DOHA, Qatar (May 5) – Several of the top freestyle, Greco-Roman and women wrestlers from around Asia are set to compete this week during the 2015 Asian Wrestling Championships from the Aspire Dome in Doha.

Participation in the championships qualifies nations for the 2015 World Championships in Las Vegas – the first qualifier for the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

Three-time Olympic champion and nine-time world champion Kaori ICHO (JPN) enters the 2015 Asian Championships as the most decorated competitor in a field of former champions. Icho, who has been off the international circuit since winning the 2014 World Championships in Tashkent ,is the front-runner to take the 58kg title. She’s currently ranked No.1 in the world.

Other defending champions from women’s wrestling include two-time Tatyana AMANZHOL (KAZ) at 48kg, 2012 champion Kanako MURATA (JPN) at 63kg and 2013 champion Hiroe SUZUKI (JPN) at 75kg.

The competition, which begins Wednesday, will begin with men’s freestyle. The first two days will feature a handful of returning freestyle champions including Uzbekistan’s Bekzod ABDURAKHMONOV (70kg) and Rashid KURBANOV (74kg) who each took gold medals at last year’s Asian Games in Incheon.

Iran brings a talented, but young team to Qatar. The team’s result will likely be pegged to the performance of Masmoud ESMAEILPOUR (61kg) and Komeil GHASEMI (125kg) who will both hope to defend the Asian Championships they captured last year in Astana.

Kazakhstan’s Rasul KALIYEV (57kg) will also look to defend his 2014 title and be supported by last year’s 61kg bronze medalist and 2011 bronze medalist Daulet NIYAZBEKOV.

The Asian Championships will close with a full day of Greco-Roman wrestling, featuring a host of Olympic and world champions.

Leading the final day of completion will be Korea’s 2012 Olympic champion and 2013 world champion KIM Hyeon-woo (75kg) and 2013 world champion RYU Hansu (66kg). Kim is currently ranked No.1 in the world while Ryu comes in ranked No.4. Both wrestlers also took gold at the 2014 Asian Games.

Last year's 59kg runner-up Shinobu OTA (JPN) will look to reverse his 2014 gold medal final against Elmurat TASMURADOV (UZB). The Uzebeki wrestler also took bronze at last year’s world championships in Tashkent.

Kazakhstan’s Nursultan TURSYNOV will look to defend his 84kg continental title alongside 2014 Asian Games champion and three-time world bronze medalist Nurmakhan TINALIEV (130kg).

Teams from China, Mongolia and DPR-Korea each failed to submit entry lists in time for publication.

The championships will be broadcast online at UnitedWorldWrestling.org. Up-to-the-minute results, daily recaps and photographs can also be found at the event site for the Asian Championships.

In a new feature all videos from the event will be uploaded to the results page, allowing fans same-day, On-Demand access to the matches they want to see.

Wednesday, May 6
10:00 – Qualification Round Freestyle: 57-65-86-125kg; Women’s Wrestling: 58kg
19:30 – Finals and Award Ceremony

Thursday, May 7
10:00 -- Qualification Round Freestyle: 61-70-74-97kg; Women’s Wrestling: 48kg
18:00 -- Finals and Award Ceremony

Friday, May 8
10:00 -- Qualification Round Women’s Wrestling: 53-55-60-63-69kg
18:00 -- Finals and Award Ceremony

Saturday, May 9
10:00 -- Qualification Round Women’s Wrestling: 75kg; Greco-Roman: 59-71-85kg
18:00 -- Finals and Award Ceremony

Sunday, May 10
10:00 -- Qualification Round Greco-Roman: 66-75-80-98-130kg
18:00 -- Finals and Award Ceremony

Le vice champion de la catégorie 59 kg de l’année passée Shinobu OTA (JPN) tentera de remporter l’or cette année. Il avait perdu en finale contre Elmurat TASMURADOV (UZB). Ce dernier avait aussi remporté l’or l’année passée aux Championnats du Monde de Tachkent.

Nursultan TURSYNOV tentera également de défendre son titre continental à 84 kg, aux côtés du champion des Jeux d’Asie 2014 et triple médaillé de bronze au niveau mondial Nurmakhan TINALIEV (130kg).

Les équipes de Chine, Mongolie et Corée n’avaient pas présenté de liste d’inscriptions à temps pour la publication de cet article.

Les Championnats seront retransmis en ligne sur le site UnitedWorldWrestling.org. Des résultats mis à jours, des résumés de chaque jour de compétition et des photographies seront également publiés pour les Championnats d’Asie.

Toutes les vidéos seront mises en ligne sur la page des résultats, ce qui permettra aux fans d’avoir accès directement à tous les matchs qui les intéressent.

Mercredi 6 mai
10:00 – Qualification en lutte libre: 57-65-86-125kg; Lutte féminine: 58kg
19:30 – Finales et remises des prix

Jeudi 7 mai
10:00 -- Qualification en lutte libre: 61-70-74-97kg; Lutte féminine: 48kg
18:00 -- Finales et remises des prix

Vendredi 8 mai
10:00 -- Qualification Lutte Féminine: 53-55-60-63-69kg
18:00 -- Finales et remises des prix

Samedi 9 mai
10:00 -- Qualification Lutte féminine: 75kg; Lutte gréco-romaine: 59-71-85kg
18:00 -- Finales et remises des prix

Dimanche 10 mai
10:00 -- Qualification lutte gréco-romaine: 66-75-80-98-130kg
18:00 -- Finales et remises des prix