#WrestleHangzhou

Three world champs highlight Greco-Roman at Asian Games

Tuesday, October 3, 2023 - 07:03 By Vinay Siwach

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HANGZHOU, China (October 3) -- Kyrgyzstan has only won one Greco-Roman gold medal in Asian Games history. But on Wednesday, it will have a chance to win two on the same day as world champions Zholoman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) and Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) take the mat on October 4 in Hangzhou.

The Chinese city is hosting the 19th Asian Games which kicked off on September 23. Wrestling is scheduled to be held from October 4 to 7 at the Lin'an Sports and Culture Center in 18 weight classes.

FREESTYLE PREVIEW | WOMEN'S WRESTLING PREVIEW

Apart from Sharshenbekov and Makhmudov, 130kg world champion Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) is also wrestling at the Asian Games, leading Iran which hopes to improve on the two-gold finish from 2018.

One of the gold medals was at 77kg, won by Mohammadali GERAEI (IRI) after beating Makhmudov in the final. But since that loss, Makhmudov has won an Olympic silver medal, two world titles and two Asian Championships.

Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ)Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) is a returning silver medalist. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Makhmudov will be the favorite to win the gold medal in his weight despite the presence of former Asian champion Amin KAVIYANINEJAD (IRI). The Iranian and Makhmudov met in the Asian Championships final in April but the former forfeited the gold-medal bout due to an injury.

Kaviyaninejad will be up against Hyeonwoo KIM (KOR), a veteran of three Asian Games, in his first bout at 77kg. Kim will look for another medal to his Asian Games haul as he won a gold medal in 2014 and a bronze medal in 2018. The London Olympic Games champion and world champion from 2013 has lost some steam with age catching up but still has it in him to win against the best.

Asian Championships bronze medalists Kodai SAKURABA (JPN) and Rui LIU (CHN) are also wrestling in Hangzhou with the Japanese falling on Makhmudov's side of the bracket while Liu is with Kaviyaninejad and Kim.

U23 Asian champion Dilshod OMONGELDIYEV (UZB) will also look to make his mark at the senior event and will face the winner of the Kaviyaninejad-Kim bout in the quarterfinals.

For Sharshenbekov to win his Asian Games medal, he will have to go through a bracket that includes some of the best Asian wrestlers. Sharshenbekov had an extremely successful World Championships in which he defended his gold medal and defeated Islomjon BAKHRAMOV (UZB), Mehdi MOHSEN NEJAD (IRI) and Kenichiro FUMITA (JPN) in successive bouts.

Bakhramov won the bronze medal at the World Championships via repechage and will look to continue his good form at the Asian Games. But to win a medal, he will have to go past fellow world bronze medalist from Belgrade Liguo CAO (CHN). The two are expected to wrestle in the quarterfinals with Sharshenbekov likely waiting in the semifinals.

Bakhramov is a 2019 Asian champion and reached the semifinal in the 2018 edition of the Asian Games before finishing fifth.

The surprise of the 60kg weight class could be 2014 Youth Olympic champion Seung RI (PRK) who was fifth in Jakarta after losing to eventual silver medalist Kanybek Zholchubekov (KGZ). But Ri was a silver medalist at the 2019 Asian Championships in Xi'an, China and a fifth-placer at the 2018 World Championships.

The 26-year-old will look to mark his return to international competitions after years with a medal at the Asian Games. He is likely to face two-time Asian bronze medalist Ayata SUZUKI (JPN) in his second bout. Suzuki has not competed since the 2022 Asian Championships in Mongolia and has recently recovered from an injury.

63kg world champion in 2021 Meysam DALKHANI (IRI) is dropping down to the 60kg weight class for the first time. Since that gold medal, he has only wrestled at four international competitions and won the Ibrahim Moustafa Ranking Series 63kg gold medal in February. Dalkhani comes in with a lot of experience but has never won a gold medal at the continental level.

He will open his campaign against Gyanender DAHIYA who finished eighth at the 2018 Asian Games.

Two-time world bronze medalist Aidos SULTANGALI (KAZ)  is also entered at 60kg. Sultangali is a 2021 Asian champion and has wins over Cao but has lost to Sharshenbekov.

Iran will look forward to Mirzazadeh's performance as he comes into the Asian Games after joining the short list of wrestlers with wins over Riza KAYAALP (TUR). Mirzazadeh stunned Kayaalp 2-2 in the World Championships final to win his first gold medal.

The top six wrestlers from the 2023 Asian Championships are wrestling in Hangzhou. But the champion Mirzazadeh is likely to have a rematch of the Asian final against Lingzhe MENG (CHN) who finished fifth at the recent World Championships in Belgrade. Meng finished seventh at the 2018 Asian Games after losing in the quarterfinals.

Roman KIM (KGZ) and Minseok KIM (KOR) are set to clash in the quarterfinals at 130kg. Roman is a three-time Asian bronze medalist including this year after losing to Mirzazadeh in the quarterfinals. He came back to win the bronze against Temurbek NASIMOV (UZB).

Misnseok is a returning bronze medalist and has three Asian Championships medals including two silvers he won in 2020 and 2022. He lost to Mirzazadeh in 2020 and to Alimkhan SYZDYKOV (KAZ) in 2022. He finished fifth this year after suffering a loss to Meng and later to Syzdykov in the bronze medal bout.

Youngster Nasimov finished fifth at the Asian Championships but has a chance to win a medal at the Asian Games. NAVEEN (IND) will look to avenge his 2018 loss to Meng as the two are likely to meet in the quarterfinals.

Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI)Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) and Rustam ASSAKALOV (UZB) will face each other in the opening round in Hangzhou. (Photo: UWW / Martin Gabor)

World Championships bronze medalist Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) will be the favorite at 97kg even though he has veteran Rustam ASSAKALOV (UZB) in the opening bout. Saravi, a world champion in 2021, finished with a bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics and has previously defeated Assakalov.

But the 39-year-old Uzbek has so many tricks that Saravi won't take him lightly. Assakalov won the Asian Games gold medal in 2014 and added a silver medal in 2018. But those medals came at 85kg and 87kg respectively.

The winner of the bout will face returning bronze medalist Uzur DZHUZUPBEKOV (KGZ) as the Kyrzgystan wrestler chases the gold medal this year. The Asian champion in 2019 has four other medals in the continental event including a silver medal this year.

Two-time Asian Games silver medalist Seyeol LEE (KOR) will face Narinder CHEEMA in his first bout but can find it tough against the winner of Takahiro TSURUDA (JPN) or Yiming LI (CHN).

Hansu RYU (KOR)Hansu RYU (KOR) is a two-time Asian Games champion. (Photo: UWW / Bayrem Ben Mrad)

Two-time defending champion Hansu RYU (KOR) has a chance to become a three-time Asian Games champion as he returns at 67kg. The 35-year-old won a bronze medal in Budapest in July after losing to Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE), the young sensation and world silver medalist. Ryu may face a similar fate in Hangzhou as the younger wrestlers continue to make a mark. The two-time world champion's first big test is likely to be 21-year-old Danial SOHRABI (IRI) who won the U23 World Championships in 2022. At the recent Ranking Series in Bishkek and Budapest, Sohrabi came home with gold medals at 72kg.

The Asian Games will also mark the return of 2018 world bronze medalist Meiirzhan SHERMAKHANBET (KAZ) who was out of action since June 2022 due to an injury. The Asian champion in 2022 after beating Ryu, is also looking for a gold medal for Kazakhstan as one of the leading prospects for the wrestling-obsessed country. Shermakhanbet, who lost to Ryu in the 2019 Asian final, last wrestled at the 2022 Bolat Turlykhanov Cup at 72kg in Almaty and stunned Olympic champion Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI).

2018 U23 world champion Katsuaki ENDO (JPN) will have his task cut out on the lower side of the bracket if he wants to reach the final at 67kg. Former U17 world champion Razzak BEISHEKEEV (KGZ), who won bronze at the Asian Championships this year, can prove to be a real hurdle. If Endo holds, he is likely to face Makhmud BAKHSHILLOEV (UZB) who is wrestling at his first international tournament since the 2022 Asian Championships.

Bakhshilloev, a silver medalist in the 2020 Asian Championships, will have to first beat NEERAJ (IND) who has moved up from 63kg.

Naser ALIZADEH (IRI)Naser ALIZADEH (IRI) will look to add an Asian Games gold to his three Asian Championships gold medals. (Photo: UWW / Bayrem Ben Mrad)

Three-time defending 87kg Asian Championships gold medalist Naser ALIZADEH (IRI) will look to win the gold at the Asian Games as well. He gets three-time Asian Championships silver medalist Atabek AZISBEKOV (KGZ) in the opening bout.

Alizadeh has been a dominant force at the continental level and it is unlikely that he will be challenged in Hangzhou. If he moves past Azisbekov, the route to the final looks rather simple.

Challenging Alizadeh is 2014 Asian Games bronze medalist Fei PENG (CHN), who is returning to competition for only the second time after the Tokyo Olympics, has Sunil KUMAR (IND) in the opening bout. Kumar won the gold medal in 2020 and is the bronze medalist from 2023 after he lost to Alizadeh.

But Jalgasbay BERDIMURTOV (UZB) will be hoping to avenge his 2022 Asian final loss to Alizadeh if the two meet. The two can only face each other in the final as both are on different sides of the bracket. Berdimuratov, a world silver medalist from 2022 at 82kg, won a bronze medal at the Asian Championships this year after beating Azisbekov 2-2.

Masato SUMI (JPN), who finished eighth in Jakarta, and U23 Asian champion Maksat SAILAU (KAZ) will hope to return with medals at 87kg.

#WrestleBratislava

European Championships 2025 Preview

Wednesday, April 2, 2025 - 13:20 By Vinay Siwach

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BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (April 2) -- The European Championships 2025 will be held in Bratislava, Slovakia from April 7 to 13. It will be live on UWW+ on uww.org and the UWW app.

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Download the European Championships 2025 Preview here

(Text version)

The 2025 European Championships will be held in Bratislava from April 7 to 13 and has 24 returning champions. However, the six missing champions have made way for some historic battles.

The 125kg mainstays -- both Taha AKGUL (TUR) and Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) -- are not competing, Haji ALIYEV (AZE) at 65kg has retired and so has Mariya STADNIK (AZE) in Women's Wrestling. There will be no Riza KAYAALP (TUR) in Greco-Roman as well.

And it won't only be about the wrestlers not in Slovakia. Olympic and world champion Zaurbek SIDAKOV (UWW) is searching for his first European medal and will participate in the tournament after nine years. Former world champion David BAEV (UWW) will make his European Championships debut this year. Abdulrashid SADULAEV (UWW) returns after missing it in 2024 after a bizarre situation in Romania.

Among the 24, who all will be able to defend their titles this year? Here's the breakdown of the three style and key storylines of the upcoming European Championships

Taha AKGUL (TUR)

Freestyle

For the first time in 13 years, the 125kg European champion will not be named Taha AKGUL (TUR) or Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO). The two have won every gold on offer in the continental tournament since 2012. But Akgul has retired and Petriashvili has not returned to action since winning the 2024 Paris Olympics gold.

Georgia is sending Solomon MANASHVILI (GEO) and Turkiye is going with Hakan BUYUKCINGIL (TUR). While they have age-group credentials, the two can find it challenging at the European Championships.

Paris bronze medalist Giorgi MESHVILDISHVILI (AZE) will be the favorite for the gold medal along with Zelimkhan KHIZRIEV (UWW) who won silver medal at the Muhamet Malo Ranking Series. U23 European champion Georgi IVANOV (BUL) will once again make a run to end up on the podium at the senior level, a feat he has not achieved yet. Vlagyiszlav BAJCAJEV (HUN), the former mainstay at 97kg, is at 125kg.

Abdulrashid SADULAEV (UWW)Abdulrashid SADULAEV (UWW) will be eyeing his sixth European title. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

While Akgul and Petriashvili, both Olympic champions are not in Bratislava, four others are. Three former Olympic champions -- Zavur UGUEV (UWW), Zaurbek SIDAKOV (UWW) and Abdulrashid SADULAEV (UWW) -- are heading to Bratislava as UWW athletes while the fourth -- Magomed RAMAZANOV (BUL) -- will be in action for the first time since winning the gold medal at 86kg at the Paris Olympics.

Sadulaev, who will compete at the European Championships after five years, is going for this sixth title. While the gold medal looks very straightforward, the weight itself has a few big names. Apart from Sadualev, who won the world title at 92kg, Paris silver medalist Givi MATCHARASHVILI (GEO), Abubakr ABAKAROV (AZE), Radu LEFTER (MDA) and Batyrbek TSAKULOV (SVK) are also entered.

Zaurbek SIDAKOV (UWW)Zaurbek SIDAKOV (UWW) is competing at the European Championships for the second time. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Sidakov may not have it as simple. Sidakov, who last wrestled at the 2023 World Championships and won gold, will face tough battles from Paris bronze medalist Chermen VALIEV (ALB) and Tajmuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK), who has won four straight European gold medals.

Valiev won the Muhamet Malo Ranking Series gold medal recently over Salkazanov but Sidakov will be a bigger challenge. He has managed to run Sidakov close, last losing to him 3-2 at the Russian National Championships in 2023.

For Uguev, the non-Olympic World Championships was a horror as he finished without a medal, losing first to Japanese sensation Masanosuke ONO (JPN) and then to Vitali ARUJAU (USA) in the bronze-medal bout.

And the European Championships will be nothing short of another challenging tournament. He will have Zelimkhan ABAKAROV (ALB) who defeated him at the 2023 World Championships, three-time European champion Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) and youngsters in Nuraddin NOVRUZOV (AZE) and Andrii DZHELEP (UKR).

Magomed RAMAZANOV (BUL)Magomed RAMAZANOV (BUL) will be competing for the first time since winning the gold medal at the Paris Olympics. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Ramazanov, who finished eighth last year, will enter 86kg as the Olympic champion. But gold will be of little weight as he faces a tough field. European U23 champion Arsenii DZHIOEV (AZE), European U23 silver Rakhim MAGAMADOV (FRA), former Olympic silver medalist Mahamedkhabib KADZIMAHAMEDAU (UWW) and his former rival Artur NAIFONOV (UWW) are all in.

Naifonov, Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist, has a perfect record at the Euros, winning the title three times. But he last competed here in 2021 and his battle with Ramazanov will the one of the biggest in Bratislava.

At 65kg, returning champion and Olympic bronze medalist Islam DUDAEV (ALB) has a big task ahead of him especially after missing a medal at the Muhamet Malo. U23 world champion Ibragim IBRAGIMOV (UWW), who also finished without a medal in Muhamet Malo, can set a fierce final.

But Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM) will remember his medalless run last year and hope to reclaim his gold medal, one he won in 2023.

David BAEV (UWW)David BAEV (UWW) will be returning to international wrestling for the first time since 2019. (Photo: United World Wrestling)

Back in 2019, David BAEV (UWW) enthralled everyone with his 70kg gold medal run at the World Championships. However, he never wrestled internationally again. Now, Baev is going for European gold at 70kg and there is little doubt that he will claim it.

Still, Baev will be up against Armenia's returning champion at 70kg Arman ANDREASYAN (ARM) who had an incredible run in 2024, beating world champion  Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN) and Akaki KEMERTELIDZE (GEO) in semifinal and final, respectively. Muszukajev will be back at 70kg in hopes of winning his second European title.

Dauren KURUGLIEV (GRE)Dauren KURUGLIEV (GRE) is moving up to 92kg for the European Championships. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

The 92kg weight class can throw some surprises as Olympic bronze medalist Dauren KURUGLIEV (GRE) is wrestling up in that weight class. He is joined by world silver medalist Miriani MAISURADZE (GEO) and 2023 world silver medalist Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE). Also in the mix are Boris MAKOEV (SVK) and former European champion Feyzullah AKTURK (TUR).

Nachyhn MONGUSH (UWW) at 57kg and defending 79kg champion Akhmed USMANOV (UWW) should have easy paths to gold.

Buse TOSUN (TUR)Buse TOSUN (TUR) is the defending champion at 68kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Women's Wrestling

Can Turkiye improve on its three gold medals from 2024?

It will be the big question as the nation sends a strong team to Bratislava in Women's Wrestling. 

Led by Olympic bronze medalist and world champion Bose TOSUN (TUR), Türkiye also has two returning champions in Yasemin ADAR (TUR) and Nesrin BAS (TUR). The three will be the favorites to repeat in their respective weight classes -- 68kg, 76kg and 72kg.

Tosun, who won bronze at the Paris Olympics, can face Adela HANZLICKOVA (CZE) in what will be a rematch of the semifinals from last year which Tosun won 10-9. Kendra DACHER (FRA) and Kateryna ZELENYKH (ROU) can also finish on the podium.

Former world champion Adar already has five European gold medals and looks poised for sixth. She has Martina KUENZ (AUT), Laura KUEHN (GER), Anastasiya ALPYEYEVA (UKR) and Valeriia TRIFONOVA (UWW) as some of her opponents.

Bas, who own her third European U23 gold in March, will be the favorite again at 72kg. She has returning silver medalist Alexandra ANGHEL (ROU), former world champion Alla BELINSKA (UKR) and Viktoryia RADZKOVA (UWW) as her challengers among others.

Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR)Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR) is leading the Ukraine team and will compete at 65kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Ukraine can certainly challenge the likes of Turkiye. The nation is bringing a strong line-up led by Olympic silver medalist Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR) and young star Irina BONDAR (UKR).

Koliadenko, moving up a weight class to 65kg, is in a three-way battle for the title. The silver medalist at 62kg from Paris and the defending champion will have her fellow Paris medalist, Grace BULLEN (NOR). Former world champion Irina RINGACI (MDA) is also going for the title at 65kg.

However, Kateryna ZELENYKH (ROU), returning silver medalist and who defeated Ringaci last year, will be the darkhorse in this weight class.

Iryna BONDAR (UKR)Iryna BONDAR (UKR) is the favorite to win the 62kg gold. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Bondar will be eyeing her first senior European title after exploits at the age-group level, the most recent being European U23 title. She will have to face the strength of a few senior wrestlers including former world champion Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL), who won the Muhamet Malo Ranking Series. Luisa NIEMESCH (GER), Sara LINDBORG (SWE), Veranika IVANOVA (UWW) and Alina KASABIEVA (UWW) are also listed.

Oleksandra KHOMENETS (UKR) has not reached her top level since the return after a career-threatening injury in 2023. But she won the bronze medal at the Muhamet Malo Ranking Series and will be a favorite to win the gold at 55kg in Bratislava.

In the list of wrestlers who can challenge her are Ekaterina VERBINA (UWW), Mariana DRAGUTAN (MDA), Tuba DEMIR (TUR). Veterans Tatiana DEBIEN (FRA) and Roksana ZASINA (POL) are also going for another European medal.

The 50kg weight class, reserved for Mariya STADNIK (AZE), will have a new European champion. Any other time when there was a different champion in this weight class, it was because she was not participating that year.

Returning silver medalist Evin DEMIRHAN YAVUZ (TUR) will be hoping to upgrade her medal this year but she will face a tough time from Paris Olympian Oksana LIVACH (UKR) and Zagreb Open champion Nadezhda SOKOLOVA (UWW).

Watch out for Svenja JUNGO (SUI), the history-making Swiss wrestler, who will be at her second European Championships.

A rivalry to watch out for is at 57kg as Tokyo silver medalist and defending champion Iryna KURACHKINA (UWW) and Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (UWW) return for another round. Azerbaijan's first-ever world U23 champion Zhala ALIYEVA (AZE) and returning bronze Solomiia VYNNYK (UKR) will look to earn a medal as well.

Defending champion at 59kg Alyona KOLESNIK (AZE) and her final's opponent Alina FILIPOVYCH (UKR) are heading to Bratislava with Filipovych hoping to avenge the 3-3 loss from last year. Paris Olympian Aurora RUSSO (ITA) and two former world U20 champion Alesia HETMANAVA (UWW) and Anastasiia SIDELNIKOVA (UWW) are listed as well.

At 53kg, can four-time Olympian Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE) win the elusive European gold medal?

She has eight European medals -- four silvers and four bronzes -- and will look to win the gold medal in Bratislava. Trying to stop her from making history include European champion Andreea ANA (ROU), U23 European champion Elnura MAMMADOVA (AZE), returning bronze medalist Zeynep YETGIL (TUR) and Natalia MALYSHEVA (UWW).

Greco-Roman

The only Paris Olympic champion from Europe, Semen NOVIKOV (BUL), will be eying his second European gold, now at 87kg, and the first since 2020. He also has a bronze medal from the 2023 edition. Novikov will need to shake off his loss against Saied ESMAEILI (IRI) at the Muhamet Malo Ranking Series.

Defending 87kg champion Aleksandr KOMAROV (SRB) had a stunning run to the gold medal in 2024 but has not shown the same signs since in different competitions. He finished eighth at the Olympics and fifth at the season-opening Zagreb Open. David LOSONCZI (HUN) and Milad ALIRZAEV (UWW) have continued to be big threats and will be strong contenders for the gold medal.

Young stars in Vladimeri KARCHAIDZE (FRA), Achiko BOLKVADZE (GEO), Marcel STERKENBURG (NED) and Exauce MUKUBU (NOR) will look to challenge the seniors in this weight class.

One of the biggest names in Greco-Roman, Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM), already has seven European gold medals and is going for his eighth. Aleksanyan, a four-time Olympic medalist, including gold in Rio, is leading the Armenian team.

However, Aleksanyan will have to fight for it. Former European champion Kiril MILOV (BUL), world bronze medalist Artur OMAROV (CZE), former world champion Kiryl MASKEVICH (UWW) and world bronze medalist Artur SARGSIAN (UWW), who recently won the Zagreb Open Ranking Series, are vying for the title as well.

Aleksanyan has wins over most of them including Milov, who is the returning bronze medalist. Omarov, who pulled out of Paris Olympics due to an injury, will return after a year off. Sargasian, at 27, will be making his senior European Championships debut and can be biggest challenger to Aleksanyan. Maskevich is moving up from 87kg to 97kg and will be at his first European Championships at this weight class.

Among other big names, Arvi SAVOLAINEN (FIN), Alex SZOKE (HUN), Tyrone STERKENBURG (NED) and Felix BALDAUF (NOR) are listed. European U23 silver medalist Richard KARELSON (EST) will be hoping for a medal at the senior level and match his father, also named Richard KARELSON, with a senior medal.

Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM)Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM) will look to defend his 77kg gold medal. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Defending 77kg champion Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM) is returning since winning bronze at the Paris Olympics. He will be the favorite to win gold but Sergei STEPANOV (UWW), who won the Zagreb Open 2025 gold on his return since 2021, can take every one by surprise. Sanan SULEYMANOV (AZE) did not have a good start to the year, finishing fifth at the Zagreb Open 2025. But he will be keen on winning a medal at the European Championships and get his form on track. Former world silver medalist Zoltan LEVAI (HUN) is in medal-contention as well.

Moldova's mainstay at 77kg, Alexandrin GUTU (MDA), has made way for Alexandru SOLOVEI (MDA) at this weight class for European Championships. Solovei won the U23 European title recently at 82kg.

Azerbaijan has all three of its 2024 world champions heading to Bratislava along with other strong wrestlers to complete the line-up.

At 60kg, world champion Nihat MAMMADLI (AZE) will have his task cut out with Victor CIOBANU (MDA), Georgij TIBILOV (SRB) and Sadyk LALAEV (UWW) chasing the gold medal.

Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE) will be favorite to win gold at 55kg despite his absence last edition, in which Artiom DELEANU (MDA) stunned a strong field to win gold. Multiple time world medalist Emin SEFERSHAEV (UWW) will be eyeing the gold medal that he last won in 2021.

Ulvu GANIZADE (AZE), world champion at 72kg, will have a tougher path. Among the top contenders in this weight class is two-time Olympic silver medalist Parviz NASIBOV (UKR), moving up from 67kg, world champions Ibrahim GHANEM (FRA) and Ali ARSALAN (SRB).

Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE)Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) opened his season at the Zagreb Open. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

At 67kg, Paris bronze and defending champion Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) is going for his third straight gold medal. He injured his ear in Zagreb in January but will be fully fit for the European Championships. Silver medalist against Jafarov, Ruslan BICHURIN (UWW) is returning as well with a hope to avenge his 8-5 final loss to Jafarov.

Azerbaijan's defending 63kg champion Murad MAMMADOV (AZE) will eyeing a second straight gold medal but Kerem KAMAL (TUR), who won the Muhamet Malo Ranking Series gold at 60kg, is back with a new-found motivation after missing the Paris Olympics.

U23 world champion Vitalie ERIOMENCO (MDA), European U23 silver Hleb MAKARANKA (UWW) and Dinislam BAMMATOV (UWW) will be making Mammadov or Kamal's path to gold even more stiffer.

Veteran Sergei SEMENOV (UWW), who denied Riza KAYAALP (TUR) a historic 12th European title by pinning him in the 130kg final last year, has now emerged the favorite for the gold this year.

There are, however, young stars in Hamza BAKIR (TUR) and Mykhailo VYSHNYVETSKYI (UKR), both of whom have proved themselves at the age-group levels. But can they challenge the seniors?

The weight class also has Beka KANDELAKI (AZE), London Olympic medalist 39-year-old Heiki NABI (EST) and Tokyo silver medalist Iakobi KAJAIA (GEO) among others.