#WrestleOslo

#WrestleOslo Day Four Preview: WW 50kg, 53kg, 65kg and 76kg

Tuesday, September 21, 2021 - 11:35 By Vinay Siwach

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CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (September 21) -- It may be missing the latest Olympic champion Aline FOCKEN (GER) but the 76kg weight class in women's wrestling at the Oslo World Championships promises to be another minefield for the competitors as four Olympic medalist including a former champion are wrestling on October 5 in Oslo, Norway. A young force of wrestlers will aim to show their dominance in Oslo as Wednesday will give them an opportunity to claim the world titles.

Tokyo Olympics silver medalist and five-time defending world champion Adeline GRAY (USA) will lead the field which will also has fellow Tokyo medalist Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ). Rio Olympic bronze medalist Elmira SYZDYKOVA (KAZ) is also entered.

Gray become the first US wrestler in all styles to win the World Championships five times and she will be looking to defend the gold she won in Nursultan in Oslo. In Tokyo, she won the silver medal after falling to Focken in a close final. Focken announced her retirement after winning the medal.

Kyzy and Gray faced each other in the semifinal of the Tokyo Olympics and the American managed to pull off a late score to beat the Kyrgyzstan wrestler. A highly anticipated rematch between the two looks a big possibility and could well be the match of the tournament in women's wrestling.

But Wiebe, who suffered an opening round loss at the Olympics, will look to bounce back and try to win a World Championships medal. The Canadian has suffered some unexpected losses since the quarterfinal loss to Epp MAEE (EST) at the 2019 World Championships. It was again Maee who defeated her in Tokyo in the opening round ending her Olympic defence. Oslo will offer her an opportunity to make a comeback and make a run for Paris in 2024.

Even Maee will look to put the disappointment of Tokyo behind her. The senior European champion lost to Hiroe MINAGAWA (JPN) in the quarterfinals and failed to progress further as the Japanese lost her next bout. With a number of wrestlers missing from Oslo, Maee can lay claim to the title.

Kazakhstan veteran Syzdykova is another wrestler trying to win a World medal. Since her bronze in Rio, she has not been able to keep up the performance but a gold at the Asian Championships earlier this year in Almaty have rekindled her career.

Sarah HildebrandtSarah HILDEBRANDT (USA) won a bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics. (Photo: UWW / Tony Rotundo)

On the same day, the lightest weight class in women's wrestling 50kg will also be in action and all eyes will be on Tokyo Olympics bronze medalist Sarah Hilderbrandt. It's an opportunity to win a world title in the same year as the Olympic medal and with other three medalists from Tokyo missing, the USA wrestler is the biggest contender. Her exceptional run at the Olympics saw her reach the semifinal where she was leading Sun YANAN (CHN) but the latter hit a front headlock late in the bout to win. Hilderbrandt has a silver medal at the Worlds from 2018 and three years later she has a chance to get one step further.

Trying to stop her from doing that will be Miglena SELISHKA (BUL) who won the gold medal at the 2020 European Championships and faced the USA wrestler in the quarterfinal of Tokyo Olympics. Hilderbrandt notched up a stunning 12-2 win and advanced to the semifinal. Selishka will now try to reverse that result if the two face each other in Oslo.

Another of Hilderbrandt's victim in Tokyo was Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR) who lost to her in the first round. The USA wrestler scored a 11-0 shut out win. The Turkey wrestler will be eyeing her first World medal.

Three of world's best 50kg wrestler have decided to skip the event. Tokyo Olympic champion Yui SUSAKI (JPN) and four-time Olympic medalist Maria STADNIK (AZE) will not be there is Oslo, putting an break on their fancied rivalry. Yanan, who won silver in Tokyo, will also be missing the event as the whole Chinese contingent has decided to give it a miss.

Japan will enter Remina YOSHIMOTO (JPN) who has won gold at cadet World and Asian Championships and will be under tremendous pressure on her international Worlds debut and keep the gold in her country in the absence of Susaki.

Another former cadet world champion and U23 world finalist Nadezhda SOKOLOVA (RWF) will also be challenging her more accomplished opponents. Sokolova has been on the fringes of the national team for quite some time now but this is her first major break given that Russia in a transition phase after Tokyo Olympics. She recently won gold at the Alexander Medved tournament in Belarus.

Akari FujinamiAkari FUJINAMI (JPN) will be Japan's representative at 53kg in Oslo. (Photo: UWW / Martin Gabor)

The second Olympic weight class that will be in action on Wednesday will be 53kg and it awaits the senior debut of Japan's much talked about star Akari FUJINAMI (JPN).

In May, Fujinami won the All Japan Championships to qualify for Oslo. The 2017 cadet world champion earned the spot with a 10-0 technical fall win in the final over Nanami IRIE (JPN), the 2019 world silver medalist at 55kg, in a repeat of the gold-medal match at the Emperor's Cup.

"It gives me some boost of confidence, but looking at the world, I feel I need to get much stronger," Fujinami had said after her victory in May. "Many issues that need to be addressed came out, and heading to the World Championships, I will have to practice harder."

That was not the only high profile win for her as she won the semifinal 11-2 over two-time former world champion Haruna OKUNO (JPN),  who has been trying to work out of a slump after losing out on the Olympic spot at 53kg to Mayu MUKAIDA.

Fujinami, who stands at 1.63 meters, has not lost since June 2017, when she was defeated in the final of the national junior high school championships to Umi ITO (JPN), who placed second on Thursday at 50kg.

But the youngster will face tough challenge from Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist Bolortuya BAT OCHIR (MGL) and 2021 junior world champion Emma MALMGREN (SWE). Bat Ochir reached the semifinal in Tokyo but lost to eventual champion Mukaida. Then she defeated Joseph ESSOMBE (CMR) in the bronze medal match. She is now Mongolia's second ever Olympic medalist.

Malmgren will look to repeat her performance from Ufa, Russia as she won the world title in stunning fashion. The compact Malmgren has been performing at the senior level but has not registered significant results. But at the junior Worlds, she managed to overcome most opponents including a strong Moldovan in the final, winning 7-3. Malmgren, who trains at Helsingborg which has given Sweden multiple World medalists and Olympians, will now be hoping to step up at the senior level.

Irina RINGACIIrina RINGACI (MDA) and Tetiana RIZHKO (UKR) are both entered at 65kg for Oslo. (Photo: UWW / Dogukan Karadag)

The final weight class on Wednesday is 65kg which will be a mix of experience and youth. Rio Olympic silver medalist Maryia MAMASHUK (BLR) will lead the field with Tokyo Olympians Elis MANOLOVA (AZE), Mimi HRISTOVA (BUL) and Kriszta INCZE (ROU).

2021 junior world champion Irina RINGACI (MDA) and 2020 Individual World Cup champion Tetiana RIZHKO (UKR) are also entered for the competition. Japan is sending Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN), a junior world champion from 2019.

Mamashuk failed to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics but will be a force to reckon at the Oslo Worlds. She won the 2021 Alexander Medved tournament but before that she had struggled to pull off results at major tournaments.

Manolova and Hritsova wrestled at the 68kg weight class in Tokyo while Incze wrestled at 62kg. Manolova lost to Blessing OBRUDUDU (NGR), the silver medalist, in the opening round and later to Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ) in the repechage round. Her on and off performances at the international level make her a dark horse in Oslo but a lot will depend on her draw. Hritsova is also in a similar situation and it will be a wait-and-watch as she tries to win a World medal. She lost to Zhumanazarova in the open round in Tokyo.

Incze too has failed to win a medal at the World Championships despite winning medals at the European Championships and Games. She lost to Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) in the quarterfinal and later to Anastasija GRIGORJEVA (LAT) in the repechage rounds.

Ringaci and Rizhko will be resuming their fierce rivalry in Oslo and the two has exchanged finals at the 2020 Individual World Cup and senior European Championships in 2021. Ringaci won the final in Warsaw while it was Rizhko who won in Belgrade.

Ringaci has been part of Moldova's strong female contingent for some time but did not have any world title. But in August, she had a run of her life in Ufa, Russia to win the gold and claim her first one. In Oslo, she can well be on the part to claim her second one and first senior-level World gold. Rizhko on the other hand lost the senior Euros but won the U23 European gold.

#WrestleZagreb

Uguev ends six-year world title drought with 61kg gold

Sunday, September 14, 2025 - 22:03 By Ken Marantz

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ZAGREB, Croatia (September 13) -- With a spectacular display of his old form over two days, Zavur UGUEV (UWW) went from an afterthought back to one of the sport's most dominant wrestlers.

Uguev finessed his way to a third world title and first in six years when he captured the freestyle 61kg gold at the World Championships in Zagreb on Sunday, on the first night of finals in four Freestyle weight classes.

Uguev, the Tokyo Olympic champion at 57kg, rolled to the gold with a comprehensive 11-2 victory in the final over Asian bronze medalist Ahmad JAVAN (IRI), adding to the world titles he won in 2018 and 2019, also at 57kg.

"This is a very joyful event in my life -- I am once again on the top of the podium," Uguev said. "I am very happy and grateful to my team, my coach, my sparring partners, our national team -- thanks to everyone who played a part in my victory."

In other finals, Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI) also became a three-time world champion with his third victory in five years at 125kg, while the two other golds at stake went to first-time winners who had previously made the podium, Yoshinosuke AOYAGI (JPN) at 70kg and Zahid VALENCIA (USA) at 86kg.

Uguev had been the dominant lightweight for the span from his first world title in 2018 to his Olympic triumph in 2021. But then he hit a slump with a fifth-place finish in 2023, a result he repeated in 2024, even after moving up to the non-Olympic weight class of 61kg.

This year, he gave an indication of what might lie ahead when he won his first-ever European title, having previously won a bronze in 2017 and a silver in 2018.

"I didn’t change much," Uguev said. "I just worked on our mistakes, that’s all. We didn’t invent anything new. There were mistakes, we thought them through, corrected them, and this time made only minimal ones."

Zavur UGUEV (UWW)Zavur UGUEV (UWW) tries to score against Ahmad JAVAN (IRI) in the 61kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Uguev said he welcomes new challengers coming along to try to knock him off the throne again.

"The more new names that appear, the better," he said. "They don’t let us relax. The young wrestlers are improving a lot, and it also makes me want to work harder — to compete with the younger generation."

Regarding a possible return to 57kg, Uguev replied, "I think it’s already clear that I’ve settled into this weight and built up my physique well. I feel comfortable here now, in this weight.

"There’s still time before the [2028] Olympic Games -- we’re not thinking about that yet. For now, there’s a goal for next year. I will work, move only forward. And later we’ll see how things go."

Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI)Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI) wrestles Giorgi MESHVILDISHVILI (AZE) in the 125kg final at the World Championships. (Photo: United World Championships / Kostadin Andonov)

At 125kg, Zare reconfirmed himself as the preeminent heavyweight with a 5-0 victory in the final over European champion and Olympic bronze medalist Giorgi MESHVILDISHVILI (AZE), with all of the points coming in the first period.

"I’m thankful that this [winning the title] has happened for the third time now," Zare said. "My hope is that as long as I wrestle, I can keep winning gold medals. This third one feels just as good as the others, and I dedicate it to the people of Iran."

The victory helps alleviate some of the sting of a defeat in the final at the Paris Olympics, where he was dealt a heartbreaking 10-9 loss by Geno PETRASHVILI (GEO).

"That tough experience at the Olympics was really painful, and I’ll never forget it," said Zare, who previously won world titles in 2021 and 2023. "I made mistakes myself. For the last 13 months, I’ve only been focused on training -- so that my next medal would be gold and to make up for those mistakes. I’ll keep grinding, keep pushing, until I get better and finally win that Olympic gold."

Zare also has bronze medals from the 2021 Olympics and 2022 World Championships, as well as a gold from his debut at the Asian Championships last year.

At 70kg, Aoyagi wasn't as dominating as he had been in storming into the final, but he took advantage of the opportunities presented and forged a 5-1 victory over Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL).

"The opponent completely had a strategy to counter my movement, so it made it tough," Aoyagi said. "But I also had a plan for the opponent, so I never thought I would lose."

Aoyagi's victory made up for losing in last year's final, a defeat that caused him to make changes in his approach to training and competition.

"After I lost, I dedicated myself to practice and to expanding my horizons in terms of going different places to train, and going overseas," Aoyagi said.

His overseas ventures resulted in victories at the Ranking Series events in Tirana and Budapest, along with a bronze medal at the Asian Championships, where he lost a close semifinal match to Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ) -- a loss he avenged in spades in his opening match in Zagreb en route to outscoring four opponents 34-1.

Yoshinosuke AOYAGI (JPN)Yoshinosuke AOYAGI (JPN) celebrates after winning the 70kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Aoyagi also suffered a setback domestically in June, when he was beaten in the semifinals of the Meiji Cup All-Japan Invitational Championships, the second of two qualifiers for the World Championships. But he came back to earn his ticket to Zagreb by winning a playoff with the eventual champion.

"A little while ago, I lost at a Japan tournament, so right now I'm No. 3 in Japan," he said. "But I never give up in trying to win. I always fight only believing that I can win."

In Sunday's final, Aoyagi gave up an activity point -- the first and only point he surrendered all tournament -- but stuffed a half-hearted arm throw attempt by Tumur Ochir for a 2-point exposure.

In the second period, he was on the verge of giving up a stepout when he suddenly rose up, reversed their positions and gained the stepout himself, which was upheld on challenge to increase his lead to 4-1.

"I knew I had my knee down and it would be no point," said Aoyagi, who would add another stepout in the final seconds. "I was aware of going out, and the opponent pushed me up a bit.

"I didn't want to let the chance get away and I reversed our positions and scored a point. Even if it had been no points, it wouldn't have changed the flow of the match."

Zahid VALENCIA (USA)Zahid VALENCIA (USA) scores a takedown against Hayato ISHIGURO (JPN) in the 86kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

At 86kg, Valencia denied Japan a second gold on the night when he overwhelmed 2023 Asian bronze medalist Hayato ISHIGURO (JPN) 12-0 to cap a successful drop from 92kg.

"I felt like I was always the best in the world," Valencia said. "I was confident in myself."

The 28-year-old Valencia, a 2023 world bronze medalist at 92kg, changed his own fortunes when, about a year ago, he decided to train with the Oklahoma State University group under the leadership of former star David TAYLOR (USA) -- a one-time nemesis of his.

"Being able to learn from someone like him, it's been amazing," Valencia said. "That's ultimately why I made the move. He's beat me so many times. I wanted to learn from him and get into his mindset of what it takes to become a world champion. I was able to do it and replicate it and bring home another one for our Team USA."

Zahid VALENCIA (USA)Zahid VALENCIA (USA), right, with coach David TAYLOR, after winning the 86kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

Just to make Team USA was a challenge in itself. Valencia had to beat four-time world champion Kyle DAKE (USA) twice at the U.S. trials to earn his ticket to Zagreb. That in itself can be quite a confidence booster.

"If you make the team in the U.S., you're prepared to go be a world champ," he said. "So just go out there and let go of your fears and be courageous and let fly, go up there and score points and enjoy every moment and have fun with it."

Robert BARAN (POL)Robert BARAN (POL) celebrates after winning his bronze-medal bout at 125kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Poland's Baran earns elusive world medal

Making his seventh trip to the World Championships, Robert BARAN (POL) finally made it onto the medal podium at age 34. And he says he wants to get come back for more.

Baran won a bronze at 125kg with a solid 5-0 victory over Vlagyiszlav BAJCAJEV (HUN), ending a run of futility that started in 2017.

"I feel very good, it is my long-awaited first [world] medal," Baran said. "I'm very happy, very pleased, and I hope that it is not the last medal."

Baran's previous best finish was a seventh place in Belgrade in 2023. He came close at last year's Paris Olympics, but lost in the bronze-medal match to Meshvildishvili.

On Sunday, he received an activity point in each period before scoring a stepout in the second to go ahead 3-0. He capped his win with a last-second 2-point exposure.

"During the match, I was feeling great," Baran said. "We worked on a plan with the coaches and I made it work 100 percent."

The other bronze at 125kg went to Shamil SHARIPOV (BRN), who caught Jonovan SMITH (PUR) with a 4-point counter that sent him to his back, then secured a fall in 4:08.

Meanwhile, Assylzhan YESSENGELDI (KAZ), a world medalist on the U23 and U20 levels, picked up his first one as a senior, but it didn't come easy nor without a bit of drama.

Yessengeldi emerged from a wild encounter with high school phenom Jax FORREST (USA) with a 10-8 victory in a bronze-medal match at 61kg that, for an agonizing moment, he had thought he had lost.

Yessengeli came back from a 8-3 deficit to go ahead 9-8 following a scramble that earned him four points. But with the seconds ticking away, he was suddenly flagged for grabbing the singlet, giving Forrest a point -- and the lead on criteria -- with :03 left. But on challenge, his despondence turned to joy when the penalty was overturned.

The other 61kg bronze went to Nuraddin NOVRUZOV (AZE), who put on a master class of counter wrestling to defeat Kum Hyok KIM (PRK) by fall with the last of three scoring moves.

After chalking up a pair of 2-point exposures off Kim's attacks, Novruzov countered him right to his back to secure the fall in 2:19 and gain the bronze medal that evaded him last year.

Akmataliev and Nurkosha KAIPANOV (KAZ) both added to burgeoning world medal collections by taking home the 70kg bronze medals.

Akmataliev went on a six-point run in the second period to finish up an 8-2 victory over Arman ANDREASYAN (ARM) and add to his world silver from 2021 and bronze from 2022.

Kaipanov, who came into Zagreb as the defending champion, also went on a second-period blitz, with his culminating in a 13-2 victory over Vasile DIACON (MDA) in 4:48. Kaipanov also has a silver from 2019.

At 86kg, Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI), a two-time world champion at 92kg, bounced back from a disappointing loss to Valencia in the semifinals by manhandling Mukul DAHIYA (IND) with a 10-0 technical fall in 3:33.

Arsenii DZHIOEV (AZE) gave Azerbaijan its second bronze of the night by handily defeating Rakhim MAGAMADOV (FRA) 7-0 in the other 86kg match.

READ THE DAY 2 SEMIFINALS REPORT HERE

RESULTS

Freestyle

57kg (31 entries)
SEMIFINAL: Chongsong HAN (PRK) df. Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) by Fall, 3:47 (4-1)
SEMIFINAL: Bekzat ALMAZ UULU (KGZ) df. Gulomjon ABDULLAEV (UZB), 8-0

61kg (26 entries)
GOLD: Zavur UGUEV (UWW) df. Ahmad JAVAN (IRI), 11-2

BRONZE: Assylzhan YESSENGELDI (KAZ) df. Jax FORREST (USA), 10-8
BRONZE: Nuraddin NOVRUZOV (AZE) df. Kum Hyok KIM (PRK) by Fall, 2:18 (6-0)

70kg (29 entries)
GOLD: Yoshinosuke AOYAGI (JPN) df. Tulga TUMUR OCHIR (MGL), 5-1

BRONZE: Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ) df. Arman ANDREASYAN (ARM), 8-2
BRONZE: Nurkosha KAIPANOV (KAZ) df. Vasile DIACON (MDA) by TF, 13-2, 4:47

74kg (35 entries)
SEMIFINAL: Chermen VALIEV (ALB) df. Zaurbek SIDAKOV (UWW), 6-4
SEMIFINAL: Kota TAKAHASHI (JPN) df. Taimuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK), 6-4

79kg (27 entries)
SEMIFINAL: Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE) df. Mohammad NOKHODI (IRI), 8-3
SEMIFINAL: Levi HAINES (USA) df. Suldkhuu OLONBAYAR (MGL), 4-1

86kg (29 entries)
GOLD: Zahid VALENCIA (USA) df. Hayato ISHIGURO (JPN) by TF, 12-0, 4:22

BRONZE: Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI) df. Mukul DAHIYA (IND) by TF, 10-0, 3:32
BRONZE: Arsenii DZHIOEV (AZE) df. Rakhim MAGAMADOV (FRA), 7-0

92kg (26 entries)
SEMIFINAL: Trent HIDLAY (USA) df. Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE) by TF, 15-4, 6:00
SEMIFINAL: Amanula GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (UWW) df. Amirhossein FIROUZPOUR (IRI), 11-6

125kg (27 entries)
GOLD: Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI) df. Giorgi MESHVILDISHVILI (AZE), 5-0

BRONZE: Robert BARAN (POL) df. Vlagyiszlav BAJCAJEV (HUN), 5-0
BRONZE: Shamil SHARIPOV (BRN) df. Jonovan SMITH (PUR) by Fall, 4:07 (5-0)