Tokyo 2020

Wrestling to Preserve Dates, Locations for Tokyo 2021 Qualifying

Monday, April 6, 2020 - 13:17 By United World Wrestling Press

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CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY (April 7) -- The United World Wrestling bureau has voted to preserve the dates and host cities for the remaining qualification events of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. The Bureau also passed a a series of technical adjustments to clarify athletes' Olympic eligibility and announce the 2020 Ordinary Congress.

The remaining Continental qualifiers will remain in the month of March and take place in their original host cities. The "Last Chance" qualifier will be held at the end of April in Sofia, Bulgaria.

"We want to plan our calendar in alignment with the IOC and the new dates for Tokyo 2020," said United World Wrestling president Nenad Lalovic. "We also find it vital to continue our work with host cities and concerned national federations."

After consultation with the concerned organizers, the Technical Commission and the Sports Department, the UWW Bureau also voted to postpone all UWW Championships planned before June 30, 2020. All international tournaments in this time frame are also cancelled.

UWW has also suggested that all National Federations cancel their national events during the time to ensure the health of all athletes and participants in protected.

The rest of the 2020 calendar will be adjusted to allow for consideration of the COVID-19 pandemic, and will take into account any financial challenges faced by organizers and national federations.

For athletes who meet the minimum age requirement in 2021 will be eligible to compete during Olympic qualification and the Games,
 
As stated previously by the IOC and UWW, no existing allocations of Olympic licenses will be changed.

In keeping with good governance, the UWW Ordinary Congress is still scheduled for September 6 on the eve of the Junior World Championship in Belgrade. However, as the championship may be postponed it was still agreed to convene to the Congress -- and the call for candidacies --  as though the Congress will proceed as planned.

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UWW Breakout Wrestlers of 2025: Hidlay, Farokhi, Onishi

Monday, December 15, 2025 - 12:24 By Eric Olanowski

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CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (December 14) -- The 2025 Breakout Wrestlers of the Year were not the ones anyone circled heading into the season. They weren’t the favorites, or the ones analysts picked to walk away from the season as world medalists.

They were the outsiders, largely unproven and underestimated. But that all changed in a single season when they smashed expectations, catapulting themselves into world-wide stardom with world-title runs that nobody saw coming.

Freestyle Breakout Performer of the Year: Trent HIDLAY (USA)

Before 2025, Hidlay had never climbed to the top of a podium at an international event. His  2025 season even began with more doubt than promise, dropping his second match of the year to rising Azeri phenom Arsenii DZHIOEV (AZE) at the Zagreb Open. But that loss lit a fuse. From that moment on, the 26-year-old didn’t just improve -- he transformed.

Hidlay unleashed a stunning 13-match win streak and collected gold medals at the Pan-American Championships, the Budapest Ranking Series and the World Championships. Along the way, he knocked off giants -- Dauren KURUGLIEV (GRE), Miriani MAISURADZE (GEO), and Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE), just to name a few.

Then came the finale: a world finals comeback for the ages. Down and all but finished, Hidlay stormed back to defeat Amanula GADZHIMAGOMEDOV (UWW). In one year, Hidlay didn’t just win -- he arrived.

Greco-Roman Breakout Performer of the Year: Gholemreza FAROKHI (IRI)

When opportunity knocked, Farokhi wasn’t just there to answer it, he was there to kick the door off its hinges. The 23-year-old stepped into Iran’s senior lineup for the first time in his career and tore through anyone in front of him -- whether it was at 82kg or 87kg.

Farokhi bulldozed his way to gold medals at the two World Championships he participated in. He racked up a perfect 17-0 record, including 11 technical superiority wins and six decisions, sweeping gold at the World Championships, U23 World Championships, the Islamic Solidarity Games, and the Zagreb Open Ranking Series.

Women’s Wrestling Breakout Performer of the Year: Sakura ONISHI (JPN)

At 19 years old, Onishi entered the senior circuit with massive goals but had zero experience and zero fear. In mere months, she became a problem no one had an answer for.

Onishi tore through the season with a flawless 15-0 record, capturing titles at the Senior and U20 World Championships, the Asian Championships, and the Muhamet Malo Ranking Series. Her dominance wasn’t subtle -- it was exactly what you’d expect from a Japanese women’s wrestler -- 11 tech falls, three pins, and a decision, outscoring opponents 158-17.