event, calendar, 2018 events, tournaments, 2019 events, wrestling, Women's Wrestling, freestyle, Greco-Roman

United World Wrestling Announces 2018 Host Cities and Dates

By United World Wrestling Press

CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY (September 8) – United World Wrestling today announced the finalized list of host cities and dates for the 2018 season along with a handful of locations for 2019 championships in Europe and Africa.

As released during the world championship, the international calendar is highlighted by the Senior European Championships in wrestling-rich city of Kaspiisk, Russia and the fast-rising Nigerian Wrestling Federation hosting the Senior African Championships in Port Hartcourt.

Added to the calendar, Istanbul will host the popular U23 European Championships in mid-June and Zagreb was confirmed for the Cadet World Championships.

The 2019 calendar is also starting to take shape with the African Championships awarded to Tunis (TUN), the Senior European Championships to Bucharest (ROU), the Junior European Championships to Pontevedra (ESP) and the Cadet European Championships to Faenza (ITA).

The Greco-Roman World Cup, U23 World Championships and Junior Pan-American championships location and dates will be finalized soon.

World Cups

Women’s Wrestling World Cup         Takasaki (JPN) // March 17-18
Freestyle World Cup                           Iowa City (USA) // April 7-8

African Championships

All Styles and Age Groups                  Port Harcourt (NGR) // February 7-11

Asian Championships

Senior Asian Championships              Bishkek (KGZ) // February 28- March 4
Junior Asian Championships               New Delhi (IND) // July 19-22
Cadet Asian Championships               Tashkent (UZB) // May 3-6

European Championships

Senior European Championships        Kaspiisk (RUS) // March 20-25
U23 European Championships           Istanbul (TUR) // June 5-10
Junior European Championships        Roma (ITA) // July 31- August 5
Cadet European Championships         Kiev (UKR) // May 8-13

Oceania Championships

All Styles and Age Groups                  Yigo (GUM) // May 17-20

Pan American Championships

Senior Pan-American C’Ships             Lima (PER) // April 27-29
Cadet Pan-American C’Ships              Guatemala (GUA) // May 25-27

World Championships

Cadet World Championships              Zagreb (CRO) // July 3-8
Junior World Championships              Trnava (SVK) // September 18-23
Senior World Championships             Budapest (HUN) // October 22-28

GR Veteran World Championships    Perm (RUS) // TBD
FS Veteran World Championships     Skopje (MKD) // TBD

#WrestleBucharest

Nasibov hopes to build on golden start in Olympic year

By Vinay Siwach

BUCHAREST, Romania (February 1) -- Parviz NASIBOV (UKR) was never under the spotlight. Not until he reached the final of the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 and won a silver medal.

For Tokyo, he qualified at the World Olympic Qualifier in Sofia, the last of the qualifiers and the only chance he got. But as he prepares to qualify for the Paris Olympics, Nasibov is on the radar of his opponents.

He lost in the first round of the World Championships last year and is yet to win a UWW tournament. But in the season-opening Ranking Series Zagreb Open, Nasibov seemed to find his form and gear up for the Olympic year.

Wrestling in Zagreb, Nasibov won gold in 67kg after beating world silver medalist Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) in the semifinal and Gagik SNJOYAN (FRA) in the final.

"It’s important for me to try myself [in such tournaments] before the important one," Nasibov said. "I think this Ranking series event is more or less similar to the World championships level, because most of the leaders were present here in our weight class."

In a 34-wrestler bracket, Nasibov got past 2023 Zagreb Open champion HUSIYUETU (CHN), Lei LI (CHN) and U20 world champion Moustafa ALAMELDIN (EGY) before beating Jafarov and Snjoyan. Nasibov later said that he expected Jafarov to come out strong in the semifinal.

"We have done research on that athlete together with the coaches," he said. "That’s why I got everything I had expected from him. He is a good guy, he is young and prospective."

Nasibov also hoped to face world champion Luis ORTA (CUB) in Zagreb but Orta pulled out of the competition. Orta won the 67kg world title in Belgrade, completing a successful switch from 60kg, a weight class in which he won the gold medal in Tokyo.

"Orta is a very good opponent. I met his at the training camp," Nasibov said. "But you know we are wrestling at such a high level that we are all pretty much similar. The one who thinks better and stays calmer will win. That’s why, I respect him a lot and can’t wait to meet him."

Nasibov has got a golden start to the season and would like to continue that at the European Championships in Bucharest, Romania from February 12 to 19. He will hope to win his first European title at 72kg as he is entered in the non-Olympic weight class. And later the qualifying event in Baku in April.

"At the 2023 European Championships I was the third," he said. "The qualifying world championships was unsuccessful for me. I lost my first match. The main event is ahead. I need a quota for Paris Olympic Games, I will do my best to get it and repeat my Tokyo result and maybe even improve. I believe in it and I do my best to be there."