#WrestleBucharest

European Championships 2024 Entry List

By United World Wrestling Press

BUCHAREST, Romania (January 22) -- United World Wrestling has released the preliminary entries for the European Championships, which take place in Bucharest, Romania.

The competition will kick off on February 12 with Greco-Roman, followed by Women's Wrestling and Freestyle. The tournament will finish on February 19.

Note: The entries are subject to change three days before the official draws of the respective styles.

Freestyle

57kg
Aryan TSIUTRYN (AIN)
Zavur UGUEV (AIN)
Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM)
Aliabbas RZAZADE (AZE)
Ivaylo Milenov TISOV (BUL)
Ilman MUKHTAROV (FRA)
Roberti DINGASHVILI (GEO)
Horst LEHR (GER)
Nikolaos VLANDOS (GRE)
Igor CHICHIOI (MDA)
Razvan KOVACS (ROU)
Antal VAMOS (SRB)
Muhammet KARAVUS (TUR)
Kamil KERYMOV (UKR)

61kg
Andrei BEKRENEU (AIN)
Abasgadzhi MAGOMEDOV (AIN)
Zelimkhan ABAKAROV (ALB)
Mezhlum MEZHLUMYAN (ARM)
Nuraddin NOVRUZOV (AZE)
Georgi VANGELOV (BUL)
Levan METREVELI (ESP)
Arman ELOYAN (FRA)
Giorgi GONIASHVILI (GEO)
Niklas STECHELE (GER)
Daniel POPOV (ISR)
Leomid COLESNIC (MDA)
Vladimir EGOROV (MKD)
Benjamin BOEJTHE (ROU)
Nils LEUTERT (SUI)
Nebi UZUN (TUR)
Valentyn BLIASETSKYI (UKR)

65kg
Islam GUSEINOV (AIN)
Shamil MAMEDOV (AIN)
Islam DUDAEV (ALB)
Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM)
Ali RAHIMZADE (AZE)
Ayub MUSAEV (BEL)
Mikyay NAIM (BUL)
Carlos ALVAREZ (ESP)
Khamzat ARSAMERZOUEV (FRA)
Goderdzi DZEBISASHVILI (GEO)
Andre CLARKE (GER)
Joshua FINESILVER (ISR)
Maxim SACULTAN (MDA)
Besir ALILI (MKD)
Krzysztof BIENKOWSKI (POL)
Stefan COMAN (ROU)
Nino LEUTERT (SUI)
Abdullah TOPRAK (TUR)
Erik ARUSHANIAN (UKR)

70kg
Inalbek SHERIEV (AIN)
Uladzislau KOIKA (AIN)
Arman ANDREASYAN (ARM)
Kanan HEYBATOV (AZE)
Ramazan RAMAZANOV (BUL)
Seyfulla ITAEV (FRA)
Akaki KEMERTELIDZE (GEO)
Alexander SEMISOROW (GER)
Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN)
Gianluca TALAMO (ITA)
Egzon XHONI (KOS)
Nicolai GRAHMEZ (MDA)
Fati VEJSELI (MKD)
George BUCUR (ROU)
Marc DIETSCHE (SUI)
Haydar YAVUZ (TUR)
Oleksii BORUTA (UKR)

74kg
Nikita DMITRIJEVS MAYEUSKI (AIN)
Timur BIZHOEV (AIN)
Cherman VALIEV (ALB)
Hayk PAPIKYAN (ARM)
Dzhabrail GADZHIEV (AZE)
Ibragim VELIEV (BEL)
Ivan STOYANOV (BUL)
Mohammad MOTTAGHINIA (ESP)
Zelimkhan KHADJIEV (FRA)
Giorgi GOGRITCHIANI (GEO)
Stas WOLF (GER)
Murad KURAMAGOMEDOV (HUN)
Mitchell FINESILVER (ISR)
Raul CASO (ITA)
Vasile DIACON (MDA)
Rasul SHAPIEV (MKD)
Patryk OLENCZYN (POL)
Krisztian BIRO (ROU)
Malik AMINE (SMR)
Tobias PORTMANN (SUI)
Tajmuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK)
Soner DEMIRTAS (TUR)
Vadym TSURKAN (UKR)

79kg
Mahamedkhabib KADZIMAHAMEDAU (AIN)
Akhmed USMANOV (AIN)
Arman AVAGYAN (ARM)
Simon MARCHL (AUT)
Orkhan ABASOV (AZE)
Miroslav KIROV (BUL)
Erik REINBOK (EST)
Avtandil KENTCHADZE (GEO)
Pouria TAHERKHANI (GER)
Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE)
Frank CHAMIZO (ITA)
Eugeniu MIHALCEAN (MDA)
Dejan MITROV (MKD)
Kamil RYBICKI (POL)
Iakub SHIKHDZHAMALOV (ROU)
Hetik CABOLOV (SRB)
Umar MAVLAEV (SUI)
Ramazan SARI (TUR)
Oleksii DOMANYTSKYI (UKR)
Iman MAHDAVI (UWW)

86kg
Arkadzi PAHASIAN (AIN)
Artur NAIFONOV (AIN)
Mushegh MKRTCHYAN (ARM)
Benjamin GREIL (AUT)
Arsenii DZHIOEV (AZE)
Magomed RAMAZANOV (BUL)
Taimuraz FRIEV (ESP)
Aimar ANDRUSE (EST)
Miko ELKALA (FIN)
Rakhim MAGAMADOV (FRA)
Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO)
Lars SCHAEFLE (GER)
Dauren KURUGLIEV (GRE)
Csaba VIDA (HUN)
Matthew FINESILVER (ISR)
Aron CANEVA (ITA)
Alans AMIROVS (LAT)
Domantas PAULIUSCENKO (LTU)
Ivan ICHIZLI (MDA)
Ahmad MAGOMEDOV (MKD)
Sebastian JEZIERZANSKI (POL)
Vasile MINZALA (ROU)
Myles AMINE (SMR)
Samuel SCHERRER (SUI)
Akhsarbek GULAEV (SVK)
Osman GOCEN (TUR)
Vasyl MYKHAILOV (UKR)

92kg
Yaraslau IADKOUSKI (AIN)
Magomed KURBANOV (AIN)
Knyaz IBOYAN (ARM)
Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE)
Akhmed MAGAMAEV (BUL)
Miriani MAISURADZE (GEO)
Joshua MORODION (GER)
Balazs JUHASZ (HUN)
Uri KALASHNIKOV (ISR)
Ivars SAMUSONOKS (LAT)
Andrian GROSUL (MDA)
Adam MODOSJAN (MKD)
Michal BIELAWSKI (POL)
Zoltan SZEP (ROU)
Boris MAKOEV (SVK)
Feyzullah AKTURK (TUR)
Denys SAHALIUK (UKR)

97kg
Aliaksandr HUSHTYN (AIN)
Abdulrashid SADULAEV (AIN)
Sergey SARGSYAN (ARM)
Magomedkhan MAGOMEDOV (AZE)
Ahmed BATAEV (BUL)
Adlan VISKHANOV (FRA)
Givi MATCHARASHVILI (GEO)
Erik THIELE (GER)
Vlagyiszlav BAJCAJEV (HUN)
Benjamin HONIS (ITA)
Lukas KRASAUSKAS (LTU)
Radu LEFTER (MDA)
Magomedgadji NUROV (MKD)
Radoslaw BARAN (POL)
Georgian TRIPON (ROU)
Batyrbek TSAKULOV (SVK)
Ibrahim CIFTCI (TUR)
Illia ARCHAIA (UKR)

125kg
Dzianis KHRAMIANKOU (AIN)
Abdulla KURBANOV (AIN)
Martin SIMONYAN (ARM)
Johannes LUDESCHER (AUT)
Giorgi MESHVILDISHVILI (AZE)
Alen KHUBULOV (BUL)
Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO)
Gennadij CUDINOVIC (GER)
Azamat KHOSONOV (GRE)
Abraham CONYEDO (ITA)
Gheorghe ERHAN (MDA)
Kamil KOSCIOLEK (POL)
Michael MANEA (ROU)
Magomedgadzhi NURASULOV (SRB)
Taha AKGUL (TUR)
Murazi MCHEDLIDZE (UKR)

Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM)Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM) is the reigning European champion at 77kg. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Greco-Roman

55kg
Vitalii KABALOEV (AIN)
Manvel KHACHATRYAN (ARM)
Rashad MAMMADOV (AZE)
Stefan GRIGOROV (BUL)
Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO)
Artiom DELEANU (MDA)
Denis MIHAI (ROU)
Adem UZUN (TUR)
Koriun SAHRADIAN (UKR)

60kg
Hleb MAKARANKA (AIN)
Sadyk LALAEV (AIN)
Gevorg GHARIBYAN (ARM)
Nihat MAMMADLI (AZE)
Nedyalko PETROV (BUL)
Nikolai MOHAMMADI (DEN)
Helary MAEGISALU (EST)
Leo TUDEZCA (FRA)
Pridon ABULADZE (GEO)
Georgios SCARPELLO (GER)
Ilias ZAIRAKIS (GRE)
Melkamu FETENE (ISR)
Justas PETRAVICIUS (LTU)
Victor CIOBANU (MDA)
Olivier SKRZYPCZAK (POL)
Razvan ARNAUT (ROU)
Georgij TIBILOV (SRB)
Kerem KAMAL (TUR)
Viktor PETRYK (UKR)
Jamal VALIZADEH (UWW)

63kg
Yaraslau KARDASH (AIN)
Zhambolat LOKYAEV (AIN)
Hrachya POGHOSYAN (ARM)
Aker SCHMID (AUT)
Murad MAMMADOV (AZE)
Edmond NAZARYAN (BUL)
Ivan LIZATOVIC (CRO)
Brian SANTIAGO (DEN)
Stefan CLEMENT (FRA)
Leri ABULADZE (GEO)
Christopher KRAEMER (GER)
Jacopo SANDRON (ITA)
Aleksandrs JURKJANS (LAT)
Donior ISLAMOV (MDA)
Mairbek SALIMOV (POL)
Pavel ALEXE (ROU)
Virgil BICA (SWE)
Enes BASAR (TUR)
Oleksandr HRUSHYN (UKR)

67kg
Maksim NEHODA (AIN)
Ruslan BICHURIN (AIN)
Gjete PRENGA (ALB)
Slavik GALSTYAN (ARM)
Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE)
Abu AMAEV (BUL)
William REENBERG (DEN)
Nestori MANNILA (FIN)
Gagik SNJOYAN (FRA)
Diego CHKHIKVADZE (GEO)
David MANYIK (HUN)
Shon NADORGIN (ISR)
Andrea SETTI (ITA)
Kristupas SLEIVA (LTU)
Valentin PETIC (MDA)
Morten THORESEN (NOR)
Mateusz BERNATEK (POL)
Mihai MIHUT (ROU)
Sebastian NAD (SRB)
Niklas OEHLEN (SWE)
Murat FIRAT (TUR)
Artur POLITAIEV (UKR)

72kg
Aliaksandr LIAVONCHYK (AIN)
Narek OGANIAN (AIN)
Ashot KHACHATRYAN (ARM)
Ulvu GANIZADE (AZE)
Deyvid DIMITROV (BUL)
Dominik ETLINGER (CRO)
Matias LIPASTI (FIN)
Mamadassa SYLLA (FRA)
Giorgi CHKHIKVADZE (GEO)
Michael WIDMAYER (GER)
Krisztian VANCZA (HUN)
Daniel CATARAGA (MDA)
Haavard JOERGENSEN (NOR)
Gevorg SAHAKYAN (POL)
Iulian LUNGU (ROU)
Mate NEMES (SRB)
Michael PORTMANN (SUI)
Selcuk CAN (TUR)
Parviz NASIBOV (UKR)

77kg
Shuai MAMEDAU (AIN)
Adlet TIULIUBAEV (AIN)
Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM)
Sanan SULEYMANOV (AZE)
Stoyan KUBATOV (BUL)
Antonio KAMENJASEVIC (CRO)
Oldrich VARGA (CZE)
Marcos SANCHEZ (ESP)
Akseli YLI HANNUKSELA (FIN)
Ibrahim GHANEM (FRA)
Iuri LOMADZE (GEO)
Idris IBAEV (GER)
Robert FRITSCH (HUN)
Riccardo ABBRESCIA (ITA)
Paulius GALKINAS (LTU)
Alexandrin GUTU (MDA)
Juan AAK (NOR)
Patryk BEDNARZ (POL)
Ilie COJOCARI (ROU)
Ali ARSALAN (SRB)
Fabio DIETSCHE (SUI)
Denis HORVATH (SVK)
Per OLOFSSON (SWE)
Yunus BASAR (TUR)
Ihor BYCHKOV (UKR)

82kg
Stanislau SHAFARENKA (AIN)
Islam ALIEV (AIN)
Kelsi NELAJ (ALB)
Karen KHACHATRYAN (ARM)
Michael WAGNER (AUT)
Rafig HUSEYNOV (AZE)
Aik MNATSAKANIAN (BUL)
Filip SACIC (CRO)
Vladimeri KARCHAIDZE (FRA)
Gela BOLKVADZE (GEO)
Deni NAKAEV (GER)
Evangelos BOUKIS (GRE)
Erik SZILVASSY (HUN)
Alexandru SOLOVEI (MDA)
Adam GARDZIOLA (POL)
Vasile COJOC (ROU)
Marc WEBER (SUI)
Mats AHLGREN (SWE)
Alperen BERBER (TUR)
Yaroslav FILCHAKOV (UKR)

87kg
Kiryl MASKEVICH (AIN)
Alan OSTAEV (AIN)
Gevorg TADEVOSYAN (ARM)
Lukas STAUDACHER (AUT)
Islam ABBASOV (AZE)
Yoan DIMITROV (BUL)
Matej MANDIC (CRO)
Raido LIITMAEE (EST)
Tourpal MAGAMADOV (FRA)
Achiko BOLKVADZE (GEO)
Pascal EISELE (GER)
David LOSONCZI (HUN)
Martynas NEMSEVICIUS (LTU)
Marcel STERKENBURG (NED)
Exauce MUKUBU (NOR)
Szymon SZYMONOWICZ (POL)
Nicu OJOG (ROU)
Aleksandr KOMAROV (SRB)
Ramon BETSCHART (SUI)
Alex KESSIDIS (SWE)
Ali CENGIZ (TUR)
Zhan BELENIUK (UKR)

97kg
Abubakar KHASLAKHANAU (AIN)
Artur SARGSIAN (AIN)
Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM)
Daniel GASTL (AUT)
Murad AHMADIYEV (AZE)
Kiril MILOV (BUL)
Filip SMETKO (CRO)
Artur OMAROV (CZE)
Richard KARELSON (EST)
Arvi SAVOLAINEN (FIN)
Roberti KOBLIASHVILI (GEO)
Anton VIEWEG (GER)
Michail IOSIFIDIS (GRE)
Tamas LEVAI (HUN)
Luca SVAICARI (ITA)
Vilius LAURINAITIS (LTU)
Roman BALCHIVSCHII (MDA)
Tyrone STERKENBURG (NED)
Felix BALDAUF (NOR)
Tadeusz MICHALIK (POL)
Patrik GORDAN (ROU)
Mihail KAJAIA (SRB)
Aleksandar STJEPANETIC (SWE)
Beytullah KAYISDAG (TUR)
Vladlen KOZLIUK (UKR)

130kg
Dzmitry ZARUBSKI (AIN)
Sergei SEMENOV (AIN)
David OVASAPYAN (ARM)
Beka KANDELAKI (AZE)
Heiki NABI (EST)
Konsta MAEENPAEAE (FIN)
Iakobi KAJAIA (GEO)
Franz RICHTER (GER)
Apostolos TSIOVOLOS (GRE)
Dariusz VITEK (HUN)
Danila SOTNIKOV (ITA)
Mantas KNYSTAUTAS (LTU)
Oskar MARVIK (NOR)
Artsiom SHUMSKI (POL)
Alin ALEXUC CIURARIU (ROU)
Boris PETRUSIC (SRB)
Delian ALISHAHI (SUI)
Riza KAYAALP (TUR)
Mykhailo VYSHNYVETSKYI (UKR)

Grace BULLEN (NOR)62kg finalists from last year Grace BULLEN (NOR) and Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR) are entered for the European Championships. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Women’s Wrestling

50kg
Nadezhda SOKOLOVA (AIN)
Viyaleta REBIKAVA CHYRYK (AIN)
Mariya STADNIK (AZE)
Miglena SELISHKA (BUL)
Aintzane GORRIA GONI (ESP)
Emma LUTTENAUER (FRA)
Emanuela LIUZZI (ITA)
Gabija DILYTE (LTU)
Maria LEORDA (MDA)
Anna LUKASIAK (POL)
Emilia VUC (ROU)
Khrystyna BASYCH (SVK)
Evin DEMIRHAN YAVUZ (TUR)
Oksana LIVACH (UKR)

53kg
Ekaterina POLESHCHUK (AIN)
Vanesa KALADZINSKAYA (AIN)
Elnura MAMMADOVA (AZE)
Irena BINKOVA (BUL)
Tatiana DEBIEN (FRA)
Annika WENDLE (GER)
Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE)
Sztalvira ORSUS (HUN)
Maria FERONE (ITA)
Laura STANELYTE (LTU)
Iulia LEORDA (MDA)
Veronika RYABOVOLOVA (MKD)
Katarzyna KRAWCZYK (POL)
Beatrice FERENT (ROU)
Jonna MALMGREN (SWE)
Zeynep YETGIL (TUR)
Mariia YEFREMOVA (UKR)

55kg
Ekaterina VERBINA (AIN)
Oleksandra KOGUT (AUT)
Gultakin SHIRINOVA (AZE)
Sezen BELBEROVA (BUL)
Maria BAEZ DILONE (ESP)
Tetiana PROFATILOVA (FRA)
Anastasia BLAYVAS (GER)
Roza SZENTTAMASI (HUN)
Mariana DRAGUTAN (MDA)
Roksana ZASINA (POL)
Andreea ANA (ROU)
Tuba DEMIR (TUR)
Mariia VYNNYK (UKR)

57kg
Iryna KURACHKINA (AIN)
Veronika CHUMIKOVA (AIN)
Zhala ALIYEVA (AZE)
Evelina NIKOLOVA (BUL)
Anna MICHALCOVA (CZE)
Graciela SANCHEZ DIAZ (ESP)
Mathilde RIVIERE (FRA)
Erika BOGNAR (HUN)
Aurora RUSSO (ITA)
Mihaela SAMOIL (MDA)
Anhelina LYSAK (POL)
Ana PUIU (ROU)
Evelina HULTHEN (SWE)
Elvira KAMALOGLU (TUR)
Solomiia VYNNYK (UKR)

59kg
Alesia HETMANAVA (AIN)
Anastasiia SIDELNIKOVA (AIN)
Alyona KOLESNIK (AZE)
Fatme SHABAN (BUL)
Amel REBIHA (FRA)
Kelsey BARNES (GBR)
Sandra PARUSZEWSKI (GER)
Tamara DOLLAK (HUN)
Ramina MAMEDOVA (LAT)
Anastasia NICHITA (MDA)
Othelie HOEIE (NOR)
Patrycja GIL (POL)
Kateryna ZHYDACHEVSKA (ROU)
Eda TEKIN (TUR)
Alina FILIPOVYCH (UKR)

62kg
Veranika IVANOVA (AIN)
Alina KASABIEVA (AIN)
Birgul SOLTANOVA (AZE)
Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL)
Lydia PEREZ (ESP)
Viktoria VESSO (EST)
Ameline DOUARRE (FRA)
Luisa NIEMESCH (GER)
Elena ESPOSITO (ITA)
Anastasija GRIGORJEVA (LAT)
Mariana CHERDIVARA ESANU (MDA)
Grace BULLEN (NOR)
Aleksandra WOLCZYNSKA (POL)
Amina CAPEZAN (ROU)
Johanna LINDBORG (SWE)
Ebru DAGBASI (TUR)
Yuliia TKACH (UKR)

65kg
Tatsiana PAULAVA (AIN)
Amina TANDELOVA (AIN)
Taybe YUSEIN (BUL)
Iris THIEBAUX (FRA)
Anne NUERNBERGER (GER)
Nikoleta BARMPA (GRE)
Elma ZEIDLERE (LAT)
Irina RINGACI (MDA)
Kriszta Tunde INCZE (ROU)
Kadriye AKSOY (TUR)
Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR)

68kg
Hanna SADCHANKA (AIN)
Vusala PARFIANOVICH (AIN)
Albina DRAZHI (ALB)
Elis MANOLOVA (AZE)
Mimi HRISTOVA (BUL)
Adela HANZLICKOVA (CZE)
Nerea PAMPIN BLANCO (ESP)
Koumba LARROQUE (FRA)
Eyleen SEWINA (GER)
Noémi SZABADOS (HUN)
Laura GODINO (ITA)
Danute DOMIKAITYTE (LTU)
Paula ROTARU (ROU)
Tindra SJOEBERG (SWE)
Buse TOSUN (TUR)
Tetiana SOVA RIZHKO (UKR)

72kg
Viktoryia RADZKOVA (AIN)
Kseniia BURAKOVA (AIN)
Yuliana YANEVA (BUL)
Kendra DACHER (FRA)
Eleni CHRYSIKAKI (GRE)
Ilana KRATYSH (ISR)
Wiktoria CHOLUJ (POL)
Alexandra ANGHEL (ROU)
Fanni NAGY NAD (SRB)
Nesrin BAS (TUR)
Anastasiya ALPYEYEVA (UKR)

76kg
Anastasiya ZIMIANKOVA (AIN)
Rita TALISMANOVA (AIN)
Vanesa GEORGIEVA (BUL)
Epp MAE (EST)
Pauline LECARPENTIER (FRA)
Francy RAEDELT (GER)
Aikaterini PITSIAVA (GRE)
Bernadett NAGY (HUN)
Veronika NYIKOS (HUN)
Enrica RINALDI (ITA)
Kamile GAUCAITE (LTU)
Daniela TKACHUK (POL)
Catalina AXENTE (ROU)
Yasemin ADAR YIGIT (TUR)
Anastasiia OSNIACH SHUSTOVA (UKR)

#JapanWrestling

World champion in Freestyle, Narikuni earns elusive shot at Greco title

By Ken Marantz

TOKYO (June 20) -- Taishi NARIKUNI was never ready to abandon his quest of completing the extremely unique double of world titles in both freestyle and Greco. But after his latest setback six months ago, he began to wonder if it was beyond his limits.

Narikuni, the world freestyle 70kg champion in 2022, put the dream within reach again when he secured a place on Japan's team to this year's World Championships at Greco 72kg.

Also Read: Tokyo champ Shidochi dealt setback in return from two-year layoff

Narikuni captured the title at the Meiji Cup All-Japan Championships on Friday at Tokyo Metropolitan Gym, then returned to the mat a short time later to win a playoff for the ticket to the senior worlds to be held September 13-22 in Zagreb.

"I finally did it," Narikuni said. "Of course, I'm happy, but there's also a feeling of relief."

The Meiji Cup is the second of two domestic qualifiers for the Zagreb worlds, following the Emperor's Cup All-Japan Championships last December. Winners at both earned places outright on the world team, while a playoff determined spots in which the champions differed.

Joining Narikuni on the plane to Zagreb will be his long-time friends and brothers Hayato and Takashi ISHIGURO, who started the sport in the same Gold Kids club run by Narikuni's mother -- a former two-time world champion herself.

Taishi NARIKUNI (JPN)Taishi NARIKUNI works to turn Ryoma HOJO in the Greco 72kg final.  (Photo: Takeo Yabuki / wrestling-spirits.jp)

It was Mom's two world titles that inspired Narikuni to launch a quest to not only match her in number of golds, but top her in uniqueness by going for one each in the two men's styles.

But since winning the freestyle title in Belgrade, he endured a tough road in switching full-time to Greco. Hampered at times by injury, he failed to even make the final of any of the domestic qualifiers.

One obstacle was that he tried to make it at 67kg, which is one of Japan's most stacked weight classes. He dropped down to 63kg for the Emperor's Cup in December, but the strain of cutting so much weight took its toll and he was ousted in the semifinals.

"When I cut down to 63kg in December, that was really, really tough," Narikuni said. "It took three months and I barely made it. But I thought if I want to win the world title, 63kg was the only path.

"To put everything on the line and then lose, it was depressing and made me feel that I had reached my limit. I was close to giving up. But I thought of the people who had long been supporting me, who put up with my selfishly going into Greco after becoming a freestyle champion, and I couldn't give up."

Narikuni then made the bold step of moving up two weight classes. With a natural weight of about 74kg and a proclivity for weight training, 72kg became a good fit.

"I think [this] weight class is just right for me," said Narikuni, who never looked inferior in terms of power, using a high chest wrap to lethal effect to get his turns. "I was never the type who cut a lot of weight, and it was really tough getting down to 63kg."

On Friday, Narikuni won the Meiji Cup title -- the first in his career in either style -- with a solid 9-0 victory in the final over Ryoma HOJO.

He then clinched the world team spot with a 9-0 demolition of Emperor's Cup champion Issei HONNA that took just 1:47 and included a 5-point throw. He had defeated Honna 6-0 in the semifinals on Friday.

Hayato ISHIGURO (JPN)Hayato ISHIGURO makes short work of Tatsuya SHIRAI in the world team playoff at freestyle 86kg. (Photo: Takeo Yabuki / wrestling-spirits.jp)

In the only other playoff on the day, Paris Olympian Hayato Ishiguro clinched the world team spot at freestyle 86kg with a lightning-quick 10-0 win over Emperor's Cup and former world U23 champion Tatsuya SHIRAI.

Ishiguro, who beat Shirai 3-0 earlier in their final round-robin match to top the standings and set up the playoff, scored a takedown, then reeled off a tilt, roll, exposure and roll to end the match in 54 seconds.

Ishiguro's older brother, Asian bronze medalist Takashi, completed the Emperor's Cup-Meiji Cup double at freestyle 92kg with an 8-2 victory over Takato UCHIDA.

It will be the third time for the brothers to appear at the same World Championships, after 2021 and 2023.

Sakura ONISHI (JPN)Sakura ONISHI and older brother Taiga celebrate making Japan's team to the World Championships together. (Photo: Takeo Yabuki / wrestling-spirits.jp)

Onishi makes world team, with a brotherly bonus

World U20 champion Sakura ONISHI had little trouble cruising to victory at women's 59kg to earn her first trip to the senior worlds. Then she got an added bonus when older brother Taiga secured a ticket to Zagreb as well at Greco 55kg.

The 19-year-old Sakura scored a takedown in each period and was never in danger as she rolled to a 5-0 victory over Sena NAGAMOTO in the final, repeating her win in the gold-medal match at the Emperor's Cup but in much smoother fashion.

The victory erases the lingering sting from last year, when she defeated two-time Olympic champion Risako KINJO en route to the title, only to suffer a heartbreaking last-second loss in the world team playoff.

"Last year, I was left with a tough memory after losing in the playoff, but I think this makes up for it and I'm really happy," Onishi said.

Onishi was clearly the favorite this time, and said she was energized by the combination of the pressure, the support of those around her, and the victory by her brother.

"There was a lot of pressure and things to think about, but I received a lot of messages of support from many people that really gave me strength. And three was my older brother winning. Instead of being pressure, I turned it all to energy. I'm really satisfied."

Onishi, who won the senior Asian title in March, has established herself of one of Japan's fastest rising stars. She has suffered just one loss in seven international tournaments, falling to Maria YEFREMOVA (UKR) in the final at the 2022 World U17 Championships in Rome.

Prior to Zagreb, she will defend her world U20 title in August in Bulgaria. Looking farther ahead, her aim is to make it to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics along with senior Nippon Sport Science University teammate Akari FUJINAMI, the Paris Olympic champion at 53kg who has moved up to 57kg. That would entail a move up to 62kg, an issue she said she will address when the time comes.

Meanwhile, 2022 world U20 bronze medalist Taiga, a student at Waseda University, will be heading to his second senior worlds after defeating Sanshiro TAKAHASHI 7-1 in the Greco 55kg final.

Takahashi had defeated Emperor's Cup and Asian champion Kohei YAMAGIWA in the semifinals, but Yamagiwa was injured in the match and unable to take part in the playoff, handing Onishi the world team spot by default.

Arash YOSHIDA (JPN)Arash YOSHIDA secures a fall in the freestyle 97kg final against high schooler Noah LEIBOWITZ. (Photo: Takeo Yabuki / wrestling-spirits.jp)

Japan national team gets double helping of Yoshida

Two of Japan's rising young male stars, who happen to share a last name, clinched their tickets to Zagreb by adding the Meiji Cup title to their Emperor's Cup triumph.

Arash YOSHIDA overwhelmed high schooler Noah LEIBOWITZ in the freestyle 97kg final, muscling him over and scoring a victory by fall in 2:31.

Three matches later, Taizo YOSHIDA rallied from a 6-3 deficit, scoring the go-ahead points in the last 20 seconds to defeat Reon KAKEGAWA 11-6 for the Greco 82kg gold.

Arash Yoshida has occasionally sparred with the 17-year-old Leibowitz, who, through his coaches' connection, has been invited to practices at Nihon University. The son of an American father and Japanese mother who came to Japan when he was 4, Leibowitz still has a way to go to catch up to Yoshida, a two-time Asian champion.

"At times, Leibowitz comes to our practices, so I think there were things about me that he knew," Yoshida said. "Even so, it was good that I was able to stop him and get the fall."

Also proficient in judo, Leibowitz has set a lofty goal of winning a wrestling gold at the Los Angeles Olympics, then striking gold in judo at a future Olympics.

In other action, four-time world medalist Miwa MORIKAWA cut it close in capturing the women's 65kg title, then former world champion Masako FURUICHI cut it even closer to triumph at women's 72kg.

Morikawa needed a victory in the final round of matches in the five-women round-robin, and she barely held on to secure a 4-3 win over Nana IKEHATA.

Morikawa went ahead 3-1 with a stepout and takedown in the second period. In the last 10 seconds, Ikehata put the pressure on but had to settle for two stepouts. An unsuccessful challenge after the second one gave Morikawa her final point.

Masako FURUICHI (JPN)Masako FURUICHI turns over Ayano MORO to pull out a last-second victory in the women's 72kg final. (Photo: Takeo Yabuki / wrestling-spirits.jp)

At 72kg, Emperor's Cup champion Furuichi was trailing 2-1 against 2022 world U20 champion Ayano MORO, with all of the points coming on the activity clock, when she launched a last-ditch shot at a single leg. Moro's sprawl seemed to be enough to fend off the attack as the seconds ticked down.

But suddenly, Furuichi got enough leverage to dump Moro onto her back, where she lay stunned to make it a victory by fall at 5:58 and miss out on forcing a playoff. A distraught Moro later wept loudly, her wailing audible throughout the arena.

Day 2 Results

Freestyle

61kg (12 entries)
SF 1: Toshihiro HASEGAWA df. Aiki KAWAI, 10-2
SF 2: Akito MUKAIDA df. Takuto OSETO by Fall, 4:04 (14-4)

70kg (12 entries)
SF 1: Ryoya YAMASHITA df. Yoshinosuke AOYAGI, 4-2
SF 2: Shoya MIURA df. Makoto HOSOKAWA, 7-4

79kg (9 entries)
SF 1: Keyvan GHAREHDAGHI df. Ryunosuke KAMIYA, 4-4
SF 2: Subaru TAKAHARA df. Natsura OKAZAWA, 5-1

86kg (5 entries)
GOLD: Hayato ISHIGURO (4-0)
SILVER: Yudai TAKAHASHI (3-1)
BRONZE: Tatsuya SHIRAI (2-2)

Key match: Ishiguro df. Takahashi 5-4 in Round 3

World Team Playoff: Ishiguro df. Shirai by TF, 10-0, :54.

92kg (10 entries)
GOLD: Takashi ISHIGURO df. Takato UCHIDA, 8-2

BRONZE: Masanobu MITSUI df. Shuichiro SATO, 4-3
BRONZE: Sorato KANAZAWA df. Rintaro MOTOHASHI, 9-5

97kg (7 entries)
GOLD: Arash YOSHIDA df. Noah LEIBOWITZ by Fall, 2:31 (6-0)

BRONZE: Yuta SASAKI df. Takuma TATEOKA by Def.

125kg (10 entries)
GOLD: Taiki YAMAMOTO df. Hibiki ITO, 2-1

BRONZE: Ryusei FUJITA df. Hosei FUJITA by Fall, 1:33 (5-4)

Greco-Roman

55kg (11 entries)
GOLD: Taiga ONISHI df. Sanshiro TAKAHASHI, 7-1

BRONZE: Kohei YAMAGIWA (no match)
BRONZE: Taketo NINOMIYA df. Ryuma KAWANO by TF, 9-0, 1:49

World Team Playoff: Onishi df. Kohei YAMAGIWA by Def.

63kg (11 entries)
GOLD: Manato NAKAMURA df. Ayata SUZUKI by TF, 12-2, 1:53

BRONZE: Yuto NAGASAWA df. Kazuki YABE by Def.
BRONZE: Shoya ITO df. Sota SUGIMOTO, 8-3

72kg (11 entries)
GOLD: Taishi NARIKUNI df. Ryoma HOJO by TF, 9-0, 2:15

BRONZE: Rei NAGAMATSU df. Issei HONNA by Def.
BRONZE: Daigo KOBAYASHI df. Kento NOMURA, 6-2

World Team Playoff: Narikuni df. Honna by TF, 9-0, 1:47

82kg (9 entries)
GOLD: Taizo YOSHIDA df. Reon KAKEGAWA, 11-6

BRONZE: Tesshin HIGUCHI df. Daichi AKIHO by Fall, 1:39 (7-0)
BRONZE: Yudai KOBORI df. Yoshimitsu MATSUZAKI by Fall, 1:29 (4-0)

87kg (7 entries)
SF 1: Tatsuya FUJII df. Genki YAHAGI, Inj. Def.
SF 2: So SAKABE df. Isshin ONITSUKA by TF, 8-0, 1:57

97kg (11 entries)
SF 1: Yuri NAKAZATO df. Ryosei KATAMATSU by TF, 9-0, 3:30
SF 2: Takahiro TSURUDA df. Sorato KANAZAWA by Fall, 5:06 (10-2)

130kg (7 entries)
SF 1: Yuta NARA df. Shion OBATA, 3-1
SF 2: Sota OKUMURA vs Ayumu IWASAWA by TF, 9-0, 3:15

Women's Wrestling

53kg (11 entries)
SF 1: Moe KIYOOKA df. Haruna MORIKAWA, 2-1
SF 2: Haruna MURAYAMA df. Saki YUMIYA, 5-0

55kg (7 entries)
GOLD: Sowaka UCHIDA df. Umi IMAI, 2-0

BRONZE: Karina HONDA df. Narumi NAKAMURA by Fall, 5:50 (5-1)

59kg (9 entries)
GOLD: Sakura ONISHI df. Sena NAGAMOTO, 5-0

BRONZE: Sae NOGUCHI df. Sayaka OTA, 3-0
BRONZE: Miuna KIMURA df. Misaki YOSHIBA, 3-0

65kg (5 entries)
GOLD: Miwa MORIKAWA (4-0)
SILVER: Nana IKEHATA (3-1)
BRONZE: Akari ASAI (2-2)

Key match: Morikawa df. Ikehata 4-3 in Round 5

68kg (4 entries)
Standings through 2 rounds: 1. Ami ISHII (2-0); 2. Seia MOCHINAGA (2-0); 3. Kaede MATSUYAMA (0-2); 4. Rin MIYAJI (0-2).

72kg (7 entries)
GOLD: Masako FURUICHI df. Ayano MORO by Fall, 5:58 (3-2)

BRONZE: Mahiro YOSHITAKE df. Chisato YOSHIDA by TF, 10-0, 3:16

76kg (4 entries)
Standings through 2 rounds: 1. Nodoka YAMAMOTO (2-0); 2. Yasuha MATSUYUKI (2-0); 3. Mizuki NAGASHIMA (0-2); 4. Sakura NAKANO (0-2).