#WrestleLA

UWW announces new Olympic qualification process for LA 2028

By United World Wrestling Press

CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (February 2) -- United World Wrestling has overhauled the qualification process for the Olympic Games.

Beginning with the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, the 16 wrestlers who qualify per weight class will earn their spots through four routes: the World Championships, Continental Qualifiers, the World Olympic Qualifier, and the UWW Rankings.

The first phase of qualification will be the 2027 World Championships that will award 72 quotas for the Olympics. Each medalist [gold, silver, two bronzes] in the 18 Olympic weight classes will earn LA 2028 spots for their respective National Olympic Committees (NOC).

The second phase will be the UWW Rankings in which the first three wrestlers of the rankings, not qualified in the first phase, will obtain one quota place for their NOC for the LA28 Olympic Games. The UWW Rankings will include the seven main events organized before the LA28 Olympic Games:

- 2027 Senior Continental Championships*
- 2027 Ranking Series (3 events)
- 2027 Senior World Championships
- 2028 Ranking Series (1 event)
- 2028 Senior Continental Championships*

*UWW may include Continental Games for ranking but will only consider best two out of three continental results.

This means that 54 more wrestlers will earn Olympic quotas for their respective NOCs.

Phase three for qualifying will include the Continental Qualifiers -- Europe, Asia, Pan-America, and Africa & Oceania. These tournaments will award two quotas per weight class.

Top two wrestlers, the finalists, in each of the 18 Olympic weights will earn LA 2028 quotas for respective NOCs. A total of 144 wrestlers will be awarded at these continental events.

The fourth and final phase of qualification will be the World Olympic Qualifier which will offer 18 quotas. The gold medal winners in each of the 18 Olympic weight classes will earn the spot for their respective NOCs.

Only the countries that did not obtain a quota place during the previous three phases may participate in the World Olympic Qualifiers. The participating countries may only send two wrestlers across all styles at the World Qualifier.

For the LA 2028 qualifying cycle, UWW will award quotas at the following events:

4 quotas - 2027 World Championships
3 quotas - Ranking Series UWW Rankings
8 quotas - Continental Qualifiers (2 Europe, 2 Asia, 2 Pan-America, 2 Africa & Oceania)
1 quota - World Olympic Qualifier

Furthermore, the 2028 Continental Championships will be held before the Continental Qualifiers, ensuring that the three quotas via ranking are finalized before continental qualification events begin.

Ranking Series Participation Guidelines

Each country may enter a maximum of two wrestlers per weight class and a two-kilogram weight allowance will apply for Ranking Series events, but not for Continental or World Championships where standard weight rules apply.

The point allocation for these Ranking events will also be reviewed.

Seeding Changes

During the Olympic cycle, seeds will be assigned based on the following event tiers:

Four-seed events:
Continental Championships
Continental Qualifiers
World Qualifier

Eight-seed events:
Ranking Series
World Championships
Olympic Games

Seeding for the 2028 Olympic Games will be based on results from:

- Three 2027 Ranking Series events
- 2027 Continental Championships (or Continental Games, if applicable)
- 2027 World Championships
- One 2028 Ranking Series event
- 2028 Continental Championships

These same events will be used to seed wrestlers throughout the 2028 season, including the Ranking Series, Continental Championships and Qualifiers, the World Olympic Qualifier, and the Olympic Games.

For the 2027 Ranking Series events, 2027 Senior Continental Championships and the 2027 Senior World Championships, the results of 2026 Senior World Championships will also be considered to seed the athletes.

As is the rule, the ranking points obtained at the 2026 Senior World Championships will be removed after the 2027 Senior World Championships.

A key change is that at the Olympic Games, the seed belongs to the country, which keeps the seed even if it replaces the athlete who earned it. In all other events, the seed belongs to the wrestler, and a nation loses that seed if a different athlete competes.

For clarification regarding the new Olympic qualification process, all NFs and NOCs can contact sports@uww.org.

#wrestlebishkek

Asian Championships 2026 Live: Women's Wrestling

By Ken Marantz & Vinay Siwach

BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan (April 8) -- Women's Wrestling will be in action in 50kg, 55kg, 59kg, 68kg and 76kg at the Asian Championships on day three in Bishkek. The likes of Yui SUSAKI (JPN), Sowaka UCHIDA (JPN), NEHA (IND), Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN), Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ) and Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) will take the mat.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | YUI SUSAKI 2.0

76kg semifinals - After her close call in the quarterfinals, Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) leaves no margin for error in storming to an 11-0 win over Hui Tsz CHANG (TPE) in pursuit of her third straight Asian gold and fourth overall. Medet Kyzy spins behind for the opening takedown, then hits two gut wrenches, then adds a 2-point exposure. When Chang tries to escape by going over the top, Medet Kyzy somersaults her over onto her back for the winning points that end the match in 1:04. An unsuccessful challenge of who-knows-what adds a final point.

Two-time Asian bronze medalist Davaanasan ENKH AMAR (MGL) enters her first-ever Asian Championships final after a 7-2 win over Gulmaral YERKEBAYEVA (KAZ). She got the first point for Yerkebayeva's passivity before a double-leg takedown to lead 3-0. As the clock ticked, Yerkebayeva tried a few fake attacks but missed them and Enkh Amar scored two counter takedowns to extend her lead to 7-0. Yerkebayeva scored a late takedown to cut the lead. 

68kg semifinals - Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN), wrestling her first Asian Championships at 68kg, into the finals after 7-0 victory over former world silver medalist Delgermaa ENKHSAIKHAN (MGL) in the semifinals. She started off with a point for Enkhsaikhan's passivity, then got a takedown when she was put on the activity clock. As the match progressed, Morikawa kept her pressure and scored two different takedowns on the edge to enter the final

Two-time Olympic medalist Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ) ends the reign of defending champion Zelu LI (CHN) with a 1-1 victory, much to the delight of the home crowd despite the lack of technical points scored — Zhumanazarova came out on top by virtue of receiving the second of the two activity points. LI gets her activity point in the first period as neither wrestler can find an opening. In the second period, Zhumanazarova gets in on a single-leg takedown, but Li forces the situation to a stalemate. Li is then put on the activity clock, which puts Zhumanazarova up on criteria. In the final minute, Li twice launches an attack, but Zhumanazarova sprawls to safety to make the final for the first time since 2022.

59kg semifinals - Sena NAGAMOTO (JPN) becomes the third Japan wrestler to reach the final after a 10-0 blanking of Ulmeken ESENBAEVA (UZB) in the 59kg semifinals. She built a 6-0 lead in the first period before another takedown to start the second period to make it 8-0. A sweep-single takedown was her last move to complete a technical superiority victory.

Mengyu XIE (CHN), a former Asian champion looking to improve on her bronze medal from 2025, shrugs NEHA (IND) by and gets behind for an early takedown, to which she adds a gut-wrench. Neha comes back with counter roll for 2 from a front body lock, which the Chinese side unsuccessfully challenges, cutting Xie's lead to 4-3 at the break. A deep single-leg takedown and gut wrench by Xie makes it 8-3. When Xie shoots for a double, Neha locks her up again, this time spinning behind for a takedown, making it 8-5 with a minute to go. Neha twice tries to force Xie over with a front headlock roll, but each time, the Chinese resists and holds the Indian's back toward the mat for a pair of 2-point exposures and a 12-5 win.

55kg semifinals - World bronze medalist Sowaka UCHIDA (JPN) continues to dominate in her senior Asian debut, advancing to the final with a one-side 10-0 victory over Ariunzaya ODONCHIMEG (MGL). Uchida, who won world U17 and U20 titles in recent years but had never competed in a continental tournament, finishes off the match after a second takedown, locking Odonchimeg's arm and levering her over three times to end the bout in 1:33.

Uchida will face returning silver medalist Yuxuan LI (CHN) for the gold medal after the China wrestler completed a dominant 11-1 victory over Hansika LAMBA (IND). Li got on the scoreboard when Lamba was called passive in the first period. Li then tripped Lamba for a takedown and used two gut-wrenches to lead 7-0. Lamba tried getting a takedown but Li was quick to counter and scored a takedown before giving up a reversal for a 9-1 lead. She finished the match with a takedown 6 seconds before the clock expired.

50kg semifinals - In her first tournament since 2024 Paris Olympics, Yui SUSAKI (JPN) has not broken a sweat and is back in the final of Asian Championships. Facing Maral TANGIRBERGENOVA (KAZ) in the semifinals at 50kg, the three-time Asian champion Susaki scored a go-behind to open the scoring before a gut-wrench gave her a 4-0 lead. She then used a sweep-single to make it 6-0, continue the action using an arm-bar to secure the fall over the Kazakhstan wrestler in just two minutes. Susaki moved into the finals with three wins -- two falls and one technical superiority.

In a clash of medalists from the 2023 Asian Games, former world bronze medalist Son Hyang KIM (PRK) goes behind for an early takedown against Aktenge KEUNIMJAEVA (UZB), then applies the lace lock and twists her over three times for an 8-0 lead before the match hits the minute mark. But Keunimjaeva, a three-time Asian bronze medalist, is not going meekly, and whizzers her way to a 4-point takedown at the edge to cut the lead in half before the break. Kim opens the second period with a duck under to a double-leg takedown to make it 10-4. Two years ago in the Asian Olympic qualifying tournament in Bishkek, Keunimjaeva pulled off a miracle late comeback to beat Kim, and she nearly does it again. Locking Kim's arms, Keunimjaeva muscles Kim directly to her back for a 4-pointer in the last 20 seconds. But she can't get the fall, and Kim gets a late exposure for a 12-8 win and rematch with Susaki of the 2017 Asian final.

Qualification session highlights

12:42: Gulmaral YERKEBAYEVA (KAZ) with an excellent fake attack to get a takedown against KAJAL (IND) to secure the win int the 76kg quarterfinals. Kajal led 3-1 when Yerkebayeva scored a stepout with 25 seconds left. Yerkebayeva managed a leg attack soon but let it go when Kajal fell forward to defend it. The Kazakhstan wrestler just jumped behind to get a takedown which stunned Kajal. Yerkebayev with a 5-3 win, as India challenged at the end and lost it.

12:37: Former world silver medalist Davaanasan ENKH AMAR (MGL) secures her spot in the 76kg semifinals with an 8-2 victory over Eunju HWANG (KOR). Leading 4-0, Enkh Amar gains two takedowns in the second period before Hwang gets on the scoreboard with a late takedown

12:35: Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ), one of the host nation's top stars, avoided what would have arguably been the biggest upset of the tournament so far when she snatched a victory from the jaws of defeat in her 76kg quarterfinal with Wenji LI (CHN). Li, the 2023 Asian U23 champion at 72kg, was the dominant wrestler, using her double-leg takedown to build up a 6-2 lead deep into the second period. But there is a reason that Medet Kyzy is a three-time Asian champion and three-time world medalist. Just when it looked like all was lost, she shot in on a double, rose up to secure a bear hug, and tripped Li directly to her back in the final minute. That four points would have given her the win, but Li wasn't going anywhere and Medet Kyzy secured the fall with :29 left.

12:25: Two-time Olympic medalist Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ), looking for her first Asian gold to go with two bronzes and a silver, gets her campaign at 68kg started with an 11-0 win over Thi Linh DANG (VIE). Zhumanazarova is limited to two takedowns in the first period by the gutsy Dang, but after a second-period takedown, she ends the match with a 4-point takedown.

12:24: After a slow first period in which Yelena SHALYGINA (KAZ) got a point for Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN) passivity in their 68kg bout, Morikawa managed to score 10 points in the second to complete a victory over the Kazakhstan wrestler. A takedown and gut-wrenches is what Morikawa used to score her points.

12:16: Yui SUSAKI (JPN) uses her low single to deadly effectiveness in an 11-0 victory over NEELAM (IND) at 50kg that she completes eight seconds inside the first-period buzzer. Neelam did her best to counter Susaki's singles, but the Japanese star kept piling up the points in a four-takedown effort.

12:10: Son Hyang KIM (PRK) continues to impress at 50kg, hitting three gut wrenches after her second takedown to defeat Munkhnar BYAMBASUREN (MGL) 10-0 in 1:10 and advance to the semifinals

12:07: Sena NAGAMOTO (JPN), winner at the Zagreb Ranking Series who is making her senior Asian debut, gets off to a roaring start at 59kg with an 10-0 victory over Sezim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ)

12:02: Former Asian champion and world bronze medalist Mengyu XIE (CHN) overwhelms two-time Asian medalist Bolortuya KHURELKHUU (MGL), scoring seven points in the first period and then ending the match in the second for an 11-0 win to advance to the 59kg semifinals

11:59: Rising star Sowaka UCHIDA (JPN), a 2025 world bronze medalist a year after winning the world U20 gold, storms to a 10-0 victory over Jeongbin OH (KOR) to secure her spot in the 55kg semifinals

11:58: Ulmeken ESENBAEVA (UZB), a multiple-time medalist at age-group Asian Championships, begins with a fall over Hyebin AHN (KOR) at 59kg.

11:56: Wenji LI (CHN) proves too powerful for Yasuha MATSUYUKI (JPN) in their qualifying round bout at 76kg, handing the Japanese squad its first loss by topping off two of her three takedowns with 2-point rolls in a 12-2 technical superiority win in 5:31

11:55: NEHA (IND), a former U20 world bronze medalist, starts with a fall over Viktoriia KHUSAINOVA (KAZ) at 59kg. She built a 6-0 lead before scoring a takedown and then used a cradle to secure the fall

11:53: An impressive start for last year's runner-up at 55kg, Yuxuan LI (CHN). After a stepout to get started against Aruuke KADYRBEK KYZY (KGZ), Li gains a takedown, then reels off four gut wrenches in succession for an 11-0 victory in just over a minute.

11:52: Five-time Asian medalist and 2023 world silver medalist Delgermaa ENKHSAIKHAN (MGL) scores two stepouts in the first period, the second with Svetlana OKNAZAROVA (UZB) on the activity clock, and adds two takedowns in the second before finishing the match with a 4-point takedown in the last seconds for an 11-0 victory at 68kg.

11:41: Yi Hui LIN (TPE) stuns Ngoc Linh DO (VIE) with a 4-point takedown with :16 left, then holds on for a 5-4 victory  at 50kg in the opening match on Mat B.

11:35: Son Hyang KIM (PRK), a world bronze medalist and Asian silver medalist way back in 2017, storms into the quarterfinals at 50kg with a 10-0 thrashing of Nipuni HEWA PEDIGE (SRI). Kim's most recent accomplishment was a silver at the 2023 Asian Games.

11:34: 53-second fall for Yui SUSAKI (JPN) in her first international match since the 2024 Paris Olympics! Susaki got Ziqi FENG (CHN) in her opening bout at 50kg, a rematch of the final from the 2024 Asian Championships final. Susaki tried two leg attacks but failed to covert them into points. Out of nowhere, Feng tried an arm-spin which was blocked by Susaki. Feng fell back first on the mat and Susaki kept the pressure to secure the fall!

11:30: After two days of exciting Greco-Roman in the morning, the Asian Championships will see Women's Wrestling on the mats. Local stars Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ) and Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) will be the favorites at 68kg and 76kg