UWW Awards: Olympic Champs Geraei, Lorincz, Evloev Capture Top Spots in GR Rankings

Tuesday, November 30, 2021 - 14:23 By Vinay Siwach

CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (November 30) -- Wrestlers from eight different nationalities claimed the grand prize of $10,000 as United World Wrestling announced the prize winners of Greco-Roman in its year-end awards.

On Monday, the prize winners of the freestyle were announced and wrestlers from seven different countries took the top spot.

UWW continues to recognize and empower the wrestlers and will award $600,000 in prize money to 90 wrestlers, 30 from each style, based on a ranking system that honors the most active wrestler throughout the season. The top-ranked wrestler will get $10,000 followed by $7,000 for the second-placed wrestler and $3,000 for the third-ranked wrestler.

The prize money is almost three times from what it was in 2019 as the UWW Bureau had approved a generous $600,000 prize package at the beginning of the season. The 2021 prize money combines the amount that was reserved for 2020 but was not distributed due to the impact COVID-19 had on the competition.

The 2021 season was a first-of-its-kind as the Olympics and World Championships were held in the same year. As a result, the UWW Bureau decided to award the medalist at the Olympic Games 20 percent more than the points awarded at the 2021 World Championships. All Tokyo Games gold medalists will get 10 additional points, silver will get 6 additional points and bronze will be awarded 3 additional points.

For the convenience of the fans, here's a breakdown of how the points are distributed.

Ken MATSUI (JPN), blue, overtook Emin SEFERSHAEV (RWF) by the virtue of winning gold at the World Championships. (Photo: UWW / Tony Rotundo)

55kg
Ken MATSUI (JPN) 58
Emin SEFERSHAEV (RWF) 58
Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE) 39

Emin SEFERSHAEV (RWF) came into the World Championships as the top-ranked wrestler after winning the European Championships and 20 ranking points. On the other hand, Ken MATSUI (JPN) had not competed internationally since 2019.

The RWF wrestler was the favorite to win the gold but Matsui stunned the field in Oslo to claim the gold medal and 58 points. He defeated Sefershaev in the 55kg final to be tied at 58 points but his gold medal superseded the RWF wrestler's silver.

Matsui, the former cadet world champion, expressed his happiness over winning the prize money of $10,000.

Sefershaev got 14 points for winning gold at the Matteo Pellicone as well but he did that at 60kg and the points cannot be added to the points he got at 55kg.

The third spot was captured by Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE) who had 39 points after winning the bronze medals at the European and World Championships. His Euro bronze gave him 16 points while the Oslo bronze was worth 23 points.

Victor CIOBANU (MDA), red, won the gold in Oslo and claimed the top rank at 60kg. (Photo: UWW / Tony Rotundo)

60kg
Victor CIOBANU (MDA) 76
Luis ORTA SANCHEZ (CUB) 68
Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) 54

Victor CIOBANU (MDA) created history in Oslo after becoming Moldova's first-ever Greco-Roman world champion. His win at the World Championships gave him 58 points which were added to the 18 he got for a fifth-place finish at the Tokyo Olympics.

A total of 76 points were enough for his jump from eighth to the first position and overtake Olympic champion Luis ORTA SANCHEZ (CUB) who finished with 68 points and was second in the rankings. The Cuban skipped the '21 Worlds and could not add to his 68 points.

Oslo silver medalist Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ) managed to finish third with 54 points. He had 38 points from Oslo and 16 more from his seventh-place finish at the Tokyo Games.

Meysam DALKHANI (IRI), blue, is the top ranked wrestler at 63kg while Leri ABULADZE (GEO) finished second. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

63kg
Meysam DALKHANI (IRI) 78
Leri ABULADZE (GEO) 56
Taleh MAMMADOV (AZE) 38

Asian champion Sultan ASSETULY (KAZ) was the top-ranked wrestler at 63kg before the World Championships but he finished 12th in Oslo and could not add more points.

Meysam DALKHANI (IRI), who had lost to Assetuly in the Asian final, captured the gold at the World Championships and moved from the fifth spot to the top spot, thanks to the 60 points he collected in Oslo. From the Asian Championships, Dalkhani had 18 points.

Leri ABULADZE (GEO) had a chance to move to the top once he reached the final but he managed only a silver medal to finish with 56 points. He had 16 points for the bronze-medal finish at the European Championships.

Taleh MAMMADOV (AZE) did not win a medal in Oslo but his fifth-place finish gave him 20 points that helped him climb to number three from six. His silver medal at the European Championships earlier this year had given him 18 points.

Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI) won Olympic and World Championships gold to be undisputed at 67kg. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

67kg
Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI) 128
Murat FIRAT (TUR) 60
Mohamed ELSAYED (EGY) 56

One of the two wrestlers in the world to win Olympic and World titles in the same year, Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI) had an unchallenged path to the top at 67kg. He collected 128 points from the two tournaments he participated in, winning gold in both.

He won the 67kg gold medal at Tokyo Olympics and then repeated the feat at the World Championships in Oslo. He collected 68 points from Tokyo and added 60 more from the '21 Worlds.

Such were Geraei's wins that the second-placed wrestler at 67kg Murat FIRAT (TUR) managed only 60 points from four events. He began with a fifth-place finish at Matteo Pellicone which gave him 10 points as the number of participants in 67kg was 16.

Firat then won a bronze medal at the European Championships and added 16 more points. His gold in the Poland Open ranking added another 14 points. But the 20 points for a fifth-place finish at the Worlds gave him a boost and propelled him to the second spot.

Tokyo Olympics bronze medalist Mohamed ELSAYED (EGY) managed to keep his spot in the top three despite skipping the World Championships. He collected 26 points from the '21 Olympic Games, adding to the 12 points he had for a silver-medal finish at the Poland Open.

For Elsayed, 18 points were carried over from the 2020 African Championships as it was not held in 2021 owing to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM) became the world champion and top-ranked wrestler at 72kg. (Photo: UWW / Martin Gabor)

72kg
Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM) 78
Gevorg SAHAKYAN (POL) 41
Sergei KUTUZOV (RWF) 40

2021 world champion Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM) won the grand prize at 72kg after winning the gold medal in Oslo. The European silver medalist had collected 18 points from Warsaw and his run in Oslo gave him 60 more, enough for the top rank.

He defeated Sergei KUTUZOV (RWF) in the '21 Worlds final and the RWF wrestler collected 40 points for his silver medal. But that was not enough for him to finish second.

He finished third as the bronze medalist in Oslo Gevorg SAHAKYAN (POL) had 41 points to claim the second spot. He had 25 points from Oslo and 16 points from Poland Open where he won the gold medal at 72kg.

Tamas LORINCZ (HUN) won the top prize at 77kg. (Photo: UWW / Tony Rotundo)

77kg
Tamas LORINCZ (HUN) 90
Roman VLASOV (RWF) 72
Sanan SULEYMANOV (AZE) 58

For the second consecutive time, Lorincz family will have a top ranked wrestler at the end of the year, In 2019, it was Viktor LORINCZ (HUN) who was awarded the top Greco-Roman wrestler while in 2021, his brother Tamas takes the honours at 77kg.

The Olympic and European champion Tamas LORINCZ (HUN) got 22 points from Warsaw and then added 68 points more in Tokyo where he defeated Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ) in the final. He decided to retire after the gold-medal performance.

Two-time Olympic champion and 2021 world champion Roman VLASOV (RWF) ended his year on a high with the gold in Oslo and a second-place finish in the rankings. He collected 60 points from the Oslo event.

He had suffered a shock loss to Tamas LEVAI (HUN) in the ranking event at Poland Open but managed to finish with a bronze medal, giving him 12 points. His 72 points were enough for a second-place finish.

Sanan SULEYMANOV (AZE) finished second to Vlasov in Oslo and collected 40 points, adding to the 18 points he got for the bronze medal at the European Championships.

Rafiq HUSEYNOV (AZE), left, claim top spot at 82kg while Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR) was third. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

82kg
Rafig HUSEYNOV (AZE) 70
Adlan AKIEV (RWF) 61
Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR) 54

Rafig HUSEYNOV (AZE) displaced Adlan AKIEV (RWF) from the top spot at 82kg with a gold-medal performance at the 2021 World Championships. Akiev was the number one ranked wrestler thanks to title wins at the Matteo Pellicone and the European Championships.

Coming into the Worlds, Huseynov had only 10 points for his bronze medal at the Poland Open. But he defeated Akiev in the semifinal in Oslo and then won the gold medal at 82kg, collecting 60 points, taking his total to 70.

Huseynov had won a bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics but that came at 77kg, points for which could not be added to the points he earned at 82kg.

Akiev's bronze only got him 25 points and a total of 61 points was good for only a second-place finish.

Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR) reached the final at the World Championships and collected 40 points. The other 14 he had collected by winning the silver medal at the Matteo Pellicone event.

Zurabi DATUNASHVILI (SRB) won the gold at World Championships to be ranked one at 87kg. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

87kg
Zurabi DATUNASHVILI (SRB) 106
Zhan BELENIUK (UKR) 84
Kiryl MASKEVICH (BLR) 58

Zhan BELENUIK (UKR) won the gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics to collect 68 points and his bronze at the European Championships gave him 16 points as he reached the top spot after the Olympics.

But Zurabi DATUNASHVILI (SRB) replaced him from the top position by winning the gold medal at the World Championships. The 60 points he received were in addition to the 26 he had for the bronze medal at the Olympics. He had 20 more points from his gold medal at the European Championships.

Datunashvili's 106 points ensured the number position for him and shifted Beleniuk to the second spot.

Silver medalist at the World and European Championships to Datunashvili, Kiryl MASKEVICH (BLR) edged Tokyo Games silver medalist Viktor LORINCZ (HUN) by two points to claim the third spot. He had 58 points, thanks to the two silver medals which gave him 40 and 18 points respectively.

Olympic champion Musa EVLOEV (RWF) got the rank at 97kg for his exploits in Tokyo. (Photo: UWW / Martin Gabor)

97kg
Musa EVLOEV (RWF) 102
Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) 102
Alex SZOKE (HUN) 58

Olympic champion Musa EVLOEV (RWF) and world champion Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI) ended the season with 102 points each but the former's gold medal at the Olympics superseded Saravi's bronze at the same event.

Evloev collected 68 points from the Tokyo Games and 20 from the gold medal-winning run at the European Championships in April this year. He also had a gold medal from Matteo Pellicone, giving him 14 more points.

Saravi got only 26 points for his bronze medal at the '21 Olympics but his gold in Oslo was worth 60 points, helping him climb from third place to first. The other 16 points were added from the gold he won at the Poland Open ranking event.

The third place was locked by Alex SZOKE (HUN) with 58 points, 40 of which came from the silver medal at the World Championships. He had finished fifth at the Tokyo Olympics and received 18 points for that performance.

Aliakbar YOUSOFIAHMADCHALI (IRI) collected 92 points in 2021 to be top ranked at 130kg. (Photo: UWW / Martin Gabor)

130kg
Aliakbar YOUSOFIAHMADCHALI (IRI) 92
Iakobi KAJAIA (GEO) 87
Mijain LOPEZ (CUB) 68

Aliakbar YOUSOFIAHMADCHALI (IRI)'s only loss this year came against compatriot Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI) in the final of the Poland Open ranking event. That loss in sandwiched the gold medals he won at the Asian and World Championships.

The two gold and silver helped the Iranian collect 92 points and edge Iakobi KAJAIA (GEO) by five points to finish at the number one spot in the 130kg weight class.

He collected 60 points from the gold in Oslo, 18 from the gold in Almaty and 14 from the silver medal in Warsaw.

Kajaia won medals at three events this year to claim the second spot. He won a silver medal at the Olympic Games, earning him 46 points. His bronze medal in Oslo was worth 25 points while the one at the European Championships earned him 16 points.

Four-time Olympic champion and Greco-Roman legend Mijain LOPEZ (CUB) finished in third place with only the points he collected after winning the gold in Tokyo.

Lopez, who last competed at a World Championships in 2015, earned 68 points for the gold medal in Tokyo, enough for him to be in the third spot.

World Championships silver medalist Zurabi GEDEKHUARI (RWF) also had 68 points but the weightage of Lopez's Olympic gold was more than that of the RWF wrestler's Oslo silver.

The wrestlers can earn ranking points for the 2022 season with the Matteo Pellicone ranking event from February 3-6 in Rome, Italy. That will be followed by the Yasar Dogu event from February 25-28 in Istanbul, Turkey.

For more events, log on to uww.org/events.

#WrestleAthens

U17 World Wrestling Championships 2025 Preview

Friday, July 25, 2025 - 16:28 By Vinay Siwach

ATHENS, Greece (July 23) -- Eight years after it last hosted the World U17 Championships, Greece gears up for another.

The 2025 World U17 Championships will be held in Athens from July 28 to August 3 at the Ano Liosia Olympic Hall, the historic venue where wrestling competition during the 2004 Olympics was held.

DOWNLOAD THE FULL PREVIEW HERE

While the wrestlers will be making new memories, one former wrestler will be reliving old memories. Four-time Olympic champion Kaori ICHO (JPN) will be revisiting Athens, this time as Japan’s team coach, 21 years after she won her first gold medal at the Games in 2004.

Japan is expected to reclaim the Women's Wrestling team title it lost to India in 2024. The United States, Ukraine and China are also sending strong teams.

In Freestyle, the U.S. will battle it out with Iran, the top two countries last year. Meanwhile, in Greco-Roman, Iran will face challenges from Asian counterparts and Azerbaijan.

The competition will begin with Greco-Roman on July 28 with five weight classes and will follow a two-day format. Women's Wrestling will begin July 30 and Freestyle on August 1. The repechage and medal bouts of each weight category will be held the next day.

The action from the World U17 Championships will be live on UWW+ on uww.org and the UWW App. Follow United World Wrestling on Facebook, Instagram, X, TikTok, YouTube.

Samuel SANCHEZ (USA) is one of the returning world U17 champions in Athens. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Freestyle

The defending team champion the U.S. boasts a quality line-up including world champ Samuel SANCHEZ (USA) and four Pan-Am champions from 2025 -- Ariah MILLS (USA), Alexander TAYLOR (USA), Jayden JAMES (USA) and Arseni KIKINIOU (USA).

Iran, which missed the Asian U17 Championships, has wrestlers who have previous success at Asian level and in ISF Gymnasiade. It won only two gold medals last year, but it hopes Morteza HAJ (IRI), Amirali ALIZADEH (IRI), Arian MEHRALIZADEH (IRI) and Amirhossein NAGHDALIPOUR (IRI) will help it better that number this year.

Said PASHAYEV (AZE) is the European champion at 92kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Jake Kirkman)

Six out of the 10 European champions from 2025 are set to be in Athens with Azerbaijan entering three. Ravan HASANZADE (AZE) at 48kg, Ruslan ALIZADA (AZE) at 55kg and Said PASHAYEV (AZE) at 92kg will be the biggest hopes for Azerbaijan to win gold, a medal the country was denied last year.

The other European champs are Zorab ALOIEV (UKR) at 61kg, Artur KOSTIUK (UKR) at 80kg and Magomedrasul OMAROV (UWW) at 110kg.

Bekassyl ASSAMBEK (KAZ) won the 60kg gold at the Asian U17 Championships. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan had a successful Asian U17 Championships in Vietnam after the no-show of Iran and Japan's subdued performance.

Kazakhstan won two gold medals in Vietnam and both wrestlers, Ibrahim YSKAKBEK (KAZ) at 55kg and Bekassyl ASSAMBEK (KAZ) at 60kg, will be in Athens and try to win a world gold, a medal the country has not won since 2022.

Kyrgyzstan also had two gold medalists, Arnur NURSAIDOV (KGZ) at 45kg and Dovudbek BAKHADIROV (KGZ) at 48kg, at Asian Championships. The onus will be on these to lead the team as it looks for a second straight top-three finish. Last year, it placed third, the highest for the country at the world level.

Uzbekistan won only one gold in Vietnam but every wrestler competed for a medal, helping it finish third. Japan and India, fourth and fifth in Vietnam, are likely to be the dark horses in Greece.

A few others who can surprise the field including returning silver medalist Frederick BACHMANN (PUR) at 60kg, returning champ Ulugbek RASHIDOV (UZB) at 51kg, Abdumalik JALOLDINOV (UZB) at 55kg, returning silver medalist Huseyn ISMAYILOV (AZE) at 65kg and Hasan HASANOV (AZE) at 60kg.

KAJAL (IND) was one of India's five world U17 champions in 2024. (Photo: United World Wrestling)

Women's Wrestling

Japan will undoubtedly be favored to win the team title but in the last few years, Japan's supremacy has been challenged by both the United States and India.

India won the team title last year for the first time with an incredible performance, winning five gold medals while Japan only won one.

Can Japan bounce back? Certainly.

Yu KATAOKA (JPN) at 49kg and Rion OGAWA (JPN) at 53kg have dominated the continental level and have been unbeaten internationally. They will lead a team that also includes An NAKANISHI (JPN), Sayuki HIBARINO (JPN) and Hanano OYA (JPN).

Japan will have to step up when it comes to heavier weight classes if it wants to capture the trophy. The presence of Icho as coach should serve as motivation for the young wrestlers, who take on the world.

India will have six current and former continental champions in Athens. KAJAL (IND), world champ at 69kg, will be at 73kg this year but will still be the favorite to win the gold medal. She was dealt a shock loss at the Asian Championships by Wenjin QIU (CHN) in the final. Qiu will also be in Athens and a potential clash with Kajal is on the cards.

Asian champ RACHANA (IND), who has silver from 2023 Worlds, will be at 43kg hoping to win gold. Kasish GURJAR (IND) was the Asian champion in 2023, MONI (IND) is the Asian champ at 57kg while Ashvini VISHNOI (IND) is a two-time continental champion at 65kg. MANISHA (IND), who won gold in Vietnam, will lead India's charge at 69kg.

Former world u17 champion Morgan TURNER (USA) is one of the favorites to win at 49kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

The U.S. is bringing a host of Pan-American champions but its biggest star will be 2023 world champ Morgan TURNER (USA), who also won the bronze medal in 2024. She will be at 49kg, a weight class in which she won the Pan-Am gold this year.

At 40kg, Maisie ELLIOTT (USA) is a Pan-Am champion and so is Emma BACON (USA) at 57kg, Taina FERNANDEZ (USA) at 61kg, Violette LASURE (USA) at 65kg, Cassandra GONZALES (USA) at 69kg and Ella Jo POALILLO (USA) at 73kg.

Jaclyn BOUZAKIS (USA), who also won Pan-Am gold at 46kg, is a returning bronze medalist and will be one of the favorites for the gold medal this year.

From Europe, nine 2025 continental champions are entered for Athens. European champion at 40kg Valia HARSAN (ROU) will test herself against Asian champion Shokhista SHONAZAROVA (UZB) along with other big names in the field including European silver medalist Polina TIMSINA (EST), European bronze medalist Finja STRAUCH (GER) and Daria MASLENNIKOVA (UWW), who is three-time European U15 champion.

Raniia RAKHMANOVA (UWW) was the champion at 43kg and will be the favorite for the gold medal as well.

At 46kg, Nazrin AHMADLI (AZE) is a returning bronze medalist from 40kg but will contend with Janka SILLEI (HUN) in the weight class. Sillei is unbeaten internationally and won the European gold in Skopje. Local wrestler and world silver from 43kg Maria GKIKA (GRE) will hope to win a medal for the hosts. Additionally, Gurjar, Hanano OYA (JPN), world silver from 40kg Kamila KUCHMA (UKR), Bouzakis and European silver Irina TSYDEEVA (UWW) will have their eyes on gold.

A battle between Kataoka and Turner is expected at 49kg which also has Asian silver medalist Saniya SOLTANGALI (KAZ) and returning bronze medalist and European champ Polina BOCHKAREVA (UWW).

SAARIKA (IND) won the Asian U20 Championships gold medal after a close win over Mihoko TAKEUCHI (JPN), a Klippan Lady Open champion and 2022 World U17 Championships silver medalist. But for success in Athens, Saarika will have to battle it out with European champion at 53kg Mariia ZHYTOVOZ (HUN), Japanese star Ogawa, two-time European silver Fatma YILMAZ (TUR) and Euro U15 champ Yuliia HOLHOVSKA (UKR), who is 15 years old and Elison.

Japan has unheralded Sayuki TANADA (JPN) at 57kg which also has Asian champion MONI (IND), Asian silver Madkhiya USMANOVA (KAZ), European silver Ivanna LUKIANENKO (UKR) and Bacon. This is the only weight class in which the European champion has not entered.

Miranda KAPANADZE (GEO) is Georgia's first-ever European champion in Women's Wrestling. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

At 61kg, history-maker for Georgia's Miranda KAPANADZE (GEO) has entered hoping to win a world medal for Georgia in Women's Wrestling. She was the first European champ for Georgia in Women's Wrestling. But she will face resistance from Asian champ Zhaidar MUKAT (KAZ), European silver Ozdenur OZMEZ (TUR) and European champ Zalina TOTROVA (UWW).

Germany's Feenja HERMANN (GER) finished seventh at 57kg last year but managed to win the European silver medal at 65kg this year. She will be hoping for a world medal as well. Ashvini VISHNOI (IND) is a two-time Asian champ at this weight class and Japan has Mitsuki OKAWA (JPN). Lasure and European champ Lilia ERMOKHINA (UWW) will also be presenting their challenges.

Another of Germany's big hope is Ayla SAHIN (GER) who won the gold medal at the Europeans at 69kg. She was 10th last year at the Worlds at 65kg. But Asian champ MANISHA (IND), Mao TERAOKA (JPN), Pan-Am silver Linda MARTINEZ (MEX), Pan-Am champ Gonzales and European silver medalist Zukhra KAZULAEVA (UWW) are also in the mix.

Apart from the Kajal-Qiu match-up at 73kg, European silver medalist Greta TVERSKYTE (LTU), European champion Eylem ENGIN (TUR), a returning medalist from 57kg, returning fifth-placer Khrystyna DEMCHUK (UKR) and Pan-Am champ Poalillo will make this category worth a watch.

Behruzbek VALIEV (UZB) is one of the three Asian U17 champions for Uzbekistan in Athens. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Greco-Roman

Last year, Uzbekistan was a standout in Greco-Roman at the U17 level, winning the Asian U17 team title and finishing second at the World Championships. It continued this success at the Asian level this year, with each wrestler winning a medal, including three golds.

Uzbekistan will once again be in the team race and threaten Iran, the defending champions.

All three of its Asian champs -- Behruzbek VALIEV (UZB) at 71kg, Abdulaziz KHOLMIRZAEV (UZB) at 80kg and Fakhrikamol KOMILJONOV (UZB) at 92kg -- will compete in Athens.

Iran will rely heavily on its heavyweights Amirsam MOHAMMADI (IRI) at 92kg and Yazdan Reza DELROUZ (IRI) at 110kg for gold medals.

Last year's 15th-placer Hossein KAZEMI (IRI) at 71kg will be a handful for his opponents and Amirreza TAHMASBPOUR (IRI) will be the favorite at 55kg. Amir HAJIVAND (IRI) at 48kg and Amirmohammad HAJI (IRI) at 51kg will compete in the gold-medal hunt as well.

Azerbaijan is another country that is bringing a strong squad to Athens. It has three European champions and three medalists from Skopje making the trip.

While the lighter and heavier weight classes have seen Asian wrestlers do well, the middle weight classes have been dominated by European wrestlers, especially at 65kg, 71kg and 80kg.

Since the weight classes were shuffled in 2018, only three Asian wrestlers have managed to win gold medals at 65kg, 71kg and 80kg. Reza SAKI (IRI) won at 71kg in 2022 and Taizo YOSHIDA (JPN) claimed gold at 80kg in 2023. In 2024, Amir SAEIDI (IRI) broke the jinx at 65kg.

Erekle TAVBERIDZE (GEO) is the European 65kg champion. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Jake Kirkman)

In Athens, at 65kg, European champ Erekle TAVBERIDZE (GEO) will lead the charge. Other key European wrestlers include silver medalist Janes NAZARYAN (ARM), bronze medalist Kyliane EDDOUH (FRA), home favorite Iason MARGARITIDIS (GRE) and many other strong competitors from the European Championships in Skopje.

Asian champion Dosbol SHAMIL (KAZ), who finished seventh at 60kg at the last World Championships, will look to break European dominance at this weight class. So will Pan Am champ Arseni KIKINIOU (USA), who is competing in Freestyle as well.

At 71kg, it can very well end up being a European champion vs Asian champion match to decide it all. Giorgi GOGELASHVILI (GEO) will look to add a world title to his European one while Behruzbek VALIEV (UZB), the Asian champion, will have a chance to upgrade his bronze medal from last year to gold.

Despite his 14th-place finish this year at the European Championships, Yusif AHMADLI (AZE) is a strong contender for gold. He finished seventh at the World Championships last year and has a silver medal in 2023 at 65kg. European silver medalist Ignat MEICO (MDA) and bronze medalist Matias ONNENLEHTO (FIN) are also entered.

European U17 champion Senik VARDANIAN (UWW) will look to add a world title to his name. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

As many as 12 European wrestlers from Skopje are entered at 80kg for Athens. Senik VARDANIAN (UWW) was the champion and will be the favorite to win gold in Athens. He is joined by silver medalist Benediktas BUBELEVICIUS (LTU) and bronze medalists Nijat YEYLAGALIYEV (AZE) and Ismail BEREKET (TUR).

Abdulaziz KHOLMIRZAEV (UZB), the Asian champ, and Pan-Am champion Isai FERNANDEZ (USA) have a big task ahead of them to capture the gold medal.

An interesting entry at 92kg is Said PASHAYEV (AZE), the European Freestyle champ, who will also compete in Greco-Roman. He finished 16th in Skopje. He may not be the favorite but has a chance to trouble the likes of European champion Vadim DRAGUSHAN (UWW) and Asian champion Fakhrikamol KOMILJONOV (UZB), who also is a returning bronze medalist.

Filling the line-up are Amirsam MOHAMMADI (IRI), Asian silver medalist Adilet TOISHY (KAZ), European silver medalist Tymur LARIN (UKR) and Kanstantsin KASYAN (UWW), who will be the dark horse at this weight class. The hosts Greece will bank on European bronze medalist Ioannis MOUTOUSIDIS (GRE) to win a medal at home.

Iran has been denied the 110kg gold since 2019 but it hopes that Yazdan Reza DELROUZ (IRI) will bring it back. Although, it won't be easy. The field includes European champion Rihad IBRAHIMLI (AZE) and silver medalist Denis LAZAROV (BUL). Asian champion HARDEEP (IND) may trouble the Iranian and so can Emrullah CAPKAN (TUR), who finished fifth last year.

European silver medalist Ali NAZAROV (AZE) will be the favorite at 60kg as he dominated the European field barring the final. His biggest challenge can come from Asian champ Damir AKAN (KAZ) in an otherwise weak weight class.

At 45kg, Abdurrahman HUSEYNLI (AZE) is the European champ and he has a good chance to win the world title as well. But the lowest weight class always has a surprise in store. Saba ABASHIDZE (GEO) will look to avenge his European final's loss to Huseynli while Ararat AVETISYAN (ARM), European bronze medalist, is also entered. But can Kuanyshbek ZHANGAZHOL (KAZ), the Asian champion, spoil their party?

Another Asian champion from Kazakhstan, Nurdaulet KUMARULY (KAZ), will be challenging the 48kg field that includes European champion Stanislav IVANOV (BUL), silver medalist Martin MANJIKYAN (ARM), and bronze medalist Gurban MAJNUNOV (AZE).

Marat ATSHEMYAN (ARM), left, and Aslanbek KOSTOEV (UWW) are likely to face each other at 51kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Armenia's gold at the World Championships can come from Marat ATSHEMYAN (ARM), who won the European Championships gold medal at 51kg and a world silver medal at 45kg last year. He will also have a chance to avenge his 2024 Worlds final's loss to Aslanbek KOSTOEV (UWW), who is also entered at 51kg.

The 55kg category is again dominated with European entries including champion Danil LOZHKIN (UWW) and silver medalist Giorgi CHACHUA (GEO). Asian Championships finalists are also entered with champion Alkham ABDIRASULOV (KGZ) and silver medalist Sadriddin TULKINBOEV (UZB).

UWW Awards: Olympic Champs Geraei, Lorincz, Evloev Capture Top Spots in GR Rankings

Comments

U17 World Wrestling Championships 2025 Preview