if I used my hand fighting and feints well, I could definitely get the points. Up to the end, as I was dealing with that, I thought to keep penetrating."

After adding another takedown, Onishi thwarted a reverse counter lift to score 4 points and land Vynnyk on her back, where the Japanese met little resistance in securing the fall.

While Onishi relished reaching the pinnacle on the senior level, she has set her sites even higher -- the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

"It was really a fun tournament," Onishi said. "I had always been longed to be here. But this has not been my dream, it is the Olympics. Aiming for that, I have been told this is just a stage along the way. I am glad I could clear this stage.

"I will keep on working to get to Los Angeles. There will be various things that come up, but I will stay focused so that I can stand on the highest step of the podium in Los Angeles."

Kyong Ryong OH (PRK)Kyong Ryong OH (PRK) added a world title to her Asian title. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Unlike Onishi, Oh encountered little difficulty in blowing away Verbina and adding the world gold to the Asian one she won in March in Amman.

"When I won the Asian and World Championships, I felt that all the tough training and hard work had finally paid off," Oh said.

Oh, also the Asian silver medalist in 2024, opened with a single-leg takedown, then reeled off three trap-arm rolls for a quick 8-0 lead. Another takedown attempt resulted in both wrestlers in a switch position, and Oh eventually gained control to end the match at 2:50.

"I wanted to show all the skills I’ve been training for in the best way possible," she said. "I thought that if I became a champion, I could make my father proud and bring a smile to his face. He was overjoyed and celebrated our victory in the international competitions, which made us recognized everywhere."

Oh joined Yong-Mi PAK (PRK), who won the 53kg gold in Nur-Sultan in 2019, as the lone women to win golds for DPR Korea. Her victory came a day after Chongsong HAN (PRK) won the freestyle 65kg gold, the country's first in that style since 2014.

Andreea ANA (ROU)The two bronze medalists at 55kg -- Sowaka UCHIDA (JPN), left, and Andreea ANA (ROU). (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Ana claims elusive bronze at 55kg

Andreea ANA (ROU), a three-time European champion making her seventh trip to a World Championships or Olympics, finally made it onto the medal podium.

The 24-year-old Ana secured an elusive bronze medal at 55kg, clinching a 6-3 victory over Yaynelis SANZ VERDECIA (CUB) in a late scramble that had to be sorted out after the final buzzer.

Leading 2-1, with all of the points scored on the activity clock, Ana and Sanz Verdecia both gained 2-point exposures in a flurry that ended with the Cuban on top. But Ana reached back and flung Sanz Verdecia to the mat just as time expired for a final 2 that was confirmed on challenge.

Japan picked up the other 55kg bronze when Sowaka UCHIDA (JPN), winner of the world U20 title at 57kg last year, finished up a 10-0 victory over Elvira KAMALOGLU (TUR) with 33 seconds left.

Uchida opened the scoring with a 4-point counter to a throw attempt in the first period, then methodically scored three takedowns to secure the bronze in her senior world debut.

At 59kg, Altjin TOGTOKH (MGL) rallied to an 8-4 victory over Anastasiia SIDELNIKOVA (UWW), while Laurence BEAUREGARD (CAN) won the other bronze with a second-period fall of Othelie HOEIE (NOR).

Togtokh, second at the Mongolia Ranking Series event in May, had given up a go-ahead takedown with :43 left when she quickly reversed, then gut wrenched Sidelnikova over for a 6-4 lead. She added a takedown just before the buzzer.

Beauregard was trailing 2-0 in the second period when she scored a takedown, then turned Hoeie over and secured the fall in 4:30.

Day 4 Results

Women's Wrestling

50kg
SEMIFINAL: Myonggyong WON (PRK) df. Remina YOSHIMOTO (JPN), 3-2
SEMIFINAL: Yu ZHANG (CHN) df. Munkhnar BYAMBASUREN (MGL) by Fall, 4:22 (9-0)

55kg (18 entries)
GOLD: Kyong Ryong OH (PRK) df. Ekaterina VERBINA (UWW) by TF, 10-0, 2:50

BRONZE: Sowaka UCHIDA (JPN) df. Elvira KAMALOGLU (TUR) by TF, 10-0, 5:26
BRONZE: Andreea ANA (ROU) df. Yaynelis SANZ VERDECIA (CUB), 6-3

57kg
SEMIFINAL: Helen MAROULIS (USA) df. Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (UWW) by Fall, 3:11 (5-0)
SEMIFINAL: Il Sim SON (PRK) df. Kexin HONG (CHN) by TF, 12-2, 3:55

59kg (22 entries)
GOLD: Sakura ONISHI (JPN) df. Maria VYNNYK (URK) by Fall, 5:51 (17-5)

BRONZE: Altjin TOGTOKH (MGL) df. Anastasiia SIDELNIKOVA (UWW), 8-4
BRONZE: Laurence BEAUREGARD (CAN) df. Othelie HOEIE (NOR) by Fall, 4:30 (4-2)

65kg
SEMIFINAL: Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN) df. Irina RINGACI (MDA) by TF, 10-0, 4:27
SEMIFINAL: Alina KASABIEVA (UWW) df. Enkhjin TUVSHINJARGAL (MGL) by TF, 13-3, 3:32

76kg
SEMIFINAL: Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) df. Anastasiya ALPYEYEVA (UKR), 10-5
SEMIFINAL: Genesis REASCO (ECU) df. Milaimy MARIN (CUB), 5-3