Who's In?

Who’s In? Greco-Roman Olympic Qualifiers for #Tokyo2020NE

By Andrew Hipps

Cuba’s dominant Greco-Roman program is headed to Tokyo as four qualification events are left with a total of eight licenses in six weight categories remain up for grabs.

CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (April 20) -- In response to the IOC’s decision to postpone the Tokyo Olympic Games until the summer of 2021, United World Wrestling has announced that all Olympic qualification spots already earned will continue to be honored. 

For the nations whose wrestlers qualified at the World Championships or Pan Am Qualifiers that means they are done, but for those who haven’t qualified in each weight category there will be events in March and April of 2021 to determine the remaining eight spots in each category.

We’ve broken down “Who’s In,” and which stars still need to qualify.

While seven nations have qualified two wrestlers and a dozen more have qualified one wrestler, the nation-by-nation leaderboard is dominated by Cuba. The small Caribbean island nation has qualified all six Olympic weight categories, a sign that the nation might repeat the unofficial team championship it won at the Rio Olympic Games in 2016.

Cuba will once again be led by Olympic champion Ismael BORRERO MOLINA (67kg) and three-time Olympic champion Mijain LOPEZ (130kg), but look for Russia, Georgia, Ukraine and Iran to all make gains during their respective continental qualification tournaments.

The United States has qualified four weight categories, with all coming at the Pan American Olympic Qualifier this March in Ottawa: 60kg, 67kg, 87kg and 97kg. 

American Adam COON captured a world silver medal at 130kg in 2018, but the United States still has yet to qualify there or 77kg.

60kg
Reigning world champion Kenichiro FUMITA (JPN) not only has punched his nation’s ticket to their own Games, but has secured the No.1 seed. Russia, Kazakhstan, Iran, Ukraine and Uzbekistan also locked up Olympic licenses in Nur-Sultan. 

China will be looking to qualify this weight category for the Olympics at the Asian Olympic Qualifier with either Sailike WALIHAN or Erbatu TUO. Walihan won gold at the Matteo Pellicone. 

Another top wrestler still looking to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics is Kerem KAMAL (TUR), who is currently ranked No.3 in the world. After failing to reach a medal match at the 2019 World Championships, Kamal finished fifth at the Matteo Pellicone before capturing a silver medal at the European Championships. 

Luis ORTA SANCHEZ (CUB) and Ildar HAFIZOV (USA) qualified their nations in this weight category at the Pan American Olympic Qualifier.

67kg
Borrero, an Olympic gold medalist in Rio, secured Cuba's spot at 67kg for the Tokyo Olympics by winning a world title in Nur-Sultan last September. 

In a shock, two-time world champion Hansu RYU (KOR) failed to qualify at the World Championships after he was defeated by Borrero in the quarterfinals before losing to three-time world champion Frank STAEBLER (GER) in repechage. Ryu will have an opportunity to earn his spot in Tokyo at the Asian Olympic Qualifier or World Olympic "Last Chance" Qualifier. 

Another world champion still looking to secure a spot in Tokyo at 67kg is Olympic silver medalist Shinobu OTA (JPN). Ota won the 2019 world title at the non-Olympic weight class of 60kg, but will move up to 67kg for his Olympic run. 

Julian HORTA ACEVEDO (COL) qualified Colombia for the Olympics in this weight category by winning the Pan American Olympic Qualifier over Alejandro SANCHO (USA).

87kg
Olympic silver medalist Zhan BELENIUK (UKR) captured his second world title in Nur-Sultan, beating three-time world medalist Viktor LORINCZ (HUN) in the finals. The two have since flip-flopped in the world rankings, with Lorincz taking over the No.1 ranking. 

Germany, Uzbekistan, Belarus and Kyrgyzstan all qualified for the Olympics in Nur-Sultan.

World No.4 Kumar SUNIL (IND) will be looking to qualify at the Asian Olympic Qualifier. He started the year ranked 33rd in the world but climbed 29 spots by winning gold at the Asian Championships and silver at the Matteo Pellicone. 

97kg
Multiple-time world champion Musa EVLOEV (RUS) and Olympic gold medalist Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) finished first and second respectively at the World Championships in Nur-Sultan. The duo have created one of the best rivalries in the sport, which fans expect to extend to Tokyo in 2021. 

Cenk ILDEM (TUR) has also qualified the weight and will be looking for his second Olympic medal. The Turkish youth qualified for Tokyo by earning a bronze medal at the World Championships. 

World No.4 Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI), a 2018 junior world champion, won the Asian Championships this year and will be among the favorites to qualify for the Tokyo Games at the Asian Olympic Qualifier. 

This year’s European silver medalist Nikoloz KAKHELASHVILI (ITA), currently ranked No.5 in the world, will attempt to punch his nation’s ticket at the European Olympic qualifier. Another wrestler to keep an eye on at the European Olympic Qualifier is Mélonin NOUMONVI (FRA). The 2014 world champion will be chasing his French-record fourth Olympic appearance.

130kg
Four-time world champion Riza KAYAALP (TUR) is the reigning world champion and entering the Tokyo 2021 Games as the top seed. But his path to gold will be Olympic gold will be difficult since Oscar PINO HINDS qualified Cuba for the Olympics at 130kg by winning a silver medal at the World Championships in Nur-Sultan. However, it’ll be three-time Olympic champion Mijain LOPEZ (CUB) competing next summer in Tokyo. 

Heiki NABI (EST) will be looking to win his second Olympic medal after winning a silver at the London Olympics in 2012. The 34-year-old Estonian qualified for Tokyo by winning a bronze medal in Nur-Sultan. Georgia, Iran and Germany also secured 130kg Olympic licenses at the World Championships. 

Yasmani ACOSTA FERNANDEZ (CHI) and Eduard SOGHOMONYAN (BRA) qualified for the Olympics by claiming gold and silver respectively at the Pan American Olympic Qualifier. 

Ahmed MOHAMED (EGY) has had a strong year, climbing to No.3 in the world. He will attempt to qualify Egypt for the Olympics at the African/Oceania Olympic Qualifier. World No.4 Muminjon ABDULLAEV (UZB) earned a bronze medal at the Matteo Pellicone and will look to earn an Olympic license at the Asian Olympic Qualifier. 

#WrestleTirana

Takara Suda, Ono's training partner and Japan's new star

By Vinay Siwach

TIRANA, Albania (February 26) -- World champion Masanosuke ONO (JPN) has a rival and he knows him too well.

Takara SUDA (JPN), Ono's training partner since high school, won the Ranking Series gold medal at the Muhamet Malo in Tirana, Albania. Incidentally, it was in Tirana last year at the World Championships that an unheralded Ono rose to become the world champion.

READ MORE: Masanosuke Ono Takes Over Wrestling

Suda and Ono went to the same high school -- Tosu Tech -- and trained together before both joined the Yamanashi Gaikun University. Both training partners are quickly turning into rivals as Ono charts his own path while Suda can become the first choice at the university.

While the Ranking Series isn't the same as the stacked World Championships, Suda's style and quick movements can trouble even the best as it was evident on Wednesday.

Suda's quick movement aided his attacking style. Over the course of his four bouts, Suda made his opponents uncomfortable with forward pressure and catching them off guard. While defending, he was able to turn around from the zone.

Takara SUDA (JPN)Takara SUDA (JPN) defeated Nachyn MONGUSH (UWW) in the 61kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

In the 61kg final, Suda was up against former U23 world champion Nachyn MONGUSH (UWW) and despite a late comeback from Mongush, Suda held on to a very impressive 8-8 win and the gold medal.

"I feel happy," Suda said after his win. "Most of all I'm really grateful to all the people who support me on a daily basis, including my family, the manager and coaches, and my friends who practiced with me."

Suda was quick off the blocks and scored a stepout and then hit a double leg for a 3-0 lead. Mongush stopped Suda with a chestwrap and then exposed him for two points. A reversal made it 4-2 before Suda got a takedown to lead 6-2 at the break.

Mongush began the second period with an attempted headpinch but Suda blocked it and pinned Mongush on the mat for two points to lead 8-2. Just when it seemed like he will run away with the gold medal, Mongush mounted a comeback. He scored a stepout and Suda was cautioned for fleeing.

With the score 8-4, Mongush scored another stepout and managed a takedown with 31 seconds left on the clock. A stepout without fleeing made it 8-8 but Suda kept the criteria lead for four two-point moves. He held on for the remaining 11 seconds and won the gold medal.

Takara SUDA (JPN)Takara SUDA (JPN) with the gold medal after winning at 61kg in Tirana. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

This was the second time Suda was wrestling a final at the international level. He won a silver medal at the U15 Asian Championships in 2019 but had not wrestled internationally since.

Perhaps the rust over the years of being away from international wrestling was visible as his conditioning worsened in the second period. 

"It's been a long time since I last played a final," he said. "It was my first overseas match in five [six] years. I was already taking on this match with a sense of challenge. I really didn't expect it to turn out like this."

The 20-year-old is now waiting for the Ono, who is in the United States for more than a month now, to return so he can train with the world champion.

"I train with Ono as a teammate not only at the university but also at the high school. Now he is in America but I want to train when he comes back."