#WrestleBudapest

#WrestleBudapest: Ranking points up for grabs at European Championships

By Vinay Siwach

BUDAPEST, Hungary (March 23) -- Next week's European Championships will provide wrestlers with another massive opportunity to score ranking points. After the Yasar Dogu Ranking Series event in Turkey last month, this is wrestling's second event of the year.

The Budapest event will also be the first time that Continental Championships will utilize the four-seeded wrestler system.

The points awarded at the Continental Championships are different than the Ranking Series events. However, additional points remain the same for both.

The points accumulated by Ranking Series events and Continental Championships will be used to decide the seeds for the World Championships to be held in Belgrade, Serbia in September.

Ranking Points for Continental Championships:
1st Place: 10,000 points
2nd Place: 8,000 points
3rd Place: 6,500 points
4th Place: 5,800 points
5th Place: 5,000 points
6th Place: 4,700 points
7th Place: 4,400 points
8th Place: 4,000 points
9th Place: 3,500 points
10th Place: 3,100 points
11th Place: 1,000 points
12th Place: 800 points
13th Place: 600 points
14th Place: 400 points
15th Place: 200 points
16th Place: 100 points

The wrestlers who can gain the most through medals at the European Championships are as follows.

Arsen HarutyunyanArsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) will be the top seed at 61kg. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan) 

57kg (12 participants)

Seeds:
No. 1 Vladimir EGOROV (MKD)
No. 2 Mikyay NAIM (BUL)
No. 3 Beka BUJIASHVILI (GEO)
No. 4 Muhammet KARAVUS (TUR)

Vladimir EGOROV (MKD) has the best chance to jump up in the rankings. Currently, he's ranked 15th with 17000 points. He will jump to ninth-place with a top-two finish. However, if he finishes with a bronze medal, he'll still be ranked 10th.

Mikyay NAIM (BUL) [15500 points] is also in a similar position as a gold medal would take him to ninth place. If he wrestles Egorov in the final, the Bulgarian has to win to get a better ranking.

Georgia's Beka BUJIASHVILI (GEO) is currently ranked 21st with 11400 points. A gold could help him break into the top-15.

Muhammet KARAVUS (TUR) can also break into the top-15 with a gold medal finish in Budapest but has to hope that other results also go in his favor.

61kg (14 participants)

Seeds:
No. 1 Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM)
No. 2 Georgi VANGELOV (BUL)
No. 3 Suleyman ATLI (TUR)
No. 4 Eduard GRIGOREV (POL)

Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) will be looking to win his first continental title at the senior level. He is currently ranked fourth and his historic title will take him to second rank. An addition of 13000 points can take his tally from 31000 points to 44000 points, just 1000 shy of top-ranked Abasgadzhi MAGOMEDOV (RWF).

With 18200 points, Georgi VANGELOV (BUL) can also break into the top-four by winning gold. An addition of 13000 points will take him to 31200 points. That'd move him into the fourth position. Silver, however, will take him to the fifth position.

A favorite to win the title is Suleyman ATLI (TUR). He's ranked 18th with 8520 points, but a run to the final will take him to the seventh position, irrespective of a win or loss.

The same is true for Eduard GRIGOREV (POL) but he will have to rise above expectations for that result.

65kg (12 participants)

Seeds:
No. 1 Haji ALIYEV (AZE)
No. 2 Krzysztof BIENKOWSKI (POL)
No. 3 Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN)
No. 4 Beka LOMTADZE (GEO)

Top-seeded Haji ALIYEV (AZE) has 41400 points and is ranked fourth in the world. He can improve to second by winning gold. The 13000 points will help him overtake Takuto OTOGURO (JPN) [51000 points] and Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL) [53500 points]. However, he will be third with silver and remain fourth with any other result.

Krzysztof BIENKOWSKI (POL), ranked 10th, has 25000 points and can remove Amirmohammad YAZDANI (IRI) at fifth by winning the gold medal.

Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN) is ranked 11th with 23000 points and he will be seventh if he can win gold in Budapest. He will remain at the same rank if he fails to win a medal.

Beka LOMTADZE (GEO) is ranked 28th but can break into top-15 with gold.

70kg (16 participants)

Seeds:
No. 1 Zurabi IAKOBISHVILI (GEO)
No. 2 Arman ANDREASYAN (ARM)
No. 3 Nicolai GRAHMEZ (MDA)

Zurabi IAKOBISHVILI (GEO) won the bronze medal at the Yasar Dogu to climb up to the third position. Now, he's seeded first at the 70lg. Currently, he has 41200 points and will overtake first-placed Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ), who has 45520 points, even with a ninth-place finish.

Ranked sixth with 25000 points, Arman ANDREASYAN (ARM) will be ranked fourth if he can finish 10th or better.

Nicolai GRAHMEZ (MDA) is ranked 20th but will be in the top-eight if he can reach the medal bouts in Budapest.

74kg (17 participants)

Seeds:
No. 1 Tajmuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK)
No. 2 Frank CHAMIZO (ITA)
No. 3 Hetik CABOLOV (SRB)
No. 4 Ali UMARPASHAEV (BUL)

After winning silver at the World Championships in Oslo, Tajmuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK) will be wrestling for the first time after the break. He has 37000 points and is ranked fifth but can be second if he wins the gold medal in Budapest. He is guaranteed to be ranked third after the competition.

Two-time world champion Frank CHAMIZO (ITA) will be competing for the first time since the Olympics. He's the 11th ranked wrestler with 23000 points has a chance to break into the top-six by winning any medal.

Ranked 12th, Hetik CABOLOV (SRB) will be a top-10 wrestler if he can wrestle for a medal in Budapest.

Ali UMARPASHAEV (BUL), ranked 15th with 15500 points, will also be a top-10 ranked if he can wrestle for a medal but also hope that Cabolov does not reach the medal bouts.

Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE) and Soner DEMITRAS (TUR), ranked 16th and 19th, respectively, also fall in the same category but they need to win gold to be in the top-10.

Myles AMINETokyo bronze medalist Myles AMINE (SMR) is the top seed at 86kg. (Photo: UWW / Tony Rotundo)

79kg (15 participants)

Seeds:
No. 1 Arman AVAGYAN (ARM)
No. 2 Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE)
No. 3 Saifedine ALEKMA (FRA)
No. 4 Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO)

Arman AVAGYAN (ARM) is ranked fifth with 25000 points and can be ranked two by the end of the tournament if he can win the gold medal. That will take him to 38000 points, 1000 points more than the current second-ranked Mohammad NOKHODILARIMI (IRI). A top-10 finish will take him to third rank irrespective of other wrestlers winning any medal.

The U23 European champion Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE) has 18200 points and is ranked seventh. Gold will take him to fourth place but even wrestling for a medal will take him to fifth position. However, he is unlikely to overtake Avagyan in the rankings.

Saifedine ALEKMA (FRA), ranked 11th and 17th Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO) can move up to seventh or above if they can win at least a bronze medal.

86kg (16 participants)

Seeds:
No. 1 Myles AMINE (SMR)
No. 2 Abubakr ABAKAROV (AZE)
No. 3 Boris MAKOEV (SVK)
No. 4 Osman GOCEN (TUR)

Just like the Yasar Dogu Ranking Series event, there will be no change in the top-three positions at 86kg. The fourth position is up for grabs as Tokyo bronze medalist Myles AMINE (SMR) holds that with 34200 points.

Oslo bronze medalist Abubakr ABAKAROV (AZE) is ranked fifth [31000 points], Boris MAKOEV (SVK) is sixth with 29600 points and Osman GOCEN (TUR) is seventh with 26500 points.

Amine can secure fourth place by reaching the final. If Abakarov wins the gold and Amine fails to reach the final, the Azerbaijan wrestler will be ranked fourth after the tournament.

Makoev and Gocen have to hope for Amine's medalless return to climb a spot in the ranking. Gocen can jump over Makoev if he reaches the final and the Slovak wrestler fails to win a medal.

Depending on the aforementioned four finish, Akhmed AIBUEV (FRA) has a chance to be in the top-five.

92kg (10 participants)

Seeds:
No. 1 Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE)
No. 2 Georgii RUBAEV (MDA)
No. 3 Miriani MAISURADZE (GEO)

Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE), who won a bronze in Oslo and is ranked fourth with 31000 points, is likely to move to the second spot. All he has to do is win a medal in Budapest. That will take him past Magomed KURBANOV (RWF) who has 37000 points.

Georgii RUBAEV (MDA) at 14th will move to seventh if he can win a gold medal. He won't be able to break into the top-10 if he finishes with bronze or less.

Ranked 23rd, Miriani MAISURADZE (GEO) will break into top-15 if he can win a medal.

97kg (11 participants)

Seeds:
No. 1 Magomedgadji NUROV (MKD)
No. 2 Radu LEFTER (MDA)
No. 3 Elizbar ODIKADZE (GEO)
No. 4 Burak SAHIN (TUR)

Magomedgadji NUROV (MKD), ranked sixth with 31700 points, has the chance to be ranked third if he can win at least a bronze medal.

There won't be a big shift in the rankings as Radu LEFTER (MDA) [17000 points] can only move from 13th to 11th even if he wins gold.

Veteran Elizbar ODIKADZE (GEO) is ranked 15th and the best he can reach is 12th rank.

Burak SAHIN (TUR) is ranked 24th with 7000 points and can only reach 16th rank with the top medal.

125kg (13 participants)

Seeds:
No. 1 Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO)
No. 2 Taha AKGUL (TUR)
No. 3 Gennadij CUDINOVIC (GER)
No. 4 Robert BARAN (POL)

World and Olympic silver medalist Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) [78400 points] and bronze medalist from the same events Taha AKGUL (TUR) [78200 points] are ranked second and third, respectively, with only 200 points separating them.

Given the two can only meet in the final, the wrestler winning the gold will be ranked second after the competition.

Eighth-placed Gennadij CUDINOVIC (GER) with 23200 points can only move to seventh even if he reaches the final while 15th ranked Robert BARAN (POL) can break into the top-10 if he manages to reach the final.

Epp MAEEpp MAE (EST), blue, and Yasmine ADAR (TUR) are the top two seeds at 76kg. (Photo: UWW / Max Rose-Fyne)

Women's Wrestling

50kg (11 participants)

Seeds:
No. 1 Emilia VUC (ROU)
No. 2 Miglena SELISHKA (BUL)
No. 3 Anna LUKASIAK (POL)
No. 4 Evin DEMIRHAN YAVUZ (TUR)

Emilia VUC (ROU) managed to jump to the fourth spot after winning gold at the Yasar Dogu event and now she has a chance to reach the second spot. A gold medal in Budapest will improve her tally from 42600 points to 52600 points.

Fifth-ranked Miglena SELISHKA (BUL) trails Vuc by only 700 points. The second rank will be taken by whoever finishes better in the tournament.

Anna LUKASIAK (POL), ranked 18th with 13600 points, and Evin DEMIRHAN YAVUZ (TUR), ranked 20th with 11600 points, will move upwards in the rankings.

53kg (11 participants)

Seeds:
No. 1 Iulia LEORDA (MDA)
No. 2 Katarzyna KRAWCZYK (POL)
No. 3 Emma MALMGREN (SWE)
No. 4 Annika WENDLE (GER)

Iulia LEORDA (MDA) is at the third spot with 47200 points and can dethrone top-ranked Bolortuya BAT OCHIR (MGL) [56200 points] by winning a gold medal. Any finish with second to eighth will take her to the second spot.

Katarzyna KRAWCZYK (POL) is ranked ninth with 31000 points and can only improve to sixth even if she wins the gold.

The 11th ranked junior world champion Emma MALMGREN (SWE) can improve to seventh by winning gold in Budapest and the same is true for Annika WENDLE (GER), who is currently ranked 12th.

55kg (9 participants)

Seeds:
No. 1 Oleksandra KHOMENETS (UKR)
No. 2 Andreea ANA (ROU)

Ranked third at 55kg, Oleksandra KHOMENETS (UKR) has 29000 points and a medal will take her to second spot. But she cannot reach the top as Tsugumi SAKURAI (JPN) has 43000 points.

U23 European champion Andreea ANA (ROU) has 16200 points at the eighth spot and a gold or silver will help her improve to the fifth spot.

57kg (9 participants)

Seeds:
No. 1 Evelina NIKOLOVA (BUL)
No. 2 Anhelina LYSAK (POL)
No. 3 Sandra PARUSZEWSKI (GER)
No. 4 Elvira KAMALOGLU (TUR)

The winner of the Ranking Series event in Istanbul Evelina NIKOLOVA (BUL) [64200 points] will have a chance to consolidate her second spot with a gold. Top-ranked Helen MAROULIS (USA) is unsurpassable at the moment as she has 79200 points.

No other big moves are expected but 21st ranked Anhelina LYSAK (POL), 22nd ranked Sandra PARUSZEWSKI (GER) and 31st ranked Elvira KAMALOGLU (TUR) are likely to move up in the rankings.

59kg (9 participants)

Seeds:
No. 1 Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL)
No. 2 Alyona KOLESNIK (AZE)
No. 3 Jowita WRZESIEN (POL)
No. 4 Anastasia NICHITA (MDA)

Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL) is ranked first in the weight class with 45000 points and is unlikely to be bothered by any other wrestler.

However, seventh-ranked Alyona KOLESNIK (AZE) [22500 points] can improve her rank with a medal finish.

Jowita WRZESIEN (POL) [16400 points], who is ranked 10th, and 12th ranked Anastasia NICHITA (MDA) [11000 points] can only improve to the eighth position.

Taybe YUSEINTaybe YUSEIN (BUL) is the top seed at 62kg for the European Championships. (Photo: UWW / Tony Rotundo)

62kg (12 participants)

Seeds:
No. 1 Taybe YUSEIN (BUL)
No. 2 Ilona PROKOPEVNIUK (UKR)
No. 3 Luisa NIEMESCH (GER)

Taybe YUSEIN (BUL), ranked third with 43200 points, has to reach the final in Budapest to overtake second-ranked Olympic champion Yukako KAWAI (JPN) [51000 points].

Ilona PROKOPEVNIUK (UKR) is ranked ninth with 25000 points. A gold will improve her rank to sixth. Anything less than a bronze finish will not help the Ukrainian improve her rankings.

Luisa NIEMESCH (GER), ranked 20th, will jump to the 13th spot if she can reach the medal bouts.

65kg (6 participants)

Seeds:
No. 1 Kriszta INCZE (ROU)
No. 2 Elis MANOLOVA (AZE)
No. 3 Tetiana RIZHKO (UKR)
No. 4 Asli TUGCU (TUR)

Kriszta INCZE (ROU), ranked 10th with 16720 points, and Elis MANOLOVA (AZE), ranked 11th with 16400 points, can jump to the fifth spot with a gold. The better finish among the two will take the fifth spot while any other finish will help them reach the seventh spot.

Tetiana RIZHKO (UKR) has 9000 points at 16th and even gold can only help her to 11th spot.

Asli TUGCU (TUR) is in a similar situation to Rizkho but is ranked three places below.

68kg (8 participants)

Seeds:
No. 1 Adela HANZLICKOVA (CZE)
No. 2 Natalia STRZALKA (POL)

Two wrestlers have a chance to improve their rankings at 68kg as Adela HANZLICKOVA (CZE) can move from seventh to fifth by reaching the final.

Natalia STRZALKA (POL), who is ranked 19th, can move to 11th after the tournament if she wins the gold, 13th by winning a silver or bronze.

World champion at 65kg Irina RINGACI (MDA) will be the favorite to win the gold in Budapest and she can debut at the 17th position in the rankings.

72kg (9 participants)

Seeds:
No. 1 Anna SCHELL (GER)
No. 2 Buse CAVUSOGLU TOSUN (TUR)
No. 3 Alexandra ANGHEL (ROU)

After their intense battle in Istanbul, Anna SCHELL (GER) and Buse CAVUSOGLU TOSUN (TUR) are likely to resume their rivalry in Budapest. The two can only meet in the final and third-ranked Schell is guaranteed the top spot if she reached the gold-medal bout.

Fourth-ranked Tosun has no luck when it comes to rankings. She will remain at the fourth spot even if she wins the gold medal. She will have 43000 points and be tied with world champion Masako FURUICHI (JPN) and silver medalist Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ). Since Bosun won a bronze, she cannot go over the two finalists in Oslo.

No. 15 Alexandra ANGHEL (ROU) has a good chance to break into the top-10 if she can reach the final. Even a bronze will take her to the 11th spot.

76kg (12 participants)

Seeds:
No. 1 Epp MAEE (EST)
No. 2 Yasemin ADAR (TUR)
No. 3 Anastasiia OSNIACH SHUSTOVA (UKR)
No. 4 Francy RAEDELT (GER)

World silver medalist Epp MAEE (EST) is ranked with 52000 points and she can only better her points in Budapest. No wrestler can overtake her but she also cannot overtake top-ranked Adeline GRAY (USA) and second-ranked Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ).

Olympic bronze medalist Yasemin ADAR (TUR), ranked sixth, Anastasiia OSNIACH SHUSTOVA (UKR), ranked eighth, and Francy RAEDELT (GER), ranked 12th, are also unaffected by any results in the tournament.

Hasrat JAFAROVU23 world champ Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) will be seeded second at 67kg. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Greco-Roman

55kg (10 participants)

Seeds:
No. 1 Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE)
No. 2Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO)
No. 3 Fabian SCHMITT (GER)

Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE) and Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO) are ranked third and fourth, respectively, and both have 29000 points each. Both have a chance to be second if they can win at least a bronze medal. Whoever finishes ahead of the other will be ranked higher after the tournament.

No other wrestler can overtake the pair however Fabian SCHMITT (GER), ranked 10th, can jump to seventh with a medal finish in Budapest.

60kg (15 participants)

Seeds:
No. 1 Murad MAMMADOV (AZE)
No. 2 Gevorg GHARIBYAN (ARM)
No. 3 Razvan ARNAUT (ROU)
No. 4 Justas PETRAVICIUS (LTU)

Murad MAMMADOV (AZE), ranked seventh with 31000 points, and Gevorg GHARIBYAN (ARM), ranked ninth with 25000 points, can jump to the fifth spot if they win the gold. But Mammadov only needs to finish at least 14th to get that spot while Gharibyan needs to win gold to do the same.

24th ranked Razvan ARNAUT (ROU) and 27th ranked Justas PETRAVICIUS (LTU) will improve their rankings in Budapest.

63kg (12 participants)

Seeds:
No. 1 Leri ABULADZE (GEO)
No. 2 Taleh MAMMADOV (AZE)
No. 3 Hrachya POGHOSYAN (ARM)
No. 4 Victor CIOBANU (MDA)

Leri ABULADZE (GEO) is a world silver medalist and ranked second with 37000 points. He can be ranked first above world champ Meysam DALKHANI (IRI) if he wins gold in Budapest.

Fifth-ranked Taleh MAMMADOV (AZE) has 30200 points and he will jump to the third spot after the competition if he finishes in the top-10. If he wants to be second, he has to win at least silver and hope Abuladze doesn't finish better than 10th.

15th ranked Hrachya POGHOSYAN (ARM) will break into the top-10 if he can reach the final as he currently has 6600 points and can add at least 8000 points.

60kg world champ Victor CIOBANU (MDA) has 6400 points at the 16th rank and if he wins the gold, he can be ranked 10th.

67kg (18 participants)

Seeds:
No. 1 Ramaz ZOIDZE (GEO)
No. 2 Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE)
No. 3 Murat FIRAT (TUR)
No. 4 Morten THORESEN (NOR)

World bronze medalist Ramaz ZOIDZE (GEO) has 56000 points at second rank and he will not make any move in the ranking. However, he will move closer to Olympic and World champion Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI) who has 98000 points.

Junior and U23 world champion Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) and Murat FIRAT (TUR) are ranked ninth and 10th with 25000 points. Both can improve to fourth by reaching the final.

Morten THORESEN (NOR) has 21900 points at 12th place and at least a bronze medal in Budapest can help him to ninth spot.

72kg (16 participants)

Seeds:
No. 1 Kristupas SLEIVA (LTU)
No. 2 Gevorg SAHAKYAN (POL)
No. 3 Cengiz ARSLAN (TUR)
No. 4 Ulvu GANIZADE (AZE)

Kristupas SLEIVA (LTU) won a bronze in Istanbul to reach the second spot and now has a chance to be ranked number one if he can finish in the top-10 in Budapest.

Fourth-placed Gevorg SAHAKYAN (POL) has 31000 points and can jump to third place by winning a bronze medal. Sixth and seventh-ranked Cengiz ARSLAN (TUR) and Ulvu GANIZADE (AZE) can jump to fourth place.

Sanan SULEYMANOVSanan SULEYMANOV (AZE) is the top seeded wrestler at 77kg. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

77kg (17 participants)

Seeds:
No. 1 Sanan SULEYMANOV (AZE)
No. 2 Viktor NEMES (SRB)
No. 3 Yunus BASAR (TUR)
No. 4 Oliver KRUEGER (DEN)

World silver medalist Sanan SULEYMANOV (AZE) has a chance to be number one in the category. Currently third with 46400 points, the Azerbaijan wrestler needs to finish eighth or better in Budapest to surpass second-ranked Tamas LORINCZ (HUN) and top-ranked Mohammadali GERAEI (IRI).

If ninth-ranked Viktor NEMES (SRB) can reach the medal bouts, he will reach the sixth spot after the competition.

Yunus BASAR (TUR), ranked 21st, and Oliver KRUEGER (DEN), ranked 22nd, will have a chance to improve their rankings.

World champ at 72kg Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM) will be wrestling at 77kg and if he wins the gold, he will debut in the rankings at the 19th spot.

82kg (18 participants)

Seeds:
No. 1 Rafig HUSEYNOV (AZE)
No. 2 Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR)
No. 3 Ranet KALJOLA (EST)
No. 4 Mihail BRADU (MDA)

Rafig HUSEYNOV (AZE) and Burhan AKBUDAK (TUR) will once again battle for the top spot at 82kg. The former won the World Championships defeating Akbudak while the Turkey wrestler won the Ranking Series in Istanbul.

The Olympic bronze medalist has 50200 points at the top while Akbudak has 45000 points. Akbudak winning gold and Huseynov failing to finish on the podium is the only way Akbudak can overtake Huseynov for the top rank.

If the eighth-ranked Ranet KALJOLA (EST) can surprise everyone and reach the final and win, he will be ranked third in the rankings.

Mihail BRADU (MDA) is ranked 15th with 6400 points. He can break into the top-10 with at least a bronze in Budapest.

87kg (15 participants)

Seeds:
No. 1 Zurabi DATUNASHVILI (SRB)
No. 2 Arkadiusz KULYNYCZ (POL)
No. 3 Turpan BISULTANOV (DEN)
No. 4 Metehan BASAR (TUR)

He may have lost in Istanbul but world champion Zurabi DATUNASHVILI (SRB) remains the number one at 87kg. He will remain undisputed in Budapest as well.

Sixth-ranked Arkadiusz KULYNYCZ (POL) can reach the third spot if he manages to reach the final. He will add enough points to his 34520 points to jump over Viktor LORINCZ (HUN), Kiryl MASKEVICH (BWF) and Lasha GOBADZE (GEO).

Turpan BISULTANOV (DEN) has 25000 points at the eighth spot and will only move to seventh even if he wins the gold. If he fails to do so, and 12th ranked Metehan BASAR (TUR) finishes above him, Basar will be ranked seventh.

Islam ABBASOV (AZE) won the gold in Istanbul over Datunashvili and if he can repeat the performance, he will improve his 19th rank to ninth in the rankings.

97kg (18 participants)

Seeds:
No. 1 Arvi SAVOLAINEN (FIN)
No. 2 Kiril MILOV (BUL)
No. 3 Nikoloz KAKHELASHVILI (ITA)
No. 4 Vilius LAURINAITIS (LTU)

Tokyo Olympics fifth-placer Arvi SAVOLAINEN (FIN) has a chance to jump from seventh to in the rankings if he can reach the final. A bronze will help him to the fifth spot.

10th placed Kiril MILOV (BUL) can improve to sixth if he wins any medal while 11th ranked Nikoloz KAKHELASHVILI (ITA) can jump to ninth with bronze or better finish.

Vilius LAURINAITIS (LTU), ranked 13th with 22100 points, will break into the top-10 after the tournament.

Felix BALDAUF (Norway) is ranked 21st and can improve to 11th with a gold medal in Budapest.

130kg (15 participants)

Seeds:
No. 1 Iakobi KAJAIA (GEO)
No. 2 Riza KAYAALP (TUR)
No. 3 Oskar MARVIK (NOR)
No. 4 Beka KANDELAKI (AZE)

Olympic silver and world bronze medalist Iakobi KAJAIA (GEO) is the top-ranked wrestler at 130kg with 72400 points and he will remain at the same spot after the tournament.

Greco-Roman legend Riza KAYAALP (TUR) will be ranked second if he can finish with any medal in Budapest.

Bronze medalist in Oslo Oskar MARVIK (NOR) will improve from his ninth rank to sixth if he can manage a top-10 finish while 10th ranked Beka KANDELAKI (AZE), who pinned Kayaalp in Istanbul, can be ranked eighth with at least a bronze.

#JapanWrestling

World champion in Freestyle, Narikuni earns elusive shot at Greco title

By Ken Marantz

TOKYO (June 20) -- Taishi NARIKUNI was never ready to abandon his quest of completing the extremely unique double of world titles in both freestyle and Greco. But after his latest setback six months ago, he began to wonder if it was beyond his limits.

Narikuni, the world freestyle 70kg champion in 2022, put the dream within reach again when he secured a place on Japan's team to this year's World Championships at Greco 72kg.

Also Read: Tokyo champ Shidochi dealt setback in return from two-year layoff

Narikuni captured the title at the Meiji Cup All-Japan Championships on Friday at Tokyo Metropolitan Gym, then returned to the mat a short time later to win a playoff for the ticket to the senior worlds to be held September 13-22 in Zagreb.

"I finally did it," Narikuni said. "Of course, I'm happy, but there's also a feeling of relief."

The Meiji Cup is the second of two domestic qualifiers for the Zagreb worlds, following the Emperor's Cup All-Japan Championships last December. Winners at both earned places outright on the world team, while a playoff determined spots in which the champions differed.

Joining Narikuni on the plane to Zagreb will be his long-time friends and brothers Hayato and Takashi ISHIGURO, who started the sport in the same Gold Kids club run by Narikuni's mother -- a former two-time world champion herself.

Taishi NARIKUNI (JPN)Taishi NARIKUNI works to turn Ryoma HOJO in the Greco 72kg final.  (Photo: Takeo Yabuki / wrestling-spirits.jp)

It was Mom's two world titles that inspired Narikuni to launch a quest to not only match her in number of golds, but top her in uniqueness by going for one each in the two men's styles.

But since winning the freestyle title in Belgrade, he endured a tough road in switching full-time to Greco. Hampered at times by injury, he failed to even make the final of any of the domestic qualifiers.

One obstacle was that he tried to make it at 67kg, which is one of Japan's most stacked weight classes. He dropped down to 63kg for the Emperor's Cup in December, but the strain of cutting so much weight took its toll and he was ousted in the semifinals.

"When I cut down to 63kg in December, that was really, really tough," Narikuni said. "It took three months and I barely made it. But I thought if I want to win the world title, 63kg was the only path.

"To put everything on the line and then lose, it was depressing and made me feel that I had reached my limit. I was close to giving up. But I thought of the people who had long been supporting me, who put up with my selfishly going into Greco after becoming a freestyle champion, and I couldn't give up."

Narikuni then made the bold step of moving up two weight classes. With a natural weight of about 74kg and a proclivity for weight training, 72kg became a good fit.

"I think [this] weight class is just right for me," said Narikuni, who never looked inferior in terms of power, using a high chest wrap to lethal effect to get his turns. "I was never the type who cut a lot of weight, and it was really tough getting down to 63kg."

On Friday, Narikuni won the Meiji Cup title -- the first in his career in either style -- with a solid 9-0 victory in the final over Ryoma HOJO.

He then clinched the world team spot with a 9-0 demolition of Emperor's Cup champion Issei HONNA that took just 1:47 and included a 5-point throw. He had defeated Honna 6-0 in the semifinals on Friday.

Hayato ISHIGURO (JPN)Hayato ISHIGURO makes short work of Tatsuya SHIRAI in the world team playoff at freestyle 86kg. (Photo: Takeo Yabuki / wrestling-spirits.jp)

In the only other playoff on the day, Paris Olympian Hayato Ishiguro clinched the world team spot at freestyle 86kg with a lightning-quick 10-0 win over Emperor's Cup and former world U23 champion Tatsuya SHIRAI.

Ishiguro, who beat Shirai 3-0 earlier in their final round-robin match to top the standings and set up the playoff, scored a takedown, then reeled off a tilt, roll, exposure and roll to end the match in 54 seconds.

Ishiguro's older brother, Asian bronze medalist Takashi, completed the Emperor's Cup-Meiji Cup double at freestyle 92kg with an 8-2 victory over Takato UCHIDA.

It will be the third time for the brothers to appear at the same World Championships, after 2021 and 2023.

Sakura ONISHI (JPN)Sakura ONISHI and older brother Taiga celebrate making Japan's team to the World Championships together. (Photo: Takeo Yabuki / wrestling-spirits.jp)

Onishi makes world team, with a brotherly bonus

World U20 champion Sakura ONISHI had little trouble cruising to victory at women's 59kg to earn her first trip to the senior worlds. Then she got an added bonus when older brother Taiga secured a ticket to Zagreb as well at Greco 55kg.

The 19-year-old Sakura scored a takedown in each period and was never in danger as she rolled to a 5-0 victory over Sena NAGAMOTO in the final, repeating her win in the gold-medal match at the Emperor's Cup but in much smoother fashion.

The victory erases the lingering sting from last year, when she defeated two-time Olympic champion Risako KINJO en route to the title, only to suffer a heartbreaking last-second loss in the world team playoff.

"Last year, I was left with a tough memory after losing in the playoff, but I think this makes up for it and I'm really happy," Onishi said.

Onishi was clearly the favorite this time, and said she was energized by the combination of the pressure, the support of those around her, and the victory by her brother.

"There was a lot of pressure and things to think about, but I received a lot of messages of support from many people that really gave me strength. And three was my older brother winning. Instead of being pressure, I turned it all to energy. I'm really satisfied."

Onishi, who won the senior Asian title in March, has established herself of one of Japan's fastest rising stars. She has suffered just one loss in seven international tournaments, falling to Maria YEFREMOVA (UKR) in the final at the 2022 World U17 Championships in Rome.

Prior to Zagreb, she will defend her world U20 title in August in Bulgaria. Looking farther ahead, her aim is to make it to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics along with senior Nippon Sport Science University teammate Akari FUJINAMI, the Paris Olympic champion at 53kg who has moved up to 57kg. That would entail a move up to 62kg, an issue she said she will address when the time comes.

Meanwhile, 2022 world U20 bronze medalist Taiga, a student at Waseda University, will be heading to his second senior worlds after defeating Sanshiro TAKAHASHI 7-1 in the Greco 55kg final.

Takahashi had defeated Emperor's Cup and Asian champion Kohei YAMAGIWA in the semifinals, but Yamagiwa was injured in the match and unable to take part in the playoff, handing Onishi the world team spot by default.

Arash YOSHIDA (JPN)Arash YOSHIDA secures a fall in the freestyle 97kg final against high schooler Noah LEIBOWITZ. (Photo: Takeo Yabuki / wrestling-spirits.jp)

Japan national team gets double helping of Yoshida

Two of Japan's rising young male stars, who happen to share a last name, clinched their tickets to Zagreb by adding the Meiji Cup title to their Emperor's Cup triumph.

Arash YOSHIDA overwhelmed high schooler Noah LEIBOWITZ in the freestyle 97kg final, muscling him over and scoring a victory by fall in 2:31.

Three matches later, Taizo YOSHIDA rallied from a 6-3 deficit, scoring the go-ahead points in the last 20 seconds to defeat Reon KAKEGAWA 11-6 for the Greco 82kg gold.

Arash Yoshida has occasionally sparred with the 17-year-old Leibowitz, who, through his coaches' connection, has been invited to practices at Nihon University. The son of an American father and Japanese mother who came to Japan when he was 4, Leibowitz still has a way to go to catch up to Yoshida, a two-time Asian champion.

"At times, Leibowitz comes to our practices, so I think there were things about me that he knew," Yoshida said. "Even so, it was good that I was able to stop him and get the fall."

Also proficient in judo, Leibowitz has set a lofty goal of winning a wrestling gold at the Los Angeles Olympics, then striking gold in judo at a future Olympics.

In other action, four-time world medalist Miwa MORIKAWA cut it close in capturing the women's 65kg title, then former world champion Masako FURUICHI cut it even closer to triumph at women's 72kg.

Morikawa needed a victory in the final round of matches in the five-women round-robin, and she barely held on to secure a 4-3 win over Nana IKEHATA.

Morikawa went ahead 3-1 with a stepout and takedown in the second period. In the last 10 seconds, Ikehata put the pressure on but had to settle for two stepouts. An unsuccessful challenge after the second one gave Morikawa her final point.

Masako FURUICHI (JPN)Masako FURUICHI turns over Ayano MORO to pull out a last-second victory in the women's 72kg final. (Photo: Takeo Yabuki / wrestling-spirits.jp)

At 72kg, Emperor's Cup champion Furuichi was trailing 2-1 against 2022 world U20 champion Ayano MORO, with all of the points coming on the activity clock, when she launched a last-ditch shot at a single leg. Moro's sprawl seemed to be enough to fend off the attack as the seconds ticked down.

But suddenly, Furuichi got enough leverage to dump Moro onto her back, where she lay stunned to make it a victory by fall at 5:58 and miss out on forcing a playoff. A distraught Moro later wept loudly, her wailing audible throughout the arena.

Day 2 Results

Freestyle

61kg (12 entries)
SF 1: Toshihiro HASEGAWA df. Aiki KAWAI, 10-2
SF 2: Akito MUKAIDA df. Takuto OSETO by Fall, 4:04 (14-4)

70kg (12 entries)
SF 1: Ryoya YAMASHITA df. Yoshinosuke AOYAGI, 4-2
SF 2: Shoya MIURA df. Makoto HOSOKAWA, 7-4

79kg (9 entries)
SF 1: Keyvan GHAREHDAGHI df. Ryunosuke KAMIYA, 4-4
SF 2: Subaru TAKAHARA df. Natsura OKAZAWA, 5-1

86kg (5 entries)
GOLD: Hayato ISHIGURO (4-0)
SILVER: Yudai TAKAHASHI (3-1)
BRONZE: Tatsuya SHIRAI (2-2)

Key match: Ishiguro df. Takahashi 5-4 in Round 3

World Team Playoff: Ishiguro df. Shirai by TF, 10-0, :54.

92kg (10 entries)
GOLD: Takashi ISHIGURO df. Takato UCHIDA, 8-2

BRONZE: Masanobu MITSUI df. Shuichiro SATO, 4-3
BRONZE: Sorato KANAZAWA df. Rintaro MOTOHASHI, 9-5

97kg (7 entries)
GOLD: Arash YOSHIDA df. Noah LEIBOWITZ by Fall, 2:31 (6-0)

BRONZE: Yuta SASAKI df. Takuma TATEOKA by Def.

125kg (10 entries)
GOLD: Taiki YAMAMOTO df. Hibiki ITO, 2-1

BRONZE: Ryusei FUJITA df. Hosei FUJITA by Fall, 1:33 (5-4)

Greco-Roman

55kg (11 entries)
GOLD: Taiga ONISHI df. Sanshiro TAKAHASHI, 7-1

BRONZE: Kohei YAMAGIWA (no match)
BRONZE: Taketo NINOMIYA df. Ryuma KAWANO by TF, 9-0, 1:49

World Team Playoff: Onishi df. Kohei YAMAGIWA by Def.

63kg (11 entries)
GOLD: Manato NAKAMURA df. Ayata SUZUKI by TF, 12-2, 1:53

BRONZE: Yuto NAGASAWA df. Kazuki YABE by Def.
BRONZE: Shoya ITO df. Sota SUGIMOTO, 8-3

72kg (11 entries)
GOLD: Taishi NARIKUNI df. Ryoma HOJO by TF, 9-0, 2:15

BRONZE: Rei NAGAMATSU df. Issei HONNA by Def.
BRONZE: Daigo KOBAYASHI df. Kento NOMURA, 6-2

World Team Playoff: Narikuni df. Honna by TF, 9-0, 1:47

82kg (9 entries)
GOLD: Taizo YOSHIDA df. Reon KAKEGAWA, 11-6

BRONZE: Tesshin HIGUCHI df. Daichi AKIHO by Fall, 1:39 (7-0)
BRONZE: Yudai KOBORI df. Yoshimitsu MATSUZAKI by Fall, 1:29 (4-0)

87kg (7 entries)
SF 1: Tatsuya FUJII df. Genki YAHAGI, Inj. Def.
SF 2: So SAKABE df. Isshin ONITSUKA by TF, 8-0, 1:57

97kg (11 entries)
SF 1: Yuri NAKAZATO df. Ryosei KATAMATSU by TF, 9-0, 3:30
SF 2: Takahiro TSURUDA df. Sorato KANAZAWA by Fall, 5:06 (10-2)

130kg (7 entries)
SF 1: Yuta NARA df. Shion OBATA, 3-1
SF 2: Sota OKUMURA vs Ayumu IWASAWA by TF, 9-0, 3:15

Women's Wrestling

53kg (11 entries)
SF 1: Moe KIYOOKA df. Haruna MORIKAWA, 2-1
SF 2: Haruna MURAYAMA df. Saki YUMIYA, 5-0

55kg (7 entries)
GOLD: Sowaka UCHIDA df. Umi IMAI, 2-0

BRONZE: Karina HONDA df. Narumi NAKAMURA by Fall, 5:50 (5-1)

59kg (9 entries)
GOLD: Sakura ONISHI df. Sena NAGAMOTO, 5-0

BRONZE: Sae NOGUCHI df. Sayaka OTA, 3-0
BRONZE: Miuna KIMURA df. Misaki YOSHIBA, 3-0

65kg (5 entries)
GOLD: Miwa MORIKAWA (4-0)
SILVER: Nana IKEHATA (3-1)
BRONZE: Akari ASAI (2-2)

Key match: Morikawa df. Ikehata 4-3 in Round 5

68kg (4 entries)
Standings through 2 rounds: 1. Ami ISHII (2-0); 2. Seia MOCHINAGA (2-0); 3. Kaede MATSUYAMA (0-2); 4. Rin MIYAJI (0-2).

72kg (7 entries)
GOLD: Masako FURUICHI df. Ayano MORO by Fall, 5:58 (3-2)

BRONZE: Mahiro YOSHITAKE df. Chisato YOSHIDA by TF, 10-0, 3:16

76kg (4 entries)
Standings through 2 rounds: 1. Nodoka YAMAMOTO (2-0); 2. Yasuha MATSUYUKI (2-0); 3. Mizuki NAGASHIMA (0-2); 4. Sakura NAKANO (0-2).