freestyle rankings, February, Snyder, Burroughs, Sadualev, Akgul, 2016

Gazimagomedov, Snyder Atop Freestyle Rankings Despite Losses in January

By William May

CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY (February 2) – World champions Magomedrasul GAZIMAGOMEDOV (RUS) and Kyle SNYDER (USA) fell to previously unranked wrestlers at the Yarygin Grand Prix in January but held onto their positions atop this month’s United World Wrestling freestyle rankings.

Gazimagomedov, the 70kg champion in Las Vegas, lost his opening bout at 74kg in Krasnoyarsk, Russia, to Kakhaber KHUBEZHTY (RUS) and was eliminated from the competition when the former world team member lost in the semifinals.

Snyder, meanwhile, advanced to the semifinals at 97kg before being stymied by Anzor BOLTUKAEV (RUS), who had been largely inactive internationally since winning the bronze medal at the 2013 world championships.

Gazimagomedov held onto his No.1 ranking at 70kg as he was wrestling up a category at 74kg while Snyder rebounded for a bronze medal at 97kg and was not challenged by any other world medalists, such as Abdusalam GADISOV (RUS), Khetag GAZUMOV (AZE) or Pavlo OLEYNIK (UKR).

Boltukaev, for his part, defeated London 2012 Olympic Games gold medalist Jakob VARNER (USA) in the Yarygin finale, and made one of the bigger leaps in the January rankings – going from unranked to No.10 at heavyweight.

The biggest move belongs to Nyurgun SKRYABIN (RUS), who went from unranked to No.7 at 61kg by pinning 2015 Ali Aliev champion Akhmed CHAKAEV (RUS) and prevailing over former junior European champion Imam ADZHIEV (RUS) in the Yarygin final.

Also at 61kg, Aleksander BOGOMOEV (RUS) and Vladimir DUBOV (BUL) both successfully tested the waters at 57kg – with Bogomoev winning in Krasnoyarsk and Dubov taking the Dan Kolov crown in Sofia.

At the other non-Olympic weight category of 70kg, Israil KASUMOV (RUS) moved down to 65kg for the Yarygin title, while Hassan YAZDANI CHARATI (IRI) earned a silver medal at 74kg in Paris and Evgeniy NEDEALKO (MDA) bagged the welterweight gold medal in Sofia.

The top six wrestlers in each weight category at the world championships were awarded the top six positions in September, but these rankings are already changing in the face of more recent performances.

The bulk of the rankings from No.7 to No.20 were determined, in part, by a wrestler’s performance in Las Vegas along with results in competition throughout 2015.

Wrestlers in the rankings are listed by name, country code, most notable or most recent result over the last 12 months, and their position in the previous rankings.

57kg – 2013 junior world champion Younes SARMASTIDIZAJI (IRI) won the Takhti Cup for a second year in a row to go from unranked to No.10, while two-time junior world bronze medalist Gadshimurad RASHIDOV (RUS) put a scare into Yarygin Grand Prix winner Aleksander BOGOMOEV (RUS) for No.11.

1. Vladimir KHINCHEGASHVILI (GEO) – World No.1 (1)
2. Hassan RAHIMI (IRI) – World No.2 (2)
3. Viktor LEBEDEV (RUS) – World No.3 (3)
4. Ismail MUSUKAEV (RUS) – GGP Final No.1 (4)
5. ERDENEBAT Bekhbayar (MGL) – GGP Final No.2 (5)
6. JONG Hak-Jin (PRK) – World No.5 (6)
7. Artas SANAA (KAZ) – World No.5 (7)
8. Yowlys BONNE RODRIGUEZ (CUB) – Pan American Games No.1 (8)
9. Georgi VANGELOV (BUL) – Dan Kolov No.3 (12)
10. Younes SARMASTIDIZAJI (IRI) – Takhti Cup No.1 (not ranked)
11. Gadshimurad RASHIDOV (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.3 (nr)
12. Rustam AMPAR (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.2 (nr)
13. Asadulla LACHINOV (BLR) – World No.7 (11)
14. Artyom GEBEKOV (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.3 (nr)
15. Yuki TAKAHASHI (JPN) – Ziolkowski No.1 (9)
16. Zoheir EL OUARRAQE (FRA) – Ziolkowski No.3 (10)
17. Reza ATRABAGHARCHI (IRI) – Paris GP No.1 (nr_
18. Adama DIATTA (SEN) – All-African Games No.1 (16)
19. Sezer AKGUL (TUR) – European Games No.3 (17)
20. John PINEDA (CAN) – Dan Kolov No.3 (19)

61kg – Asian championships silver medalist Behnam EHSANPOOR (IRI) won the Takhti Cup and edged up to No.6, while Yarygin Grand Prix finalists Nyurgun SKRYABIN (RUS) and Imam ADZHIEV (RUS) join the rankings at No.7 and No.8, respectively.
 
1. Haji ALIEV (AZE) – World No.1 (1)
2. BATBOLD Nomin (MGL) – World No.2 (2)
3. Vladimir DUBOV (BUL) – World No.3 (4)
4. Aleksander BOGOMOEV (RUS) – European Games No.1 (7)
5. Vasyl SHUPTAR (UKR) – World No.3 (3)
6. Behnam EHSANPOOR (IRI) – Takhti Cup No.1 (10)
7. Nyurgun SKRYABIN (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.1 (nr)
8. Imam ADZHIEV (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.2 (nr)
9. Masakazu KAMOI (JPN) – World No.5 (6)
10. Beka LOMTADZE (GEO) – European Games No.2 (8)
11. Akhmed CHAKAEV (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.3 (nr)
12. Bajrang BAJRANG (IND) – World No.5 (7)
13. Dyamal OTARSULTANOV (RUS) – Yasar Dogu No.1 (13)
14. Iman SADEGHIKOUKANDEH (IRI) – Paris GP No.5 (15)
15. Daulet NIYAZBEKOV (KAZ) – GGP Final No.3 (12)
16. Murshid MUTALIMOV (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.5 (16)
17. Volodya FRANGULYAN (ARM) – Medved Prizes No.1 (9)
18. Muenir Recep AKTAS (TUR) – Yasar Dogu No.2 (11)
19. Bekhan GOIGEREEV (RUS) – Medved Prizes No.2 (14)
20. Dimitar IVANOV (BUL) – Dan Kolov No.3 (nr)

65kg – Magomedmurad GADZHIEV (POL) and Franklin GOMEZ MATOS (PUR) each won Dan Kolov titles, at 70kg and 65kg, respectively, as Gadzhiev edges up to No.9 and Gomez joins the rankings at No.10.
 
1. Frank CHAMIZO (ITA) – World No.1 (1)
2. Ikhtiyor NAVRUZOV (UZB) – World No.2 (2)
3. Sayed Ahmad MOHAMMADI (IRI) – World No.3 (3)
4. Togrul ASGAROV (AZE) – European Games No.1 (4)
5. Soslan RAMONOV (RUS) – World No.3 (5)
6. Magomed KURBANALIEV (RUS) – GGP Final (8)
7. GANZORIG Mandakhnaran (MGL) – Yarygin GP No.3 (6)
8. Ilyas BEKBULATOV (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.5 (7)
9. Magomedmurad GADZHIEV (POL) – Dan Kolov No.1 (12)
10. Franklin GOMEZ MATOS (PUR) – Dan Kolov No.1 (nr)
11. Alibeggadzhi EMEEV (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.3 (nr)
12. Borislav NOVACHKOV (BUL) – Dan Kolov No.2 (12)
13. Brent METCALF (USA) – Pan Am Games No.1 (10)
14. Avtandil KENTCHADZE (GEO) – Paris GP No.5 (11)
15. George BUCUR (ROU) – Ziolkowski No.2 (9)
16. Masoud ESMAILPOUR (IRI) – Asia No.1 (14)
17. Logan STIEBER (USA) – GGP Final No.2 (15)
18. Mustafa KAYA (TUR) – European Games No.3 (17)
19. Joshgun AZIMOV (AZE) – Ali Aliev No.1 (18)
20. Meysam NASIRI (IRI) – Takhti Cup No.1 (nr)

70kg – Israil KASUMOV (RUS) won the Yarygin Grand Prix title over a tough field at 65kg to climb to No.5 in the rankings, while Evgheni NEDEALCO (MDA) won at 74kg in Sofia and junior world champion Hassan YAZDANI CHARATI (IRI) finished second at 74kg in Paris behind 2014 world bronze medalist Ali SHABANOV (BLR).

1. Magomedrasul GAZIMAGOMEDOV (RUS) – World No.1 (1)
2. Hassan YAZDANI CHARATI (IRI) – World No.2 (2)
3. Yakup GOR (TUR) – World No.3 (3)
4. James GREEN (USA) – World No.3 (4)
5. Israil KASUMOV (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.1 (7)
6. Bekzod ABDURAKHMANOV (UZB) – GGP Final No.1 (6)
7. Azamat NURIKOV (BLR) – Medved Prizes No.1 (5)
8. Evgheni NEDEALCO (MDA) – Dan Kolov No.1 (nr)
9. Miroslav KIROV (BUL) – Dan Kolov No.3 (8)
10. Zaurbek SIDAKOV (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.1 (nr)
11. David TLASHADZE (GEO) – Kunaev Int’l No.1 (9)
12. Ruslan DIBIRGADZHIYEV (AZE) – European Games No.3 (10)
13. Khusey SUYUNCHEV (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.2 (nr)
14. Rasul ARSANALIEV (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.3 (nr)
15. Magomedkhabib KADIMAGOMEDOV (RUS) – Ali Aliev No.1 (11)
16. Khalil AMINOV (RUS) – Intercontinental Cup No.1 (12)
17. Evgeni ZHERBAEV (RUS) – Dmitri Korkin No.1 (13)
18. Georgi ZLATOV (BUL) – Dan Kolov No.3 (15)
19. Elaman DOGDURBEK UULU (KGZ) – Asia No.2 (16)
20. Ayad IBRAHIM (EGY) – African Games No.1 (nr)

74kg – 2012 junior world champ Zaur MAKIEV (RUS) emerged the victor over a field that featured world champions Denis TSARGUSH (RUS), Magomedrasul GAZIMAGOMEDOV (RUS) and pre-tourney favorite Akhmed GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (RUS) to win the Yarygin crown and a No.14 in the rankings.

1. Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) – World No.1 (1)
2. Aniuar GEDUEV (RUS) – World No.3 (2)
3. PUREVJAV Unurbat (MGL) – World No.2 (3)
4. Narasingh YADAV (IND) – World No.3 (4)
5. Alireza GHASEMI (IRI) – Ziolkowski No.1 (5)
6. Zelimkhan KHADJIEV (FRA) – World No.5 (6)
7. Livan LOPEZ AZCUY (CUB) – Pan Am Games No.3 (7)
8. Jumber KVELASHVILI (GEO) – European Games No.3 (8)
9. Khetik TSABOLOV (RUS) – GGP Final No.3 (14)
10. Ali SHABANOV (BLR) – Paris GP No.1 (10)
11. Rashid KURBANOV (UZB) – Dan Kolov No.3 (11)
12. Soner DEMIRTAS (TUR) – European Games No.2 (10)
13. Yabrail HASANOV (AZE) – GGP Final No.1 (13)
14. Zaur MAKIEV (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.1 (nr)
15. Muslim DADAEV (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.2 (nr)
16. Moustafa HOSSEINKHANI (IRI) – Takhti Cup No.1 (nr)
17. Akhmed GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.3 (14)
18. Kakhaber KHUBEZHTY (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.3 (nr)
19. Krystian BRZOZOWSKI (POL) – Dan Kolov No.2 (16)
20. Peyman YARAHMADI (IRI) – Takhti Cup No.3 (nr)

86kg – Shamil KUDIYAMAGOMEDOV (RUS), widely recognized in Russia as the top middleweight not named Abdulrashid, rolled to the Yarygin Grand Prix title to vault from No.11 to fifth in the rankings. London 2012 bronze medalist Ehsan LASHGARI (IRI) won the Takhti Cup to bound from 17th to No.9.

1. Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RUS) – World No.1 (1)
2. Selim YASAR (TUR) – World No.2 (2)
3. Sandro AMINASHVILI (GEO) – World No.3 (4)
4. Alireza KARIMIMACHIANI (IRI) – World No.3 (3)
5. Shamil KUDIYAMAGOMEDOV (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.1 (11)
6. Dauren KURUGLIEV (RUS) – Yarygin No.3 (10)
7. Magomedhadshi KHATIEV (AZE) – World No.5 (5)
8. Mikhail GANEV (BUL) – World No.5 (6)
9. Ehsan LASHGARI (IRI) – Takhti Cup No.1 (17)
10. Ibragim ALDATOV (UKR) – World No.7 (7)
11. Pedro CEBALLOS FUENTES (VEN) – World No.10 (8)
12. Reineris SALAS PEREZ (CUB) – Pan Am Games No.1 (9)
13. ORGODOL Uitumen (MGL) – Dan Kolov No.3 (12)
14. Aleksander GOSTIEV (AZE) – GGP Final No.1 (13)
15. Piotr IANULOV (MDA) – European Games No.2 (14)
16. Radoslaw MARCINKIEWICZ (POL) – European Games No.3 (15)
17. Arsenali MUSALALIEV (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.2 (nr)
18. Nurmagomed GADZHIEV (AZE) – GGP Final No.2 (16)
19. Zbigniew BARANOWSKI (POL) – Dan Kolov No.2 (nr)
20. Istvan VEREB (HUN) – Paris GP No.2 (nr)

97kg – Radoslaw BARAN (POL), returning to competition after an early exit from the world championships in September, kicked off 2016 with a win at the Dan Kolov tourney for No.8 in the rankings.

1. Kyle SNYDER (USA) – World No.1 (1)
2. Abdusalam GADISOV (RUS) – World No.2 (2)
3. Khetag GAZUMOV (AZE) – World No.3 (3)
4. Elizbar ODIKADZE (GEO) – GGP Final No.1 (4)
5. Pavlo OLIYNIK (UKR) – World No.3 (5)
6. Sharif SHARIFOV (AZE) – GGP Final No.2 (6)
7. Abbas TAHAN (IRI) – World No.5 (7)
8. Radoslaw BARAN (POL) – Dan Kolov No.1 (9)
9. Valeri ANDRIITSEV (UKR) – European Games No.3 (8)
10. Anzor BOLTUKAEV (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.1 (nr)
11. Jakob VARNER (USA) – Yarygin GP No.2 (nr)
12. Jose DIAZ ROBERTTI (VEN) – Paris GP No.1 (14)
13. DORJKHAND Khuderbulga (MGL) – Paris GP No.2 (15)
14. Reza YAZDANI (IRI) – Takhti Cup No.1 (nr)
15. Magomed MUSAEV (KGZ) – Asia No.2 (10)
16. Khadshimourad GATSALOV (RUS) – World Military Games No.1 (11)
17. Adlan IBRAGIMOV (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.3 (nr)
18. James BERGMAN (USA) – Schultz Memorial No.1 (nr)
19. Akhmed BATAEV (RUS) – Intercontinental Cup No.1 (18)
20. Mohamedhossein MOHAMMADIAN (IRI) – Asia No.1 (17) 

125kg – Parviz HADI (IRI) won the Takhti Cup crown to edge up to No.6 in the rankings followed by 2014 world silver medalist Komeil GHASEMI (IRI), who took the title at the Paris Grand Prix. Vladislav BAITSAEV (RUS) took the Yarygin crown to go from unranked to No.13.

1. Taha AKGUL (TUR) – World No.1 (1)
2. Jamalladin MAGOMEDOV (AZE) – World No.2 (2)
3. Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) – World No.3 (3)
4. Beylal MAKHOV (RUS) – World No.3 (4)
5. Levan BERIANIDZE (ARM) – World No.5 (5)
6. Parviz HADI (IRI) – Takhti Cup No.1 (7)
7. Komeil GHASEMI (IRI) – Paris GP No.1 (11)
8. JARGALSAIKHAN Chuluunbat (MGL) – Paris GP No.3 (6)
9. DENG Zhiwei (CHN) – Dan Kolov No.1 (16)
10. Aleksey SHEMAROV (BLR) – European Games No.2 (8)
11. Aiaal LAZAREV (KGZ) – Asia No.1 (9)
12. Muradin KUSHKHOV (RUS) – Ramzan Kadyrov No.1 (11)
13. Vladislav BAITSAEV (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.1 (nr)
14. Anzor KHIRZIEV (RUS) – Yarygin GP No.3 (nr)
15. Luis VIVENES (VEN) – Paris GP No.2 (nr)
16. Tervel DLAGNEV (USA) – Paris GP No.3 (nr)
17. David MODZMANASHVILI (GEO) – Medved Prizes No.1 (12)
18. Alen ZASEEV (UKR) – Medved Prizes No.2 (13)
19. Zachery REY (USA) – Pan Am Games No.1 (14)
20. Daulet SHABANBAY (KAZ) – Yasar Dogu No.3 (15)

61 کیلوگرم

1- حاجی علی اف (آذربایجان)- قهرمان جهان (1)

2- نومین باتبولد (مغولستان)- نفر دوم جهان (2)

3- ولادمیر دوبوف (بلغارستان)- نفر سوم جهان (4)

4- الکساندر بوگوموئف (روسیه)- قهرمان بازیهای اروپایی (7)

5- واسیل شوپتار (اوکراین)- نفر سوم جهان (3)

6- بهنام احسانپور (ایران)- قهرمان جام تختی (10)

7- نیورگون اسکریابین (روسیه)- قهرمان یاریگین (خارج از رنکینگ)

8- امام آجیف (روسیه)- نفر دوم یاریگین (خارج از رنکینگ)

9- ماساکازو کاموئی (ژاپن)- نفر پنجم جهان (6)

10- بکا لومتادزه (گرجستان)- نفر دوم بازیهای اروپایی (8)

11- احمد چاکایف (روسیه) – نفر سوم یاریگین (خارج از رنکینگ)

12- بارجانگ بارجانگ (هند)- نفر پنجم جهان (7)

13- جمال اوتارسلطانوف (روسیه)- قهرمان یاشاردوغو (13)

14- ایمان صادقی (ایران)- نفر دوم جایزه بزرگ باکو (15)

15- دولت نیازبکوف (قزاقستان)- نفر سوم جایزه بزرگ باکو (12)

16- مرشید موتالیموف (روسیه)- نفر پنجم یاریگین (16)

17- ولودیا فرانگولیان (ارمنستان)- قهرمان جام مدوید (9)

18- منیر رجب آکتاش (ترکیه)- نفر دوم یاشاردوغو (11)

19- بخان گویگریف (روسیه)- نفر دوم جام مدوید (14)

20- دیمیتار ایوانوف بلغارستان)- نفر سوم دان کلوف (خارج از رنکینگ)

 

65 کیلوگرم

1- فرانک چامیزو (ایتالیا)- قهرمان جهان (1)

2- اختیار نوروزاف (ازبکستان)- نفر دوم جهان (2)

3- سید احمد محمدی (ایران)- نفر سوم جهان (3)

4- طغرل عسگروف (آذربایجان)- قهرمان بازیهای اروپایی (5)

5- سوسلان رامونوف (روسیه)- نفر سوم جهان (4)

6- ماگومد قربان علی‌یف (روسیه)- قهرمان جایزه بزرگ باکو (8)

7- مانداخناران گانزوریگ (مغولستان)- نفر پنجم جهان (6)

8- الیاس بکبولاتوف (روسیه)- قهرمان جام یاریگین (7)

9- ماگومد مراد گاجیف (لهستان)- قهرمان یاشار دوغو (12)

10- فرانکلین گومز ماتوس (پورتوریکو)- قهرمان دان کلوف (خارج از رنکینگ)

11- آلیبگاجی امیف (روسیه)- نفر سوم یاریگین (خارج از رنکینگ)

12- بوریسلاو نواچکوف (بلغارستان)- نایب قهرمان دان کلوف (13)

13- برنت متکالف (آمریکا)- قهرمان پان آمریکن (10)

14- آوتاندیل کنتچادزه (گرجستان)- نفر نهم جهان (11)

15- گئورگ بوکور (رومانی)- نفر دوم زیلکوفسکی (9)

16 - مسعود اسماعیل پور (ایران)- قهرمان آسیا (14)

17- لوگان اشتیبر (آمریکا)- نفر دوم جایزه بزرگ باکو (15)

18- مصطفی کایا (ترکیه)- نفر سوم بازیهای اروپایی (17)

19- یوشگون عظیموف (آذربایجان)- قهرمان جام علی اف (18)

20- میثم نصیری (ایران)- قهرمان جام تختی (خارج از رنکینگ)

 

70 کیلوگرم

1- ماگومد رسول گازی ماگومداف (روسیه)- قهرمان جهان (1)

2- حسن یزدانی (ایران)- نفر دوم جهان (2)

3- یاکوب گور (ترکیه)- نفر سوم جهان (3)

4- جیمز گرین (آمریکا)- نفر سوم جهان (4)

5- اسرائیل کاسوموف (روسیه)- قهرمان جام کنایف (7)

6- بکزود عبدالرحمانوف (ازبکستان)- قهرمان جایزه بزرگ باکو (6)

7- عظمت نوریکوف (بلاروس)- قهرمان جام مدوید (5)

8- یوگنی ندیلکو (مولداوی)- قهرمان دان کلوف (خارج از رنکینگ)

9- میروسلاو کایروف (بلغارستان)- نفر سوم جام دان کلوف (6)

10- زائوربک سیداکوف (روسیه)- قهرمان یاریگین (خارج از رنکینگ)

11- دیوید تلاشادزه (گرجستان)- نفر هفتم جهان (9)

12- روسلان دیبیرگاجیف (آذربایجان)- نفر سوم بازیهای اروپایی (10)

13- خوسی سویونچف (روسیه)- نفر دوم یاریگین (خارج از رنکینگ)

14- رسول ارسان علی اف (نفر سوم یاریگین)- (خارج از رنکینگ)

15- ماگومد حبیب کادی ماگومداف (روسیه)- نفر اول جام علی اف (11)

16- خلیل امین اف (روسیه)- قهرمان جام بین قاره ای (12)

17- یوگنی ژربایف (روسیه)- قهرمان دمیتری کورکین (13)

18- گئورگی زلاتوف (بلغارستان) نفر سوم دان کلوف (15)

19- الامان دوگدوربک اولو (قرقیزستان)- نفر دوم آسیا (16)

20- آیاد ابراهیم (مصر)- قهرمان بازیهای آفریقا (خارج از رنکینگ)  

Trailblazer Epp Mae retires as Estonia's top wrestler

By Vinay Siwach

ESTONIA (January 28) -- European champion and two-time World Championships medalist Epp MAE (EST) announced her retirement earlier in January at an emotional press conference in Tallinn. She left her shoes on the mat, symbolizing retirement from wrestling.

The 32-year-old is Estonia's most successful wrestler in Women's Wrestling, winning gold at the European Championships in 2021 and silver medals in the 2017 and 2022 editions. She also has a bronze medal from 2019.

At the World Championships, Mae became the first Estonian wrestler to win a medal, enter the final, and even have two medals. She won silver in the 76kg in 2021, plus three bronze medals in 2015, 2019, and 2022.

"The day I announced my retirement was very emotional and hard because something so big in your life came to an end," Mae told UWW. "I knew that I was about to retire because I was expecting a baby. But it was difficult to stand in front of the people and say that this part of my life has ended, so announcing was harder than deciding it inside myself."

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Epp Mäe (@eppmae)

Mae is a two-time Olympian for Estonia. She made her Olympic debut at the 2016 Rio Games and finished 13th. She improved to eighth at the 2020 Tokyo Games. For the 2024 Paris Olympics, Mae tried qualifying in the 76kg weight class but failed to achieve that. Her last international competition was the World Olympic Qualifier in May in Istanbul.

"To be honest, I did not expect my career to be this long, as it is," she said. "I did not have any role models in female wrestling in Estonia when I was growing up. So I had no idea whether it was possible to earn money or live from wrestling and how far it was possible to go from my country. I dedicated my life and my career to wrestling as much as I could. An athlete should know it's time to step down. It aligned for me with a wish to start a family."

Epp MAE (EST)An emotional Epp MAE (EST) announcing her retirement in a wrestling club in Tallinn on January 9. (Photo: ERR / Siim Lõvi)

Mae took up wrestling after her father, a former wrestler, pushed her into the sport. However, there were no partners to train with and Mae did not have any national competitions. She even trained in judo and sumo just to get training.

When Estonia did start a national championship in women's wrestling, Mae dominated, winning it 12 times in her career. For other sports, she is a four-time Estonian sumo champion, a four-time Estonian beach wrestling champion, and has also been an Estonian judo champion on one occasion.

"I have always laughed that the population of Estonia is 1.3 million and I am one in a million to choose to do something like this and be successful," she said. "Coming from a small nation, it is not easy to break through to the top. Most likely you don't have training partners at home. you have to travel a lot away from your country and get to train at a level that you need to succeed."

Epp MAE (EST)Epp MAE (EST), red, wrestling at the 2014 World Championships in Tashkent. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Martin Gabor)

Internationally, Mae made her debut in 2007 at the U17 European Championships, winning a bronze medal in the 70kg weight class. She began her senior career at the Yasar Dogu in 2011 and won a silver medal at 72kg at the age of 18.

In 2012, Mae clinched the U20 European Championships and remains the only Estonian wrestler to win gold at the continental event at any age group. A decade later, she reached the final of the World Championships at 76kg, marking another historic landmark in Estonian wrestling.

"As I said there was no one in front of me to lead the way, I am happy that I went through everything to get to places and results that I managed to and kind of make a path for all the girls from Estonia who will ever wish or have this doubt whether it is possible to get that far," she said. "I am happy that they have a path already in front of them. I wish that they would want to go bigger and further than I did. I will be more than excited and happy if someone did do that."

Epp MAE (EST)Epp MAE (EST) wrestling in the 2021 World Championships final at 76kg in Oslo. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Tony Rotundo)

Reflecting on her career two-decade-long career, Mae did share her disappointment of not winning a medal at the Olympics but was happy to have achieved what she has for Estonia.

"My father recently told a journalist that what I did [in wrestling] was against the odds because we did not have all the possibilities and facilities a bigger team would have," she said. "So I think I did good in my career by achieving the results that I did. Little sad that I did not win a medal at the Olympics. But I can leave wrestling knowing that I gave everything. There is never going to be any doubt that what if I could have done this or that."

Now off the mat, Mae will concentrate on her family and follow the sport from afar.

"I will keep following wrestling and the wrestling friends I have made during the years. I will keep following them," she said. "For Estonia wrestling, I wish all the girls in different age groups we have right now will be motivated just to go as far as possible and always try to achieve the best for you. I will try to help Estonian wrestling as I can and I hope they will not stop developing Estonian female wrestling."