World Olympic Games Qualifier Entries

Wednesday, April 28, 2021 - 16:03 By Eric Olanowski

SOFIA, Bulgaria (April 28) -- The final qualification event for the Tokyo Olympic Games, the World Olympic Games Qualifier, kicks off next Thursday (May 6-9) in Sofia, Bulgaria, and is set to welcome 474 athletes from 84 different nations.

Coming into Sofia, 14/16 Olympic licenses have been claimed. Wrestlers who reach the finals in their respective weight classes punch their nations tickets to August's Tokyo Olympic Games.

Tokyo Olympic Qualification Events:
- '19 World Championships (six)
- '20 Pan-American Olympic Qualifier (two)
- '21 European Olympic Qualifier (two)
- ‘21 African & Oceania Olympic Qualifier (two)
- ‘21 Asian Olympic Qualifier (two)
- '21 World Olympic Games Qualifier (two)

Freestyle

57kg
Giorgi EDISHERASHVILI (AZE)
Uladzislau ANDREYEU (BLR)
Aso PALANI (CAN)
Reineri ANDREU ORTEGA (CUB)
Juan Rubelin RAMIREZ BELTRE (DOM)
Levan METREVELI VARTANOV (ESP)
Junjun ASEBIAS (FSM)
Beka BUJIASHVILI (GEO)
Niklas STECHELE (GER)
Mohamed Ismaele CAMARA (GUI)
Givi DAVIDOVI (ITA)
Yuki TAKAHASHI (JPN)
Simon Kamau WAINAINA (KEN)
Almaz SMANBEKOV (KGZ)
Sunggwon KIM (KOR)
Chakir ANSARI (MAR)
Anatolii BURUIAN (MDA)
Roberto ALEJANDRO BLANCO (MEX)
Bekhbayar ERDENEBAT (MGL)
Vladimir EGOROV (MKD)
Muhammad BILAL (PAK)
Richard Antonio GARCIA ANDRADE (PAN)
Razvan Marian KOVACS (ROU)
Muhamad IKROMOV (TJK)
Rozgeldi SEYIDOV (TKM)
Taras MARKOVYCH (UKR)
Pedro Jesus MEJIAS RODRIGUEZ (VEN)

65kg
Vilson NDREGJONI (ALB)
Gabriel JANATSCH (AUT)
Niurgun SKRIABIN (BLR)
Marcos Wesley DE BRITO SIQUEIRA (BRA)
Ruhan Hyusnyu RASIM (BUL)
Dillon Emmanuel WILLIAMS (CAN)
Wber Euclides CUERO MUNOZ (COL)
Albaro RUDECINDO CAMACHO (DOM)
Fathi Tarek Fathi Attia ISMAIL (EGY)
Juan Pablo GONZALEZ CRESPO (ESP)
Ilman MUKHTAROV (FRA)
George Anthony RAMM (GBR)
Mbunde CUMBA MBALI (GBS)
TBD - (GEO)
Alexander SEMISOROW (GER)
Georgios PILIDIS (GRE)
Abdellatif MANSOUR (ITA)
Gilbert Mbevoni KABOCHE (KEN)
Junsik YUN (KOR)
Mohammed J M Th A ABDULKAREEM (KUW)
Nicolai GRAHMEZ (MDA)
Fati VEJSELI (MKD)
Sixto Miguel AUCCAPINA PEDRAGAS (PER)
Magomedmurad GADZHIEV (POL)
Sebastian C RIVERA (PUR)
Nikolai OKHLOPKOV (ROU)
David HABAT (SLO)
Chamara Milinda Perera WEERASINGHEGE (SRI)
Mustafo AKHMEDOV (TJK)
Perman HOMMADOV (TKM)
Selahattin KILICSALLAYAN (TUR)
Hor OHANNESIAN (UKR)
Jordan Michael OLIVER (USA)
Ilyas BEKBULATOV (UZB)
Hussein Abdullah Hussein Abdullah AL AZZANI (YEM)

74kg
Francisco de Deus KADIMA (ANG)
Jorge Ivan LLANO (ARG)
Arman ANDREASYAN (ARM)
Elias Lauofo VAOIFI (ASA)
Simon MARCHL (AUT)
Mahamedkhabib KADZIMAHAMEDAU (BLR)
Ali Pasha Ruslanovich UMARPASHAEV (BUL)
Jasmit Singh PHULKA (CAN)
Leon Juan Carlos PERALTA LANAS (CHI)
Nestor Joaquin TAFUR BARRIOS (COL)
Julio Rafael RODRIGUEZ ROMERO (DOM)
Jonatan ALVAREZ DIAZ (ESP)
Aimar ANDRUSE (EST)
Nicolae COJOCARU (GBR)
Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE)
Murad KURAMAGOMEDOV (HUN)
Amit Kumar DHANKHAR (IND)
Mitchell Louis FINESILVER (ISR)
Mathayo Matonya MAHABILA (KEN)
Arsalan BUDAZHAPOV (KGZ)
Byungmin GONG (KOR)
Evgheni NEDEALCO (MDA)
Byambadorj BAT ERDENE (MGL)
Ogbonna Emmanuel JOHN (NGR)
Abdullrahman Ibrahim A IBRAHIM (QAT)
Zurab KAPRAEV (ROU)
Mohamed SESAY (SLE)
Malik Michael AMINE (SMR)
Hetik CABOLOV (SRB)
Marc DIETSCHE (SUI)
Tajmuraz Mairbekovic SALKAZANOV (SVK)
Alymuhammet OVEZMYRADOV (TKM)
Ayoub BARRAJ (TUN)
Soner DEMIRTAS (TUR)
Vasyl MYKHAILOV (UKR)

86kg
Hovhannes MKHITARYAN (ARM)
Abubakr ABAKAROV (AZE)
Akhmed Adamovich MAGAMAEV (BUL)
Alexander Robert MOORE (CAN)
Yurieski TORREBLANCA QUERALTA (CUB)
Taimuraz FRIEV NASKIDAEVA (ESP)
Ville Tapani HEINO (FIN)
Saifedine ALEKMA (FRA)
Bedopassa Buassat DJONDE (GBS)
Sandro AMINASHVILI (GEO)
Ahmed Ruslanovic DUDAROV (GER)
Georgios SAVVOULIDIS (GRE)
Istvan VEREB (HUN)
Uri KALASHNIKOV (ISR)
Simone IANNATTONI (ITA)
Daichi TAKATANI (JPN)
Sohsuke TAKATANI (JPN)
Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ)
John Odhiambo OMONDI (KEN)
Saiakbai USUPOV (KGZ)
Abdullah F A SALEEM (KUW)
Domenic Michael ABOU NADER (LBN)
Piotr IANULOV (MDA)
Noel Alfonso TORRES CHACON (MEX)
Unurbat PUREVJAV (MGL)
Zbigniew Mateusz BARANOWSKI (POL)
Ethan Adrian RAMOS (PUR)
Mihai Nicolae PALAGHIA (ROU)
Boris MAKOEV (SVK)
Bakhodur KODIROV (TJK)
Dovletmyrat ORAZGYLYJOV (TKM)
Maher GHANMI (TUN)
Mukhammed ALIIEV (UKR)
Pedro Francisco CEBALLOS FUENTES (VEN)

97kg
Nathaniel Tuifao TUAMOHELOA (ASA)
Ahmed Sultanovich BATAEV (BUL)
Ulrich Elyse MANOUAN (CIV)
Luis Miguel PEREZ SOSA (DOM)
Alejandro CANADA PANCORBO (ESP)
Erik Sven THIELE (GER)
Timofei XENIDIS (GRE)
Gino Tanislado AVILA DILBERT (HON)
Satywart KADIAN (IND)
Abraham de Jesus CONYEDO RUANO (ITA)
Taira SONODA (JPN)
Naoya AKAGUMA (JPN)
Arslanbek TURDUBEKOV (KGZ)
Minwon SEO (KOR)
Nicolai CEBAN (MDA)
Altangerel CHINBAT (MGL)
Haroon ABID (PAK)
Radoslaw BARAN (POL)
Evan Amadour RAMOS (PUR)
Albert SARITOV (ROU)
Amadu O KAMARA (SLE)
Samuel SCHERRER (SUI)
Zyyamuhammet SAPAROV (TKM)
Valerii ANDRIITSEV (UKR)
Jose Daniel DIAZ ROBERTTI (VEN)

125kg
Paris KAREPI (ALB)
Param Pal SINGH (AUS)
Johannes LUDESCHER (AUT)
Vakhit GALAYEV (AZE)
Georgi Lyubomirov IVANOV (BUL)
Jose CUBA VAZQUEZ (ESP)
Jere Tapani HEINO (FIN)
Daniel LIGETI (HUN)
Sumit SUMIT (IND)
Tetsuya TANAKA (JPN)
Aiaal LAZAREV (KGZ)
Donghwan KIM (KOR)
Alexandr ROMANOV (MDA)
Robert BARAN (POL)
Charles Zachary MERRILL (PUR)
Rares Daniel CHINTOAN (ROU)
Sergei KOZYREV (RUS)
Rustam ISKANDARI (TJK)
Shatlyk HEMELYAYEV (TKM)
Dilmukhammed NURMUKHAMEDOV (UZB)

Greco-Roman

60kg
Armen MELIKYAN (ARM)
Murad MAMMADOV (AZE)
Maksim KAZHARSKI (BLR)
Edmond Armen NAZARYAN (BUL)
Adam Takahashi MACFADYEN (CAN)
Dicther Hans TORO CASTANEDA (COL)
Ivan LIZATOVIC (CRO)
Andres Roberto MONTANO ARROYO (ECU)
Helary MAEGISALU (EST)
Dato CHKHARTISHVILI (GEO)
Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO)
Krisztian KECSKEMETI (HUN)
Sachin RANA (IND)
Hanjae CHUNG (KOR)
Mohammad F Kh M J ALAJMI (KUW)
Justas PETRAVICIUS (LTU)
Fouad FAJARI (MAR)
Victor CIOBANU (MDA)
Samuel GURRIA VIGUERAS (MEX)
Stig Andre BERGE (NOR)
Michal Jacek TRACZ (POL)
Joshua Xavier MEDINA (PUR)
Razvan ARNAUT (ROU)
Ardit FAZLJIJA (SWE)
Firuz MIRZORAJABOV (TJK)
Merdan ALLAYAROV (TKM)
Jui Chi HUANG (TPE)

67kg
Karen ASLANYAN (ARM)
Rasul CHUNAYEV (AZE)
Aliaksandr LIAVONCHYK (BLR)
Deyvid Tihomirov DIMITROV (BUL)
Daniel Troy COLES (CAN)
Cristobal Alonso TORRES NUNEZ (CHI)
Danijel JANECIC (CRO)
Enyer Manuel FELICIANO (DOM)
Marcos SANCHEZ SILVA MEJIAS (ESP)
Elmer Joakim MATTILA (FIN)
Mamadassa SYLLA (FRA)
Ashu ASHU (IND)
Katsuaki ENDO (JPN)
Shogo TAKAHASHI (JPN)
Almat KEBISPAYEV (KAZ)
Kenneth KOECH (KEN)
Amantur ISMAILOV (KGZ)
Kristupas SLEIVA (LTU)
Donior ISLAMOV (MDA)
Diego Alberto MARTINEZ DE LEIJA (MEX)
Morten THORESEN (NOR)
Nilton Gonzalo Marcos SOTO GARCIA (PER)
Gevorg SAHAKYAN (POL)
Andreas VETSCH (SUI)
Leos DRMOLA (SVK)
Azatjan ACHILOV (TKM)
Enes BASAR (TUR)
Parviz NASIBOV (UKR)
Aker AL OBAIDI (UWW)
Makhmud BAKHSHILLOEV (UZB)
Anthony Javier PALENCIA PUENTES (VEN)

77kg
Abd Elkrim OUAKALI (ALG)
Francisco de Deus KADIMA (ANG)
Rafig HUSEYNOV (AZE)
Viktar SASUNOUSKI (BLR)
Aik MNATSAKANIAN (BUL)
Jair Alexis CUERO MUNOZ (COL)
Oldrich VARGA (CZE)
Yuisralembert CARRION PEREZ (ESP)
Matias Olavi Iisakki LIPASTI (FIN)
Evrik NIKOGHOSYAN (FRA)
Bakuri GOGOLI (GEO)
Shmagi BOLKVADZE (GEO)
Roland SCHWARZ (GER)
Georgios PREVOLARAKIS (GRE)
Singh GURPREET (IND)
Riccardo Vito ABBRESCIA (ITA)
Hyeonwoo KIM (KOR)
Paulius GALKINAS (LTU)
Daniel CATARAGA (MDA)
Per Anders KURE (NOR)
Edgar BABAYAN (POL)
Marciano George ALI (PUR)
Bakhit Sharif K BADR (QAT)
Ilie COJOCARI (ROU)
Viktor NEMES (SRB)
Mate NEMES (SRB)
Nicolas Peter CHRISTEN (SUI)
Denis HORVATH (SVK)
Daler REZA ZADE (TJK)
Muhammetberdi MAMEDOV (TKM)
Fatih CENGIZ (TUR)
Dmytro VASETSKYI (UKR)
Jesse Alexander PORTER (USA)
Wuileixis de Jesus RIVAS ESPINOZA (VEN)

87kg
Artur SHAHINYAN (ARM)
Michael WAGNER (AUT)
Tarek Mohamed ABDELSLAM SHEBLE MOHAMED (BUL)
Ioannis NARLIDIS (CAN)
Carlos Andres MUNOZ JARAMILLO (COL)
Ivan HUKLEK (CRO)
Petr NOVAK (CZE)
Pedro Jacinto GARCIA PEREZ (ESP)
Vili Tapio ROPPONEN (FIN)
Dimitrios PAPADOPOULOS (GRE)
Ariel Andres ALFONSO RODRIGUEZ (HON)
Kumar SUNIL (IND)
Naser Ghasem ALIZADEH (IRI)
Mirco MINGUZZI (ITA)
Lesyan Osvaldo COUSIN OTOMURO (JAM)
Yoji KAWAMURA (JPN)
Masato SUMI (JPN)
Mark Omumasaba INGUYESI (KEN)
Jinhyeok KIM (KOR)
Julius MATUZEVICIUS (LTU)
Gabriel LUPASCO (MDA)
Alvis Albino ALMENDRA JIMENEZ (PAN)
Arkadiusz Marcin KULYNYCZ (POL)
Davit CHAKVETADZE (RUS)
Zurabi DATUNASHVILI (SRB)
Ramon Rainer BETSCHART (SUI)
Kristoffer Zakarias BERG (SWE)
Sukhrob ABDULKHAEV (TJK)
Shageldi ANNAYEV (TKM)
Metehan BASAR (TUR)
Luis Eduardo AVENDANO ROJAS (VEN)

97kg
Daniel GASTL (AUT)
Murat LOKIAYEV (AZE)
Aliaksandr HRABOVIK (BLR)
Thomas Rahontsiiosta BARREIRO (CAN)
Phillip Raweriio BARREIRO (CAN)
Artur OMAROV (CZE)
Amir ALAWAD (EGY)
Jesus GASCA FRESNEDA (ESP)
Melonin NOUMONVI (FRA)
Peter OEHLER (GER)
Laokratis KESIDIS (GRE)
Kevin MEJIA CASTILLO (HON)
Alex Gergo SZOKE (HUN)
Deepanshu DEEPANSHU (IND)
Nikoloz KAKHELASHVILI (ITA)
Kaito MIYAMOTO (JPN)
Yuta NARA (JPN)
Olzhas SYRLYBAY (KAZ)
Seungjun KIM (KOR)
Vilius LAURINAITIS (LTU)
Felix BALDAUF (NOR)
Damian VON EUW (SUI)
Pontus Johan LUND (SWE)
Vladlen KOZLIUK (UKR)
Luillys Jose PEREZ MORA (VEN)

130kg
David OVASAPYAN (ARM)
Beka KANDELAKI (AZE)
Georgi CHUGOSHVILI (BLR)
Radoslav Plamenov GEORGIEV (BUL)
Marko KOSCEVIC (CRO)
Stepan DAVID (CZE)
Leo Dalis SANTANA HEREDIA (DOM)
Matti Elias KUOSMANEN (FIN)
Alexandros PAPADATOS (GRE)
Adam VARGA (HUN)
Naveen NAVEEN (IND)
Luca GODINO (ITA)
Arata SONODA (JPN)
Alimkhan SYZDYKOV (KAZ)
Murat RAMONOV (KGZ)
Oskar MARVIK (NOR)
Rafal Andrzej KRAJEWSKI (POL)
Alin ALEXUC CIURARIU (ROU)
Mykola KUCHMII (UKR)
Adam Jacob COON (USA)
Moises Salvador PEREZ HELLBURG (VEN)

Women's Wrestling

50kg
Patricia Alejandra BERMUDEZ (ARG)
Anastasiya YANOTAVA (BLR)
Kamila BARBOSA VITO DA SILVA (BRA)
Jessica Anne Marie MACDONALD (CAN)
Lucia Yamileth YEPEZ GUZMAN (ECU)
Nada Medani Ashour Abdalla MOHAMED (EGY)
Julie Martine SABATIE (FRA)
Debora Valeria TURE (GBS)
Lisa ERSEL (GER)
Mia Lahnee Ramos AQUINO (GUM)
Seema SEEMA (IND)
YeoJin KIM (KOR)
Mariana DRAGUTAN (MDA)
Thalia Jihann MALLQUI PECHE (PER)
Anna LUKASIAK (POL)
Emma Jonna Denise MALMGREN (SWE)
Meng Hsuan HSIEH (TPE)
Dauletbike YAKHSHIMURATOVA (UZB)

53kg
Turkan NASIROVA (AZE)
Sezen Behchetova BELBEROVA (BUL)
Samantha Leigh STEWART (CAN)
Luisa Elizabeth VALVERDE MELENDRES (ECU)
Marina RUEDA FLORES (ESP)
Hilary Ysaline HONORINE (FRA)
Annika WENDLE (GER)
Mercedesz DENES (HUN)
Emma Nekesa WANGILA (KEN)
Hyunyoung OH (KOR)
Iulia LEORDA (MDA)
Laura Gabriela PEREDO TORRES (MEX)
Jessica Cornelia Francisca BLASZKA (NED)
Esther Omolayo KOLAWOLE (NGR)
Andreea Beatrice ANA (ROU)
Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (RUS)
Yung Hsun LIN (TPE)
Zeynep YETGIL (TUR)
Iryna KHARIV CHYKHRADZE (UKR)
Shokhida AKHMEDOVA (UZB)
Betzabeth Angelica ARGUELLO VILLEGAS (VEN)

57kg
Alyona KOLESNIK (AZE)
Giullia RODRIGUES PENALBER DE OLIVEIRA (BRA)
Linda MORAIS (CAN)
Graciela SANCHEZ DIAZ (ESP)
Mathilde Hélène RIVIERE (FRA)
Laura MERTENS (GER)
Emese BARKA (HUN)
Francesca INDELICATO (ITA)
Altynay SATYLGAN (KAZ)
Nuraida ANARKULOVA (KGZ)
Shinhye LEE (KOR)
Zineb HASSOUNE (MAR)
Grace Jacob BULLEN (NOR)
Nes Marie RODRIGUEZ TIRADO (PUR)
Kateryna ZHYDACHEVSKA (ROU)
Veronika CHUMIKOVA (RUS)
Sara Johanna LINDBORG (SWE)
Bediha GUN (TUR)
Sevara ESHMURATOVA (UZB)
Betzabeth Rebeca SARCO COLMENAREZ (VEN)

62kg
Tetiana OMELCHENKO (AZE)
Veranika IVANOVA (BLR)
Jessica Lise BROUILLETTE (CAN)
Berthe Emilienne ETANE NGOLLE (CMR)
Jackeline RENTERIA CASTILLO (COL)
Iva GERIC (CRO)
Lydia PEREZ TOURINO (ESP)
Luisa Helga Gerda NIEMESCH (GER)
Elena ESPOSITO (ITA)
Aina TEMIRTASSOVA (KAZ)
Winrose ALIVISA (KEN)
Youngjin KWON (KOR)
Mariana CHERDIVARA ESANU (MDA)
Alejandra ROMERO BONILLA (MEX)
Bolortuya KHURELKHUU (MGL)
Ashley Chantelle ZARATE CAMPBELL (PAN)
Aleksandra WOLCZYNSKA (POL)
Kriszta Tunde INCZE (ROU)
Liubov OVCHAROVA (RUS)
Hsin Ping PAI (TPE)
Elif Jale YESILIRMAK (TUR)
Nabira ESENBAEVA (UZB)
Nathaly Josefina GRIMAN HERRERA (VEN)

68kg
Luz Clara VAZQUEZ (ARG)
Elis MANOLOVA (AZE)
Anastasiya ZIMIANKOVA (BLR)
Mimi Nikolova HRISTOVA (BUL)
Adela HANZLICKOVA (CZE)
Yessica Coraima OVIEDO PEREZ (DOM)
Agoro PAPAVASILEIOU (GRE)
Nisha NISHA (IND)
Ilana KRATYSH (ISR)
Dalma CANEVA (ITA)
Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ)
Eun Sun JEONG (KOR)
Danute DOMIKAITYTE (LTU)
Irina RINGACI (MDA)
Ambar Michell GARNICA FLORES (MEX)
Yanet Ursula SOVERO NINO (PER)
Natalia Iwona STRZALKA (POL)
Zsuzsanna MOLNAR (SVK)
Buse TOSUN (TUR)
Svetlana OKNAZAROVA (UZB)
Soleymi Antonieta CARABALLO HERNANDEZ (VEN)

76kg
Martina KUENZ (AUT)
Gozal ZUTOVA (AZE)
Mariya Gerginova ORYASHKOVA (BUL)
Amy YOUIN (CIV)
Tatiana RENTERIA RENTERIA (COL)
Milaimys de la Caridad MARIN POTRILLE (CUB)
Genesis Rosangela REASCO VALDEZ (ECU)
Pauline Denise LECARPENTIER (FRA)
Georgina Olwen NELTHORPE (GBR)
Aikaterini Eirini PITSIAVA (GRE)
Zsanett NEMETH (HUN)
Pooja POOJA (IND)
Enrica RINALDI (ITA)
Sujin PARK (KOR)
Kamile GAUCAITE (LTU)
Iselin Maria Moen SOLHEIM (NOR)
Patrycja SPERKA (POL)
Catalina AXENTE (ROU)
Yasemin ADAR (TUR)
Alla BELINSKA (UKR)
Shakhribonu ELLIEVA (UZB)
Maria Jose ACOSTA ACOSTA (VEN)

#WrestleSofia

Ozaki leads strong Japan team; USA, Ukraine eye U20 Worlds glory

Friday, August 12, 2022 - 23:00 By Vinay Siwach

SOFIA, Bulgaria (August 10) -- Nonoka OZAKI (JPN) has competed in three World Championships so far in her career. At the two U17 World Championships, she was unperturbed and claimed gold with much ease.

In 2019, she debuted at the senior World Championships and hoped to continue her unbeaten international record. But her opening round opponent, the defending champion Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) came from behind to hand Ozaki her first international loss and second overall since 2017.

Before she makes another run for the senior world title in Serbia in September, Ozaki will make a pit spot in Sofia, Bulgaria at the U20 Worlds.

Ozaki, who defeated Tynybekova in the Asian Championships final, will be leading a talented Japan squad into the tournament which begins August 15.

Like the U17 World Championships, Japan skipped the 2021 edition due to travel restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic. But the nation is primed to win the women's team title in Sofia. The USA claimed it in Japan's absence in Ufa, Russia last year.

The USA has once again entered a strong team hoping to repeat the title-winning performance. Ukraine, which also missed the Worlds in Ufa, will be one of the favorites as well with India hoping to build on its U17 success.

Apart from Ozaki, two other senior world team members -- Ami ISHII (JPN) and Sakura MOTOKI (JPN) -- are also taking the trip to Sofia. All three would hope to warm up for Belgrade with gold medals at the U20 level.

Former U17 world champions Umi ITO (JPN), Moe KIYOOKA (JPN) and Ruka NATAMI (JPN) and senior Asian Championships silver medalist Sumire NIIKURA (JPN) add depth to the squad.

Ozaki, undoubtedly, will be the favorite to win the 62kg weight class but it not be a cakewalk.

Returning bronze medalist Birgul SOLTANOVA (AZE) won the U20 European Championships in Rome and would be keen on adding a world title to her name. At the Euros, she pulled off an upset by pinning Iryna BONDAR (UKR) who was leading 11-4. Bondar will look to avenge that loss in Sofia.

Luisa SCHEEL (GER) will be another wrestler hoping to reverse the result against Soltanova as she finished second to her in Rome.

Two-time U17 world champion and Tokyo Olympian Sonam MALIK (IND) will also be making her U20 debut and hope to become India's first woman to be a world champion in this age group.

Amit ELOR (USA), red, is a returning U20 world champion. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

The USA will be led by returning world champion Amit ELOR (USA) who is hoping to become the nation's first two-time U20 world champion. Elor won the U17 and U20 world titles last year and like Ozaki, will represent the USA in Belgrade.

In the four competitions she has wrestled internationally, Elor has suffered only one loss when Honoka NAKAI (JPN) defeated her in the semifinals of the '19 U17 Worlds, incidentally in Sofia.

She will face a packed field at 72kg with Niikura leading the contenders. Her experience at the senior level will give her an upper hand against Elor but the American is one of the most composed wrestlers around the world.

Others in the pack include U20 European champion Iryna ZABLOTSKA (UKR), silver medalist Nazar BATIR (TUR), U20 Asian champion REETIKA (IND) and Tokyo Olympian Zaineb SGHAIER (TUN).

Katie GOMEZ (USA) will hope to add a U20 world to her U17 one she won in 2021. (Photo: UWW / Martin Gabor)

Another world champion for the USA is Katie GOMEZ (USA) who won the U17 title last year. She will try to win the gold medal at 53kg which also has the returning silver medalist Mihaela SAMOIL (MDA) who also won the silver at U20 Europeans this year.

Gomez may run into ANTIM (IND), a wrestler she defeated at the U17 Worlds in a controversial ending to all but clear her path to the gold. ANTIM has since won the U20 Asian title and claimed the Ranking Series gold medal in Tunis.

U20 European champion Amory ANDRICH (GER), who outscored her opponents 38-1, will hope to carry her form in Sofia and challenge the other stars. Returning bronze medalist Emine CAKMAK (TUR) has a chance to upgrade her medal as well.

Japan is sending Ayaka KIMURA (JPN) at this weight class. Kimura was second to world champion Akari FUJINAMI (JPN) at the Junior Queen's Cup and will be making her international debut.

As the winner of the Junior Queen's Cup, Fujinami was in the Japan team but the 18-year-old decided to skip the tournament.

Oleksandra KHOMENETS (UKR) will try to win her first world title in Sofia. (Photo: UWW / Martin Gabor)

Leading the Ukraine star is World Championships bronze and European silver medalist Oleksandra KHOMENETS (UKR). The experienced international star won the U20 European Championships and will be the favorite to win the 57kg gold.

The category has three returning medalists in silver Aurora RUSSO (ITA) and both bronze winners -- SITO (IND) and Sezim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ).

But the biggest threat to Khomentes hopes of winning the gold is Ruka NATAMI (JPN) who is trying to add a U20 world title to the 2019 U17 title she won in Sofia, the last time she was competing internationally.

Natami also has a U17 Asian silver medal from 2018 after she lost the final to now world silver medalist Anshu MALIK (IND).

Two-time U20 European champion at 59kg Yulia LESKOVETS (UKR) is aiming to win her first world title after being denied by Ozaki at 61kg in 2018.

The Ukraine wrestler has been on a serious run since that loss. She won '21 Euro gold and defended it without conceding a point in her five bouts in Rome.

But it won't be an easy road to gold in Sofia as Sakura MOTOKI (JPN) will be returning to international competition for the first time since winning the '18 U17 world title at 46kg. She defeated Asian champion Sara NATAMI (JPN) twice at the Meiji Cup to win the spot on Japan's team for the senior World Championships.

The weight class also has returning bronze medalist Madina AMAN (KAZ), who also finished with a silver at the U20 Asian Championships and Ebru DAGBASI (TUR) who was second to Leskovets at the U20 Euros.

Umi ITO (JPN) is entered at 50kg. (Photo: UWW / Sachiko Hotaka)

Unbeaten internationally over six tournaments, Umi ITO (JPN) is back at the World Championships, the first time since winning the U17 title in 2017 at 43kg. She was injured during the Meiji Cup semifinal against world champion Remina YOSHIMOTO (JPN) but has recovered in time for Sofia.

Ito has won the Klippan Lady Open twice with the second coming in 2020. But since then, she has not been able to venture out of Japan due to the pandemic.

Her biggest competitor may turn out to be U20 European champion Sevval CAYIR (TUR) as she continues to gain international experience. The 17-year-old is a two-time U17 Worlds bronze medalist with her second one coming in Rome two weeks ago.

Munkhgerel MUNKHBAT (MGL) won the bronze medal at the '21 U20 Worlds and will return with the aim of upgrading her medal.

Former U17 world bronze medalist Audrey JIMENEZ (USA) would like to put her disappointing experience at the U17 Worlds behind and look to win a medal in Sofia.

U20 European champion Elnura MAMMADOVA (AZE) is eyeing her first World Championships medal. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

At 55kg, Elnura MAMMADOVA (AZE) is the most accomplished wrestler with experience in various senior-level events. The U20 European champion has never won a medal at any World Championships but Sofia will present her with another chance. Since finishing 12th at the previous U20 Worlds, Mammadova has won gold at U20 Euros and silver at the U23 continental level.

Another wrestler with a wealth of experience is Tuba DEMIR (TUR) who finished second to Mammadova at the U20 European Championships. Just 16 years of age, Demir won the U17 continental title and a bronze medal at the U17 Worlds as well.

But 2019 U17 world champion Moe KIYOOKA (JPN) will be returning to Sofia once again with the hope of winning another world title in the same arena. Recently, she finished second to Olympic champion Mayu SHIDOCHI (JPN) at the Meiji Cup in June.

Two continental champions can potentially collide at 65kg as PRIYANKA (IND) and Manola SKOBELSKA (UKR) are both entered for the competition.

Priyanka won the U20 Asian title in some style in Manama, Bahrain in June while two-time U20 European champion Skobelska was dominant during her golden run in Rome. She did not concede a single point during her four bouts.

Last year's U17 world champion and second to Skobelska in Rome, Eniko ELEKES (HUN) will be another threat to the gold medal.

Priya MALIK (IND) is a two-time U17 world champion. (Photo: UWW / Martin Gabor)

Two of the most stacked weight classes in Sofia are the 68kg and 76kg as they have some of the most accomplished wrestlers in the field.

At 76kg, U20 Euro champion Veronika NYIKOS (HUN) is joined by silver medalist Mariia ORLEVYCH (UKR) who is likely to play a crucial role in the team race.

2021 U20 European champion Melisa SARITAC (TUR) is also entered in the field. She lost her opening bout via fall to Elena MARGAS (ROU) in 2022.

But Ayano MORO (JPN) may prove to be the dark horse and win the gold. She won gold at the 2018 and 2019 U15 Asian Championships and those runs are part of her 32-bout winning streak which began in 2017.

Two-time U17 world champion Priya MALIK (IND) will now test herself at the U20 level and become India's first-ever wrestler to hold three world titles. Malik has lost only once in her entire career -- a 3-2 loss to Nodoka YAMAMOTO (JPN) at the Asian Championships.

Pan-Am champion Vianne ROULEAU (CAN) is also joining the field and can make the run for the gold which will be Canada's first since 2013.

Ami ISHII (JPN) is Japan's respresentative for U20 and senior World Championships. (Photo: Japan Wrestling Federation / Takeo Yabuki)

The 68kg field offers Ami ISHII (JPN) who has qualified for the senior world team for Japan. She impressed with her title-winning run at the Meiji Cup in June and defeated world silver medalist Rin MIYAJI (JPN) in the final.

Returning bronze medalist Nesrin BAS (TUR) won the U20 European Championships and will be hoping to reach the final this year, especially after gaining senior-level experience.

ARJU (IND) lost the bronze medal bout in Budapest but she has since won the U20 Asians and finished with a silver at the U23 level to put her name in the mix.

Silver to Arju in Bishkek, Nurzat NURTAEVA (KGZ) is another wrestler to keep an eye on along with U20 European silver medalist Luciana BEDA (MDA) and '21 U17 world silver Yevheniia SIEDYKH (UKR)

Sophia SCHAEFLE (GER), who has managed to reach the medal bouts of all her five international competitions, will be the dark horse of the weight class.

Women's wrestling begins on August 17 and the 10 champions will be crowned by August 17. All the action will be live on uww.org.

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Ozaki leads strong Japan team; USA, Ukraine eye U20 Worlds glory