#WrestleTokyo

#WrestleTokyo Olympic Games Preview: 67kg

Wednesday, July 21, 2021 - 17:34 By Vinay Siwach

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TOKYO, Japan (July 23) – Big challenges lie ahead of returning Olympic champion Ismael BORRERO MOLINA (CUB). The first is he is making his return in a new weight category, eight kilograms above the 59kg in which won a gold medal in the Rio Olympics.

Five world champions appear in the category which may throw a surprise Olympic champion given a mix of youth and veterans at this weight.

The Cuban has won the World Championships gold in the new weight in 2019 to qualify for the Games but a host of other wrestlers will fancy their chances of upsetting him. One of them will be Artem SURKOV (RUS) who lost the final in Nur-sultan.

The two will be the top contenders for the gold medal in Tokyo and are also the number one and three seeded for the Games. If they win all their matches, the two will clash in the final at 67kg.

Borrero, like in the Rio Olympics, is a big match player and raises his level at any big competition. At the 2015 World Championships, he stole the show by winning the gold medal and securing a place for Rio. He repeated the same in Nur-sultan despite not winning a medal at the 2018 Worlds.

In 2019, he has wins over former world champion Frank STAEBLER and upcoming star Mohamed ELSAYED (EGY), both capable enough to topple any big star on the given day.

Surkov, a two-time world champion, will also have problems from the same lot as he debuts at the Olympics. While Borrero is his main rival, there is no doubt he will have to navigate through a minefield to reach the final.

One of his biggest challenges will be Elsayed who is seeded number two in the weight class and will meet Surkov not before the semifinal.

The lanky Egyptian has made a name for himself after he won two U23 World Championships gold medals and reached the semifinal of the 2019 Worlds, losing to Borrero. In the bronze medal, he lost to Staebler by a single point.

The German has three world gold medals but is yet to win an Olympic medal. Toyo could well be his last attempt to win the coveted medal. Lately, he has been competing at the 72kg weight class. After becoming the European champion in 2020, he lost to Selcuk CAN (TUR) in 2021.

He will have to drop down to 67kg and that could pose a big challenge for the 32-year-old who is not seeded and will be entered in a random draw at the Games. His previous two Olympics have resulted in a fifth and seventh-place finish in 2012 and 2016 respectively.

The wrestler who is seeded fourth in Mate NEMES (SRB). In Rio, a Serbian claimed the gold medal at this weight class and the same will be expected from Nemes who will be going to the Games for the first time.

But he will be going as a European champion which he won in 2021. In an incredible run at the 2019 Worlds, managed to reach the quarterfinal against Borrero before droppin that match. But he won the bronze medal, his first at the senior Worlds and since has been a top contender for the gold medal in Tokyo.But his lack of attacks against defensive wrestlers could still be a huge problem when he takes the mat in Tokyo.

A veteran Balint KORPASI (HUN) will also be searching for an Olympic medal after four world championships medals including a gold in 2016. Though he has never won the World medals at an Olympic weight class, he is dropping down from 72kg to try and bring glory to Hungary.

One of the links of the dominant Hungarian Grec-Roman team over the past decade, he will have to make way for the up and coming wrestlers from the country as Paris approaches.

And if Iran wants an Olympic champion after nine years, Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI) will be the wrestler they pin their hopes on. The younger of the Geraei brothers, Mohammadreza will take motivation from his brother as both compete at the Olympics. The U23 World champion at 72kg, had a dominant tournament in the Olympic Qualifiers in Almaty, including a win over Hansu RYU (KOR).

Now Ryu himself is looking for that first Olympic medal after he finished fifth at the Rio Games. The 31-year-old will use all his experience to get past that line in Tokyo. A world champion in 2013 and 2017, Ryu defeated Rasul CHANAYEV (AZE) at the 2019 Worlds, avenging his loss from Rio Olympics but lost to Borrero and later to Staebler in the repechage.

Three youngsters that can spring a surprise are Karen ASLANYAN (ARM), Parviz NASIBOV (UKR) and Ramaz ZOIDZE (GEO). Don't miss out Aker AL OBAIDI (EOR), the wrestler who was granted the refugee quota for the Games.

Wrestling at the Tokyo Olympic Games kicks off August 1-7 at the Makuhari Messe with 67kg action beginning on August 3.

67kg Entries 
No. 1 Ismael BORRERO MOLINA (CUB)
No. 2 Mohamed ELSAYED (EGY)
No. 3 Artem SURKOV (RUS)
No. 4 Mate NEMES (SRB)
Frank STAEBLER (GER)
Fredrik BJERREHUUS (DEN)
Souleymen NASR (TUN)
Abdelmalek MERABET (ALG)
Julian HORTA ACEVEDO (COL)
Alejandro SANCHO (USA)
Ramaz ZOIDZE (GEO)
Balint KORPASI (HUN)
Mohammadreza GERAEI (IRI)
Hansu RYU (KOR)
Karen ASLANYAN (ARM)
Parviz NASIBOV (UKR)
Aker AL OBAIDI (REFUGEE)

#WrestleBudapest

Ranking Series: Double delight for Japan, Sujeet gives India gold

Thursday, July 17, 2025 - 22:39 By Vinay Siwach

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BUDAPEST, Hungary (July 17) -- Asian champion Takara SUDA (JPN) and world silver medalist Yoshinosuke AOYAGI (JPN) showed on Thursday why they will be prime contenders for gold medal at the World Championships in Zagreb in September.

Suda and Aoyagi earned two gold medals at 61kg and 70kg respectively, and reminded the world about Freestyle powerhouse Yamanashi Gakuin University in Japan.

Suda, who has not lost a match this year, won his second Ranking Series gold medal in 2025, adding to his gold from Tirana. But he needed a big comeback in the 61kg final against Taiyrbek ZHUMASHBEK UULU (KGZ) in the dying seconds, winning 5-3.

Zhumashbek Uulu led 3-1 with 13 seconds remaining in the match when Suda used a snap to off balance Zhumashbek Uulu and go behind. He tried a takedown but then switches the direction and brings Zhumashbek Uulu to the mat, back first.

Zhumashbek Uulu tried to defend it with a whizzer but failed and Suda turned on his head without any danger to get the two points and win 3-3 on criteria. Kyrgyzstan challenged the call but on review, Suda was awarded four points and the scored changed to a 5-3 win for the Japanese.

In February, Suda won the gold medal in Tirana after an 8-8 victory over Nachyn MONGUSH (UWW) and then won the Asian Championships gold medal over UDIT (IND) 6-4 in March.

Zhumashbek Uulu, who won Mongolian Open in June at 65kg, returned to 61kg after an year of competing at 65kg. He defeated Udit earlier in the day and reached the final but failed to cross the final hurdle.

With the win, Suda has clearly shown signs that he will be a gold-medal threat in Zagreb at 61kg, a weight class won by his high school and university teammate Masanosuke ONO (JPN) in 2024.

Aoyagi, who had also won gold medal in Tirana, was more dominant in his gold medal run. In Tirana, European silver medalist Arman ANDREASYAN (ARM) had pulled out injured in the final.

Incidentally, he made the final against Aoyagi in Budapest on Thursday and this time he decided to wrestler. However, the winner was the same.

Aoyagi used a head-in-the-hole move to score four points in his 8-0 victory in the final of the 70kg weight class. Andreasyan had no answer to Aoyagi's attack despite being in advantageous positions during the final.

The Armenian was put on the activity clock during which he failed to score and gave up four points. Aoyagi, leading 5-0, won a challenge when Andreasyan was awarded two points for a takedown but on review, it was clear that Andreasyan had both his feet outside before completing a takedown.

With a 6-0 lead, Aoyagi scored a beautiful duck-under for two points and lead 8-0, the final score for the winner.

SUJEET (IND)SUJEET (IND) celebrates after beating Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM) in the 65kg semifinal. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Sujeet ends Indian drought

India failed to win any gold medals at the senior level in 2025 as it drew blank at the Asian Championships in March and Mongolian Open in June. However, Asian U23 champion SUJEET (IND) ended that curse for India by winning the 65kg gold medal in Budapest.

While he has age-group world and continental medals, Sujeet's run in Budapest and gold medal can be considered his biggest medal yet as he defeated Paris bronze medalist Islam DUDAEV (ALB) in the first bout, European U23 silver medalist Khamzat ARSAMERZOUEV (FRA) in the quarterfinal and world medalist Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM) in the semifinal.

Ali RAHIMZADE (AZE) was up in the final and Sujeet, who showed glimpses of Tokyo bronze medalist Bajrang PUNIA (IND), made sure he doesn't let his guard down in the last match.

Sujeet conceded an activity point in the first period and was down 1-0 at the break against Rahimzade. But as soon as the second period began, Sujeet put pressure on Rahimzade, who kept dropping on his knees in the zone to avoid the pushout.

But Sujeet did not back down and scored a takedown when Rahimzade was on the activity clock. Leading 3-1, Sujeet added another takedown and completed a 5-1 victory over Rahimzade and captured the gold medal, his first of Ranking Series events.

At 57kg, world U20 champion Luke LILLEDAHL (USA) needed three straight comebacks to win the gold medal. He defeated Islam BAZARGANOV (AZE) 3-1 in the final to capture his first gold at the senior level.

Lilledahl scored a takedown using a reattack with 20 seconds remaining in the match against Bazarganov to clinch a 3-1 win. His semifinal victory over RAHUL (IND) was even more dramatic as he managed to come back from 6-2.

Rahul used a leg-turk to score six point and lead 6-2 but Lilledahl scored a stepout and then blocked an attempted duck-under and put Rahul's back on the mat for two points. In the final 20 seconds, he threw off Rahul when the Indian was trying to hit a double-leg attack and won 7-6. In his first bout of the day, he scored a pushout with just 0.01 seconds left on the clock and dashed the dreams of Niklas STECHELE (GER).

World silver medalist Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO) returned to 79kg from 86kg and instantly showed results, winning the gold medal in Budapest. He blanked Magomet EVLOEV (TJK), 5-0, in the final

At 125kg, Bahrain won its second gold of the tournament as Shamil SHARIPOV (BRN) defeated Dzianis KHRAMIANKOU (UWW), 5-3.

Photo

RESULTS

57kg
GOLD: Luke LILLEDAHL (USA) df. Islam BAZARGANOV (AZE), 3-1

BRONZE: RAHUL (IND) df. Niklas STECHELE (GER), 4-0
BRONZE: Aryan TSIUTRYN (UWW) df. Roberti DINGASHVILI (GEO), 10-0

61kg
GOLD: Takara SUDA (JPN) df. Taiyrbek ZHUMASHBEK UULU (KGZ), 5-3

BRONZE: Bekzat ALMAZ UULU (KGZ) df. Emrah ORMANOGLU (TUR), 4-3
BRONZE: Assylzhan YESSENGELDI (KAZ) df. Giorgi GONIASHVILI (GEO), 10-0

65kg
GOLD: SUJEET (IND) df. Ali RAHIMZADE (AZE), 5-1

BRONZE: Goderdzi DZEBISASHVILI (GEO) df. Alibeg ALIBEGOV (BRN), 7-7
BRONZE: Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM) df. Khamzat ARSAMERZOUEV (FRA), 9-0

70kg
GOLD: Yoshinosuke AOYAGI (JPN) df. Arman ANDREASYAN (ARM), 8-0

BRONZE: Sina KHALILI (IRI) df. Austin GOMEZ (MEX), via inj. def.
BRONZE: Akaki KEMERTELIDZE (GEO) df. Abbas EBRAHIM (IRI), 11-4

79kg
GOLD: Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO) df. Magomet EVLOEV (TJK), 5-0

BRONZE: Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE) df. Lucas KAHNT (GER), 10-0
BRONZE: Fariborz BABAEI (IRI) df. Bolat SAKAYEV (KAZ), 2-0

97kg
GOLD: Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN) df. Zbigniew BARANOWSKI (POL), 11-0

BRONZE: Jonathan AIELLO (USA) df. Juhwan SEO (KOR), 10-0
BRONZE: Adlan VISKHANOV (FRA) df. Merab SULEIMANISHVILI (GEO), 9-4

125kg
GOLD: Shamil SHARIPOV (BRN) df. Dzianis KHRAMIANKOU (UWW), 5-3

BRONZE: Robert BARAN (POL) df. Demetrius THOMAS (USA), 6-0
BRONZE: Alen KHUBULOV (BUL) df. Vladislav BAJCAJEV (HUN), 3-0