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Important Updates for Ranking Series, Olympic Qualification Events

Friday, September 6, 2019 - 13:06 By United World Wrestling Press

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CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (September 6) – The Technical Commission of United World Wrestling has approved new regulations for the 2020 Ranking Series events and seeding for Olympic qualification events. The commission has also provided guidance on the calendar for Ranking Series events in 2021-2023.

The first of the 2020 Ranking Series events will be at the end of January and the second will be the first week of June. All three styles will be competed at the same event (as will be the norm in 2021 and beyond). The points earned will be considered when determining the seeds at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.

To ensure that the best remaining wrestlers qualify for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, the Olympic qualification events will include seeds for the top two wrestlers in each category. Athletes from nations who are not qualified for the Olympic Games may earn points at the following events:

  • 2019 Senior World Championships
  • 2020 Senior Continental Championships
  • 2020 1st Ranking Series Event

Should there be a tie among wrestlers at the continental and Last Chance event the seeding criteria will be:

  1. Rank in the 2019 Senior World Championships (in the concerned weight category)
  2. Rank in the 2020 Senior Continental Championships (in the concerned weight category)
  3. The number of events (in the three events mentioned above) in which the athletes competed (in the concerned weight category).
  4. If still a tie, then a seed will be allocated via a number from the UWW Official Draw Device with the lower number earning the seed position.

Please note that an athlete must have at least two ranking points to be eligible for a seed position.

The Technical Commission also approved general guidance for the 2021-2023 Ranking Series. Moving forward, Ranking Series events will be held at the same time and in the same location year-to -- they will also include all three styles of wrestling. In order to ensure geographical equity, it was determined that one Pan-American and one Asian country should host a Ranking Series event, with the other two slated for European destinations.

The general calendar guidelines are as follows:

  • 1st Ranking Series (Beginning of February)
  • 2nd Ranking Series (End of February)
  • 3rd Ranking Series (June)
  • 4th Ranking Series (July. Or August when the Worlds are organized in October)

Locations will be voted on by the bureau in the coming months. National Federations interested in hosting a Ranking Series event are encouraged to contact the Sport Department.

#WrestleUlaanbaatar, #OffTheMat

Purevdorj reignites Olympic quest with Ulaanbaatar Open gold

Friday, June 20, 2025 - 09:31 By Vinay Siwach

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ULAANBAATAR, Mongolia (June 18) -- The last time Orkhon PUREVDORJ (MGL) wrestled in front of home crowd in Ulaanbaatar, she was one of the top wrestlers in the world at 62kg.

She was the 2017 world champion and a year before that, she had ended Kaori ICHO's (JPN) 13-year long unbeaten streak at the Ivan Yaryguin Grand Prix. Then in 2018, she won the Asian Championships in Bishkek and the Mongolian Open gold medal in Ulaanbaatar.

Few months later, she failed a dope test at the Asian Games, where she had won the gold medal in 62kg. Her rise turned into a fatal fall and Purevdorj was left to serve the four-year ban. During her long hiatus, Purevdorj focused on personal life.

“I was very sad but I decided to just live and raised my son. I kept myself busy with him,” Purevdorj says. “The most important thing is my mind. It's important to be strong.”

Purevdorj, who still remains Mongolia last world champion in wrestling, made her comeback in 2022 and was part of the Mongolian team to the World Cup. She won silver medal at the Asian Championships in 2023 and qualified for the Paris Olympics in 2024.

Seven years since the ban and now in the twilight of her wrestling career, Purevdorj is hoping to reignite the fire to wrestle. She took the first step by winning a gold medal at hte Ulaanbaatar Open. The 31-year-old won in 62kg in front of her family and local fans to once again stamp herself as the best wrestler in Mongolia and even Asia.

"I am wrestling for the second time [first time internationally] this year but it's hard," she says after her gold-medal bout against compatriot and rival Tserenchimed SUKHEE (MGL) who she defeated 11-2 to win the gold medal.

At the Buyant Ukhaa Sport Palace in Ulaanbaatar, Purevdorj is joined by her husband, son and even parents as they watch her wrestle live after a long time. It's not an ideal start for her as she gets hammered 10-0 by Alina KASABIEVA (UWW), a wrestler she has defeated multiple times in her career before.

That's not what Purevdorj or her family expected in the first bout itself. But she runs back to the warm-up hall and prepares for the second bout, this time against Asian champion MANISHA (IND). And Purevdorj looked in form against the Indian, winning via fall. [The 62kg bracket at the Ulaanbaatar Open was a round-robin bracket, hence giving Purevdorj the second chance].

The fall helps Purevdorj get five classification points and a place in the semifinal over Manisha. She will wrestle Ekaterina KOSHKINA (UWW) for a spot in the final. Her son, six years old, keeps cheering every time he sees his mother on the mat.

Koshkina takes Purevdorj to the limits scoring via counters. Still, Purevdorj led 9-7 at the break and both resumed their dynamic wrestling. Purevdorj managed to defend some of the attacks from Koshkina and ultimately won 15-11.

In a high-affair all-Mongolian final at 62kg, Purevdorj put on a defensive masterclass to beat Tserenchimed SUKHEE (MGL), 11-2, and capture the gold medal.

"I was able to win because I played calmly," she said after the final. "In the first match, I was not good mental state and was not ready. But next match I was better."

Purevdorj celebrated with a few photos with her family and coaches. She looked visibly tired after the four bouts and could use some rest days.

"As I said, it's hard. I am not sure about anything," said Purevdorj, who was wrestling a UWW tournament for the first time since the Paris Games.

Orkhon PUREVDORJ (MGL)Orkhon PUREVDORJ (MGL) celebrating after becoming a world champion in 2017. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Martin Gabor)

When she began wrestling 17 years ago in Ulaanbaatar after her cousins introduced her to the sport, Purevdorj did not think she will reach this level. So being a world champion makes her feel happy and she is proud that she choose this sport.

“I'm seventh child in my family and only I am a wrestler. My cousins were wrestlers but they stopped soon but I never stopped. I really loved it."

But she regrets not having an Olympic medal. She has been on that stage twice but fell short. In Rio 2016, she lost in the repechage while in Paris, she lost to her long-time rival Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) in the bronze-medal bout.

Now, the only motivation to be at the 2028 Los Angeles is to get an Olympic medal which may complete her journey. A medal will make her the third Mongolian wrestler to win a medal in Women's Wresting.

“I'm not sure about wrestling till Los Angeles. But I'm just trying,” she said. “The last Olympics were so hard for me in my career. I'm trying again, and I've started this year. There are many wrestlers in 62kg who are better but I have to train more.”