#WrestleParis

Youngest wrestlers heading to Paris 2024

Monday, July 15, 2024 - 12:18 By Eric Olanowski

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PARIS, France (July 15) — As we approach the Paris 2024 Olympic Games (August 5-11), fans' attention will be split between the already-established stars and a promising new wave of Olympians aiming to make their mark in history.

Out of the 290 athletes (288 athletes + 2 refugees) bound for Paris 2024, 19 wrestlers under 21 can potentially become some of the youngest Olympic champions ever. Here’s how they break down by age:

18 years old: 1 wrestler
19 years old: 1 wrestler
20 years old: 5 wrestlers
21 years old: 12 wrestlers

Women’s wrestling dominates the youth spotlight, boasting the six youngest wrestlers in the field. There are 19 competitors under 21 years old, with freestyle and Greco-Roman each having seven wrestlers under this age bracket.

Xu WANG (CHN) remains the youngest-ever Olympic champion in women’s wrestling, a record now standing for over two decades. Wang clinched the 72kg gold at the Athens 2004  Games at just 18 years, 10 months and 27 days old.

Among the Paris contenders, Sol Gum PAK (PRK) stands out as the only wrestler young enough to challenge Wang’s enduring record. Born on November 2, 2005, Pak will compete in the 68kg category on August 5, with a chance to break the record on August 6. If she reaches the gold-medal bout, she’ll be 18 years, 9 months and 4 days old, surpassing Wang by 1 month and 23 days.

While Pak aims for history, rising star Antim Antim (IND) can also make waves in women’s wrestling by potentially surpassing Kaori ICHO (JPN) with a gold medal in the 53kg category. 

Antim, at 19 years, 11 months and 8 days, would edge out Icho’s age of 20 years, 2 months and 10 days during her Athens 2004 victory.

Elsewhere, young talents and reigning world champions Amit ELOR (USA), Akari FUJINAMI (JPN) and Nonoka OZAKI (JPN) will also be looking to leave a last impression on the record books.

Fujinami, who heads into Paris with a 120+ match winning streak, is the third youngest women’s wrestler. If Fujinami, the two-time world champion, comes out on top as most expect, she’d move into the No. 4 slot on the list, just ahead of London 2012 champ Natalya VOROBIEVA (RUS), who won at 21 years, 2 months and 13 days old. 

Fujinami would be 21 years and 10 months old on the day of the 53kg finals.

If Elor, aged 20 years, 7 months, and 4 days, secures victory in the 68kg bracket on August 6, she will become the third-youngest women’s wrestling Olympic champion, beating Jiao WANG’s age by nine days (20 years, 7 months, and 13 days).

Ozaki is aiming for a top-five spot, potentially overtaking Risako KAWAI (JPN), who was 21 years, 8 months, and 28 days old during her Rio 2016 victory. Ozaki, at 21 years, 4 months, and 13 days, could achieve this if she triumphs in France.

In Greco-Roman wrestling, Islambek ALBIEV (RUS) holds the record as the youngest Olympic gold medalist, set at the Beijing 2008 Games at 19 years, 7 months and 15 days old. 

Saied ESMAEILI, turning 21 on July 15, is the youngest competitor in the Greco-Roman field for Paris 2024. While Esmaeili is “too old” to challenge the top six spots, he could potentially become the seventh-youngest Greco-Roman Olympic champion, surpassing Boris GUREVICH’s (URS) age of 21 years, 4 months, and 4 days if he wins the 67kg final on August 8.

In freestyle wrestling, Aman AMAN (IND), Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN), and Rahman AMOUZAD are the youngest contenders on the entry list. 

Aman, presently 20 years old but is turning 21 on July 16, is the youngest freestyle wrestler. He isn’t within reach of the youngest-ever title, currently held by Saban TRSTENA (YUG), who won gold at 19 years, 7 months and 9 days in Los Angeles 1984. But if Aman wins gold on August 9-10, aged 21 years, 0 months, and 25 days, he will rank as the 11th youngest Olympic champion, overtaking George DE RELWYSKOW (GBR), who won gold at the 1908 London Games at 21 years, 1 month and 6 days old.

While Amouzad is just out of reach of breaking into the top 15, Tazhudinov, who’ll be 21 years,  7 months and 24 days old on August 11, would steal the No. 14 spot from Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) by seven days.

Wrestling at the Paris Olympic Games starts Agust 5-11 and can be followed on www.uww.org.

Top-15 youngest Paris 2024 Entries:
1. Sol Gum PAK (DPRK) - 18 years old | November 2, 2005 |WW
2. Antim Antim (IND) - 19 years old | August 31, 2004 |WW
3. Amit ELOR (USA) - 20 years old | January 1, 2004 |WW
4. Akari FUJINAMI (JPN)- 20 years old | November 1, 2003 | WW
5. Kennedy BLADES (USA) - 20 years old | September 4, 2003| WW
6. Gabija DILYTE (LTU) - 20 years old | September 3, 2003 | WW
7. Aman AMAN (IND) - 20 years old | July 16, 2003 | FS
8. Saied ESMAEILI (IRI) - 21 years old  | July 15, 2003 | GR 
9. Aurora RUSSO (ITA) - 21 years old | June 3, 2003 | WW
10. Nonoka Ozaki (JPN) - 21 years old | March 23, 2003 | WW
11. Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN) - 21 years old | January 25, 2003 | FS
12. Alireza MOHMADIPIANI (IRI) - 21 years old | October 30, 2002 | GR 
13.Hasrat JAFAROV (AZE) - 21 years old | October 5, 2002 | GR 
14. Zaineb SGHAIER (TUN) - 21 years old | September 25, 2002 | WW
15. Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI)- 22 years old | March 26, 2002 | FS

#WrestleAcapulco, #WrestleParis

Gomez, Cruz deny USA Paris 2024 spots at Pan-Am Qualifiers

Saturday, March 2, 2024 - 06:43 By Gaurav Bhatt

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ACAPULCO, Mexico (March 1) — The Pan American Olympic Games Qualifiers wrapped up in style in Acapulco, Mexico, with Puerto Rico and Cuba earning three quotas on offer each, while Mexico and Canada securing two berths apiece.

The day was marked by stunning performances and a few upsets, particularly in the 57kg and 65kg classes where the U.S. wrestlers were eyeing qualification. 
While the two American wrestlers failed in their quest on Friday, two NCAA champions successfully secured quotas for their nations. 

Two-time NCAA champion Roman BRAVO YOUNG (MEX) showcased his NCAA-honed skills with a commanding 14-4 victory over Oscar TIGREROS (COL) in the 57kg semifinal. The 25-year-old — who chose to represent his grandparents' native country Mexico last summer — got the better of Tigreros, an Olympian and five-time Pan-Am medallist Tigreros.

In the second semifinal, 2017 NCAA champion Darian CRUZ (PUR) edged out Zane RICHARDS (USA) in a 2-2 criteria win. The first period between Richards and Cruz ended in a tense 1-1 tie. 

Richards edged ahead early in the second with a shot clock point, before Cruz retaliated. The Puerto Rican team challenged a scoring decision, and Cruz was awarded a point for pushing Richards out, deadlocking the score at 2-2 with just seconds left. Richards fiercely attacked, but couldn't land a takedown, ultimately losing to Cruz for the first time at senior level.

NCAA All-American Austin GOMEZ (MEX) defeated Nick LEE (USA) in the quarterfinal, as the weight class continues to be a thorn in the side of the U.S. at the senior level.

Lee, who won the Pan-Am gold last week, took control and rushed to a 10-4 lead before the first break. However, after a long injury timeout for Gomez in the second period, the tide dramatically turned as Gomez's scoring spree saw him rack up 18 points and ultimately winning by technical fall (22-12).

In the semifinal, Gomez beat fellow All-American Lachlan MCNIEL (CAN) 6-3. 

Alejandro VALDES (CUB), a two-time world medalist and two-time Olympian, lived up to expectations by dominating Shannon HANNA (BAH) with an 11-0 technical superiority win in the second 65kg semifinal.

Geandry GARZON (CUB), aiming for his second Olympic appearance at the age of 40, clinched a berth for Cuba by defeating Julio RODRIGUEZ (DOM) 6-2 in the 74kg division. Garzon — who won the last of his four Worlds medals in 2010 — set a deliberate pace against the 26-year-old finalist from last week's Pan-Am championships.

However, once put on the shot clock, Garzon attacked Rodriguez's right leg and scored a two-point move. Two more two-pointers followed deep in the second period, securing the win for the Cuban.

In the second semifinal, two-time Pan-Am champion Anthony MONTERO (VEN) made a statement with an 11-0 thrashing of Raul PALACIOS (MEX).

In the 97kg division, Arturo SILOT (CUB) showed he's second only to Kyle SNYDER (USA) at the Pan-Am level as the 22-year-old rag-dolled his opponents on his way to securing Cuba a berth at Paris Games. Silot — who has lost three straight Pan-Am championships finals to Snyder — didn't give up a point as he ran through Maxwell LACEY (CRC) and Nishan Preet RANDHAWA (CAN).

In the second semifinal, Luis PEREZ (DOM) clinched a narrow 4-2 victory over Cristian SARCO (VEN) in a battle of last week's bronze medallists.

The 86kg category witnessed Ethan RAMOS (PUR) defeat two-time Olympian Carlos IZQUIERDO (COL) 11-6, while Alexander MOORE (CAN) pulled off an impressive 4-0 win against the top-seeded Pedro CEBALLOS (VEN), who finished runner-up at the Pan-Am championships last week.

Earlier, four-time Pan-Am champion Yurieski Torreblanca TORREBLANCA (CUB) lost a fall to Anthony VALENCIA (MEX) in the qualification rounds.

Former Pan-Am champion Amarveer DHESI (CAN) took little over two minutes to thwart Ibrain TORRES (CUB) 11-0 to earn Canada a spot. Jonovan SMITH (PUR), who grabbed a silver at the Pan-Ams last week, won the other semifinal against Gino AVILA (HON) 5-1.