Youth Olympic Games

Wrestling Names Qualifiers for 2018 YOG, 50 Nations Set to Participate

By Tim Foley

CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (September 5) – United World Wrestling, the international governing body for the sport of wrestling, has announced the wrestling entries for the 2018 Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires. Wrestlers in freestyle, Greco-Roman and women’s wrestling will compete October 12-14 at the Parque Polideportivo Roca.

Wrestlers from 50 nations and all five continents will be represented in Buenos Aires, including several Cadet-level continental and world champions. The Youth Olympic Games have been a springboard for some of wrestling’s current senior-level superstars, including European Games medalist Grace BULLEN (NOR) and world champions Mayu MUKAIDA (JPN) and Yuki TAKAHASHI (JPN).

“We are proud of our young wrestlers for showing heart and determination in qualifying for the Youth Olympic Games,” said United World Wrestling president and IOC Executive Board member, Nenad Lalovic. ”We expect to see a high level of competition, but also look forward to seeing these athletes learn more about the Olympic values while in Buenos Aires.”

In an effort to become more gender equitable, wrestling increased the number of female participants in Buenos Aires to 50, which is up from 32 participants in Singapore 2010 and Nanjing 2014. The adjustment was part of a larger effort by the International Olympic Committee to meet its goal to make the 2018 Youth Olympic Games the first-ever gender-equal Games.

“Wrestling is proud to support the IOC’s commitment to gender equality in the Games and we are certain that our athletes, coaches and fans will enjoy the competition,” said Lalovic.

For a full wrestling schedule, or to buy tickets to the event, please visit www.buenosaires2018.com or www.unitedworldwrestling.org/event/youth-olympic-games-0

A  PDF version of the final entry list is available HERE

MEN'S FREESTYLE

Halil GOKDENIZ (TUR)

48kg
Daiziel DETUDAMO (NRU)
Fernando BOOYSEN (RSA)
Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB)
Diego Armando ZULUAGA CUEVAS (COL)
Halil GOKDENIZ (TUR)
Giorgi GEGELASHVILI (GEO)  

55kg
Gavin Stefan Sablan WHITT (GUM)
Oussama LARIBI (ARG)
Hayato FUJITA (JPN)
Robert Kelly HOWARD (USA)
Vladyslav OSTAPENKO (UKR)
Hernan David ALMENDRA (ARG)

65kg
Westerly Pehi Tahi AINSLEY (NZL)
Fathi Tarek A. ISMAIL (EGY)
Mohammad Baghi KARIMISEIFABAD (IRI)
Carson Taylor MANVILLE (USA)        
Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE)       
Inayat ULLAH (PAK)

80kg
Ryan Devon MARSHALL (NZL)
Fateh BENFERDJALLAH (ALG)
Mukhammadrasul RAKHIMOV (UZB)
Carson Barry LEE (CAN)
Akhmedkhan TEMBOTOV (RUS)
Valentine YAIREGPIE (FSM)

110kg
Thomas John Mcglinchey BARNS (AUS)
Ahmed Mahmoud Elsayed M. KHALIL (EGY)
Amir Hossein Abbas ZARE (IRI)
Luis Rodrigo OROZCO CORTEZ (MEX)
Sergei KOZYREV (RUS)
Dragan VELINOV (MKD)

GRECO-ROMAN

Mohammad Ghorbanali NOSRATI (IRI)

45kg
Densel Jaffet DE JESUS VALERIO (HON)
Abdalla Mohamed Shaaban M. SHAABAN (EGY)
Amirreza Mohammadreza DEHBOZORGI (IRI)
Jeremy Renzo PERALTA GONZALEZ (ECU)
Edmond Armen NAZARYAN (BUL)
Arslanbek ZAKIRBAYEV (TKM)

51kg
Alexander ADINIWIN (MHL)
Mehdi JOUINI (TUN)
Wataru SASAKI (JPN)
Axel Andre SALAS ESQUIVEL (MEX)
Giorgi TOKHADZE (GEO)
Eduardo LOVERA (ARG)

60kg
Arapo Ngatuerua George KELLNER (NZL)
Ahmed Abdelhakim MERIKHI (ALG)
Elmirbek SADYROV (KGZ)
Miguel Angel UGALDE AGUILAR (MEX)
Sahak HOVHANNISYAN (ARM)
Giorgi CHKHIKVADZE (GEO)

71kg
Lynch Xavier Tanglao SANTOS (GUM)
Lamjed MAAFI (TUN)
Shu YAMADA (JPN)
Brandon CALLE PEREZ (COL)
Stepan STARODUBTSEV (RUS)
Alexandrin GUTU (MDA)
 
92kg
Ariston Faamalosi BARTLEY (ASA)
Shady Elkhalil Ibrahim A. WEHIB (EGY)
Mohammad Ghorbanali NOSRATI (IRI)
Igor Fernando ALVES DE QUEIROZ (BRA)
Mukhammad EVLOEV (RUS)
Osman AYAYDIN (TUR)

WOMEN'S WRESTLING

Zaineb SGHAIER (TUN)

43kg
Ella Mae DERRY (NZL)
Sara Gouda Farouk MAHMOUD (EGY)
Enkhzul BATBAATAR (MGL)
Simran SIMRAN (IND)
Emily King SHILSON (USA)
Heloisa Elena MARTINEZ (BRA)
Shahana NAZAROVA (AZE)
Maria LEORDA (MDA)
Justine Fanny VIGOUROUX (FRA)
Christianah Tolulope OGUNSANYA (NGR)

49kg
Paulina Jean DUENAS (GUM)
Zineb ECH CHABKI (MAR)
Shokhida AKHMEDOVA (UZB)
Nilufar RAIMOVA (KAZ)
Tiare Lynn Masako Dizon IKEI (USA)
Maria Jose MOSQUERA ROJAS (VEN)
Emma Jonna Denise MALMGREN (SWE)
Roza SZENTTAMASI (HUN)
Natallia VARAKINA (BLR)
Sopealai SIM (CAM)

57kg
Kaetlyn Rae Okada QUINTANILLA (GUM)
Hala Wael Imbabi AHMED (EGY)
Nonoka OZAKI (JPN)
Mansi MANSI (IND)
Mayra Alejandra PARRA ALVAREZ (VEN)
Andrea Monserrat LOPEZ MARTINEZ (MEX)
Anna Hella SZEL (HUN)
Irina RINGACI (MDA)
Anastasia BLAYVAS (GER)
Lydia TOIDA (CMR)

65kg
Zaineb SGHAIER (TUN)
Sunmisola Idowu BALOGUN (NGR)
Xinru ZHOU (CHN)
Oyun Erdene TAMIR (MGL)
Yetzis Camila RAMIREZ MARQUEZ (CUB)
Sandra Elena ESCAMILLA MENCHACA (MEX)
Oksana CHUDYK (UKR)
Viktoria VESSO (EST)
Amina Roxana CAPEZAN (ROU)
Natacha Véronique NABAINA (CMR)

73kg
Ioana Penina Nicole Uputaua LUDGATE (ASA)
Khadija JLASSI (TUN)
Yuka KAGAMI (JPN)
Svetlana OKNAZAROVA (UZB)
Milaimys de la Caridad MARIN POTRILLE (CUB)
Anika Elizabeth WHITE (CAN)
Kseniya DZIBUK (BLR)
Vahide Nur GOK (TUR)
Julia Hanna Ellinor FRIDLUND (SWE)
Linda Marilina MACHUCA (ARG)

#WrestleTirana

European Championships 2026 Day 6 Freestyle Highlights

By Vinay Siwach

TIRANA, Albania (April 25) -- The last five weight classes of European Championships will be in action on Saturday. Zavur UGUEV (UWW), Zelimkhan ABAKAROV (ALB), Tajmuraz SALKAZANOV (SV), Ibragim KADIEV (UWW), Georgios KOUGIOUMSTIDIS (GRE) are among the stars that hit the mat in 61kg, 74kg, 86kg, 92kg and 125kg.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | UKRAINE RECORD HAUL

UWW Plus

14:00: Osman GOCEN (TUR) cannot get his leg out of Ibragim KADIEV (UWW) hold in what was one of the most entertaining matches of the morning session. Kadiev led for most of the match but Gocen kept coming back and made it 4-4 with exposure points but a reversal gives Kadiev a 5-4. He then turns Gocen to extend it to 7-4. However, Gocen with a takedown with 24 seconds left to make it one-point difference. But as he shoots for an attack, Kadiev hangs on to Gocen's leg and doesn't let it go, winning the semifinal 7-6.

13:45: Arsenii DZHIOEV (AZE) places himself in the 86kg semifinals with a big 10-0 victory over Eugeniu MIHALCEAN (MDA). Dzhioev will face Ivars SAMUSONOK (LAT) for a place in the gold medal bout

13:35: Taimuraz SALKAZANOV (SVK) has an unbreakable defense in the world. He frustrates Timur BIZHOEV (UWW) in the 74kg semifinals and beats him 2-1. Salkazanov is chasing his fifth European title

13:25: Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE ((GEO) into the semifinals at 86kg with a 5-1 victory over Joshua MORODION (GER). Gamkrelidze looks in solid form but will face a tough challenge in the semifinals in one of Ibragim KADIEV (UWW) and Osman GOCEN (TUR).

(UWW) Nikita DMITRIJEVS MAYEUSKI (7)(AZE) Turan BAYRAMOV (9)

13:16: World silver medalist Miriani MAISURADZE (GEO) has no answer to Ali TCOKAEV (AZE) wrestling as the Azerbaijan wrestler blanks Maisuradze 5-0 to advance to the 92kg semifinals

13:15: Zelimkhan ABAKAROV (ALB), the returning medalist at 61kg, is back into the semifinals. He sends the home crowd into a frenzy after he defeated Niklas STECHELE (GER), 6-2.

13:10: Defending champion Zavur UGUEV (UWW) hits a massive counter using a double underhook on Dzmitry SHAMELA (UWW) and then works on a 11-2 victory to enter the semifinal against Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM). It will be a rematch of the final from last year which Uguev won.

13:05: Giorgi MESHVILDISHVILI (AZE) with a takedown in the final five seconds to beat Khachatur KHACHATRYAN (ARM) at 125kg. The defending champion was down 3-3 on criteria and then gave up a takedown to fall behind 5-3. Khachatryna tries to defend is but in no position to do it as Meshvildishvili hits a double leg outside takedown for the criteria win.

12:50: Hakan BUYUKCINGIL (TUR) with late takedown in a back-and-forth match to beat Shamil MUSAEV (UWW), 6-5 at 125kg. Every time Musaev seemed to chip away, Buyukcingil came back with a takedown.

12:45: Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) gives up one point against Kamil KERYMOV (UKR) but has no trouble in beating the Ukrainian 11-1 and advance to the semifinals at 61kg

12:40: World champion at 79kg Georgios KOUGIOMISTDIS (GRE) falls in the first round against Osman GOCEN (TUR), 5-3. He began well with takedown and stepout but Gocen comes back with two takedowns to take a 4-3 lead. Kougiomistdis commits a offensive foul. Greece challenge the call and but lost it to win a point to Gocen.

12:30: Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO) sets up a match against Ibragim KADIEV (UWW) after a 8-1 victory over Rakhim MAGAMADOV (FRA) at 86kg. Just controlling the bout through and through for the win.

12:20: Timur BIZHOEV (UWW), trying to the coveted 74kg gold, begins with a 11-0 shutout victory over Ibragim VELIEV (BEL) and advance. 

12:15: World bronze medalist Arsenii DZHIOEV (AZE) is like a workhorse and slowly pile ups the points over Denys BYKOV (UKR), winning his 86kg opening bout 10-0.

12:05: Turan BAYRAMOV (AZE) survives a scre against Farhad NOURIKHORJESTAN (UWW) at 74kg. Bayramov fell behind 2-1 but scored a stepout to take a 2-2 criteria lead before defending it for the win.

11:30: Home-favorite Zelimkhan ABAKAROV (ALB) moves forward at 61kg after a 12-2 technical superiority win over Simone PIRODDU (ITA). He blocked an arm throw from Prioddu to score his opening points before using a 2-on-1 for snap takedown and turn to lead 6-0. Piroddu scored two exposure points from a scramble but Abakarov quickly escaped and turned him three times for the win.

11:25: Returning silver medalist Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM) works on his murderous leg-lace and beats Vladimir EGOROV (MKD), 11-0.

11:15: Kamil KERYMOV (UKR) does a perfect fireman's carry against Emrah ORMANOGLU (TUR) to score four points. He then continues to turn Kerymov and comes out with an 8-2 lead from the scramble. Ormanoglu scores two more points but Kerymov wins 8-4

11:10: Big match on Mat C as Shamil MUSAEV (UWW) takes on returning silver medalist Soloman MANASHVILI (GEO) at 125kg. Musaev with a trip to open the scoring for two points before giving up a reversal. He scored a go-behind to go ahead 4-1. Manashvili cut the lead to 4-3 after exposure with a minute left in the bout. But a struggling Manashvili gives up two more go-behinds and drops his first bout 8-3

10:30: Welcome to day six of the European Championships in Tirana. After the repechage rounds, the qualifications will being in 61kg, 74kg, 86kg, 92kg and 125kg.