#Trnava2018

Iran Wins Greco-Roman Team Title, Komarov Wins Fourth World Gold

Wednesday, September 19, 2018 - 20:48 By Eric Olanowski

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TRNAVA, Slovakia (September 19) – Iran, with four gold medalists and 136 points wrapped up the Greco-Roman team title at the 2018 Trnava Junior World Championships, four points ahead of second-place Russia. 

Amin KAVIYANINEJAD (IRI), with his left shoulder heavily taped, claimed back-to-back junior titles, making it his third overall age-level world championship. 

In the 72kg championship bout, Kaviyaninejad scored an early takedown and transitioned into a gut wrench to command the 4-0 lead over Georgia’s Nikoloz TCHIKAIDZE. The Iranian wrestler slipped and surrendered his first takedown of the tournament, cutting his lead to 4-2. 

The three-time age-level world champion dominated the remainder of the bout, scoring two four-point throws, ending the match with a high dive to a body lock to pick up the fall. 

Kaviyaninejad joined fellow countryman Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) (130kg), Pouya NASERPOUR (IRI) (55kg), and Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) (87kg) as Trnava junior world champions. 

Meanwhile, Russia, led by Aleksandr KOMAROV (RUS) who earned his fourth age-level world title finished in second place with 131 points. 

Komarov (RUS) shutout out Andrew BERREYESA (USA) 10-0 in the 77kg finals to reach the top of the junior world podium for the second straight year. 

“These World Championships were the toughest yet. But it a great learning experience, and it feels good to win again,” said Komarov. “Now, my attention turns toward the senior-level and the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.” 

Kerem KAMAL (TUR) was the third reigning champion to successfully defended his Tampere world title on Wednesday night. 

Last year’s 55kg gold medalist stopped India from winning their first junior world gold medal since 1992, defeating Vijay VIJAY (IND), 10-0 in the 60kg gold-medal bout. 

Kamal, who was wrestling in his fourth age-level world final backflipped his way to a gold medal with a pair of explosive four-point throws and a takedown. 

After the match, Turkey’s two-time champion navigated his way to the mat-side camera and blew kisses to his fans that were not in attendance to enjoy the show he put on at the City Sports Hall here in Trnava, Slovakia. 

Armenia’s Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM) and Arvi SAVOLAINEN (FIN) won the remaining pair of Greco-Roman gold medals. 

Amoyan finished the 67kg gold-medal bout with a 10-0 technical superiority win over Uzbekistan’s Makhmud BAKHSHILLOEV, while Arvi Savolainen shutout Markus RAGGINGER (AUT), 5-0 for the 97kg gold medal.

RESULTS 

Team Scores
GOLD - Iran - (136 points)
SILVER- Russia (131 points)
BRONZE - Armenia (83 points)​​​​​​​
Fourth - Turkey (79 points) 
Fifth - India  (73 points)

60kg
GOLD - Kerem KAMAL (TUR) df. Vijay VIJAY (IND), 10-0 

BRONZE - Kazuki YABE (JPN) df. Razvan ARNAUT (ROU), 2-1 
BRONZE - Ali Reza Ayat Ollah NEJATI (IRI) df. Ihor KUROCHKIN (UKR), 9-0 

67kg
GOLD - Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM) df. Makhmud BAKHSHILLOEV (UZB), 10-0 

BRONZE - Yousef HOSSEINVAND FATHI (IRI) df. Mohamed Ibrahi ELSAYED (EGY), 11-5 
BRONZE - Parviz NASIBOV (UKR) df. Ismail GUN (TUR), 3-3 

72kg
GOLD – Amin KAVIYANINEJAD (IRI) df. Nikoloz TCHIKAIDZE (GEO), via fall 

BRONZE - Erkan ERGEN (TUR) df. Minto MAEDA (JPN), 6-3 
BRONZE - Magomed YARBILOV (RUS) df. Alijon KHUSEYNOV (UZB), 5-0  

82kg
GOLD -  Aleksandr KOMAROV (RUS) df. Andrew BERREYESA (USA), 10-0 

BRONZE - Istvan TAKACS (HUN) df. Aivengo RIKADZE (GEO), 6-5 
BRONZE -  Muhutdin SARICICEK (TUR) df. Simone FIDELBO (ITA), 11-2 

97kg
GOLD - Arvi Martin SAVOLAINEN (FIN) df. Markus RAGGINGER (AUT), 5-0 

BRONZE - Artur SARGSIAN (RUS) df. Illia LAURYNOVICH (BLR)
BRONZE - Balint VATZI (HUN) df. Islam UMAYEV (KAZ), 4-0 

#WrestleLA

UWW announces new Olympic qualification process for LA 2028

Monday, February 2, 2026 - 12:14 By United World Wrestling Press

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CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (February 2) -- United World Wrestling has overhauled the qualification process for the Olympic Games.

Beginning with the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, the 16 wrestlers who qualify per weight class will earn their spots through four routes: the World Championships, Continental Qualifiers, the World Olympic Qualifier, and the UWW Rankings.

The first phase of qualification will be the 2027 World Championships that will award 72 quotas for the Olympics. Each medalist [gold, silver, two bronzes] in the 18 Olympic weight classes will earn LA 2028 spots for their respective National Olympic Committees (NOC).

The second phase will be the UWW Rankings in which the first three wrestlers of the rankings, not qualified in the first phase, will obtain one quota place for their NOC for the LA28 Olympic Games. The UWW Rankings will include the seven main events organized before the LA28 Olympic Games:

- 2027 Senior Continental Championships*
- 2027 Ranking Series (3 events)
- 2027 Senior World Championships
- 2028 Ranking Series (1 event)
- 2028 Senior Continental Championships*

*UWW may include Continental Games for ranking but will only consider best two out of three continental results.

This means that 54 more wrestlers will earn Olympic quotas for their respective NOCs.

Phase three for qualifying will include the Continental Qualifiers -- Europe, Asia, Pan-America, and Africa & Oceania. These tournaments will award two quotas per weight class.

Top two wrestlers, the finalists, in each of the 18 Olympic weights will earn LA 2028 quotas for respective NOCs. A total of 144 wrestlers will be awarded at these continental events.

The fourth and final phase of qualification will be the World Olympic Qualifier which will offer 18 quotas. The gold medal winners in each of the 18 Olympic weight classes will earn the spot for their respective NOCs.

Only the countries that did not obtain a quota place during the previous three phases may participate in the World Olympic Qualifiers. The participating countries may only send two wrestlers across all styles at the World Qualifier.

For the LA 2028 qualifying cycle, UWW will award quotas at the following events:

4 quotas - 2027 World Championships
3 quotas - Ranking Series UWW Rankings
8 quotas - Continental Qualifiers (2 Europe, 2 Asia, 2 Pan-America, 2 Africa & Oceania)
1 quota - World Olympic Qualifier

Furthermore, the 2028 Continental Championships will be held before the Continental Qualifiers, ensuring that the three quotas via ranking are finalized before continental qualification events begin.

Ranking Series Participation Guidelines

Each country may enter a maximum of two wrestlers per weight class and a two-kilogram weight allowance will apply for Ranking Series events, but not for Continental or World Championships where standard weight rules apply.

The point allocation for these Ranking events will also be reviewed.

Seeding Changes

During the Olympic cycle, seeds will be assigned based on the following event tiers:

Four-seed events:
Continental Championships
Continental Qualifiers
World Qualifier

Eight-seed events:
Ranking Series
World Championships
Olympic Games

Seeding for the 2028 Olympic Games will be based on results from:

- Three 2027 Ranking Series events
- 2027 Continental Championships (or Continental Games, if applicable)
- 2027 World Championships
- One 2028 Ranking Series event
- 2028 Continental Championships

These same events will be used to seed wrestlers throughout the 2028 season, including the Ranking Series, Continental Championships and Qualifiers, the World Olympic Qualifier, and the Olympic Games.

For the 2027 Ranking Series events, 2027 Senior Continental Championships and the 2027 Senior World Championships, the results of 2026 Senior World Championships will also be considered to seed the athletes.

As is the rule, the ranking points obtained at the 2026 Senior World Championships will be removed after the 2027 Senior World Championships.

A key change is that at the Olympic Games, the seed belongs to the country, which keeps the seed even if it replaces the athlete who earned it. In all other events, the seed belongs to the wrestler, and a nation loses that seed if a different athlete competes.

For clarification regarding the new Olympic qualification process, all NFs and NOCs can contact sports@uww.org.