#WrestleOslo

#WrestleOslo: Gray Grabs 6th World Title as Teen Fujinami Lives Up to Hype

Wednesday, October 6, 2021 - 18:28 By Ken Marantz

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OSLO, Norway (October 6) -- As Adeline GRAY (USA) maintained her tenuous grip on the women's 76kg title by winning a U.S.-record sixth world gold, teenager Akari FUJINAMI (JPN) put on a golden performance well beyond her years.

Gray was forced to rally before securing a last-second fall over Epp MAEE (EST) in the 76kg final to cap a historic fifth day of action at the World Championships in Oslo on Wednesday.

"I am a smart wrestler and adjust and that's what smart wrestlers do -- make mid-match adjustments," Gray said. "My coach helped me understand where my power was and found a few positions where my strength really is."

Fujinami, a 17-year-old dynamo making her international senior debut, stole the show at the Jordal Amfi arena by storming to her fourth straight technical fall -- all without conceding a point -- to take the 53kg gold by crushing Iulia LEORDA (MDA).

Moldova, denied first by Fujinami, got its first-ever female world champion in the next final, when Irina RINGACI (MDA) forged out an 8-6 victory over Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN) at 65kg in a clash of current and past world junior champions.

"Here as well as at the junior worlds, we have a small team, only three girls flew in Norway, and two out of three got medals," Ringaci said. "We have made history for our country."

Japan won the other women's title at stake, when 2019 world cadet champion Remina YOSHIMOTO (JPN) came from behind in the 50kg final to defeat Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist Sarah HILDEBRANDT (USA) 5-3.

Adeline GRAYAdeline GRAY (USA) celebrates after winning her record sixth World title. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Two days after Jordan BURROUGHS (USA) joined Gray as a five-time world champion by winning the freestyle 79kg gold, she became the sole U.S. leader again by taking a sixth.

"Great feeling," Gray said. "Better than five times is six. Sixth one feels good. Jordan is still chasing me. so that's good."

The victory, however, was never a sure thing until the final minute.

Maee, who previously lost to Gray at the 2014 and 2018 World Championships, seemed to have come up with the right strategy to emulate Aline ROTTER FOCKEN (GER), who stunned the American in the final at the Tokyo Olympics in August.

After gaining an activity point, Maee scored on the edge with a high ankle pick, which became a 4-0 lead after an unsuccessful challenge of the call. In the second period, Gray got on the scoreboard by bulling Maee over for 2.

With :42 left, Gray took the lead on criteria with a takedown off a counter. She then added to the tally with a 2-point trap-arm exposure. It looked like she would run out the clock, but she kept applying the pressure and secured a fall with two seconds left.

"I could have finished the last shot a bit better," Maee said. "It's hard to tell about these things right after the match, but there is still a lot going on here [in the mind]. First period, I really thought I was in control, but at this level one mistake matters everything.

Adeline GRAYAdeline GRAY (USA) and Epp MAEE (EST) were involved in a tense battle in the 76kg final. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

Gray added to the world titles she won in 2012, 2014, 2015, 2018 and 2019, giving her a total of eight world medals. Adding to her elation was the fact that her latest gold came with falls in all four matches.

"How many times do you pin your way to the world title?" Gray said. "I was so jealous when Helen [MAROULIS] did it, or Yui [SUSAKI] doing 42-0 at the Olympics. I mean that's dominance. That's power. That's dynamic wrestling and not letting people score. To have four pins in a world championship, I've never done that."

Gray accomplished the feat despite problems dealing with the fast turnaround trying to get ready for Oslo so soon after the Olympics.

"It was a struggle every single day and my coaches were talking me into it," Gray said. "It's just too short of a time period to cope with everything that happened."

While Japan did not enter its Olympians, which included four women's gold medalists, nor was China entered at all, Gray was among all but one U.S. medalist who committed to participating in Oslo.

"That buzzing high kind of stayed through the Olympics because 14 days later we had to decide if we had to do this world or not," Gray said. "Especially when we saw the lineup of the people and how many No. 1s were not there. I looked up to [U.S. coach] Terry [STEINER] and asked why we were sending our No. 1s. So it was just a lot of decisions through the way.

"I am glad we did this but it's hard and wouldn't recommend it."

Akari FujinamiAkari FUJINAMI (JPN) outscored her opponents 41-0 en route the 53kg title. (Photo: UWW / Martin Gabor)

Fujinami, a 2018 world cadet champion, came to Oslo amid a mountain of hype and high expectations, despite the fact that her only other senior-level tournaments were the two national championships over the past year that served as qualifiers to the World Championships.

Fujinami won both, beating a two-time world champion and a world silver medalist along the way at each. She has not lost since the final at the 2017 national junior high school championships and, adding in the four victories in Oslo, now has an 83-match win streak.

"I feel amazing, I am so grateful, thank you to my family, my friends, my teammates, the people who supported me," Fujinami said in English, before continuing her post-match comments in Japanese.

In the final, Fujinami blitzed Leorda with a barrage of lightning-quick single-leg takedowns, ending a 10-0 rout with a 2-point exposure at 2:14.

Fujinami had said before the tournament that she felt excited instead of nervous, and that's how she described her feeling before the final.

"Everyone says I'm 17 and I'm young, but thinking about all the time I've put into wrestling up to now, I think the time I spent thinking about wrestling wasn't wasted," she said. "I think the reason [for being excited] was how confident I was taking the mat."

With the one-sided victory, Fujinami ended up with four wins by a combined score of 41-0.

"I don't really think about not giving up a point," she said. "I only keep in mind to keep attacking. And that just leads to these results."

Asked if any of her wins stood out above the others, she said, "Really, all of them left an impression. It's a first experience for me. All of the matches will be remembered. I'm really happy to be able to compete on this stage. I really want to get back to this stage and win again many times."

Fujinami, who is coached by her father at Inabe Gakuin High School in central Japan's Mie Prefecture, said she received encouragement from her classmates.

"Before the final, our teacher sent a video of everyone together saying 'Ganbare (fight hard)! That made me really happy," she said. "It made me feel they were really behind me and I had to win for them."

Akari FujinamiAkari FUJINAMI (JPN) won the world title on senior debut. (Photo: UWW / Tony Rotundo)

Looking ahead, Fujinami is ready to clash with Tokyo Olympic 53kg champion Mayu MUKAIDA (JPN) in her quest to make it to the 2024 Paris Olympics. The gold in Oslo only adds to her confidence.

"Mukaida is a really strong wrestler," Fujinami said. "From the time I was small, I looked up to her. She is strong, but I am absolutely determined to be the one going to Paris [in 2024]. When the time comes to face her, I definitely want to win."

Leorda, this year's European bronze medalist, joined Ringaci as Moldova's first-ever female world medalists, although she would not become the first to get to the top of the podium.

Still, a silver is a noteworthy accomplishment for a wrestler who had never placed higher than seventh at seven previous World Championships.

Irina RINGACIIrina RINGACI (MDA) became her country's first-ever world women's wrestling champion. (Photo: UWW / Martin Gabor)

At 65kg, the 20-year-old Ringaci came out on top by wrestling a tactically strong match, continually fending off the aggressive 2019 world junior champion Morikawa and scoring on counters.

After Ringaci scored two takedowns in the first period, Morikawa finally broke through with a double-leg takedown to start the second. But Ringaci picked up a crucial 4-point counter to go ahead 8-2, then held on as Morikawa scored two takedowns late in the match.

"All the matches were tough," Ringaci said. "The Japanese girls are the best in the world in women wrestling, so it was really difficult to wrestle in the final, especially to win."

Ringaci nearly lost out on her chance to make history for her country when she trailed 8-2 in her semifinal against Mimi HRISTOVA (BUL), only to use a counter to reverse the tide and score a fall.

"It’s really emotional," Ringaci said. "I have no words to explain it. I am just really happy."

Ringaci has had quite a year, winning both the European senior and U23 titles before taking the world junior crown two months ago in Ufa, Russia. Her only slip-ups were at the two Olympic qualifiers and the European juniors.

She said she does not plan to go for a "triple crown" at the world U23 next month in Serbia.

"I think I showed quite a good result at senior worlds, so I’ll give the change to somebody else to wrestle at the U23 worlds," Ringaci said.

YoshimotoRemina YOSHIMOTO (JPN) reclaimed the 50kg world title for Japan. (Photo: UWW / Martin Gabor)

With Japan's Olympians opting not try to make the team to Oslo, Yoshimoto made the most of a rare chance to compete on the senior level at 50kg, where Tokyo gold medalist Susaki has become a fixture.

In the final, Hildebrandt, the 2018 world silver medalist at 53kg, took a 3-0 lead on an activity point and 2-point exposure off a counter, before Yoshimoto cut the gap with a takedown to end the first period.

"She's a veteran, and I can feel her strong determination," the soft-spoken Yoshimoto said. "But I was determined to not lose and to fight to the end, and it was good that I did it."

Yoshimoto went ahead on criteria with a stepout, then clinched the win with a 2-point exposure off a wild scramble in which both wrestlers had a grasp of an ankle or thigh.

"I wasn't able to attack much, but I could stop her when I needed to stop her, and I got points when I could," Yoshimoto said. "I made it smoothly to the final, but the final wasn't so easy.

"I had confidence in my strength during the match, and in the second period, I was thinking that I definitely wanted my hand to be raised at the end."

Yoshimoto's ability to hold up in the pressure-cooker that is a World Championships stems from being on the team at Shigakkan University, the powerhouse that has produced innumerable world and Olympic champions, many of whom still train there after graduating.

"I got advice from many people, Risako [KAWAI], Yukako [KAWAI], Eri [TOSAKA]," Yoshimoto said. "Risako and Yukako always helped with techniques. That I was able to make good use of what I learned, I see as a way of honoring them."

Asked about knocking Susaki off the 50kg perch, Yoshimoto said, "I will keep practicing and work to get stronger not only physically, but technically and emotionally. We will probably butt heads someday, so until then, I want to get stronger and challenge her."

Samar HAMZASamar HAMZA (EGY) became Egypt's first senior World Championships medalist. (Photo: UWW / Martin Gabor)

In the bronze-medal matches, Samar HAMZA (EGY) added Egpyt to the list of countries with a female world medalist when she became the country's first with a 2-1 win over Kiran GODARA (IND) at 76 kg.

Hamza, a four-time African champion and two-time Olympian, scored a double-leg takedown in the first period and made that hold up to notch the historic victory.

Hamza, the product of a UWW scholarship program to help prospective wrestlers in emerging countries, had one of the more entertaining bouts at the Tokyo Olympics when she lost a 16-12 barnburner in the first round to Natalya VOROBIEVA (ROC).

Two-time Asian silver medalist Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ), who finished fifth at the Tokyo Olympics, earned her first world medal with a 12-1 rout of 2018 European U23 champion Anastasiia OSNIACH SHUSTOVA (UKR) for the other bronze at 76kg.

Medet Kyzy finished off a second takedown with three lace-lock rolls to end the proceedings in 1:39.

At 53kg, Katarzyna KRAWCZYK (POL) denied a bid by Luisa VALVERDE (ECU) to become her country's first-ever world medalist of either gender when she rode a 4-point arm throw to a 7-1 victory.

The victory gave Krawczyk, a 2018 European bronze medalist, her first world medal after two fifth-place finishes in five previous World Championships dating back to 2011.

The other bronze went to 2016 Pan American champion Samantha STEWART (CAN), who gave 2018 world U23 bronze medalist Khrystyna BEREZA (UKR) no chance by backtripping her to the mat and securing a fall in 1:59.

DolgorjavOtgonjargal DOLGORJAV (MGL) won a bronze medal at 50kg. (Photo: UWW / Tony Rotundo)

At 50kg, unheralded Otgonjargal DOLGORJAV (MGL) showed no fear in overpowering two-time world runner-up Emilia VUC (ROU) for a 10-0 technical fall.

Dolgorjav, the 2018 world cadet silver medalist appearing in just her fifth senior-level event, stormed to an 8-0 first-period lead when she fought off a headlock for a takedown, immediately went to two gut wrenches, then added a takedown.

In the second period, she scored the decisive takedown off a single at 4:18 to finish off Tokyo Olympian Vuc, denying her a third world medal just two days after her 28th birthday.

The other 50kg bronze went to two-time world U23 medalist Nadezhda SOKOLOVA, who had a pair of 4-point moves in a 12-2 technical fall over Bohdana KOKOZEI YASHCHUK (UKR).

Sokolova used a headlock for her first 4-pointer, then later dumped the Ukrainian with a fireman's carry to end the match at 2:29.

At 65kg, Forrest MOLINARI (USA) finally made the medal podium after two previous fifth-place finishes by overwhelming 2016 Rio Olympic silver medalist Maryia MAMASHUK (BLR) with a 12-1 technical fall in 4:50.

Johanna MATTSSON (SWE) picked up her second world bronze, adding to the one she won back in 2010, without a fight when Mimi HRISTOVA (BUL) defaulted the other match at 65kg.

Podium 65kgThe four medalists at 65kg at the World Championships in Oslo. (Photo: UWW / Tony Rotundo)

Day 5 Results

Women's Wrestling

50kg (20 entries)
GOLD: Remina YOSHIMOTO (JPN) df. Sarah HILDEBRANDT (USA), 5-3

BRONZE: Nadezhda SOKOLOVA (RWF) df. Bohdana KOKOZEI YASHCHUK (UKR) by TF, 12-2, 2:29
BRONZE: Otgonjargal DOLGORJAV (MGL) df. Emilia VUC (ROU) by TF, 10-0, 4:10

53kg (17 entries)
GOLD: Akari FUJINAMI (JPN) df. Iulia LEORDA (MDA) by TF, 10-0, 2:14

BRONZE: Katarzyna KRAWCZYK (POL) df. Luisa VALVERDE (ECU), 7-1
BRONZE: Samantha STEWART (CAN) df. Khrystyna BEREZA (UKR) by Fall, 1:59 (4-0)

57kg (17 entries)
Semifinal: Helen MAROULIS (USA) df. Sae NANJO (JPN), 6-4
Semifinal: Anshu MALIK (IND) df. Solomiia VYNNYK (UKR) by TF, 11-0, 3:54

59kg (17 entries)
Semifinal: Akie HANAI (JPN) df. Maya NELSON (USA), 4-1
Semifinal: Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL) df. Sarita MOR (IND), 3-0

65kg (19 entries)
GOLD: Irina RINGACI (MDA) df. Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN), 8-6

BRONZE: Johanna MATTSSON (SWE) df. Mimi HRISTOVA (BUL) by Def.
BRONZE: Forrest MOLINARI (USA) df. Maryia MAMASHUK (BLR) by TF, 12-1, 4:50

68kg (15 entries)
Semifinal: Rin MIYAJI (JPN) df. Tamyra MENSAH STOCK (USA) by Fall, :20 (2-0)
Semifinal: Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ) df. Khanum VALIEVA (RWF), 3-3

72kg (14 entries)
Semifinal: Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ) df. Buse CAVUSOGLU TOSUN (TUR) by TF, 13-2, 5:44
Semifinal: Masako FURUICHI (JPN) df. Anna SCHELL (GER), 6-2

76kg (18 entries)
GOLD: Adeline GRAY (USA) df. Epp MAEE (EST) by Fall, 5:58 (6-4)

BRONZE: Samar HAMZA (EGY) df. Kiran KIRAN (IND), 2-1
BRONZE: Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) df. Anastasiia OSNIACH SHUSTOVA (UKR) by TF, 12-1, 1:37

#WrestleBratislava

European Championships 2025 Preview

Wednesday, April 2, 2025 - 13:20 By Vinay Siwach

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BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (April 2) -- The European Championships 2025 will be held in Bratislava, Slovakia from April 7 to 13. It will be live on UWW+ on uww.org and the UWW app.

Follow United World Wrestling on Instagram, Facebook, X, YouTube and TikTok.

Download the European Championships 2025 Preview here

(Text version)

The 2025 European Championships will be held in Bratislava from April 7 to 13 and has 24 returning champions. However, the six missing champions have made way for some historic battles.

The 125kg mainstays -- both Taha AKGUL (TUR) and Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) -- are not competing, Haji ALIYEV (AZE) at 65kg has retired and so has Mariya STADNIK (AZE) in Women's Wrestling. There will be no Riza KAYAALP (TUR) in Greco-Roman as well.

And it won't only be about the wrestlers not in Slovakia. Olympic and world champion Zaurbek SIDAKOV (UWW) is searching for his first European medal and will participate in the tournament after nine years. Former world champion David BAEV (UWW) will make his European Championships debut this year. Abdulrashid SADULAEV (UWW) returns after missing it in 2024 after a bizarre situation in Romania.

Among the 24, who all will be able to defend their titles this year? Here's the breakdown of the three style and key storylines of the upcoming European Championships

Taha AKGUL (TUR)

Freestyle

For the first time in 13 years, the 125kg European champion will not be named Taha AKGUL (TUR) or Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO). The two have won every gold on offer in the continental tournament since 2012. But Akgul has retired and Petriashvili has not returned to action since winning the 2024 Paris Olympics gold.

Georgia is sending Solomon MANASHVILI (GEO) and Turkiye is going with Hakan BUYUKCINGIL (TUR). While they have age-group credentials, the two can find it challenging at the European Championships.

Paris bronze medalist Giorgi MESHVILDISHVILI (AZE) will be the favorite for the gold medal along with Zelimkhan KHIZRIEV (UWW) who won silver medal at the Muhamet Malo Ranking Series. U23 European champion Georgi IVANOV (BUL) will once again make a run to end up on the podium at the senior level, a feat he has not achieved yet. Vlagyiszlav BAJCAJEV (HUN), the former mainstay at 97kg, is at 125kg.

Abdulrashid SADULAEV (UWW)Abdulrashid SADULAEV (UWW) will be eyeing his sixth European title. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

While Akgul and Petriashvili, both Olympic champions are not in Bratislava, four others are. Three former Olympic champions -- Zavur UGUEV (UWW), Zaurbek SIDAKOV (UWW) and Abdulrashid SADULAEV (UWW) -- are heading to Bratislava as UWW athletes while the fourth -- Magomed RAMAZANOV (BUL) -- will be in action for the first time since winning the gold medal at 86kg at the Paris Olympics.

Sadulaev, who will compete at the European Championships after five years, is going for this sixth title. While the gold medal looks very straightforward, the weight itself has a few big names. Apart from Sadualev, who won the world title at 92kg, Paris silver medalist Givi MATCHARASHVILI (GEO), Abubakr ABAKAROV (AZE), Radu LEFTER (MDA) and Batyrbek TSAKULOV (SVK) are also entered.

Zaurbek SIDAKOV (UWW)Zaurbek SIDAKOV (UWW) is competing at the European Championships for the second time. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Sidakov may not have it as simple. Sidakov, who last wrestled at the 2023 World Championships and won gold, will face tough battles from Paris bronze medalist Chermen VALIEV (ALB) and Tajmuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK), who has won four straight European gold medals.

Valiev won the Muhamet Malo Ranking Series gold medal recently over Salkazanov but Sidakov will be a bigger challenge. He has managed to run Sidakov close, last losing to him 3-2 at the Russian National Championships in 2023.

For Uguev, the non-Olympic World Championships was a horror as he finished without a medal, losing first to Japanese sensation Masanosuke ONO (JPN) and then to Vitali ARUJAU (USA) in the bronze-medal bout.

And the European Championships will be nothing short of another challenging tournament. He will have Zelimkhan ABAKAROV (ALB) who defeated him at the 2023 World Championships, three-time European champion Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) and youngsters in Nuraddin NOVRUZOV (AZE) and Andrii DZHELEP (UKR).

Magomed RAMAZANOV (BUL)Magomed RAMAZANOV (BUL) will be competing for the first time since winning the gold medal at the Paris Olympics. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Ramazanov, who finished eighth last year, will enter 86kg as the Olympic champion. But gold will be of little weight as he faces a tough field. European U23 champion Arsenii DZHIOEV (AZE), European U23 silver Rakhim MAGAMADOV (FRA), former Olympic silver medalist Mahamedkhabib KADZIMAHAMEDAU (UWW) and his former rival Artur NAIFONOV (UWW) are all in.

Naifonov, Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist, has a perfect record at the Euros, winning the title three times. But he last competed here in 2021 and his battle with Ramazanov will the one of the biggest in Bratislava.

At 65kg, returning champion and Olympic bronze medalist Islam DUDAEV (ALB) has a big task ahead of him especially after missing a medal at the Muhamet Malo. U23 world champion Ibragim IBRAGIMOV (UWW), who also finished without a medal in Muhamet Malo, can set a fierce final.

But Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM) will remember his medalless run last year and hope to reclaim his gold medal, one he won in 2023.

David BAEV (UWW)David BAEV (UWW) will be returning to international wrestling for the first time since 2019. (Photo: United World Wrestling)

Back in 2019, David BAEV (UWW) enthralled everyone with his 70kg gold medal run at the World Championships. However, he never wrestled internationally again. Now, Baev is going for European gold at 70kg and there is little doubt that he will claim it.

Still, Baev will be up against Armenia's returning champion at 70kg Arman ANDREASYAN (ARM) who had an incredible run in 2024, beating world champion  Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN) and Akaki KEMERTELIDZE (GEO) in semifinal and final, respectively. Muszukajev will be back at 70kg in hopes of winning his second European title.

Dauren KURUGLIEV (GRE)Dauren KURUGLIEV (GRE) is moving up to 92kg for the European Championships. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

The 92kg weight class can throw some surprises as Olympic bronze medalist Dauren KURUGLIEV (GRE) is wrestling up in that weight class. He is joined by world silver medalist Miriani MAISURADZE (GEO) and 2023 world silver medalist Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE). Also in the mix are Boris MAKOEV (SVK) and former European champion Feyzullah AKTURK (TUR).

Nachyhn MONGUSH (UWW) at 57kg and defending 79kg champion Akhmed USMANOV (UWW) should have easy paths to gold.

Buse TOSUN (TUR)Buse TOSUN (TUR) is the defending champion at 68kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Women's Wrestling

Can Turkiye improve on its three gold medals from 2024?

It will be the big question as the nation sends a strong team to Bratislava in Women's Wrestling. 

Led by Olympic bronze medalist and world champion Bose TOSUN (TUR), Türkiye also has two returning champions in Yasemin ADAR (TUR) and Nesrin BAS (TUR). The three will be the favorites to repeat in their respective weight classes -- 68kg, 76kg and 72kg.

Tosun, who won bronze at the Paris Olympics, can face Adela HANZLICKOVA (CZE) in what will be a rematch of the semifinals from last year which Tosun won 10-9. Kendra DACHER (FRA) and Kateryna ZELENYKH (ROU) can also finish on the podium.

Former world champion Adar already has five European gold medals and looks poised for sixth. She has Martina KUENZ (AUT), Laura KUEHN (GER), Anastasiya ALPYEYEVA (UKR) and Valeriia TRIFONOVA (UWW) as some of her opponents.

Bas, who own her third European U23 gold in March, will be the favorite again at 72kg. She has returning silver medalist Alexandra ANGHEL (ROU), former world champion Alla BELINSKA (UKR) and Viktoryia RADZKOVA (UWW) as her challengers among others.

Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR)Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR) is leading the Ukraine team and will compete at 65kg. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Ukraine can certainly challenge the likes of Turkiye. The nation is bringing a strong line-up led by Olympic silver medalist Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR) and young star Irina BONDAR (UKR).

Koliadenko, moving up a weight class to 65kg, is in a three-way battle for the title. The silver medalist at 62kg from Paris and the defending champion will have her fellow Paris medalist, Grace BULLEN (NOR). Former world champion Irina RINGACI (MDA) is also going for the title at 65kg.

However, Kateryna ZELENYKH (ROU), returning silver medalist and who defeated Ringaci last year, will be the darkhorse in this weight class.

Iryna BONDAR (UKR)Iryna BONDAR (UKR) is the favorite to win the 62kg gold. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Bondar will be eyeing her first senior European title after exploits at the age-group level, the most recent being European U23 title. She will have to face the strength of a few senior wrestlers including former world champion Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL), who won the Muhamet Malo Ranking Series. Luisa NIEMESCH (GER), Sara LINDBORG (SWE), Veranika IVANOVA (UWW) and Alina KASABIEVA (UWW) are also listed.

Oleksandra KHOMENETS (UKR) has not reached her top level since the return after a career-threatening injury in 2023. But she won the bronze medal at the Muhamet Malo Ranking Series and will be a favorite to win the gold at 55kg in Bratislava.

In the list of wrestlers who can challenge her are Ekaterina VERBINA (UWW), Mariana DRAGUTAN (MDA), Tuba DEMIR (TUR). Veterans Tatiana DEBIEN (FRA) and Roksana ZASINA (POL) are also going for another European medal.

The 50kg weight class, reserved for Mariya STADNIK (AZE), will have a new European champion. Any other time when there was a different champion in this weight class, it was because she was not participating that year.

Returning silver medalist Evin DEMIRHAN YAVUZ (TUR) will be hoping to upgrade her medal this year but she will face a tough time from Paris Olympian Oksana LIVACH (UKR) and Zagreb Open champion Nadezhda SOKOLOVA (UWW).

Watch out for Svenja JUNGO (SUI), the history-making Swiss wrestler, who will be at her second European Championships.

A rivalry to watch out for is at 57kg as Tokyo silver medalist and defending champion Iryna KURACHKINA (UWW) and Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (UWW) return for another round. Azerbaijan's first-ever world U23 champion Zhala ALIYEVA (AZE) and returning bronze Solomiia VYNNYK (UKR) will look to earn a medal as well.

Defending champion at 59kg Alyona KOLESNIK (AZE) and her final's opponent Alina FILIPOVYCH (UKR) are heading to Bratislava with Filipovych hoping to avenge the 3-3 loss from last year. Paris Olympian Aurora RUSSO (ITA) and two former world U20 champion Alesia HETMANAVA (UWW) and Anastasiia SIDELNIKOVA (UWW) are listed as well.

At 53kg, can four-time Olympian Maria PREVOLARAKI (GRE) win the elusive European gold medal?

She has eight European medals -- four silvers and four bronzes -- and will look to win the gold medal in Bratislava. Trying to stop her from making history include European champion Andreea ANA (ROU), U23 European champion Elnura MAMMADOVA (AZE), returning bronze medalist Zeynep YETGIL (TUR) and Natalia MALYSHEVA (UWW).

Greco-Roman

The only Paris Olympic champion from Europe, Semen NOVIKOV (BUL), will be eying his second European gold, now at 87kg, and the first since 2020. He also has a bronze medal from the 2023 edition. Novikov will need to shake off his loss against Saied ESMAEILI (IRI) at the Muhamet Malo Ranking Series.

Defending 87kg champion Aleksandr KOMAROV (SRB) had a stunning run to the gold medal in 2024 but has not shown the same signs since in different competitions. He finished eighth at the Olympics and fifth at the season-opening Zagreb Open. David LOSONCZI (HUN) and Milad ALIRZAEV (UWW) have continued to be big threats and will be strong contenders for the gold medal.

Young stars in Vladimeri KARCHAIDZE (FRA), Achiko BOLKVADZE (GEO), Marcel STERKENBURG (NED) and Exauce MUKUBU (NOR) will look to challenge the seniors in this weight class.

One of the biggest names in Greco-Roman, Artur ALEKSANYAN (ARM), already has seven European gold medals and is going for his eighth. Aleksanyan, a four-time Olympic medalist, including gold in Rio, is leading the Armenian team.

However, Aleksanyan will have to fight for it. Former European champion Kiril MILOV (BUL), world bronze medalist Artur OMAROV (CZE), former world champion Kiryl MASKEVICH (UWW) and world bronze medalist Artur SARGSIAN (UWW), who recently won the Zagreb Open Ranking Series, are vying for the title as well.

Aleksanyan has wins over most of them including Milov, who is the returning bronze medalist. Omarov, who pulled out of Paris Olympics due to an injury, will return after a year off. Sargasian, at 27, will be making his senior European Championships debut and can be biggest challenger to Aleksanyan. Maskevich is moving up from 87kg to 97kg and will be at his first European Championships at this weight class.

Among other big names, Arvi SAVOLAINEN (FIN), Alex SZOKE (HUN), Tyrone STERKENBURG (NED) and Felix BALDAUF (NOR) are listed. European U23 silver medalist Richard KARELSON (EST) will be hoping for a medal at the senior level and match his father, also named Richard KARELSON, with a senior medal.

Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM)Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM) will look to defend his 77kg gold medal. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kadir Caliskan)

Defending 77kg champion Malkhas AMOYAN (ARM) is returning since winning bronze at the Paris Olympics. He will be the favorite to win gold but Sergei STEPANOV (UWW), who won the Zagreb Open 2025 gold on his return since 2021, can take every one by surprise. Sanan SULEYMANOV (AZE) did not have a good start to the year, finishing fifth at the Zagreb Open 2025. But he will be keen on winning a medal at the European Championships and get his form on track. Former world silver medalist Zoltan LEVAI (HUN) is in medal-contention as well.

Moldova's mainstay at 77kg, Alexandrin GUTU (MDA), has made way for Alexandru SOLOVEI (MDA) at this weight class for European Championships. Solovei won the U23 European title recently at 82kg.

Azerbaijan has all three of its 2024 world champions heading to Bratislava along with other strong wrestlers to complete the line-up.

At 60kg, world champion Nihat MAMMADLI (AZE) will have his task cut out with Victor CIOBANU (MDA), Georgij TIBILOV (SRB) and Sadyk LALAEV (UWW) chasing the gold medal.

Eldaniz AZIZLI (AZE) will be favorite to win gold at 55kg despite his absence last edition, in which Artiom DELEANU (MDA) stunned a strong field to win gold. Multiple time world medalist Emin SEFERSHAEV (UWW) will be eyeing the gold medal that he last won in 2021.

Ulvu GANIZADE (AZE), world champion at 72kg, will have a tougher path. Among the top contenders in this weight class is two-time Olympic silver medalist Parviz NASIBOV (UKR), moving up from 67kg, world champions Ibrahim GHANEM (FRA) and Ali ARSALAN (SRB).

Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE)Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) opened his season at the Zagreb Open. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

At 67kg, Paris bronze and defending champion Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) is going for his third straight gold medal. He injured his ear in Zagreb in January but will be fully fit for the European Championships. Silver medalist against Jafarov, Ruslan BICHURIN (UWW) is returning as well with a hope to avenge his 8-5 final loss to Jafarov.

Azerbaijan's defending 63kg champion Murad MAMMADOV (AZE) will eyeing a second straight gold medal but Kerem KAMAL (TUR), who won the Muhamet Malo Ranking Series gold at 60kg, is back with a new-found motivation after missing the Paris Olympics.

U23 world champion Vitalie ERIOMENCO (MDA), European U23 silver Hleb MAKARANKA (UWW) and Dinislam BAMMATOV (UWW) will be making Mammadov or Kamal's path to gold even more stiffer.

Veteran Sergei SEMENOV (UWW), who denied Riza KAYAALP (TUR) a historic 12th European title by pinning him in the 130kg final last year, has now emerged the favorite for the gold this year.

There are, however, young stars in Hamza BAKIR (TUR) and Mykhailo VYSHNYVETSKYI (UKR), both of whom have proved themselves at the age-group levels. But can they challenge the seniors?

The weight class also has Beka KANDELAKI (AZE), London Olympic medalist 39-year-old Heiki NABI (EST) and Tokyo silver medalist Iakobi KAJAIA (GEO) among others.