Youth Olympic Games

Greco-Roman Draws, Schedule, and How to Watch

By Tim Foley

BUENOS AIRES (October 11) – Greco-Roman wrestling at the 2018 Youth Olympic Games start tomorrow morning with 30 athletes across five weight classes vying for their first taste at Olympic glory. Cadet-level wrestlers from all five continents were selected after an extensive qualification process with names finalized by United World Wrestling on September 4th

Wrestling will begin Friday at 10am local/11am ET with finals beginning at 5:00pm local/6:00pm ET.

Watch the action LIVE on the Olympic Channel, HERE

The match-by-match competition schedule can be found on the official Buenos Aires YOG 2018 site, HERE

Day One Pool Match-Ups

Men’s Greco-Roman, 45kg

Group A
Abdalla M. SHAABAN (EGY)
Amirreza Mohammadreza DEHBOZORGI (IRI)
Edmond Armen NAZARYAN (BUL)

Group B
Densel Jaffet DE JESUS VALERIO (HON)
Arslanbek ZAKIRBAYEV (TKM)
Jeremy Renzo PERALTA GONZALEZ (ECU)

Men’s Greco-Roman, 51kg

Group A
Wataru SASAKI (JPN)
Mehdi JOUINI (TUN)
Axel Andre SALAS ESQUIVEL (MEX)

Group B
Alexander ADINIWIN (MHL)
Giorgi TOKHADZE (GEO)
Eduardo LOVERA (ARG)

Men’s Greco-Roman, 60kg

Group A 
Arapo Ngatuerua George KELLNER (NZL)
Elmirbek SADYROV (KGZ)
Miguel Angel UGALDE AGUILAR (MEX)

Group B 
Ahmed Abdelhakim MERIKHI (ALG)
Giorgi CHKHIKVADZE (GEO)
Sahak HOVHANNISYAN (ARM)

Men’s Greco-Roman, 71kg

Group A 
Alexandrin GUTU (MDA)
Brandon CALLE PEREZ (COL)
Lamjed MAAFI (TUN)

Group B 
Shu YAMADA (JPN)
Lynch Xavier Tanglao SANTOS (GUM)
Stepan STARODUBTSEV (RUS)

Men’s Greco-Roman, 92kg

Group A 
Osman AYAYDIN (TUR)
Ariston Faamalosi BARTLEY (ASA)
Shady Elkhalil Ibrahim A. WEHIB (EGY)

Group B 
Mohammad Ghorbanali NOSRATI (IRI)
Igor Fernando ALVES DE QUEIROZ (BRA)
Mukhammad EVLOEV (RUS)

Development

Wrestling Enters a New Era in Southern Africa with Namib Storm and SADC Open Championships

By United World Wrestling Press

WINDHOEK, Namibia — July 2025 The Namibian Wrestling Federation (NWF), in partnership with United World Wrestling (UWW) and Olympic Solidarity, launched a landmark initiative to boost wrestling development in Southern Africa: the Namib Storm Wrestling Week and SADC Open Championships, held from 30 June to 5 July 2025 at the Windhoek Showgrounds.

Speaking at the official launch in Windhoek, NWF President Colin Steytler emphasized the significance of this new chapter for the sport:

“This is where everything comes together — grassroots, elite, and development levels. It’s the most important step we’ve taken to date in bringing our strategic goals to life.”

A New Benchmark for Regional Wrestling Development

The week-long event featured two core components:

  • REDT – Namib Storm Training Camp (30 June – 3 July)
    This high-performance camp delivered Level 3 Coaching and Level 2 Refereeing Certification under the guidance of UWW instructors — a first for Namibia and a major milestone for the region.

“You can’t grow grassroots wrestling without qualified coaches,” Steytler noted.
Coaches and officials from multiple countries, including Zambia, Zimbabwe, South Africa, and Mauritius, took part in intensive technical sessions.

  • SADC Open Championships (4 July)
    This tournament gathered elite athletes from Angola, South Africa, Zimbabwe, and beyond — many of whom are continental medallists. Importantly, the SADC Open became the first UWW-rated event in Southern Africa, enabling both athletes and referees to earn international exposure without needing to travel abroad.

“This changes the game,” said Steytler. “We can now compete regionally and still gain global recognition — this saves costs and boosts participation.”

NAMAttendees go through the Level 3 Coaching and Level 2 Refereeing Certification under the guidance of UWW instructors. (Photo: United World Wrestling)

Beach Wrestling: Taking the Sport to New Shores

The week concluded on 5 July with a Beach Wrestling showcase, reinforcing UWW’s commitment to accessibility and outreach.

“Beach wrestling will be the only wrestling discipline featured at the 2026 Youth Olympic Games in Senegal,” Steytler reminded. “And we are proud to host Namibia’s first-ever beach wrestling event in Swakopmund on 7 December 2025.”

Beach wrestling, requiring only sand and a rope, offers a practical and inclusive way to expand the sport into rural and underserved communities — a cornerstone of UWW’s vision.

Towards a Self-Sustaining Wrestling Future

The REDT initiative and Namib Storm programme are part of the NWF’s five-year strategy to develop a self-sustainable wrestling ecosystem, bridging the gap between grassroots and elite competition and aiming for future Olympic qualification and medals.

“The Namib Storm Week and SADC Open pull all of our strategic elements together,” said Steytler. “From here, we take what we’ve built back to the regions and expand wrestling further than ever before.”

This event highlights Southern Africa’s growing role in the global wrestling community and reflects UWW’s dedication to regional empowerment, education, and international competition access.