#WrestleSkopje

U17 European Championships 2025 Entries

By United World Wrestling Press

SKOPJE, North MACEDONIA (June 6) -- The U17 European Championships will be held in Skopje, North Macedonia from June 9 to 15. More than 550 wrestlers are registered in Freestyle, Women's Wrestling and Greco-Roman.

The competition will begin with Greco-Roman followed by Women's Wrestling and finishing with Freestyle. The full schedule can be accessed here.

Qualification and repechage rounds will begins 1030 hours local time and medal bouts will begin at 1800 hours local time. On June 9, as there is no repechage and medal bouts, semifinals will begin at 1800 hours. On June 15, Sunday, as there are no qualification bouts, the repechage will begin 1600 hours local time.

Note: These are preliminary entries can be changed 72 hours before the draw of respective styles. For final brackets, refer to UWW Arena

45kg
Aren PIRUZYAN (ARM)
Omar USUBOV (AZE)
Stanimir SLAVOV (BUL)
Saba MINDIASHVILI (GEO)
Netanel RAHMISTOV (ISR)
Victor GURIN (MDA)
Andrej MISHEV (MKD)
Yakup KICIK (TUR)
Daniil LUTSYK (UKR)
Daniil NAHAVITSYN (UWW)
Umar RABADANOV (UWW)

48kg
Artak AGHABEKYAN (ARM)
Ravan HASANZADE (AZE)
Leonidas ZAHARIADIS (BUL)
Nikoloz MATCHARASHVILI (GEO)
Adrian AIRICH (GER)
Angelos KAMAGIANNIS (GRE)
Tamir SHIRMAMEDOV (ISR)
Vincenzo GANDOLFO (ITA)
Gheorghi GAIDARJI (MDA)
Leon MANOV (MKD)
Przemyslaw MROZEK (POL)
Yanis MAN (ROU)
Attila HEGEDUS (SVK)
Sadik ATESOGULLARI (TUR)
Mykyta HALAHAN (UKR)
Kiryl NIKITSIK (UWW)
Umar MAGOMEDOV (UWW)

51kg
Vahan AZARYAN (ARM)
Ramal MIRHUSEYNOV (AZE)
Georgi SPASOV (BUL)
Samvel ABRAHAMYAN GORGYAN (ESP)
Giorgi ROSTOMASHVILI (GEO)
Erik HANIKEL (GER)
Michail KOKOLOGIANNIS (GRE)
Kyryl SHUMEIKO (HUN)
Angelo PIRRONE (ITA)
Serghei CAMBUR (MDA)
Miradj MUSTAFA (MKD)
Szymon ROGOWICZ (POL)
Laurentiu FLOREA (ROU)
Bugra KAVAK (TUR)
Robert ALOIEV (UKR)
Nabi ISMAYIL (UWW)
Akhmed NAIBAROV (UWW)

55kg
Ervis BARDHI (ALB)
Armen PAPIKYAN (ARM)
Ruslan ALIZADA (AZE)
Aleksandar DELCHEV (BUL)
Temuri TUTARASHVILI (GEO)
Iannis LUPU (GER)
Ioannis KESIDIS (GRE)
Csaba BODI (HUN)
Ariel FILATOV (ISR)
Jon RAMADANI (KOS)
Sergiu STANILA (MDA)
Dardan BELA (MKD)
Carlos RADULESCU (ROU)
Tim ZUERCHER (SUI)
Ivan JAKSIK (SVK)
Osman KAPLAN (TUR)
Abbas HUSEINOV (UKR)
Hleb PIATROU (UWW)
Makhach ABDULLAEV (UWW)

60kg
Razmik VOSKANYAN (ARM)
Abdullach ITSCHAKAEW (AUT)
Hasan HASANOV (AZE)
Valentin GOSPODINOV (BUL)
Iakovos SOURAILOV (CYP)
Yevhenii PINTI (ESP)
Sacha AUBERT (FRA)
Mate TSINADZE (GEO)
Mark BARNOWSKI (GER)
Pavlos NTIANTIADIS (GRE)
Balint NEMETH (HUN)
Lior SHMULKO (ISR)
Anthony APOLINARIO (ITA)
Valeriu PADURET (MDA)
Mario ANANIEV (MKD)
Witold PAWLIK (POL)
Mark KELEMEN (ROU)
Morris KRON (SUI)
Karl BERGMAN (SWE)
Emirhan CETIN (TUR)
Zorab ALOIEV (UKR)
Pavel HOHINASHVILI (UWW)
Abdulla DELEKOV (UWW)

65kg
Regis LASKU (ALB)
Davit DAVTYAN (ARM)
Yusuf BEKTEMIROV (AUT)
Tunar NASIBOV (AZE)
Seyko KALINOV (BUL)
Nikos SOURAILOV (CYP)
Beray AHMED NAZIFOV (ESP)
Arshavir DARAKHSHANIFARA (FIN)
Bayssangour BITMURZAEV (FRA)
Saba TKEMALADZE (GEO)
Dario FISCHIETTI (GER)
Konstantinos MICHAILIDIS (GRE)
Vince LANG (HUN)
Dilan GOLOVANEVSKIY (ISR)
Giovanni DANISE (ITA)
Erand FLUGAJ (KOS)
Maxim DIMOV (MDA)
Darijan PAVLEV (MKD)
Michal MACIUK (POL)
Istvan NAGY (ROU)
Mathys SARRASIN (SUI)
Tomas MELAS (SVK)
Mohin KHAROTI (SWE)
Ismail MERTKOLLU (TUR)
Ivan ZALISKO (UKR)
Artsiom HOHINASHVILI (UWW)
Magomed ISAEV (UWW)

71kg
Avetik TUTKHALYAN (ARM)
Rashid BETERGARAEV (AUT)
Isa YUSIBOV (AZE)
Movsar CHUPALAEV (BEL)
Aleks GROZDANOV (BUL)
Kayden HANLON (GBR)
Koba GOGUADZE (GEO)
Jason KEIL (GER)
Ektoras SIZO (GRE)
Zeteny TUGYI (HUN)
Eli SOLTANOV (ISR)
Amin HOTI (KOS)
Stefan MUNTEAN (MDA)
Dimitar ATANASOV (MKD)
Ismail ERZANUKAEV (POL)
Boran ARADIAN (ROU)
Jaroslav ZAREMBA (SVK)
Omer GUL (TUR)
Ihor OLIINYK (UKR)
Artsiom BOLSUN (UWW)
Islam DZHAMALUTDINOV (UWW)

80kg
Avet ENGOIAN (ARM)
Ali HAJIYEV (AZE)
Valentin ILIEV (BUL)
Levan CHERTKOEV (FRA)
Marshall EVERETT JONES (GBR)
Giga OTINASHVILI (GEO)
Abdurrahim SEKMEN (GER)
Konstantinos MOURTZILAKIS (GRE)
Noel SZECSENYI (HUN)
Michael BAGGIANI (ITA)
Aidas SARUNAS (LTU)
Nazar SOLOMON (MDA)
Zoran SHOROV (MKD)
Aleksander BIELSKI (POL)
Luca SALANTA (ROU)
Yasin ERTURK (TUR)
Artur KOSTIUK (UKR)
Yahor DASHKEVICH (UWW)
Magomed ABDUSALAMOV (UWW)

92kg
Narek MARTIROSYAN (ARM)
Said PASHAYEV (AZE)
Stefan STEFANOV (BUL)
Elguja LOMIDZE (GEO)
Tom ULAMEC (GER)
Charilaos CHAITIDIS (GRE)
Levente SZIKSZAI (HUN)
Damiano SPERANDIO (ITA)
Valerij GOLOVATYJ (LTU)
Eugen DOHOTER (MDA)
Hristijan DIMITRIEV (MKD)
Michal IWANSKI (POL)
Magor LORINCZ (ROU)
Patrik URBANEK (SVK)
Said RIZA (TUR)
Davyd LUTSKOV (UKR)
Ivan VARANKO (UWW)
Abdurazak SHABANOV (UWW)

110kg
Laert MOVSESYAN (ARM)
Hakim TAGHIYEV (AZE)
Halil SADAKOV (BUL)
Murtaz BAGDAVADZE (GEO)
Georgios MANAGKANTZE (GRE)
Gyoergy JUHASZ (HUN)
Ernests STABINS (LAT)
Valeri CAPACLI (MDA)
Jovan STEFANOV (MKD)
Piotr GRELA (POL)
Sebastian BRAILESCU (ROU)
Adam KOSC (SVK)
Zekeriya DOGAN (TUR)
Mykyta KRASNOKUTSKYI (UKR)
Daniil ZHYVULA (UWW)
Magomedrasul OMAROV (UWW)

Miranda KAPANADZE (GEO)Georgia's first-ever European champion in Women's Wrestling Miranda KAPANADZE (GEO) will be at 61kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Women's Wrestling

40kg
Christofer KOSAR (EST)
Kaltouma SALISSOU (FRA)
Finja STRAUCH (GER)
Frosina ATANASOVA (MKD)
Valia HARSAN (ROU)
Zehra OZDEMIR (TUR)
Emma TALPA (UKR)
Sviatlana TRUKSHANINA (UWW)
Zamina DUGALEVA (UWW)

43kg
Iliyana DICHEVA (BUL)
Frederika GROSSE (GER)
Aikaterini KATIFORI (GRE)
Reka TELEKI (HUN)
Irina TERZI (MDA)
Julia PALKA (POL)
Nicoleta PASCALAU (ROU)
Emine BARISKAN (TUR)
Martina MODNA (UKR)
Nurana ASADLI (UWW)
Raniia RAKHMANOVA (UWW)

46kg
Nazrin AHMADLI (AZE)
Dayana STOYCHEVA (BUL)
Lara BLAZEKOVIC (CRO)
Madina BAYRAMOVA (GER)
Maria GKIKA (GRE)
Janka SILLEI (HUN)
Mihaela BACOS (MDA)
Spasija VASILEVA (MKD)
Zuzanna PTAK (POL)
Nikoletta TILI (ROU)
Vega MALMGREN (SWE)
Latife SAHIN (TUR)
Kamila KUCHMA (UKR)
Darya NAHORNAYA (UWW)
Irina TSYDEEVA (UWW)

49kg
Khadija GURBANZADA (AZE)
Sheila MONDRAGO GARCIA (ESP)
Rita RANTONEN (FIN)
Lea LINGSCHEIDT (GER)
Dimitra SKOUVAKI (GRE)
Eszter PALMAI (HUN)
Maria CALDIERO (ITA)
Elsa NIKOCI (KOS)
Anastasija JAKOVLEVA (LAT)
Enrika DEVETINAITE (LTU)
Eliza GONTA (MDA)
Angela TRAJKOSKA (MKD)
Kinga JANUSZEK (POL)
Electra GARAIACU (ROU)
Brita NERELL (SWE)
Ecrin SALIK (TUR)
Olena KOLUBAI (UKR)
Anhelina BURKINA (UWW)
Polina BOCHKAREVA (UWW)

53kg
Fatima BAYRAMOVA (AZE)
Nataliya BOYADZHIEVA (BUL)
Mia KOVAC (CRO)
Nadiia ZHOLTIKOVA (ESP)
Anais MARTIN (FRA)
Phoebe COCKER (GBR)
Lisa SHAVADZE (GEO)
Josefine WIDMANN (GER)
Maria VANDOULAKI VANDOULA (GRE)
Mariia ZHYTOVOZ (HUN)
Naomi LIUZZI (ITA)
Kanita SPAHIJA (KOS)
Alexandrina BARBANOUA (MDA)
Bojana KOVACHOVA (MKD)
Mina HANSEN (NOR)
Julia GIBALSKA (POL)
Valeria FLOCEA (ROU)
Miriam MISAKOVA (SVK)
Sally HAMMARBAECK (SWE)
Fatma YILMAZ (TUR)
Alisa SELEZNOVA (UKR)
Maryia KHRUSHCHOVA (UWW)
Margarita IARYGINA (UWW)

57kg
Celestina GJURAJ (ALB)
Ulviyya MUSAYEVA (AZE)
Olga POPOVA (BUL)
Zara PETROVIC (CRO)
Carla CHRISTIANSEN (DEN)
Irama SERENELLI MAGALLON (ESP)
Oona Olivia PEKKARINEN (FIN)
Nini TSITSVIDZE (GEO)
Emma STEUER (GER)
Zoi KAIDOPOULOU (GRE)
Sophie RITTER (ITA)
Sadije DURA (MKD)
Josefien COOMANS (NED)
Liv SANDVIK KLEPPESTO (NOR)
Marta MANKOWSKA (POL)
Luiza GHINDARU (ROU)
Ivana GAJIC (SRB)
Lena MEIJER (SWE)
Asli KOLE (TUR)
Ivanna LUKIANENKO (UKR)
Palina BRAHINETS (UWW)
Alina BAROEVA (UWW)

61kg
Sophia MERANER (AUT)
Esra MAMMADLI (AZE)
Andrea NISEVA (BUL)
Karol TAMSON (EST)
Théa ROUSSEL (FRA)
Miranda KAPANADZE (GEO)
Sophia SCHWART (GER)
Ioanna XENIDOU (GRE)
Barbara BAGER (HUN)
Sara SERVEDIO (ITA)
Tamara CVETKOSKA (MKD)
Nadia KOCIA (POL)
Oana DUMITRU (ROU)
Gabrijela BERKEC (SRB)
Ester AIRAKSINEN (SWE)
Ozdenur OZMEZ (TUR)
Oleksandra MALKOVA (UKR)
Varvara ALISEYENKA (UWW)
Zalina TOTROVA (UWW)

65kg
Fidan BABAYEVA (AZE)
Desislava PASKALEVA (BUL)
Lana PEZIC (CRO)
Ani CHACHANIDZE (GEO)
Feenja HERMANN (GER)
Vasiliki KARAVANOU (GRE)
Emese CZEGLEDI (HUN)
Giulia CARRI (ITA)
Greta USINOVIC (LTU)
Cristina ZAPOROJAN (MDA)
Viktorija GJUROVA (MKD)
Tessa SAMSONSEN (NOR)
Zuzanna HORBIK (POL)
Sophia PAIUS (ROU)
Maria JIVENIUS (SWE)
Kiymet TEZCAN (TUR)
Iryna BUKHTINA (UKR)
Anastasiya KOMANAVA (UWW)
Lilia ERMOKHINA (UWW)

69kg
Milana BAGHIRZADE (AZE)
Natalia TASEVA (BUL)
Sihana OMAR (FRA)
Anna GODELASHVILI (GEO)
Ayla SAHIN (GER)
Elli SEITARIDOU (GRE)
Reka BERECZKI (HUN)
Juliana CATANZARO (ITA)
Alexandra MOISEI (MDA)
Nina SLAVEVSKA (MKD)
Aurelia GODZINSKA (POL)
Sophia ANASTASE (ROU)
Zeynep SUCU (TUR)
Solomiia PETRIV (UKR)
Hanna SIUBARAVA (UWW)
Zukhra KAZULAEVA (UWW)

73kg
Tanya IVANOVA (BUL)
Merily VAESTER (EST)
Anni HANHINEVA (FIN)
Lyra LEDERER (GER)
Polyxeni CHRYSIKAKI (GRE)
Bianka BARANY ALMASI (HUN)
Greta TVERSKYTE (LTU)
Eoprahia CAZACU (MDA)
Angjela GLIGOROVA (MKD)
Britt VAN ROOIJEN (NED)
Agnieszka BRYCZEK (POL)
Maria Ioana ROMEGA (ROU)
IRINGO DERI (SRB)
Eylem ENGIN (TUR)
Khrystyna DEMCHUK (UKR)
Sofiya AUCHAROVA (UWW)
Sofia TOLOKNOVA (UWW)

Marat ATSHEMYAN (ARM)45kg champion Marat ATSHEMYAN (ARM) will wrestle at 51kg in Skopje. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Jake Kirkman)

Greco-Roman

45kg
Ararat AVETISYAN (ARM)
Abdurrahman HUSEYNLI (AZE)
Danimir YORDANOV (BUL)
Ibrahim GALBOURAEV (FRA)
Saba ABASHIDZE (GEO)
Stefanos MEMTSAS (GRE)
Kiril VARTANOV (LTU)
Vadim TARELUNGA (MDA)
Oliwier BIALASIK (POL)
David VARGA (SRB)
Mustafa GUVEN (TUR)
Ihor TUTSKANIUK (UKR)
Artem TKACHENKO (UWW)

48kg
Martin MANJIKYAN (ARM)
Gurban MAJNUNOV (AZE)
Stanislav IVANOV (BUL)
Giorgi MUNTCHAVA (GEO)
Samuel PUSCAS (GER)
Nikolaos ZINISA (GRE)
Gergo ZATKO (HUN)
Domantas MERKELIS (LTU)
Ksawier ROSSA (POL)
Matyas GOENCI (SVK)
Baris SOYLU (TUR)
Herman BASARAB (UKR)
Tsimafei SEMIANENKA (UWW)
Matvei GOLOVENCHITS (UWW)

51kg
Marat ATSHEMYAN (ARM)
Elshad ABBASOV (AZE)
Kaloyan BORISOV (BUL)
Marcos LILLO RANGEL (ESP)
Giorgi AZNAURISHVILI (GEO)
Noah END (GER)
Sotirios NTONTOS (GRE)
Keve KOVACS (HUN)
Nikita CVASIUC (ITA)
Iosif STRATAN (MDA)
Abu SAGA (NOR)
Maciej GRYNIA (POL)
Andrei PELEAN (ROU)
Serkan GULLE (TUR)
Illia VANZHUL (UKR)
Rizvan KAIRBEKOV (UWW)

55kg
Vazgen MNATSAKANYAN (ARM)
Aykhan ASADLI (AZE)
Antoan TSVETANOV (BUL)
David KOIC (CRO)
Raimond PROUS (EST)
Magomed VARAEV (FRA)
Giorgi CHACHUA (GEO)
Ivan SEIBEL (GER)
Grigorios EFTHYMIADIS (GRE)
Balint KAZINCZY (HUN)
Emanuel ISRAILOV (ISR)
Cristian MUSCIANESE (ITA)
Ronaldas POGOZELSKIS (LTU)
Leon RUDNIK (POL)
Patrick MOCAN CROITORU (ROU)
Aleksandar TERZIN (SRB)
Selva THARMALINGAM (SWE)
Osman Ege OZDEMIR (TUR)
Bohdan MAKAROVETS (UKR)
Aliaksandr BELIAKOU (UWW)
Danil LOZHKIN (UWW)

60kg
Rejan OSMAJ (ALB)
Hayk MANUKYAN (ARM)
Ali NAZAROV (AZE)
Zhivko HINKOV (BUL)
Roko CURIC (CRO)
Adrian ROSADO LOPEZ (ESP)
Mauno KAURA (FIN)
Sarkis VOSKANIAN (FRA)
Rezi GUJABIDZE (GEO)
Mika LABES (GER)
Vasileios TSAROUCHAS (GRE)
Imre JUHASZ (HUN)
Tamirlan KHALIMOV (ISR)
Riccardo DELLE CAVE (ITA)
Emilis NEVERAUSKAS (LTU)
Vlad DUMINICA (MDA)
Raffaele HIGHT (NED)
Oliwier ZYSK (POL)
Mihai MARIUTA (ROU)
Kristian DOBI (SRB)
Joel GAECHTER (SUI)
Ismail ISAEV (SWE)
Abdul ARSLANTAS (TUR)
Denys SEREDIN (UKR)
Dzmitry DUDUK (UWW)
Amir KAVLAEV (UWW)

65kg
Sentiljano MEMA (ALB)
Janes NAZARYAN (ARM)
Ramil MUSAYEV (AZE)
Kristiyan PETKOV (BUL)
Stjepan KRALJ (CRO)
Jakub CHARVAT (CZE)
Ramin YOUSEFI (FIN)
Kyliane EDDOUH (FRA)
Erekle TAVBERIDZE (GEO)
Timur DEMIR (GER)
Iason MARGARITIDIS (GRE)
Rego TORDA (HUN)
Yehonatan NEMSADZE (ISR)
Alessio ARANCIO (ITA)
Mangirdas BRAZDZIUNAS (LTU)
Maxim DAMASCHIN (MDA)
Andreas FJELDSTAD (NOR)
Przemyslaw ANDRYCHOWSKI (POL)
Luka ZELIC (SRB)
Tim SCHREIBER (SUI)
Anders THULINDER (SWE)
Mesut SOGUT (TUR)
Yehor TARASENKO (UKR)
Uladzislau SALAUYOU (UWW)
Zelimkhan AZIMOV (UWW)

71kg
Roman USOYAN (ARM)
David SCHOBER (AUT)
Yusif AHMADLI (AZE)
Miroslav RESHOVSKI (BUL)
Bozidar GRBINICEK (CRO)
Vaclav SATRAPA (CZE)
Alvaro VILLAFAINA RECACHA (ESP)
Mardo AERMUS (EST)
Matias ONNENLEHTO (FIN)
Giorgi GOGELASHVILI (GEO)
Joshua BELLSCHEIDT (GER)
Dimitrios SOULIS (GRE)
Imre KOLOMPAR (HUN)
Nicolas DE GRECIS (ITA)
Artur SAVELJEV (LTU)
Ignat MEICO (MDA)
Kacper GOLONKA (POL)
Gabriel MARCEL (ROU)
Balaz UJHELJI (SRB)
Zsombor RAJKOVICS (SVK)
Julian VADELL (SWE)
Ali KILINC (TUR)
Danyil MELNYCHUK (UKR)
Maksim ZENKEVICH (UWW)
Kaimaraz ARBAKHANOV (UWW)

80kg
Vahe HOVEYAN (ARM)
Christopher SZENTKIRALYI (AUT)
Nijat YEYLAGALIYEV (AZE)
Valentin VALENTINOV (BUL)
Jachym JABUREK (CZE)
Aaron TONISMAA (EST)
Giorgi ORMOTSADZE (GEO)
Noel LOZANCIC (GER)
Stefanos VASDEKIS (GRE)
Dominik KERTESZ (HUN)
Koan VALENTINI (ITA)
Olivers IRKLIS (LAT)
Benediktas BUBELEVICIUS (LTU)
Kyrylo KON (MDA)
Franciszek KOCWIN (POL)
Danilo AKSENTIJEVIC (SRB)
Matti EICHMANN (SUI)
Dominik HERVAI (SVK)
Fredrik ABRAHAMSSON (SWE)
Ismail BEREKET (TUR)
Danylo VUZII (UKR)
Anton KASTSEVICH (UWW)
Senik VARDANIAN (UWW)

92kg
Petros BAGHRAMYAN (ARM)
Niklas OEHLERER (AUT)
Said PASHAYEV (AZE)
Ivan NIKOLOV (BUL)
Andrija MIKULIC (CRO)
Vitezslav ZAK (CZE)
Robert KOVALKOV (EST)
Luka MARTIASHVILI (GEO)
Ioannis MOUTOUSIDIS (GRE)
Zsombor KORODI (HUN)
Elia CAIANIELLO (ITA)
Julius GIKARAS (LTU)
Vladislav VASYLEVSKYI (MDA)
Ismail KADYROV (NOR)
Tomasz MITAL (POL)
Ionut PATRU (ROU)
Todor AKSENTIJEVIC (SRB)
Christofer KOSAR (SVK)
Manfred ALTHEN (SWE)
Enes UZUN (TUR)
Tymur LARIN (UKR)
Kanstantsin KASYAN (UWW)
Vadim DRAGUSHAN (UWW)

110kg
Gor MKHITARYAN (ARM)
Rihad IBRAHIMLI (AZE)
Denis LAZAROV (BUL)
Karel CECH (CZE)
Kahro PALLON (EST)
Temuri SIMSIVE (GEO)
Maximilian LEO (GER)
Vasileios BOUNTOULIS (GRE)
Akos KEREPESI (HUN)
Guy ZANKEVICH (ISR)
Deniss MOISEJENKO (LAT)
Mateusz TOMELKA (POL)
Vlad PETREAN (ROU)
Andrej SIMIC (SRB)
Arda UGUR (TUR)
Anatolii NOVACHENKO (UKR)
Matvei SILICH (UWW)
Artur GABEEV (UWW)

#WrestleParis

Paris 2024: Ramazanov denies Yazdani, Higuchi completes 57kg turnaround

By Ken Marantz

PARIS (August 9) -- Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) and his aching shoulder missed out on a second Olympic gold medal and was relegated to a second silver instead, and David TAYLOR (USA) was nowhere in sight. Magomed RAMAZANOV (BUL) is the new king of the freestyle 86kg class.

Russian-born Ramazanov outdueled a less-than-100 percent Yazdani in notching a 7-1 victory in the final on Friday at the Paris Olympics, giving Bulgaria its second gold in two nights.

"It was really something for me," said Ramazanov, the 2020 European 79kg silver medalist who began competing for Bulgaria this year. "I come from a little town, and my family worked really hard for me to get here. It is really an honor. I got the gold medal for them."

Japan grabbed the two other gold medals up for grabs at the Champs de Mars Arena, with Rei HIGUCHI (JPN) completing an arduous eight-year journey to an elusive freestyle 57kg gold and two-time reigning world champion Tsugumi SAKURAI (JPN) winning the women's 57kg title in her Olympic debut.

Magomed RAMAZANOV (BUL)Magomed RAMAZANOV (BUL) and Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) at the podium of 86kg in Paris. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Yazdani, one of the biggest stars of the sport whose many laurels include the 74kg gold from Rio 2016 and a silver at 86kg three years ago in Tokyo, was in obvious discomfort from the get-go of his clash with the 31-year-old Ramazanov.

Almost immediately after the start, the Iranian signaled for a timeout, clutching his upper right arm. While managing to keep the score close, and even tentatively leading at one point, he stopped the match five times for treatment on his shoulder.

"It was hard for him, but he was a great fighter with his other arm," Ramazanov said. "In the Olympics, you don’t get to choose the conditions, you just have to compete, and that’s what makes this sport so hard."

Yazdani gave up an activity point in the first period -- just barely failing to complete a takedown in the process -- but got one himself in the second to lead 1-1 on criteria.

Ramazanov put the pressure on and tripped Yazdani for a takedown while trapping the Iranian's foot underneath him at an odd angle, keeping him in a sitting position. That allowed the Bulgarian to use a crossface to tilt Yazdani backward for two exposures and a 7-1 lead.

With 30 seconds left, Yazdani conceded that it was over. He put his hands on his knees as the seconds ticked down to the inevitable. He gave Ramazanov a hug of respect.

Ramazanov dedicated the gold medal to his father who died when he was still a child.

"It was really hard, I had to fight elite wrestlers, but today it was destiny, and I want to thank god and dedicate this medal to my father, who died a few years ago," Ramazanov said. "I think he would be very proud of me."

He also paid tribute to his adopted country. "Bulgaria is my second home," he said. "This country gave me this amazing opportunity to compete in the Olympics with the best athletes around the world. It’s really hard psychologically because you don’t know if you’ll get to the next Olympics, and it’s so hard to qualify."

Rei HIGUCHI (JPN)Rei HIGUCHI (JPN) kisses his gold medal at the 57kg medal ceremony. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

At freestyle 57kg, Higuchi won a showdown with an equally determined Spencer LEE (USA) 4-2 to capture the gold medal that eluded him at the 2016 Rio Olympics and for which he spent the ensuing years on a path of trials and tribulations.

"I was able to have fun wrestling," Higuchi said. "I think that in my career, this was my highest level performance. It was a great tournament."

Higuchi was able to limit Lee's attacks to a pair of stepouts in the first period, the first one while Lee was on the activity clock. In the second period, Higuchi managed to stay grounded so that there would be no points as he went over the edge.

Meanwhile, Higuchi took the initiative himself in the second period, launching a double-leg takedown attempt that Lee tried to counter by rolling over the top. But Higuchi rolled through it and Lee landed on his back, giving Higuchi 2 points and a momentary chance for a fall.

That gave Higuchi the lead 2-2 on criteria, and he managed to hold on, adding a takedown with two seconds left off a desperation throw attempt.

Rei HIGUCHI (JPN)Rei HIGUCHI (JPN) tackles Spencer LEE (USA) in the 57kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

After Rio, Higuchi moved up to 61kg, winning an Asian title, with an eye on making the Tokyo Olympics at 65kg. He won the world U23 gold at 65kg in 2018, and defeated Takuto OTOGURO (JPN) at one point, but in the end lost out to the eventual Tokyo gold medalist.

The only option for going to his home Olympics was to drop down to 57kg, but he famously failed to make weight at the Asian Olympic Qualifier, a shock only made worse when he later lost a playoff for Japan's Olympic spot to Yuki TAKAHASHI (JPN).

Still in his prime, he spent the next two years at 61kg, winning his first senior world crown in 2022, then made the drop back to 57kg with the aim of being on the mat in Paris.

This time he became more attentive to his nutrition and diet, which got a boost when he got married in May last year. It paid off with a world silver in Belgrade that clinched his ticket to Paris.

"The road to getting the gold medal was not easy at all," said Higuchi, who became a father in February. "I suffered many losses and I had the failure to make weight. I had many setbacks and moments of despair.

"But I was absolutely confident I could win the gold medal. My coaches and teammates supported me and this is a medal I could get because of so many people. I will never think this is
a gold medal that I won by myself."

With Higuchi's win, current students or alumni of his alma mater Nippon Sports Science University now account for four wrestling golds in Paris. He was preceded by Kenichiro FUMITA (JPN) and Nao KUSAKA (JPN) in Greco and Akari FUJINAMI (JPN) in women's wrestling.

Tsugumi SAKURAI (JPN)Tsugumi SAKURAI (JPN) celebrates after winning the 57kg final at the Paris Olympics. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Sakurai later added Japan's fifth gold overall through five days of competition in Paris with a 6-0 victory over Anastasia NICHITA (MDA) in a repeat of the women's 57kg final at last year's World Championships in Belgrade.

"I practiced just for this moment, and I was able to be here because of the support of many people," said Sakurai, who defeated two-time Olympic champion Risako KAWAI (now KINJO) (JPN) in the process of qualifying for Paris. "I'm really glad I won the title."

Sakurai, employing a 2-on-1 while standing that pretty much neutralized Nichita's offense, opened the scoring by shooting for a single-leg takedown, then stepping over for an exposure when Nichita attempted a counter-lift.

Sakurai had the 2-on-1 when the two went to the mat and Nichita tried to go over and hook the far leg. But Sakurai bucked her to the mat and went behind to make it 4-0 at the break. In the second period, Sakurai added a single-leg takedown while conceding nothing to clinch the gold.

After her victory lap, Sakurai went to the stands for a group hug with her father and her coach at Ikuei University, Yoshimaro YANAGAWA, who could have another Olympic champion after Ikuei's Sakura MOTOKI (JPN) made the women's 62kg final earlier in the session.

"He said, 'You did great,'" Sakurai said of Yanagawa. "For this Olympics, he sacrificed so much time for us. He made us train hard and kept pushing us. I'm glad I could get it done. I was able to put out on the mat what I had done up to now."

Tsugumi SAKURAI (JPN)Tsugumi SAKURAI (JPN) wrestles Anastasia NICHITA (MDA) in the 57kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Sakurai suffered a setback in her Olympic preparations when she lost in the final at the Asian Championships in April to Yongxin FENG (CHN), but managed to right the ship in time for Paris. It was her first international loss since the 2019 Asian Junior (U20) Championships.

Despite missing out on the gold, Nichita earned a place in Moldovan history by becoming just its second Olympic wrestling medalist ever and the first woman.

"So many people came today to support me, and I'm really grateful for that," Nichita said. "I'm really sorry that I didn't win the gold medal, but next time I will try my best to win the gold.

"All of my life I dreamed about this, and I went through a lot of pain and trauma, and here I am today, with a medal."

Helen MAROULIS (USA)Helen MAROULIS (USA) celebrates after winning her bronze-medal bout at 57kg in Paris. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Maroulis quickly bags bronze for 3rd Olympic medal

Helen MAROULIS (USA) needed just 24 seconds to win a third Olympic medal, taking a second straight women's 57kg bronze with victory by fall over Hannah TAYLOR (CAN).

Maroulis hit a textbook-perfect fireman's carry to send Taylor to her back, then clamped down to secure the fall less than a half-minute after the start.

The three-time former world champion added the Paris bronze to the gold she won at Rio 2016 with a historic win over legend Saori YOSHIDA (JPN) and her bronze from Tokyo three years ago.

Kexin HONG (CHN) needed a bit more time to secure the other women's 57kg bronze, rolling to a 10-0 victory over Giullia PENALBER (BRA) in 1:57.

Aaron BROOKS (USA)The two bronze medalists at 86kg -- Aaron BROOKS (USA) and Daruen KURUGLIEV (GRE). (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

World U23 champion Aaron BROOKS (USA), who needed to beat Tokyo Olympic champion David TAYLOR (USA) just to earn his ticket to Paris, defeated Asian silver medalist Javrail SHAPIEV (UZB) 5-0 to take home a freestyle 86kg bronze medal.

Brooks received an activity point in the first period, then added a stepout early in the second. Put on the clock himself, Brooks scored a double-leg takedown to make it 4-0, then added a late stepout to relegate Shapiev to a second straight fifth-place finish at the Olympics.

Asked if the competition in his first major senior event was tougher than he had expected, Brooks replied, "I never try to expect anything. When you are going on the mat with expectations and they are not met, it's where you can have those climaxes and drop-offs.

"It's the Olympics. They are what they are. It's a tough competition."

The other 86kg bronze went to Russian-born Dauren KURUGLIEV (GRE), who survived a valiant late surge by Tokyo bronze medalist Myles AMINE (SMR) in a 5-4 victory that gave Greece its first Olympic wrestling medal since Athens 2000.

Kurugliev appeared to be cruising to a victory on the back of a first-period takedown and 2-point exposure off a second-period scramble. With the clock ticking down, Amine completed a takedown with :07 on the clock, but wasn't done there.

He got behind again, but Kurugliev somehow managed to keep his knees off the mat as they went out of the ring, limiting Amine to a stepout and fleeing point that made it 4-4 but left him on the short end on criteria. An unsuccessful challenge added the final point.

"I would like to thank Greece, this country that gave me this opportunity," Kurugliev said. "Thank you very much to all of you. I'm very happy to have won this medal. Of course, I tried to win gold, but bronze is fine, and I'm quite happy."

AMAN (IND)AMAN (IND) became India's youngest Olympic medalist in individual sports. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Asian champion Aman SEHRAWAT (IND), the lone Indian male wrestler to qualify for Paris, assured that the country would win a medal for the fifth straight Olympics, winning a takedown-a-thon over Darian CRUZ (PUR) 13-5 to take a bronze at freestyle 57kg.

Sehrawat scored three takedowns in each period, adding a late stepout with a fleeing point tacked on, to deny the U.S.-raised Cruz's bid to become just the second Olympic wrestling medalist for Puerto Rico. Cruz, an NCAA champion at Lehigh University in the U.S., chalked up two takedowns of his own.

Gulomjon ABDULLAEV (UZB), who also did some collegiate wrestling in the U.S., picked up the other 57kg bronze with a 5-1 win over Bekzat ALMAZ UULU (KGZ) that was closer than the score indicates.

Abdullaev got an activity point and stepout in the first period, and led 2-1 in the second after giving up a point on the activity clock. Fighting off everything Almaz Uulu threw at him down the stretch, he got a last-second 2 by stopping a desperation throw attempt, with an unsuccessful challenge point added on.

Day 5 Results

Freestyle

57kg
GOLD: Rei HIGUCHI (JPN) df. Spencer LEE (USA), 4-2

BRONZE: Aman SEHRAWAT (IND) df. Darian CRUZ (PUR), 13-5
BRONZE: Gulomjon ABDULLAEV (UZB) df. Bekzat ALMAZ UULU (KGZ), 5-1

74kg
SF1: Daichi TAKATANI (JPN) df. Kyle DAKE (USA), 20-12
SF2: Razambek JAMALOV (UZB) df. Viktor RASSADIN (TJK), 8-2

86kg
GOLD: Magomed RAMAZANOV (BUL) df. Hassan YAZDANI (IRI), 7-1

BRONZE: Aaron BROOKS (USA) df. Javrail SHAPIEV (UZB), 5-0
BRONZE: Dauren KURUGLIEV (GRE) df. Myles AMINE (SMR), 5-4

125kg
SF1: Amir ZARE (IRI) df. Taha AKGUL (TUR), 2-1
SF2: Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) df. Giorgi MESHVILDISHVILI (AZE), 7-0

Women's Wrestling

57kg
GOLD: Tsugumi SAKURAI (JPN) df. Anastasia NICHITA (MDA), 6-0

BRONZE: Helen MAROULIS (USA) df. Hannah TAYLOR (CAN) by Fall, :24 (4-0)
BRONZE: Kexin HONG (CHN) df. Giullia PENALBER (BRA) by TF, 10-0, 1:57

62kg
SF1: Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR) df. Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ), 9-2
SF2: Sakura MOTOKI (JPN) df. Grace BULLEN (NOR) by Fall, 4:26 (7-7)