#WrestleWarsaw

Poland Open Entries (June 8-13)

By Eric Olanowski

WARSAW, Poland (June 1) --- The final Ranking Series event of the year, the Poland Open (June 8-13), kicks off next Tuesday in Warsaw and will welcome over 365 athletes from 44 nations.

The Poland Open will have massive implications on the remaining '21 event calendar. In addition to serving as the final point-scoring event for seeding (top four) at the '21 Tokyo Olympic Games, it'll also help determine the seeding for October's Oslo World Championships, and ultimately who earns a portion of the 600,000 CHF prize package for the 2021 Ranking Series top-three finishers.

Wrestling at the Poland Open kicks off on June 8 and can be followed live on www.uww.org. 

Ranking Series prize distribution (per weight):
First Place: 10,000 CHF 
Second Place: 7,000 CHF 
Third Place: 3,000 CHF 

Freestyle

57kg
Abdelhak KHERBACHE (ALG)
Oscar Eduardo TIGREROS URBANO (COL)
Diamantino IUNA FAFE (GBS)
Stevan Andria MICIC (SRB)
Nathan Khalid TOMASELLO (USA)
Nicholas Raymond SURIANO  (USA)
Makhmudjon SHAVKATOV (UZB)

61kg
Kumar RAVI (IND)
Reza Ahmadali ATRINAGHARCHI (IRI)
Adlan ASKAROV (KAZ)
Nurislam SANAYEV (KAZ)
Jahongirmirza TUROBOV (UZB)
Gulomjon ABDULLAEV (UZB)

65kg
Agustin Alejandro DESTRIBATS (ARG)

Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV  (HUN)
Gamzatgadzsi HALIDOV (HUN)
Daulet NIYAZBEKOV (KAZ)
Eduard GRIGOREV (POL)
Krzysztof BIENKOWSKI (POL)
Andrii SVYRYD (UKR)
Vasyl SHUPTAR (UKR)
Joseph Christopher MC KENNA (USA)
John Michael DIAKOMIHALIS (USA)

70kg
Haji ALIYEV (AZE)
Daniel ANTAL (HUN)
Syrbaz TALGAT (KAZ)
Ernazar AKMATALIEV  (KGZ)
Oleksii BORUTA (UKR)
James Malcolm GREEN (USA)
Alec William PANTALEO (USA)
Sirojiddin KHASANOV (UZB)

74kg
Khadzhimurad GADZHIYEV (AZE)

Jasmit Singh PHULKA  (CAN)
Amr Reda Ramadan HUSSEN  (EGY)
Augusto MIDANA (GBS)
Lennard WICKEL (GER)
Lucas Marco KAHNT (GER)
Murad KURAMAGOMEDOV (HUN)
Mostafa Mohabbali HOSSEINKHANI (IRI)
Yones Aliakbar EMAMICHOGHAEI (IRI)
Frank CHAMIZO MARQUEZ (ITA)
Nurkozha KAIPANOV (KAZ)
Daniyar KAISANOV (KAZ)
Vadim PETRAUSKAS BABUSKIN (LTU)
Kamil RYBICKI  (POL)
Andrzej Piotr SOKALSKI (POL)
Patryk Krzysztof OLENCZYN (POL)
Tajmuraz Mairbekovic SALKAZANOV (SVK)
Semen RADULOV (UKR)
Denys PAVLOV (UKR)
Jason Michael NOLF (USA)

79kg
Aimar ANDRUSE (EST)
Erik REINBOK (EST) 
Milan MESTER (HUN)
Csaba VIDA (HUN)
Jakub Patryk WLADCZYK (POL)
Mateusz Dariusz KAMPIK (POL)
Jakub SYKORA (SVK)
Akhsarbek GULAEV (SVK)
Vasyl MYKHAILOV (UKR)
Bekzod ABDURAKHMONOV (UZB)
Rashid KURBANOV (UZB)

86kg
Fateh BENFERDJALLAH (ALG)
Carlos Arturo IZQUIERDO MENDEZ (COL)
Patrik SZUROVSZKI (HUN)
Ekerekeme AGIOMOR  (NGR)
Pool Edinson AMBROCIO GREIFO (PER)
Sebastian JEZIERZANSKI (POL)
Cezary Marek SADOWSKI (POL)
Filip ROGUT (POL)
Myles Nazem AMINE (SMR)
Stefan REICHMUTH (SUI)
Zahid VALENCIA (USA)

92kg
Robin Michael FERDINAND (GER)

Richard VEGH  (HUN)
Zbigniew Mateusz BARANOWSKI (POL)
Krzysztof Grzegorz SADOWIK (POL)
Erhan YAYLACI (TUR)
Selim YASAR (TUR)
Mustafa Kemal KIYI (TUR)}
Illia ARCHAIA (UKR)
Jden Michael Tbory COX (USA)
Nathan Dyamin JACKSON (USA)
Myles Najee MARTIN  (USA)
Rustam SHODIEV (UZB)
Ajiniyaz SAPARNIYAZOV (UZB)

97kg
Mohammed FARDJ (ALG)

Sharif SHARIFOV (AZE)
Alireza Mohammad KARIMIMACHIANI (IRI)}
Ali Khalil SHABANIBENGAR (IRI)
Mohammadhossein Askari MOHAMMADIAN (IRI)
Abraham de Jesus CONYEDO RUANO (ITA)
Serik BAKYTKHANOV  (KAZ)
Alisher YERGALI (KAZ)
Lukas KRASAUSKAS (LTU)
Magomedgadji Omardibirovich NUROV (MKD)
Radoslaw BARAN (POL)
Michal Jan BIELAWSKI (POL)
Kollin Raymond MOORE (USA)

125kg
Djahid BERRAHAL (ALG)

Diaaeldin Kamal Gouda ABDELMOTTALEB (EGY)
Youssif Mohamed Badea HEMIDA (EGY)
Sumit SUMIT (IND)
Amin Hossein TAHERI (IRI)
Amir Hossein Abbas ZARE (IRI)
Yusup BATIRMURZAEV (KAZ)
Oleg BOLTIN (KAZ)
Robert BARAN (POL)
Oleksandr KHOTSIANIVSKYI (UKR)
Nicholas Edward GWIAZDOWSKI (USA)

Two-time Olympic champion Roman VLASOV (RUS) will look to lock up his spot on Russia's Tokyo team. He can do so by outplacing Abuiazid MANTSIGOV (RUS) at 77kg. (Photo: Sachiko Hotaka)

Greco-Roman
55kg

Ekrem OZTURK (TUR)

Serif KILIC (TUR)
Max Emiliano NOWRY (USA)

60kg
Abdelkarim FERGAT (ALG)

Nikolai Soheil MOHAMMADI  (DEN)
Haithem MAHMOUD  (EGY)
Ahmed Fouad Fouad Hussein BAGHDOUDA  (EGY)
Helary MAEGISALU (EST)
Krisztian KECSKEMETI (HUN)
Kenichiro FUMITA (JPN)
Ildar HAFIZOV (USA)
Mukhammadkodir YUSUPOV (UZB)

63kg
Abdeldjebar DJEBBARI (ALG)

Christopher Josef KRAEMER (GER)
Ayata SUZUKI  (JPN)
Artor Zaitsev HAGERUP (NOR)
Mairbek SALIMOV (POL)
Michal Jacek TRACZ (POL)
Lenur TEMIROV (UKR)
Islomjon BAKHRAMOV (UZB)
Elmurat TASMURADOV (UZB)

67kg
Abdelmalek MERABET (ALG)

Julian Stiven HORTA ACEVEDO  (COL)
Mohamed Ibrahim Elsayed Ibrahi ELSAYED (EGY)
Abouhalima Mohamed Elsaid ABOUHALIMA (EGY)
Krisztian Istvan VANCZA (HUN)
Erik TORBA (HUN)
Balint KORPASI (HUN)
Zaur KABALOEV (ITA)
Mateusz Radoslaw SZEWCZUK (POL)
Murat FIRAT (TUR)
Enes BASAR (TUR)
Bohdan KOVERNYUK (UKR)
Alejandro SANCHO (USA)
Mirzobek RAKHMATOV (UZB)
Makhmud BAKHSHILLOEV (UZB)

72kg
Fredrik Holmquist BJERREHUUS (DEN)
Robert Attila FRITSCH (HUN)
Haavard JOERGENSEN (NOR)
Juan Sebastian AAK (NOR)
Mateusz Lucjan BERNATEK (POL)
Roman PACURKOWSKI (POL)
Selcuk CAN (TUR)
Cengiz ARSLAN  (TUR)
Aram VARDANYAN (UZB)

77kg
Oliver Marco KRUEGER (DEN)
Mikko Petteri PELTOKANGAS  (FIN)
Sakke Petteri PUROLAINEN (FIN)
Zoltan LEVAI (HUN)
Tamas LORINCZ (HUN)
Per Anders KURE (NOR)
Gevorg SAHAKYAN (POL)
Iwan NYLYPIUK (POL)
Roman VLASOV (RUS)
Abuiazid MANTSIGOV (RUS)
Yunus Emre BASAR (TUR)
Fatih CENGIZ (TUR)
Artur POLITAIEV (UKR)
Yasaf ZEINALOV (UKR)
Jesse Alexander PORTER (USA)

82kg
Fadi ROUABAH (ALG)

Rafig HUSEYNOV  (AZE)
Rajbek Alvievich BISULTANOV (DEN)
Ranet KALJOLA (EST)
Roni Ilmari PUROLAINEN (FIN)
Laszlo SZABO (HUN)
Tamas LEVAI (HUN)
Magnus GROENVIK (NOR)
Mateusz Lukasz WOLNY (POL)
Filip Kacper KAZIMIERCZAK (POL)
Alex Michel BJURBERG KESSIDIS (SWE)
Yaroslav FILCHAKOV   (UKR)
Jalgasbay BERDIMURATOV (UZB)

87kg
Bachir SID AZARA (ALG)

Ronisson BRANDAO SANTIAGO (BRA)
Mohamed Moustafa Ahmed Abdall METWALLY (EGY)
Istvan TAKACS (HUN)
David LOSONCZI (HUN)
Viktor LORINCZ (HUN)
Michal Andrzej DYBKA (POL)
Arkadiusz Marcin KULYNYCZ  (POL)
Szymon SZYMONOWICZ (POL)
Metehan BASAR (TUR)
Dogan GOKTAS (TUR)
Semen NOVIKOV (UKR)
Alan Ernesto VERA GARCIA (USA)
Rustam ASSAKALOV (UZB)

97kg
Adem BOUDJEMLINE  (ALG)
Islam ABBASOV (AZE)
Mathias BAK (DEN)
Arvi Martin SAVOLAINEN (FIN)
Jan ZIRN (GER)
Ilja KLASNER (GER)
Erik SZILVASSY (HUN)
Balazs KISS (HUN)
Alex Gergo SZOKE (HUN)
Mehdi Mohammad BALIHAMZEHDEH (IRI)
Mohammadhadi Abdollah SARAVI (IRI)
Gerard Cyprian KURNICZAK (POL)
Piotr CHUDZIK (POL)
Tadeusz MICHALIK (POL)
Mihail KAJAIA  (SRB)
Ergali AYKHIMBAEV (UZB)

130kg
Yasmani ACOSTA FERNANDEZ (CHI)
Abdellatif Mohamed Ahmed MOHAMED (EGY)
Heiki NABI (EST)
Eduard POPP (GER)
Adam VARGA (HUN)
Aliakbar Hossein YOUSOFIAHMADCHALI (IRI)
Amin Mohammadzaman MIRZAZADEH (IRI)
Amir Mohammadali GHASEMIMONJEZI (IRI)
Mantas KNYSTAUTAS (LTU)
Romas FRIDRIKAS (LTU)
Nikola MILATOVIC (NOR)
Rafal Andrzej KRAJEWSKI (POL)
Dominik Tomasz KRAWCZYK (POL)
Alin ALEXUC CIURARIU (ROU)
Lenard Istvan BEREI (ROU)
Cohlton Michael SCHULTZ (USA)
Muminjon ABDULLAEV (UZB)


Two-time world champion Mariya STADNIK (AZE) headlines the women's wrestling entries at 50kg. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

Women’s Wrestling

50kg
Mariya STADNIK (AZE)
Valentina Ivanovna ISLAMOVA BRIK  (KAZ)
Adijat Avorshai IDRIS  (NGR)
Anna LUKASIAK (POL)
Agata Marta WALERZAK (POL)
Katarzyna MADROWSKA (POL)
Emilia Alina VUC (ROU)
Mariia TIUMEREKOVA (RUS)
Nadezhda SOKOLOVA (RUS)
Aynur ERGE (TUR)
Oksana LIVACH (UKR)
Erin Simone GOLSTON (USA)

53kg
Samantha Leigh STEWART (CAN)

Joseph Emilienne ESSOMBE TIAKO (CMR)
Annika WENDLE (GER)
Vinesh VINESH (IND)
Sumiya ERDENECHIMEG (MGL)
Roksana Marta ZASINA (POL)
Katarzyna KRAWCZYK (POL)
Ekaterina POLESHCHUK (RUS)
Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (RUS)
Esra PUL (TUR)
Ronna Marie HEATON (USA)
Amy Ann FEARNSIDE  (USA)

55kg
Aisha UALISHAN (KAZ)
Dominika Ewa KULWICKA (POL)
Alicja CZYZOWICZ (POL)
Andreea Beatrice ANA (ROU)
Stalvira ORSHUSH (RUS)
Zeynep YETGIL (TUR)
Iryna KHARIV CHYKHRADZE (UKR)

57kg
Iryna KURACHKINA (BLR)
Mathilde Hélène RIVIERE (FRA)
Elena Heike BRUGGER (GER)
Fatoumata Yarie CAMARA (GUI)
Anshu ANSHU (IND)
Odunayo Folasade ADEKUOROYE (NGR)
Patrycja GIL (POL)
Jowita Maria WRZESIEN (POL)
Magdalena Urszula GLODEK (POL)
Irina OLOGONOVA (RUS)
Veronika CHUMIKOVA (RUS)
Valeria KOBLOVA ZHOLOBOVA (RUS)
Mehlika OZTURK (TUR)
Eda TEKIN (TUR)
Alina HRUSHYNA AKOBIIA (UKR)
Tetyana KIT (UKR)
Helen Louise MAROULIS (USA)

59kg
Diana KAYUMOVA (KAZ)
Nuraida ANARKULOVA (KGZ)
Nazira MARSBEK KYZY (KGZ)
Anastasiia SIDELNIKOVA (RUS)
Elif YANIK (TUR)

62kg
Lais NUNES DE OLIVEIRA (BRA)
Ana Paula GODINEZ GONZALEZ (CAN)
Marianna SASTIN (HUN)
Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ)
Aminat Oluwafunmilayo ADENIYI (NGR)
Svetlana LIPATOVA (RUS)
Liubov OVCHAROVA (RUS)
Marwa AMRI (TUN)
Cansu AKSOY (TUR)
Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR)
Ilona PROKOPEVNIUK (UKR)
Kayla Colleen Kiyoko MIRACLE (USA)

65kg
Taybe Mustafa YUSEIN (BUL)
Aina TEMIRTASSOVA  (KAZ)
Aleksandra WOLCZYNSKA (POL)
Kamila Czeslawa KULWICKA (POL)
Kriszta Tunde INCZE (ROU)
Linnea Antonia SVENSSON (SWE)
Malin Johanna MATTSSON (SWE)
Henna Katarina JOHANSSON  (SWE)
Asli DEMIR (TUR)
Asli TUGCU (TUR)
Oksana KUKHTA HERHEL (UKR)

68kg
Elis MANOLOVA (AZE)
Danielle Suzanne LAPPAGE (CAN)
Enas Mostafa Youssef Khourshed AHMED (EGY)
Koumba Selene Fanta LARROQUE (FRA)
Anna Carmen SCHELL (GER)
Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ)
Battsetseg SORONZONBOLD  (MGL)
Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR)
Natalia Iwona STRZALKA (POL)
Ewelina Weronika CIUNEK (POL)
Wiktoria CHOLUJ (POL)
Khanum VELIEVA (RUS)
Tindra Linnea SJOEBERG (SWE)}
Nesrin BAS (TUR)
Alla CHERKASOVA (UKR)
Alina BEREZHNA STADNIK MAKHYNIA (UKR)
Forrest Ann MOLINARI (USA)|

72kg
Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ)

Catalina AXENTE (ROU)
Evgeniia ZAKHARCHENKO (RUS)
Buse TOSUN (TUR)
Alla BELINSKA (UKR)

76kg
Vasilisa MARZALIUK (BLR)

Aline DA SILVA FERREIRA (BRA)
Erica Elizabeth WIEBE (CAN)
Samar Amer Ibrahim HAMZA (EGY)
Epp MAEE (EST)
Aline ROTTER FOCKEN (GER)
Francy RAEDELT (GER)
Elmira SYZDYKOVA (KAZ)
Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ)
Tumentsetseg SHARKHUU (MGL)
Patrycja SPERKA (POL)
Natalia VOROBEVA (RUS)
Alena STARODUBTSEVA (RUS)
Aysegul OZBEGE (TUR)
Dymond Precious GUILFORD  (USA)

#WrestleTirana

Interview: Iran Greco-Roman coach Hassan Rangraz

By Vinay Siwach

ZAGREB, Croatia (February 14) -- Iran won its first Olympic gold medal in Greco-Roman at the 2012 London Games. Rio 2016 was a blank but Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI) won at the Tokyo Olympics. Soon, Iran changed the coaching staff and brought in Hassan RANGRAZ to lead the Iran team.

Rangraz enjoyed success at various levels but the 2024 Paris Olympics was one of the best that Iran had. Two gold medals, one silver and one bronze made it the most successful Olympics for Iran.

The 44-year-old soft-spoken former world champ has a different personality while coaching. He rarely takes the role of first coach during the bouts. But he is always animated in the corner, shouting instructions to his wrestlers and sometimes reacting to the referee's decisions.

As the new Olympic cycle for the 2028 Los Angeles Games begins, United World Wrestling caught up with Rangraz at the season opening Zagreb Open Ranking Series. Rangraz explained the success of Iran's Greco-Roman team, training in Tehran, defended the selection process and the fans who have a say on everything in Iran wrestling.

Hassan RANGRAZ (IRI)Iran's national Greco-Roman coach Hassan RANGRAZ during the 2024 Paris Olympics. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Jake Kirkman)

Excerpts:

- How do you see the success of Iran Greco-Roman team at the Paris Olympics?

Rangraz: In my opinion, the result of the Paris Olympics, with four medals, two of them gold, was a remarkable achievement in the history of Greco-Roman wrestling for Iran. This success was primarily due to the six years of planning by the federation, the efforts of former head coaches and previous coaches. I played a very small part in this journey.

- What is it like in the national camp for Iran?

Rangraz: Right after the Olympics, with a very short break, we began our planning. From the Olympics to the 2025 World Championships, we will have 22 training camps, totaling 220 days. We will also be competing for nearly 80 days. Out of the 365 days in a year, our wrestlers will be under direct supervision of the coaching staff for about 300 days. They will follow intense training programs and preparation matches. Even during the remaining 60 days, they will still be monitored indirectly through technical and strength training programs provided by the coaching staff.

- Iran's selection process often comes under scrutiny. Despite that, it keeps producing results. What are you thoughts on the current selection process in Iran?

Rangraz: We have a process and young wrestlers can enter this cycle to compete and prove their worth. The prime examples of this process are Esmaeili and Mohammadi. They shone in domestic and international tournaments, competed with top wrestlers in their weight classes. They performed and won Olympic medals. We are committed to implementing the national team’s selection process and giving talented young wrestlers the opportunity to prove themselves. This way, we can execute the talent identification process in the best possible way.

- What are the responsibilities and challenges as the national coach?

Rangraz: Wrestling is the number one sport in Iran and our national, patriotic, and traditional sport. Wrestling is part of Iran’s culture. Therefore, taking on the technical responsibility as the head coach primarily brings stress, anxiety, and immense pressure. On top of that, you have to be accountable for the results and take responsibility for the team’s performance. In terms of difficulty, I can confidently say that considering the intense scrutiny, being the head coach of the national team is so challenging it’s like working in a mine.

- The fans of Iranian wrestling are always involved. How do you see this and does it affect you in any way?

Rangraz: As I mentioned earlier, 80 million Iranians have a deep love for wrestling. Perhaps that’s why a tournament that may not hold much significance for people from other countries is so important to our people. They follow it closely, they care about it, they rejoice in victories and worry about defeats. This immense passion and support from fans is the greatest strength and asset for wrestling in our country.

- What is the roadmap for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics?

Rangraz: We believe that the Olympic Games are just around the corner. Four years go by very quickly. To succeed in the Olympics, you need to work hard, but also work smart. You can’t afford to miss a single training session or day. With this mindset and determination and knowing how high and legitimate the expectations are, we continue on our path with great strength, despite all the pressures we feel in every competition.

I believe the future of Iranian wrestling is very bright. Iran is passionate about wrestling. One of my dreams is that, just like in 1998 and 2002, we can once again host the World Wrestling Championships in Iran. The main reason for this is that nowhere else in the world will you find such passionate and numerous fans. These fans are the greatest asset of world wrestling, not just Iranian wrestling, and their expectation is to host a World Championship event.