#WrestleBelgrade

#WrestleBelgrade World Championships entry list

By Vinay Siwach

BELGRADE, Serbia (August 24) -- More than 800 wrestlers will arrive in Belgrade to compete at the World Championships beginning September 10 at the Stark Arena.

The tournament will kick off with Greco-Roman as Iran looks to win the team title it missed in Oslo. The field includes stars from Iran, Georgia, Azerbaijan and Turkey. Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM) is returning to competition since his silver medal at the Tokyo Olympics.

In freestyle, the team race can end up being a thriller between Iran and the USA. Iran finished third in Oslo, six points behind the USA. A few rivalries may also see a new chapter added to them in Belgrade.

In women's wrestling, Japan will be the favorite to win the team title with the USA once again trying to challenge them for the top spot. The return of China to the World Championships after three years will interesting as they hope for a podium finish as well.

The tournament will see four Greco-Roman weight classes on Saturday before four more on Sunday. September 12 will have two women's and two Greco-Roman weight classes. Tuesday and Wednesday will be about women's wrestling with four weights on the mat each day. Freestyle competition begins with four weights on Friday, three on Saturday and three on Sunday, the final day of the tournament.

All the live action and highlights from the World Championships will be on uww.org

* This is a provisional entry list. The NFs have the right to change a wrestler 24 hours before the draw of the respective style.

Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI)Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI), red, will look to defend his 125kg title in Belgrade. (Photo: UWW / Tony Rotundo)

Freestyle

57kg
Zelimkhan ABAKAROV (ALB)
Manvel KHNDZRTSYAN (ARM)
Georgii OKOROKOV (AUS)
Aliabbas RZAZADE (AZE)
Darthe CAPELLAN (CAN)
Wanhao ZOU (CHN)
Rabby KILANDI (COD)
Oscar TIGREROS (COL)
Reineri ORTEGA (CUB)
Levan VARTANOV (ESP)
Valentin DAMOUR (FRA)
Diamantino IUNA FAFE (GBS)
Beka BUJIASHVILI (GEO)
Horst LEHR (GER)
Edwin SEGURA GUERRA (GUA)
Ravi KUMAR (IND)
Alireza SARLAK (IRI)
Toshihiro HASEGAWA (JPN)
Rakhat KALZHAN (KAZ)
Bekbolot MYRZANAZAR UULU (KGZ)
Sunggwon KIM (KOR)
Roberto BLANCO (MEX)
Zanabazar ZANDANBUD (MGL)
Vladimir EGOROV (MKD)
Darian CRUZ (PUR)
Razvan KOVACS (ROU)
Jakobo TAU (RSA)
Stevan MICIC (SRB)
Muhamad IKROMOV (TJK)
Muhammet KARAVUS (TUR)
Kamil KERYMOV (UKR)
Thomas GILMAN (USA)
Gulomjon ABDULLAEV (UZB)

61kg
Islam DUDAEV (ALB)
Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM)
Islam BAZARGANOV (AZE)
Georgi VANGELOV (BUL)
Jason LUNEAU (CAN)
Minghu LIU (CHN)
Jordan KABONGO (COD)
Khamzat ARSAMERZOUEV (FRA)
Teimuraz VANISHVILI (GEO)
Pankaj MALIK (IND)
Reza ATRI (IRI)
Rei HIGUCHI (JPN)
Assyl AITAKYN (KAZ)
Ulukbek ZHOLDOSHBEKOV (KGZ)
Igor CHICHIOI (MDA)
Narankhuu NARMANDAKH (MGL)
Besir ALILI (MKD)
Ali ABURUMAILA (PLE)
Eduard GRIGOREV (POL)
Joseph SILVA (PUR)
Nikolai OKHLOPKOV (ROU)
Suleyman ATLI (TUR)
Andrii DZHELEP (UKR)
Seth GROSS (USA)
Jahongirmirza TUROBOV (UZB)

65kg
Agustin DESTRIBATS (ARG)
Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM)
Haji ALIYEV (AZE)
Haji ALI (BRN)
Vladimir DUBOV (BUL)
Lachlan MCNEIL (CAN)
Raby BAPELEKIA (CGO)
Shaohua YUAN (CHN)
Norva BUKASA (COD)
Alejandro VALDES (CUB)
Arman ELOYAN (FRA)
Mbunde CUMBA MBALI (GBS)
Beka LOMTADZE (GEO)
Alexander SEMISOROW (GER)
Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN)
Bajrang PUNIA (IND)
Rahman AMOUZAD (IRI)
Kaiki YAMAGUCHI (JPN)
Adil OSPANOV (KAZ)
Alibek OSMONOV (KGZ)
Junsik YUN (KOR)
Vitalie BUNICI (MDA)
Tsogbadrakh TSEVEENSUREN (MGL)
Krzysztof BIENKOWSKI (POL)
Sebastian RIVERA (PUR)
Stefan COMAN (ROU)
Cavit ACAR (TUR)
Erik ARUSHANIAN (UKR)
John DIAKOMIHALIS (USA)
Abbos RAKHMONOV (UZB)

70kg
Arman ANDREASYAN (ARM)
Joshgun AZIMOV (AZE)
Ramazan RAMAZANOV (BUL)
Vincent DE MARINIS (CAN)
Elie DJEKOUNDAKOM DJERAYOM (CHA)
Nuerlanbieke WURENIBAI (CHN)
Anthony WESLEY (CPV)
Bacar NDUM (GBS)
Zurabi IAKOBISHVILI (GEO)
Kevin HENKEL (GER)
Daniel ANTAL (HUN)
Naveen MALIK (IND)
Amirmohammad YAZDANI (IRI)
Joshua FINESILVER (ISR)
Gianluca TALAMO (ITA)
Taishi NARIKUNI (JPN)
Syrbaz TALGAT (KAZ)
Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ)
Yongseok JEONG (KOR)
Maxim SACULTAN (MDA)
Temuulen ENKHTUYA (MGL)
Fati VEJSELI (MKD)
Marc DIETSCHE (SUI)
Daniel CHOMANIC (SVK)
Servet COSKUN (TUR)
Oleksii BORUTA (UKR)
Zain RETHERFORD (USA)
Nodir RAKHIMOV (UZB)

74kg
Hrayr ALIKHANYAN (ARM)
Simon MARCHL (AUT)
Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE)
Cesar ALVAN (BRA)
Miroslav KIROV (BUL)
Jasmit PHULKA (CAN)
MENGHEJIGAN (CHN)
Redy MUPOMPA (COD)
Franklin MAREN CASTILLO (CUB)
Aimar ANDRUSE (EST)
Giorgi SULAVA (GEO)
Enrique PEREZ CASTELLANOS (GUA)
Sagar JAGLAN (IND)
Yones EMAMI (IRI)
Mitchell FINESILVER (ISR)
Frank CHAMIZO (ITA)
Daichi TAKATANI (JPN)
Nurkozha KAIPANOV (KAZ)
Mathayo MAHABILA (KEN)
Islambek OROZBEKOV (KGZ)
Seungbong LEE (KOR)
Vasile DIACON (MDA)
Diego SANDOVAL (MEX)
Suldkhuu OLONBAYAR (MGL)
Jean STE MARIE (MRI)
Kamil RYBICKI (POL)
Franklin GOMEZ (PUR)
Maxim VASILIOGLO (ROU)
Malik AMINE (SMR)
Hetik CABOLOV (SRB)
Tajmuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK)
Soner DEMIRTAS (TUR)
Zielimkhan TOHUZOV (UKR)
Kyle DAKE (USA)
Asomiddin HASANOV (UZB)

79kg
Arman AVAGYAN (ARM)
Ashraf ASHIROV (AZE)
Ali UMARPASHAEV (BUL)
Adam THOMSON (CAN)
Shengsong XIA (CHN)
Assane BALLO (CIV)
Andy MUKENDI (COD)
Erik REINBOK (EST)
Saifedine ALEKMA (FRA)
Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO)
Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE)
Csaba VIDA (HUN)
Deepak MIRKA (IND)
Mohammad NOKHODI (IRI)
Dan TSESARSKY (ISR)
Yudai TAKAHASHI (JPN)
Bolat SAKAYEV (KAZ)
Arsalan BUDAZHAPOV (KGZ)
Bumgue SEO (KOR)
Alans AMIROVS (LAT)
Kornelijus STULGINSKAS (LTU)
Stefan CANTIR (MDA)
Dulguun ALTANZUL (MGL)
Dejan MITROV (MKD)
Iakub SHIKHDZHAMALOV (ROU)
Akhsarbek GULAEV (SVK)
Shuhrat BOZOROV (TJK)
Sahergeldi SAPARMYRADOV (TKM)
Muhammet AKDENIZ (TUR)
Vasyl MYKHAILOV (UKR)
Jordan BURROUGHS (USA)
Bekzod ABDURAKHMONOV (UZB)

86kg
Benjamin GREIL (AUT)
Abubakr ABAKAROV (AZE)
Akhmed MAGAMAEV (BUL)
Alexander MOORE (CAN)
Zushen LIN (CHN)
Barthelemy TSHOSHA (COD)
Yurieski TORREBLANCA (CUB)
Taimuraz FRIEV (ESP)
Rakhim MAGAMADOV (FRA)
Tarzan MAISURADZE (GEO)
Lars SCHAEFLE (GER)
Patrik PUESPOEKI (HUN)
Sanjeet KUNDU (IND)
Hassan YAZDANI (IRI)
Aron CANEVA (ITA)
Shota SHIRAI (JPN)
Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ)
Gwanuk KIM (KOR)
Ivars SAMUSONOKS (LAT)
Ivan ICHIZLI (MDA)
Noel TORRES (MEX)
Bat BYAMBASUREN (MGL)
Sebastian JEZIERZANSKI (POL)
Ethan RAMOS (PUR)
Myles AMINE (SMR)
Stefan REICHMUTH (SUI)
Boris MAKOEV (SVK)
Dovletmyrat ORAZGYLYJOV (TKM)
Fatih ERDIN (TUR)
Khasan ZAKARIIEV (UKR)
David TAYLOR (USA)
Bobur ISLOMOV (UZB)

92kg
Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE)
Ahmed BATAEV (BUL)
Richard DESCHATELETS (CAN)
Yuxiang BI (CHN)
Aron MBO (COD)
Maxwell LACEY (CRC)
Miriani MAISURADZE (GEO)
Johannes MAYER (GER)
Vicky HOODA (IND)
Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI)
Simone IANNATTONI (ITA)
Sohsuke TAKATANI (JPN)
Adilet DAVLUMBAYEV (KAZ)
Jinmyeong KIM (KOR)
Georgii RUBAEV (MDA)
Gankhuyag GANBAATAR (MGL)
Radoslaw MARCINKIEWICZ (POL)
Johan MOSTERT (RSA)
Strahinja DESPIC (SRB)
Feyzullah AKTURK (TUR)
Illia ARCHAIA (UKR)
Jden COX (USA)

97kg
Magomedkhan MAGOMEDOV (AZE)
Nishan RANDHAWA (CAN)
Tuerxunbieke MUHEITE (CHN)
Ulrich MANOUAN (CIV)
Givi MATCHARASHVILI (GEO)
Erik THIELE (GER)
Vladislav BAITSAEV (HUN)
Viky CHAHAR (IND)
Mohammadhossein MOHAMMADIAN (IRI)
Benjamin HONIS (ITA)
Takashi ISHIGURO (JPN)
Mamed IBRAGIMOV (KAZ)
Minwon SEO (KOR)
Lukas KRASAUSKAS (LTU)
Samhan JABRAILOV (MDA)
Batzul ULZIISAIKHAN (MGL)
Magomedgadji NUROV (MKD)
Zbigniew BARANOWSKI (POL)
Samuel SCHERRER (SUI)
Batyrbek TSAKULOV (SVK)
Mucahit CELIK (TUR)
Mahamed ZAKARIIEV (UKR)
Kyle SNYDER (USA)

125kg
Catriel MURIEL (ARG)
Aydin AHMADOV (AZE)
Amarveer DHESI (CAN)
Zhiwei DENG (CHN)
Reineris SALAS PEREZ (CUB)
Youssif HEMIDA (EGY)
Jere HEINO (FIN)
Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO)
Gennadij CUDINOVIC (GER)
Daniel LIGETI (HUN)
Dinesh DHANKAR (IND)
Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI)
Taiki YAMAMOTO (JPN)
Oleg BOLTIN (KAZ)
Yeihyun JUNG (KOR)
Lkhagvagerel MUNKHTUR (MGL)
Robert BARAN (POL)
Magomedgadzhi NURASULOV (SRB)
Abdullah KARIM (SYR)
Zyyamuhammet SAPAROV (TKM)
Taha AKGUL (TUR)
Oleksandr KHOTSIANIVSKYI (UKR)
Hayden ZILLMER (USA)
Khasanboy RAKHIMOV (UZB)

Helen MAROULIS (USA)Helen MAROULIS (USA) is the defending world champion at 57kg. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Women's wrestling

50kg
Patricia BERMUDEZ (ARG)
Kamila BARBOSA (BRA)
Miglena SELISHKA (BUL)
Madison PARKS (CAN)
Ziqi FENG (CHN)
Julie SABATIE (FRA)
Lisa ERSEL (GER)
Szimonetta SZEKER (HUN)
Neelam SIROHI (IND)
Yui SUSAKI (JPN)
Svetlana ANKICHEVA (KAZ)
Miran CHEON (KOR)
Rita ROJAS (MEX)
Otgonjargal DOLGORJAV (MGL)
Mercy GENESIS (NGR)
Anna LUKASIAK (POL)
Emilia VUC (ROU)
Zehra DEMIRHAN (TUR)
Oksana LIVACH (UKR)
Sarah HILDEBRANDT (USA)
Jasmina IMMAEVA (UZB)
Thi NGUYEN (VIE)

53kg
Leyla GURBANOVA (AZE)
Samantha STEWART (CAN)
Yuhong ZHONG (CHN)
Nogona BAKAYOKO (CIV)
Laura HERIN AVILA (CUB)
Lucia YEPEZ GUZMAN (ECU)
Marina RUEDA FLORES (ESP)
Tatiana SALAH (FRA)
Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE)
Mercedesz DENES (HUN)
Vinesh PHOGAT (IND)
Zhuldyz ESHIMOVA (KAZ)
Hyunyoung OH (KOR)
Iulia LEORDA (MDA)
Karla ACOSTA (MEX)
Khulan BATKHUYAG (MGL)
Katarzyna KRAWCZYK (POL)
Jonna MALMGREN (SWE)
Zeynep YETGIL (TUR)
Liliia MALANCHUK (UKR)
Dominique PARRISH (USA)
Aktenge KEUNIMJAEVA (UZB)
Thi KIEU (VIE)

55kg
Karla GODINEZ (CAN)
Mengyu XIE (CHN)
Yaynelis SANZ VERDECIA (CUB)
Luisa VALVERDE (ECU)
Nina HEMMER (GER)
Sushma SHOKEEN (IND)
Mayu SHIDOCHI MUKAIDA (JPN)
Marina SEDNEVA (KAZ)
Mariana DRAGUTAN (MDA)
Otgonjargal GANBAATAR (MGL)
Roksana ZASINA (POL)
Andreea ANA (ROU)
Elvira KAMALOGLU (TUR)
Oleksandra KHOMENETS (UKR)
Jacarra WINCHESTER (USA)
Shokhida AKHMEDOVA (UZB)
Thi NGUYEN (VIE)

57kg
Zhala ALIYEVA (AZE)
Giullia PENALBER (BRA)
Evelina NIKOLOVA (BUL)
Hannah TAYLOR (CAN)
Yongxin FENG (CHN)
Sandra PARUSZEWSKI (GER)
Sarita MOR (IND)
Tsugumi SAKURAI (JPN)
Emma TISSINA (KAZ)
Hyungjoo KIM (KOR)
Alma VALENCIA ESCOTO (MEX)
Davaachimeg ERKHEMBAYAR (MGL)
Esther KOLAWOLE (NGR)
Anhelina LYSAK (POL)
Bediha GUN (TUR)
Alina HRUSHYNA (UKR)
Helen MAROULIS (USA)
Laylokhon SOBIROVA (UZB)
Thi NGUYEN (UZB)

59kg
Alyona KOLESNIK (AZE)
Fatme SHABAN (BUL)
Laurence BEAUREGARD (CAN)
Qi ZHANG (CHN)
Elena BRUGGER (GER)
Mansi AHLAWAT (IND)
Sakura MOTOKI (JPN)
Diana KAYUMOVA (KAZ)
Anastasia NICHITA (MDA)
Shoovdor BAATARJAV (MGL)
Grace BULLEN (NOR)
Jowita WRZESIEN (POL)
Ebru DAGBASI (TUR)
Solomiia VYNNYK (UKR)
Abigail NETTE (USA)

62kg
Tetiana OMELCHENKO (AZE)
Lais DE OLIVEIRA (BRA)
Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL)
Ana GODINEZ (CAN)
Xiaojuan LUO (CHN)
Lydia PEREZ (ESP)
Ameline DOUARRE (FRA)
Luisa NIEMESCH (GER)
Anna SZEL (HUN)
Sonam MALIK (IND)
Nataliia SHAFIR (ISR)
Nonoka OZAKI (JPN)
Ayaulym KASSYMOVA (KAZ)
Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ)
Hanbit LEE (KOR)
Tserenchimed SUKHEE (MGL)
Anna FABIAN (SRB)
Sara LINDBORG (SWE)
Marwa AMRI (TUN)
Yagmur CAKMAK (TUR)
Ilona PROKOPEVNIUK (UKR)
Kayla MIRACLE (USA)
Ariukhan JUMABAEVA (UZB)
Thi NGUYEN (VIE)

65kg
Elis MANOLOVA (AZE)
Mimi HRISTOVA (BUL)
Aleah NICKEL (CAN)
Jia LONG (CHN)
Koumba LARROQUE (FRA)
SHAFALI (IND)
Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN)
Yelena SHALYGINA (KAZ)
Purevsuren ULZIISAIKHAN (MGL)
Kriszta INCZE (ROU)
Asli DEMIR (TUR)
Tetiana RIZHKO (UKR)
Mallory VELTE (USA)
Dinora RUSTAMOVA (UZB)

68kg
Grabriela DA ROCHA (BRA)
Sofiya GEORGIEVA (BUL)
Linda MORAIS (CAN)
Feng ZHOU (CHN)
Rosie TABORA (COD)
Adela HANZLICKOVA (CZE)
Pauline LECARPENTIER (FRA)
Noemi SZABADOS (HUN)
Nisha DAHIYA (IND)
Dalma CANEVA (ITA)
Ami ISHII (JPN)
Madina BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ)
Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ)
Sujin PARK (KOR)
Danute DOMIKAITYTE (LTU)
Irina RINGACI (MDA)
Ambar GARNICA (MEX)
Delgermaa ENKHSAIKHAN (MGL)
Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR)
Natalia STRZALKA (POL)
Patricia ELNOUR (SUD)
Nesrin BAS (TUR)
Alla BELINSKA (UKR)
Tamyra MENSAH STOCK (USA)
Dieu LAI (VIE)

72kg
Shauna KUEBECK (CAN)
QIANDEGENCHAGAN (CHN)
Kendra DACHER (FRA)
Lilly SCHNEIDER (GER)
REETIKA (IND)
Masako FURUICHI (JPN)
Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ)
Davaanasan ENKH AMAR (MGL)
Patrycja SPERKA (POL)
Alexandra ANGHEL (ROU)
Buse TOSUN (TUR)
Anastasiya ALPYEYEVA (UKR)
Amit ELOR (USA)
Svetlana OKNAZAROVA (UZB)

76kg
Martina KUENZ (AUT)
Justina DI STASIO (CAN)
Juan WANG (CHN)
Amy YOUIN (CIV)
Tatiana RENTERIA (COL)
Milaimys POTRILLE (CUB)
Genesis VALDEZ (ECU)
Samar HAMZA (EGY)
Epp MAE (EST)
Francy RAEDELT (GER)
Jemima NYARKO OFORI (GHA)
PRIYANKA (IND)
Enrica RINALDI (ITA)
Yuka KAGAMI (JPN)
Gulmaral YERKEBAYEVA (KAZ)
Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ)
Seoyeon JEONG (KOR)
Kamile GAUCAITE (LTU)
Ariunjargal GANBAT (MGL)
Catalina AXENTE (ROU)
Fanni NAGY NAD (SRB)
Yasemin ADAR (TUR)
Anastasiia SHUSTOVA (UKR)
Dymond GUILFORD (USA)
Thi DANG (VIE)

Luis ORTA SANCHEZ (CUB)Olympic champion Luis ORTA SANCHEZ (CUB) is returning to competition in Belgrade. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Greco-Roman

55kg
Rudik MKRTCHYAN (ARM)
Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE)
Nedyalko PETROV (BUL)
Jiahao LIU (CHN)
Rabby KILANDI (COD)
Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO)
Fabian SCHMITT (GER)
Arjun HALAKURKI (IND)
Poya DAD MARZ (IRI)
Giovanni FRENI (ITA)
Mostafa ALQADE (JOR)
Yu SHIOTANI (JPN)
Amangali BEKBOLATOV (KAZ)
Hyeokjin JEON (KOR)
Artiom DELEANU (MDA)
Ekrem OZTURK (TUR)
Koriun SAHRADIAN (UKR)
Max NOWRY (USA)
Jasurbek ORTIKBOEV (UZB)

60kg
Abdelkarim FERGAT (ALG)
Gevorg GHARIBYAN (ARM)
Murad MAMMADOV (AZE)
Marat GARIPOV (BRA)
Edmond NAZARYAN (BUL)
Liguo CAO (CHN)
Simeon MABIALA (COD)
Dicther TORO CASTANEDA (COL)
Kevin DE ARMAS (CUB)
Haithem MAHMOUD (EGY)
Helary MAEGISALU (EST)
Leo TUDEZCA (FRA)
Pridon ABULADZE (GEO)
Etienne KINSINGER (GER)
Krisztian KECSKEMETI (HUN)
Gyanender DAHIYA (IND)
Mehdi MOHSEN NEJAD (IRI)
Kenichiro FUMITA (JPN)
Aidos SULTANGALI (KAZ)
Zholaman SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ)
Hanjae CHUNG (KOR)
Justas PETRAVICIUS (LTU)
Michal TRACZ (POL)
Alexandru TRANDAFIR (ROU)
Ardit FAZLJIJA (SWE)
Kerem KAMAL (TUR)
Viktor PETRYK (UKR)
Ildar HAFIZOV (USA)
Ilkhom BAKHROMOV (UZB)

63kg
Abdeldjebar DJEBBARI (ALG)
Hrachya POGHOSYAN (ARM)
Taleh MAMMADOV (AZE)
Nikolay VICHEV (BUL)
Cristobal TORRES (CHI)
Erbatu TUO (CHN)
Jordan KABONGO (COD)
Ivan LIZATOVIC (CRO)
Luis ORTA SANCHEZ (CUB)
Leri ABULADZE (GEO)
Abdolmohammad PAPI (GER)
Emerson FELIPE ORDONEZ (GUA)
Erik TORBA (HUN)
NEERAJ (IND)
Ali Reza NEJATI (IRI)
Ryuto IKEDA (JPN)
Galym KABDUNASSAROV (KAZ)
Tynar SHARSHENBEKOV (KGZ)
Jinseub SONG (KOR)
Aleksandrs JURKJANS (LAT)
Victor CIOBANU (MDA)
Jose RODRIGUEZ (MEX)
Razvan ARNAUT (ROU)
Sebastian NAD (SRB)
Virgil BICA (SWE)
Ahmet UYAR (TUR)
Oleksandr HRUSHYN (UKR)
Samuel JONES (USA)
Aker AL OBAIDI (UWW)
Turabek TIRKASHEV (UZB)

67kg
Ishak GHAIOU (ALG)
Slavik GALSTYAN (ARM)
Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE)
Kenedy MORAES PEDROSA (BRA)
Nestor ALMANZA TRUYOL (CHI)
Husiyuetu HUSIYUETU (CHN)
Norva BUKASA (COD)
Julian HORTA ACEVEDO (COL)
Mohamed ELSAYED (EGY)
Mamadassa SYLLA (FRA)
Joni KHETSURIANI (GEO)
Krisztian VANCZA (HUN)
ASHU (IND)
Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI)
Katsuaki ENDO (JPN)
Din KOSHKAR (KAZ)
Amantur ISMAILOV (KGZ)
Hansu RYU (KOR)
Donior ISLAMOV (MDA)
Diego MARTINEZ DE LEIJA (MEX)
Morten THORESEN (NOR)
Mateusz BERNATEK (POL)
Pedro MORAIS (POR)
Mihai MIHUT (ROU)
Mate NEMES (SRB)
Andreas VETSCH (SUI)
Murat FIRAT (TUR)
Parviz NASIBOV (UKR)
Alejandro SANCHO (USA)
Abror ATABAEV (UZB)

72kg
Ulvu GANIZADE (AZE)
Deyvid DIMITROV (BUL)
Arnaud MAMBOU (CGO)
Reangan NDOMBASI (COD)
Pavel PUKLAVEC (CRO)
Jakub BIELESZ (CZE)
Matias LIPASTI (FIN)
Ibrahim GHANEM (FRA)
Shmagi BOLKVADZE (GEO)
Samuel BELLSCHEIDT (GER)
Jose VARELA GARCIA (GUA)
Robert FRITSCH (HUN)
VIKAS (IND)
Mohammad Reza MOKHTARI (IRI)
Taishi HORIE (JPN)
Ibragim MAGOMADOV (KAZ)
Jiyeon LEE (KOR)
Kristupas SLEIVA (LTU)
Valentin PETIC (MDA)
Gevorg SAHAKYAN (POL)
Ali ARSALAN (SRB)
Selcuk CAN (TUR)
Andrii KULYK (UKR)
Benjamin PEAK (USA)
Mirzobek RAKHMATOV (UZB)

77kg
Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM)
Rohan KALISCH (AUS)
Sanan SULEYMANOV (AZE)
Joilson DE BRITO (BRA)
Aik MNATSAKANIAN (BUL)
Rui LIU (CHN)
Redy MUPOMPA (COD)
Antonio KAMENJASEVIC (CRO)
Yosvanys PENA FLORES (CUB)
Oldrich VARGA (CZE)
Oliver KRUEGER (DEN)
Johnny BUR (FRA)
Iuri LOMADZE (GEO)
Idris IBAEV (GER)
Georgios PREVOLARAKIS (GRE)
David CHOC HUOC (GUA)
Zoltan LEVAI (HUN)
SACHIN (IND)
Mohammadali GERAEI (IRI)
Riccardo ABBRESCIA (ITA)
Shohei YABIKU (JPN)
Tamerlan SHADUKAYEV (KAZ)
Akzhol MAKHMUDOV (KGZ)
Hyeonwoo KIM (KOR)
Paulius GALKINAS (LTU)
Emmanuel BENITEZ (MEX)
Per KURE (NOR)
Viktor NEMES (SRB)
Fabio DIETSCHE (SUI)
Per OLOFSSON (SWE)
Yunus BASAR (TUR)
Yasaf ZEINALOV (UKR)
Kamal BEY (USA)
Aram VARDANYAN (UZB)

82kg
Karapet CHALYAN (ARM)
Rafig HUSEYNOV (AZE)
Rosian DERMANSKI (BUL)
Chengwu WANG (CHN)
Andy MUKENDI (COD)
Filip SACIC (CRO)
Petr NOVAK (CZE)
Ranet KALJOLA (EST)
Gela BOLKVADZE (GEO)
Roland SCHWARZ (GER)
Tamas LEVAI (HUN)
Harpreet SINGH (IND)
Pejman POSHTAM (IRI)
David ZHYTOMYRSKY (ISR)
Matteo MAFFEZZOLI (ITA)
Sultan EID (JOR)
Yuya OKAJIMA (JPN)
Dias KALEN (KAZ)
Sejin YANG (KOR)
Mihail BRADU (MDA)
Daniel VICENTE (MEX)
Denis HORVATH (SVK)
Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR)
Yaroslav FILCHAKOV (UKR)
Spencer WOODS (USA)
Jalgasbay BERDIMURATOV (UZB)

87kg
Bachir SID AZARA (ALG)
Michael WAGNER (AUT)
Ronisson BRANDAO SANTIAGO (BRA)
Yoan DIMITROV (BUL)
Haitao QIAN (CHN)
Barthelemy TSHOSHA (COD)
Vjekoslav LUBURIC (CRO)
Turpal BISULTANOV (DEN)
Mohamed METWALLY (EGY)
Roberti KOBLIASHVILI (GEO)
Hannes WAGNER (GER)
David LOSONCZI (HUN)
Sunil KUMAR (IND)
Naser ALIZADEH (IRI)
Mirco MINGUZZI (ITA)
Masato SUMI (JPN)
Nursultan TURSYNOV (KAZ)
Atabek AZISBEKOV (KGZ)
Jinhyeok KIM (KOR)
Viorel BURDUJA (MDA)
Alfonso LEYVA (MEX)
Szymon SZYMONOWICZ (POL)
Nicu OJOG (ROU)
Zurabi DATUNASHVILI (SRB)
Damian VON EUW (SUI)
Alex KESSIDIS (SWE)
Ali CENGIZ (TUR)
Andrii ANTONIUK (UKR)
Alan GARCIA (USA)
Nurbek KHASHIMBEKOV (USA)

97kg
Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM)
Daniel GASTL (AUT)
Arif NIFTULLAYEV (AZE)
Igor ALVES DE QUEIROZ (BRA)
Kiril MILOV (BUL)
Yan LIU (CHN)
Aron MBO (COD)
Juan CONDE IBANEZ (CUB)
Artur OMAROV (CZE)
Mathias BAK (DEN)
Giorgi MELIA (GEO)
Lucas LAZOGIANIS (GER)
Alex SZOKE (HUN)
Deepanshu AHLAWAT (IND)
Mohammadhadi SARAVI (IRI)
Nikoloz KAKHELASHVILI (ITA)
Takahiro TSURUDA (JPN)
Islam UMAYEV (KAZ)
Beksultan MAKHMUDOV (KGZ)
Seyeol LEE (KOR)
Vilius LAURINAITIS (LTU)
Felix BALDAUF (NOR)
Tadeusz MICHALIK (POL)
Mihail KAJAIA (SRB)
Aleksandar STJEPANETIC (SWE)
Metehan BASAR (TUR)
Vladlen KOZLIUK (UKR)
Braxton AMOS (USA)
Rustam ASSAKALOV (UZB)

130kg
David OVASAPYAN (ARM)
Sabah SHARIATI (AZE)
Eduard SOGHOMONYAN (BRA)
Yasmani ACOSTA FERNANDEZ (CHI)
Lingzhe MENG (CHN)
Abdellatif MOHAMED (EGY)
Konsta MAEENPAEAE (FIN)
Iakobi KAJAIA (GEO)
Jello KRAHMER (GER)
Dariusz VITEK (HUN)
SATISH (IND)
Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI)
Danila SOTNIKOV (ITA)
Arata SONODA (JPN)
Alimkhan SYZDYKOV (KAZ)
Minseok KIM (KOR)
Mantas KNYSTAUTAS (LTU)
Oskar MARVIK (NOR)
Rafal KRAJEWSKI (POL)
Alin ALEXUC CIURARIU (ROU)
Delian ALISHAHI (SUI)
Riza KAYAALP (TUR)
Oleksandr CHERNETSKYY (UKR)
Cohlton SCHULTZ (USA)
Muminjon ABDULLAEV (UZB)

#WrestleBelgrade

Higuchi, chasing Olympic gold, ready for Belgrade pit stop

By Vinay Siwach

TOKYO, Japan (August 28) -- In two Olympic cycles, Rei HIGUCHI's (JPN) life has come full circle.

As a 20-year-old, Higuchi took the wrestling world by storm at the Rio Olympics, claiming the silver medal at 57kg. His path to victory saw him overcome formidable opponents, including fan favorites like Yowlys BONNE (CUB) and Hassan RAHIMI (IRI).

By the time the Tokyo Olympics came, half of the 57kg wrestlers from Rio moved up to 65kg including gold medalist Vladimir KHINCHEGASHVILI (GEO) and bronze medalist Haji ALIYEV (AZE). Higuchi followed suit.

While Aliyev and Khinchegashvili managed to keep their form in the new weight class, Higuchi’s form tailed away after a U23 world title. He even failed to win the domestic playoff in 2019 against the then 65kg world champion Takuto OTOGURO (JPN). He realized that he didn't belong in the new Olympic weight class.

“When Otoguro won the playoff for the 2019 World Championships, then I decided to move back to 57kg,” Higuchi says. “Everyone in 65kg is taller and has more reach than me. It's difficult at 65kg. My aim is to win the Olympic gold and I thought if Otoguro is fifth in the World Championships, then it will be difficult for me to win gold in Tokyo at 65kg.”

Rei HIGUCHI (JPN)Rei HIGUCHI (JPN) wrestles Yowlys BONNE (CUB) at the Rio Olympics. (Photo: UWW / Tony Rotundo)

Little did Higuchi know that he wouldn't even qualify for the Tokyo Olympics for one of the most eyebrow-raising reasons in wrestling -- missing the weight.

Higuchi moved down to 57kg and at the Asian Olympic Qualifiers in Almaty, Kazakhstan in 2021, he was 50 grams over 57kg on the day of competition. Japan sent 2017 world champion Yuki TAKAHASHI (JPN) to the World Olympic Qualifiers and later he defeated Higuchi 4-2 in a playoff to win the spot on the Japan team for the Tokyo Games.

"I took care of everything, including diet, exercise, and caloric intake," Higuchi would later say about missing weight in Almaty. "I've done everything without compromise. But I didn't lose (the last 50 grams) in extreme conditions. It can't be helped. I have no choice but to accept reality. This is the result, it cannot be overturned."

More than seven years since that Rio final loss and two years since the weight debacle, Higuchi is making another bid to win the Olympic gold medal. All he has to do is win a medal in Belgrade next month.

“I was not interested in other competitions,” Higuchi says. “I only wanted to return to the Olympics and win. This year, I get to go to the Paris Olympics directly if I win the World Championships.”

Rei HIGUCHI (JPN)Rei HIGUCHI clinched his spot on the Japan team for the World Championships after winning the gold medal at 57kg. (Photo: Japan Wrestling Federation / Takeo Yabuki)

The 2023 world champion at 61kg began his Paris Olympics journey in June by winning the 57kg weight class at the Meiji Cup, the second of Japan's two-step qualifying process for the 2023 World Championships in Belgrade. A medal at the World Championships would mean that Higuchi automatically books his spot on the Japan team for Paris.

Two days after winning the Meiji Cup, Higuchi is back at his base, the Nippon Sports Science University in Yokohama, southwest of Tokyo. He isn't supposed to spar as he just finished the Meiji Cup and is recovering from a niggle in his knee. In March, Higuchi hit his knee hard on the mat and water accumulated inside it. Only in May, did it heal to a level that allowed Higuchi to wrestle.

Yet, he decides to take part in the evening practice. After the initial instructions from Shingo MATSUMOTO (JPN), the wrestlers are divided into two groups – Freestyle and Greco-Roman. Higuchi is drilling with youngsters one after another. He goes over various techniques including his trademark outside leg-attack, the brutal lace and defense from par terre. An arm-drag good enough to win in Greco-Roman.

While others rush for a sip of water or juice in the break, Higuchi is still on the mat shadow practicing his moves and talking to himself with hand movements as if reciting a script of an attack. He is back to work as soon as the whistle blows. The constant movements of legs, and those singles are a work of art that Higuchi has perfected over 23 years.

Like most Japanese wrestlers, Higuchi began wrestling when he was in elementary school. The native of Ibaraki in the Osaka Prefecture was three years old when his mother took him to practice in the school. For the next nine years, Higuchi would continue honing his skills at the same school before moving to Sakai for junior high school.

He participated in the All-Japan Junior High School and finished third. Higuchi wasn't happy.

“I won a bronze medal and I wasn't happy (with the result) so I became very serious about wrestling,” he recalls.

Soon, Higuchi would find himself at the Kasumigaura High School, regarded as one of the best, in Ibaraki Prefecture. The move meant he would shift 500 kilometers away from home to the east part of Japan but closer to Tokyo. 

Higuchi rose through the ranks, making the Japan team for the 2012 U17 Asian Championships and winning gold, and later the 2013 U17 World Championships. He would finish eighth after losing to Uruzbeg TCUMARTOV (RUS) 7-5. In 2015, Higuchi would finish 21st at the U20 World Championships, the lowest in a 21-wrestler bracket after losing to Gadzhimurad RASHIDOV 10-0 at 60kg.

Who would then bet on a 20-something Japanese wrestler who finished last at the U20 Worlds to win an Olympic medal a year later? But Higuchi won the Asian Olympic Qualifiers in 2016 at 57kg and the rest is history.

His silver was celebrated at NSSU, home to Higuchi for nine years now. NSSU has produced numerous world and Olympic champions not just in wrestling but in other sports as well including gymnastics, swimming, marathon and judo (think Abe siblings.)

Like many others, Higuchi came here after high school to study Sports Science learning nutrition and functional anatomy among other subjects.

“I actually remember most of my studies in Sports Science,” he says before correcting himself, “I don't remember functional anatomy (one of the subjects).”

One would assume a student of sports science should not have much trouble related to weight. But here is Higuchi whose bout begins long before he steps on the mat.

If you follow Higuchi on social media, it's likely you have seen him posting his weight after the weigh-ins before a competition. He puts it on record that he has passed the weigh-ins. After all, it was his undoing two years ago.

Before most tournaments, Higuchi begins the process of cutting weight two months in advance. Earlier, he would skip meat and resort to eating only vegetables. But after missing Tokyo, Higuchi went for a deep dive to understand the process.

“I watched and learned a lot about cutting weight, especially fat, from various bodybuilders on YouTube. I now focus on food, weight training and cardio,” he says.

Higuchi now cooks his own meals when he wants to maintain weight, an addition to his long list of precautions during peak season.

“It's very difficult to skip meat,” he says. “I am trying to find a way to eat everything. I eat chicken, mushroom, white rice and tea.”

But the battle is not that easy for the 1.62-meter-tall wrestler.

“Cutting fat is okay,” he says. “But the one or two days when it's about the water, that kills me. I have to prepare for the weight cut around 2 months in advance.”

After missing the cut for Tokyo, a disheartened Higuchi would say “With all of the weight loss, I've been through a dark time.”

So what does Higuchi miss eating the most during his wrestling season?

“Chocolate,” he says while taking another bite of a chocolate cake, his first sweet in over three months.

As the training session at NSSU nears its end, Higuchi has decided to train with Kenichiro FUMITA (JPN), a world champion and Olympic silver medalist in Greco-Roman at 60kg. Fumita dominates the sparring, putting Higuchi down numerous times. The Freestyle wrestler tries to roll Fumita from par terre. No chance. Only if a lace was allowed in Greco-Roman. A few wrestlers stop their training to watch two of the best having a go at it.

The two Mikihouse teammates, a clothing brand based in Osaka, will be on a flight to Belgrade hoping to become world champs. A medal will see them directly qualify for the Paris Olympics where both will try to upgrade their previous silver medals.

But a lot has changed at 57kg since he last wrestled internationally at this weight class. Most of the wrestlers have changed weight classes or have retired. Zaur UGUEV is the defending Olympic champion. Zelimkhan ABAKAROV (ALB) is the world champion. Two youngsters are champions in Europe and Asia. Iran has lost its stronghold on the lightest weight. But Higuchi is updated.

“I don't care about the World Championships,” Higuchi says. “I watched Final X and Zain RICHARDS (USA) winning it. AMAN (IND), Abakarov, Uguev, Aliabbas RZAZADE (AZE). I watched them all.”

At 57kg, 34 wrestlers will try and stop Higuchi from winning the gold. Abakarov is the defending champion, Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) lost to Higuchi 10-0 last year but 57kg is a different ball game. There is Rzazade, Zanabazar ZANDANBUD (MGL) who has defeated Higuchi before, former world finalist Suleyman ATLI (TUR), Richards and Gulomjon ABDULLAEV (UZB) who almost beat Uguev in Tokyo.

“I watched a lot of videos to prepare about all the wrestlers for Belgrade,” he says referring to the 61kg wrestlers who entered the World Championships in 2022. “I like to watch videos of all the wrestlers."

For a wrestler who has been active internationally for close to a decade, Higuchi, admittedly, watches too much film on other wrestlers. While it gives insights into his opponents' style and he studies it to learn about them, Higuchi has another reason to do so.

“I am not very confident about myself that's why I watch so many videos,” he says.

It is a scarcely believable statement from a wrestler who outscored his opponents 46-7 in 2022. But then he did it at the Meiji Cup. On the day of his final against Yudai FUJITA (JPN), Higuchi would spend most of his day watching every possible video of Fujita, studying his defense and go-to attack. He remained untroubled in the final winning 4-0.

“I watch videos of all the wrestlers in my weight class. In the Meiji Cup, I watched all of Fujita's videos I could in the morning. His movements, how he gives the points, how he attacks,” Higuchi says. “Internationally, everyone is very tough so I need to watch more videos.”

Rei HIGUCHI (JPN)Rei HIGUCHI (JPN) on a motorbike in Tokyo. (Photo: Sachiko Hotaka)

Higuchi rides a motorbike to reach the interview spot. Taking the slower train meant arriving two minutes later than the agreed time. Higuchi, wearing a purple plain T-shirt, sat on a bench just outside the train station.

“Not in Japan,” Higuchi says when asked if anyone has recognized him or asked for a photo.

As the conversation moved towards that final against Khinchegashvili, Higuchi was quick to move on.

“I don't look back at my matches. I want to move on. Next match,” he says.

A lot of wrestling experts believe that Khinchegashvili went into a shell in the final two minutes, not allowing Higuchi to attack. No warning from the referee meant that a frustrated Higuchi would lose the final, 4-2, and the chance to become Japan's youngest male Olympic champion.

He may not agree to it but the loss lingers. Same way as the Tokyo Olympics miss. Higuchi denies both but that is what fuels his gold quest in Paris.

“No. I don't feel bad about missing the Tokyo Olympics,” Higuchi says. “The day I lost the chance to represent at the Tokyo Games, I began preparing for Paris.”

Higuchi pauses before his baby face beamed and he spoke English.

“Only Olympic gold.”