#WrestleAlexandria

Ibrahim Moustafa Ranking Series Entry List

By Eric Olanowski

ALEXANDRIA, Egypt (February 14) --- The continent of Africa is set to host its biggest wrestling event ever next week, as 466 wrestlers from 48 countries will toe the line at the second point-based Ranking Series event of the season, the Ibrahim Moustafa (February 23-26).

The Ibrahim Moustafa will be the final point-based event before the calendar transitions into the Continental Championship season. After the Egyptian Ranking Series event, the four highest-ranked wrestlers in each weight will earn a seed at the upcoming Asian, African, European, Oceania and Pan-American Championships.

Freestyle wrestling tops the list of entries with 184 athletes entered, while Greco-Roman has 149 and women’s wrestling has 133 competitors.

On the freestyle side of the Ranking Series event, Batyrbek TSAKULOV (SVK), the reigning 97kg world runner-up, headlines the entries list with six world medalists from the 2022 World Championships.

The five remaining ’22 world medalists rounded out last season with bronze medals. They are: Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ), Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM), Miriani MAISURADZE (GEO), Boris MAKOEV (SVK) and Givi MATCHARASHVILI (GEO).

The living legend Riza KAYAALP (TUR) is the most credentialed wrestler entered on the Greco-Roman side of the competition. The five-time world is one of ten returning world medalists heading to Egypt.

Kayaalp is the lone world champion entered in the classic style. He’ll be joined by five world runner-ups and four world bronze medalists.

The silver medalists include: Leri ABULADZE (GEO), Zoltan LEVAI (HUN), Amin MIRZAZADEH (IRI), Edmond Armen NAZARYAN (BUL) and Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO). The four bronze medalists from Belgrade wrestling next week are: Yunus Emre BASAR (TUR), Ali CENGIZ (TUR), Alin ALEXUC CIURARIU (ROU) and Mohammadhadi Abdollah SARAVI (IRI).

In women’s wrestling, the top talent features eight podium finishers from Serbia—including reigning world champions Anastasia NICHITA (MDA) and Dominique Olivia PARRISH (USA).

Grace Jacob BULLEN (NOR) and Kayla MIRACLE (USA) are the pair of 2022 second-place finishers, while last year’s third-place finishers Epp MAE (EST), Samar HAMZA (EGY) and Ilona PROKOPEVNIUK (UKR) and Mengyu XIE (CHN) will also be in action next week.

All the action from Egypt starts next Thursday and can be followed live on www.uww.org or on the UWW app.


Batyrbek TSAKULOV (SVK), the third-ranked wrestler in the world, will compete at 97kg. (Photo: Kadir Caliskan)

Freestyle

57kg
Manvel KHNDZRTSYAN (ARM)
Wanhao ZOU (CHN)
Minghu LIU (CHN)
Weiyu LI (CHN)
Guesseppe Ricardo REA VILLARROEL (ECU)
Alaa Ali Sheba ELSAYED (EGY)
Mahmoud Mohamed Abdelkader Elsayed ELAZAB (EGY)
Diamantino IUNA FAFE (GBS)
Roberti DINGASHVILI (GEO)
Beka BUJIASHVILI (GEO)
Brandon Jesus ESCOBAR AMADOR (HON)
Rakhat KALZHAN (KAZ)
Abzal OKENOV (KAZ)
Yerassyl MUKHTARULY (KAZ)
Bekzat ALMAZ UULU (KGZ)
Almaz SMANBEKOV (KGZ)
Ben Hachem TARIK (MAR)
Darian Toi CRUZ (PUR)
Suleyman ATLI (TUR)
Andrii YATSENKO (UKR)
Nicholas Raymond SURIANO (USA)
Nodirjon SAFAROV (UZB)
Arslan RAKHIMOV (UZB)

61kg
Abdelghani BENATALLAH (ALG)
Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM)
Mahmoud Shaban Azmy SHORBAGY (EGY)
Gamal Abdelnaser Hanafy MOHAMED (EGY)
Shehabeldin Emam Abdelraouf MOHAMED (EGY)
Shota PHARTENADZE (GEO)
Pankaj PANKAJ (IND)
Aman AMAN (IND)
Yasin Abbas REZAEIAGHOUZGOLEH (IRI)
Nurbolat ABDUALIYEV (KAZ)
Vladimir KUDRIN (KAZ)
Taiyrbek ZHUMASHBEK UULU (KGZ)
Ulukbek ZHOLDOSHBEKOV (KGZ)
Yassine JAA (MAR)
Ali M M ABURUMAILA (PLE)
Joseph Andres SILVA (PUR)
Kamil KERYMOV (UKR)
Austin James DESANTO (USA)
Nahshon Aaron GARRETT (USA)
Jahongirmirza TUROBOV (UZB)

65kg
Zohier IFTENE (ALG)
Agustin Alejandro DESTRIBATS (ARG)
Vazgen TEVANYAN (ARM)
Shaohua YUAN (CHN)
Omar Mohamed Amin Mahmoud MOURAD (EGY)
Edemi BOLKVADZE (GEO)
Sujeet SUJEET (IND)
Joshua Stuart FINESILVER (ISR)
Sanzhar MUKHTAR (KAZ)
Ilyas AMANZHOLOV (KAZ)
Timur AITKULOV (KAZ)
Alibek OSMONOV (KGZ)
Krzysztof BIENKOWSKI (POL)
Eduard GRIGOREV (POL)
Sebastian C RIVERA (PUR)
Erik ARUSHANIAN (UKR)
Patricio LUGO III (USA)
Anthony James ASHNAULT (USA)
Joseph Christopher MC KENNA (USA)
Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB)
Abbos RAKHMONOV (UZB)

70kg
Arman ANDREASYAN (ARM)
Agudamu AGUDAMU (CHN)
Fares Mohamed Mosad Rashad ELBAIOUMY (EGY)
Khaled Salem Mohamed  Mousa MOHAMED (EGY)
Giorgi ELBAKIDZE (GEO)
Doszhan ASSETOV (KAZ)
Azamat SHAGAPULY (KAZ)
Orozobek TOKTOMAMBETOV (KGZ)
Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ)
Maxim SACULTAN (MDA)
Cuneyt BUDAK (TUR)
Ihor NYKYFORUK (UKR)
Lucas Dakota CHITTUM (USA)
Tyler Daniel BERGER (USA)
Zafarbek OTAKHONOV (UZB)

74kg
Abdelkader IKKAL (ALG)
Hrayr ALIKHANYAN (ARM)
Magomedrasul ASLUEV (BRN)
Shengsong XIA (CHN)
Nuerlanbieke WURENIBAI (CHN)
Amr Reda Ramadan HUSSEN (EGY)
Mohamed Tarek Abdou Khalil ABDELHADY (EGY)
Luis Isabel BARRIOS ROCHEZ (HON)
Sagar JAGLAN (IND)
Hossein Noorali ABOUZARIPASHKOLAEI (IRI)
Mitchell Louis FINESILVER (ISR)
Darkhan YESSENGALI (KAZ)
Nurlan BEKZHANOV (KAZ)
Kanat MUSSABEKOV (KAZ)
Islambek OROZBEKOV (KGZ)
Rayanne ESSAIDI (MAR)
Anthony VALENCIA GOMEZ (MEX)
Iakub SHIKHDZHAMALOV (ROU)
Soner DEMIRTAS (TUR)
Semen RADULOV (UKR)
Joshua Richard SHIELDS (USA)
Vincenzo JOSEPH (USA)
Joseph Lawrence Michael LAVALLEE (USA)

79kg
Chems  Eddine FETAIRIA (ALG)
Francisco de Deus KADIMA (ANG)
Arman AVAGYAN (ARM)
Peilong LI (CHN)
Nasser Sayed Fares SAYED (EGY)
Ahmed khaled Mohamed MAHMOUD (EGY)
Avtandil KENTCHADZE (GEO)
Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO)
Georgios KOUGIOUMTSIDIS (GRE)
Jitender JITENDER (IND)
Amirhossein Morteza Gholi KAVOUSI (IRI)
Bolat SAKAYEV (KAZ)
Zhiger ZAKIROV (KAZ)
Bibarys NURYLLAULY (KAZ)
Sofiane PADIOU BELMIR (MAR)
Akhsarbek GULAEV (SVK)
Evan WICK (USA)
David Vincent MC FADDEN (USA)
Chandler Shane MARSTELLER (USA)
Bekzod ABDURAKHMONOV (UZB)

86kg
Fateh BENFERDJALLAH (ALG)
Zushen LIN (CHN)
Xiao SUN (CHN)
Saifeldin Shokry Mohamed Mahmoud ELKOUMY (EGY)
Mahmoud Said Ahmed Ismail BADAWI (EGY)
Tariel GAPHRINDASHVILI (GEO)
Vicky VICKY (IND)
Islyambek ILYASSOV (KAZ)
Nurtilek KARYPBAEV (KGZ)
Ivan ICHIZLI (MDA)
Sebastian JEZIERZANSKI (POL)
Ethan Adrian RAMOS (PUR)
Boris MAKOEV (SVK)
Mukhammed ALIIEV (UKR)
Vasyl MYKHAILOV (UKR)
Zahid VALENCIA (USA)
Bobur ISLOMOV (UZB)

92kg
Magomed SHARIPOV (BRN)
Mohamed Wael Ahmed  Elsayed ABDELWAHAB (EGY)
Khaled Masoud Ismail ELMOATAMADAWI (EGY)
Miriani MAISURADZE (GEO)
Pruthviraj Babasaheb PATIL (IND)
Abdul Kareem Mahmoud Abdul ABUIDAIJ (JOR)
Rizabek AITMUKHAN (KAZ)
Feyzullah AKTURK (TUR)
Illia ARCHAIA (UKR)
Nathan Dyamin JACKSON (USA)
Kollin Raymond MOORE (USA)

97kg
Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN)
Awusayiman HABILA (CHN)
Tuerxunbieke MUHEITE (CHN)
Mostafa Aly Elsayed Gabr ELDERS (EGY)
Aboubakr Elsayed Elsayed GADELMAWLA (EGY)
Givi MATCHARASHVILI (GEO)
Vladislav BAITSAEV (HUN)
Sahil SAHIL (IND)
Amirhossein Biglar FIROUZPOURBANDPEI (IRI)
Benjamin Konrad HONIS (ITA)
Mamed IBRAGIMOV (KAZ)
Bekzat URKIMBAY (KAZ)
Serik BAKYTKHANOV (KAZ)
Radu LEFTER (MDA)
Radoslaw BARAN (POL)
Zbigniew Mateusz BARANOWSKI (POL)
Batyrbek TSAKULOV (SVK)
Mahamed ZAKARIIEV (UKR)
Morgan Patrick SMITH (USA)
Michael Justin MACCHIAVELLO (USA)
Makhsud VEYSALOV (UZB)

125kg
Reheman RUSIDANMU (CHN)
Benxin DUAN (CHN)
Adham Abdalla Amin Mansour ABDELKARIM (EGY)
Mohamed Mostafa Aly Elshamy SALAHELDIN (EGY)
Daniel LIGETI (HUN)
Dinesh DINESH (IND)
Yusup BATIRMURZAEV (KAZ)
Kamil Tomasz KOSCIOLEK (POL)
Robert BARAN (POL)
Nicholas Edward GWIAZDOWSKI (USA)
Jordan Michael WOOD (USA)
Khasanboy RAKHIMOV (UZB)
Sardorbek KHOLMATOV (UZB)

Greco-Roman
55kg
Shaaban Safy Abdelrazek ABDELLATIF (EGY)
Mohamed Mohamed Ismail Mohamed Ibrahim MOHAMED (EGY)
Nugzari TSURTSUMIA (GEO)
Manjeet MANJEET (IND)
Amangali BEKBOLATOV (KAZ)
Marlan MUKASHEV (KAZ)
Iskhar KURBAYEV (KAZ)
Sardarbek KONUSHBAEV (KGZ)
Denis Florin MIHAI (ROU)

60kg
Abdelkarim FERGAT (ALG)
Edmond Armen NAZARYAN (BUL)
Liguo CAO (CHN)
Haodong TAN (CHN)
Ahmed Fouad Fouad Hussein BAGHDOUDA (EGY)
Haithem Mahmoud Ahmed Fahmy MAHMOUD (EGY)
Mahmoud Farrag Mahmoud SAAD (EGY)
Pridon ABULADZE (GEO)
Gyanender GYANENDER (IND)
Yernar FIDAKHMETOV (KAZ)
Nursultan BAZARBAYEV (KAZ)
Aibek SABYRBEKOV (KAZ)
Nurmukhammet ABDULLAEV (KGZ)
Ismail ETTALIBI (MAR)
Razvan ARNAUT (ROU)
Aslamdzhon AZIZOV (TJK)
Kerem KAMAL (TUR)

63kg
Abdeldjebar DJEBBARI (ALG)
Aker SCHMID AL OBAIDI (AUT)
Adham Ayman Gharib Abdou ELSAYED (EGY)
Mostafa Mohamed Mostafa Mohamed ABOELALA (EGY)
Leri ABULADZE (GEO)
Sagar SAGAR (IND)
Meysam Karamali DALKHANI (IRI)
Mukhamedali MAMURBEK (KAZ)
Madiyar MALTEKBAYEV (KAZ)
Dastan ZARLYKHANOV (KAZ)
Syimyk Makhamadzhanovich MAKHMUDOV (KGZ)
Aleksandrs JURKJANS (LAT)
Victor CIOBANU (MDA)

67kg
Ishak GHAIOU (ALG)
Sailike WALIHAN (CHN)
Husiyuetu HUSIYUETU (CHN)
Lei LI (CHN)
Abdelrahman Ahmed Aly Mohamed OMAR (EGY)
Emad Mohamed Ibrahim Mohamed Elemam GHALY (EGY)
Moustafa Hussein Fathy ALAMELDIN (EGY)
Joni KHETSURIANI (GEO)
Singh KARANJIT (IND)
Ashu ASHU (IND)
Din Mukhamed KOSHKAR (KAZ)
Sultan ASSETULY (KAZ)
Merey BEKENOV (KAZ)
Razzak BEISHEKEEV (KGZ)
Mihai Radu MIHUT (ROU)
Niklas Jan Olov Pontus OEHLEN (SWE)
Firuz MIRZORAJABOV (TJK)

72kg
Jian TAN (CHN)
Mahmoud Khaled Abdelsatar ABDELRAHMAN (EGY)
Omar Essam Elsayed Abdelalim OKIL (EGY)
Ramaz ZOIDZE (GEO)
Otar ABULADZE (GEO)
Ankit GULIA (IND)
Mohammadreza Abdolhamid GERAEI (IRI)
Ibragim MAGOMADOV (KAZ)
Yerassyl NURBOSSYNOV (KAZ)
Daniyar KALENOV (KAZ)
Nurzhigit KENESHBEK UULU (KGZ)
Valentin PETIC (MDA)
Sheroz OCHILOV (TJK)

77kg
Francisco de Deus KADIMA (ANG)
Aik MNATSAKANIAN (BUL)
Halishan BAHEJIANG (CHN)
Rui LIU (CHN)
Wael Hamdy Mohamed ABDELRAHMAN (EGY)
Mohamed Ehab Mohamed Zahab KHALIL (EGY)
Iuri LOMADZE (GEO)
Sachino DAVITAIA (GEO)
Shmagi BOLKVADZE (GEO)
Zoltan LEVAI (HUN)
Sajan SAJAN (IND)
Demeu ZHADRAYEV (KAZ)
Kaharman KISSYMETOV (KAZ)
Azat SADYKOV (KAZ)
Yryskeldi MAKSATBEK UULU (KGZ)
Alexandrin GUTU (MDA)
Per Albin OLOFSSON (SWE)
Yunus Emre BASAR (TUR)

82kg
Abd Elkrim OUAKALI (ALG)
Michael WAGNER (AUT)
Mahmoud Walid Abdelfattah IBRAHIM (EGY)
Fares Mohamed Abdelsattar GHALY (EGY)
Gela BOLKVADZE (GEO)
Roland SCHWARZ (GER)
Rohit DAHIYA (IND)
Dias KALEN (KAZ)
Shamil BATYROV (KAZ)
Akylbek TALANTBEKOV (KGZ)
Kristoffer Zakarias BERG (SWE)

87kg
Bachir SID AZARA (ALG)
Chengwu WANG (CHN)
Maimaiti KAISAIER (CHN)
Noureldin Hany Mohamed Gomaa HASSAN (EGY)
Abdelrahman Ehab Mohamed ELSEFY (EGY)
Emad Ashraf Mohamed ABOUELATTA (EGY)
Gurami KHETSURIANI (GEO)
Lasha GOBADZE (GEO)
Ariel Andres ALFONSO RODRIGUEZ (HON)
Kumar SUNIL (IND)
Maksat SAILAU (KAZ)
Nursultan TURSYNOV (KAZ)
Baurzhan MUSSIN (KAZ)
Atabek AZISBEKOV (KGZ)
Saad AMANDAR (MAR)
Alex Michel BJURBERG KESSIDIS (SWE)
Ali CENGIZ (TUR)

97kg
Adem BOUDJEMLINE (ALG)
Markus RAGGINGER (AUT)
Daniel GASTL (AUT)
Yan LIU (CHN)
Yiming LI (CHN)
Artur OMAROV (CZE)
Sami Elsayed Ali Ibrahim SAMRA (EGY)
Mohamed Ali Elsayed GABR (EGY)
Roberti KOBLIASHVILI (GEO)
Giorgi MELIA (GEO)
Kevin MEJIA CASTILLO (HON)
Narinder CHEEMA (IND)
Mohammadhadi Abdollah SARAVI (IRI)
Olzhas SYRLYBAY (KAZ)
Islam UMAYEV (KAZ)
Yerulan ISKAKOV (KAZ)
Nurmanbet RAIMALY UULU (KGZ)
Aleksandar Georgije STJEPANETIC (SWE)
Metehan BASAR (TUR)

130kg
Lingzhe MENG (CHN)
Abdellatif Mohamed Ahmed MOHAMED (EGY)
Salaheldin Mohamed Salaheldin ABBAS (EGY)
Iakobi KAJAIA (GEO)
Zviadi PATARIDZE (GEO)
Jello KRAHMER (GER)
Gino Tanislado AVILA DILBERT (HON)
Naveen NAVEEN (IND)
Amin Mohammadzaman MIRZAZADEH (IRI)
Alimkhan SYZDYKOV (KAZ)
Anton SAVENKO (KAZ)
Mansur SHADUKAYEV (KAZ)
Roman KIM (KGZ)
Alin ALEXUC CIURARIU (ROU)
Riza KAYAALP (TUR)

Women’s Wrestling
Patricia Alejandra BERMUDEZ (ARG)
Madison Bianca PARKS (CAN)
Meng FAN (CHN)
Jiang ZHU (CHN)
Ziqi FENG (CHN)
Nada Medani Ashour Abdalla MOHAMED (EGY)
Shivani PAWAR (IND)
Emilia Alina GRIGORE VUC (ROU)
Sarra HAMDI (TUN)
Evin DEMIRHAN YAVUZ (TUR)
Oksana LIVACH (UKR)
Alyssa Rae Nicole LAMPE (USA)
Aktenge KEUNIMJAEVA (UZB)
Jasmina IMMAEVA (UZB)

53kg
Yuhong ZHONG (CHN)
Li DENG (CHN)
Lucia Yamileth YEPEZ GUZMAN (ECU)
Shaimaa Khalifa Hussein ABDELZAHER (EGY)
Shaimaa Atef Barakat MOHAMED (EGY)
Marina RUEDA FLORES (ESP)
Tatiana DEBIEN (FRA)
Nina HEMMER (GER)
Annika WENDLE (GER)
Anastasia BLAYVAS (GER)
Stalvira ORSHUSH (HUN)
Iulia LEORDA (MDA)
Andreea Beatrice ANA (ROU)
Nethmi Ahinsa Fernando PORUTHOTAGE (SRI)
Emma Jonna Denise MALMGREN (SWE)
Dominique Olivia PARRISH (USA)
Shokhida AKHMEDOVA (UZB)
Dilshoda MATNAZAROVA (UZB)

55kg
Mengyu XIE (CHN)
Louji Walid Khalf YASSIN (EGY)
Sushma SHOKEEN (IND)
Marina SEDNEVA (KAZ)
Bediha GUN (TUR)
Alexandra Wray HEDRICK (USA)
Jacarra Gwenisha WINCHESTER (USA)

57kg
Giullia RODRIGUES PENALBER DE OLIVEIRA (BRA)
Evelina Georgieva NIKOLOVA (BUL)
Alexandria Rebekkah TOWN (CAN)
Ningning RONG (CHN)
Qi ZHANG (CHN)
Yongxin FENG (CHN)
Luisa Elizabeth VALVERDE MELENDRES (ECU)
Hana Ali Hamada Mohamed HUSSEIN (EGY)
Elena Heike BRUGGER (GER)
Sandra PARUSZEWSKI (GER)
Sito SITO (IND)
Esther Omolayo KOLAWOLE (NGR)
Elvira KAMALOGLU (TUR)
Alina HRUSHYNA AKOBIIA (UKR)
Amanda MARTINEZ (USA)
Laylokhon SOBIROVA (UZB)

59kg
Zhuomalaga ZHUOMALAGA (CHN)
Farah Ali Hamada Mohamed HUSSEIN (EGY)
Alaa Abdelhalim Said HARHASH (EGY)
Dawlat Mohamed Mahmoud FISAL (EGY)
Sarita SARITA (IND)
Diana KAYUMOVA (KAZ)
Anastasia NICHITA (MDA)
Yuliia TKACH OSTAPCHUK (UKR)
Lauren Nora LOUIVE (USA)

62kg
Lais NUNES DE OLIVEIRA (BRA)
Bilyana Zhivkova DUDOVA (BUL)
Taybe Mustafa YUSEIN (BUL)
Mimi Nikolova HRISTOVA (BUL)
Jia LONG (CHN)
Xiaojuan LUO (CHN)
Noura Khalil Hamed Khalil BAKR (EGY)
Gharam Mahmoud  Attia Moustafa ASKAR (EGY)
Ameline DOUARRE (FRA)
Luisa Helga Gerda NIEMESCH (GER)
Sangeeta SANGEETA (IND)
Irina KUZNETSOVA (KAZ)
Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ)
Mariana CHERDIVARA ESANU (MDA)
Grace Jacob BULLEN (NOR)
Kriszta Tunde INCZE (ROU)
Sara Johanna LINDBORG (SWE)
Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR)
Ilona PROKOPEVNIUK (UKR)
Jennifer PAGE ROGERS (USA)
Kayla Colleen Kiyoko MIRACLE (USA)
Dilfuza AIMBETOVA (UZB)
Ariukhan JUMABAEVA (UZB)

65kg
Ayatalla Magdy Mohamed Sadek AHMED (EGY)
Bhateri BHATERI (IND)
Khadija JLASSI (TUN)
Tetiana SOVA RIZHKO (UKR)
Emma Patricia BRUNTIL (USA)

68kg
Yuliana Vasileva YANEVA (BUL)
Sofiya Hristova GEORGIEVA (BUL)
Adela HANZLICKOVA (CZE)
Menatalla Ahmed Osman Mostafa BADRAN (EGY)
Samah Abdellatif Mahmoud ABDELLATIF (EGY)
Koumba Selene Fanta LARROQUE (FRA)
Saidy Lorena CHAVEZ FIGUEROA (HON)
Radhika RADHIKA (IND)
Yelena SHALYGINA (KAZ)
Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ)
Alexandra Nicoleta ANGHEL (ROU)
Buse CAVUSOGLU TOSUN (TUR)
Alla BELINSKA (UKR)
Marilyn GARCIA (USA)
Alexandria Junis GLAUDE (USA)
Forrest Ann MOLINARI (USA)
Firuza ESENBAEVA (UZB)

72kg
Eman Hany Hefny MOHAMED (EGY)
Mona Reda Abdelkhalek AHMED (EGY)
Pauline Denise LECARPENTIER (FRA)
Lilly SCHNEIDER (GER)
Reetika REETIKA (IND)
Dalma CANEVA (ITA)
Alina RUDNYTSKA LEVYTSKA (UKR)
Liudmyla PAVLOVETS TYCHYNA (UKR)
Svetlana OKNAZAROVA (UZB)

76kg
Juan WANG (CHN)
Qian ZHOU (CHN)
Genesis Rosangela REASCO VALDEZ (ECU)
Samar Amer Ibrahim HAMZA (EGY)
Epp MAE (EST)
Cynthia Vanessa VESCAN (FRA)
Francy RAEDELT (GER)
Kiran KIRAN (IND)
Gulmaral YERKEBAYEVA (KAZ)
Elmira SYZDYKOVA (KAZ)
Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ)
Anastasiia OSNIACH SHUSTOVA (UKR)
Kennedy Alexis BLADES (USA)
Skylar Allison Elizabeth GROTE (USA)
Ozoda ZARIPBOEVA (UZB)

#JapanWrestling

Narikuni achieves first Greco-Freestyle double in 52 years

By Ken Marantz

TOKYO (December 20) -- Before stepping down from the mat after his historic victory, Taishi NARIKUNI posed for the cameras with the fingers of one hand spread out in a "5", and the other in a vee for "2".

"I wasn't sure anyone would pick up on what that meant," he acknowledged.

For those who knew, it signified that Narikuni had achieved a seemingly impossible feat, becoming the first wrestler in 52 years to win titles in both freestyle and Greco-Roman at the same Emperor's Cup All-Japan Championships.

Narikuni captured the freestyle 70kg gold on Saturday with a 7-2 victory over Yuma TOMIYAMA, a day after taking the Greco 72kg title.

Both weight classes had among the largest fields in the tournament at Tokyo's Komazawa Gym and, as non-Olympic weights, were competed in a single day. That meant Narikuni had to get through a gauntlet of four matches a day on consecutive days.

"I didn't have any concerns about making weight, but after the first day was over, I had to start again from the beginning the next day," the 28-year-old Narikuni said. "It was difficult to get back into the mode. It wasn't the physical aspect. Mentally, it was a tougher two days than I had thought it would be.

"I won collegiate titles in both styles, and I tried to approach this tournament from the same mentality, but it was completely different. I was a bit naive."

The four-day tournament is also serving as Japan's qualifier for the Asian Championships in April, and as one of two qualifiers for both the World Championships and Asian Games in the fall. The Olympic weights use the same format as the worlds and are contested over two days.

In other finals on Day 3, world bronze medalist Arash YOSHIDA stormed to his third straight title at freestyle 97kg, while veteran Sohsuke TAKATANI turned back the clock and triumphed at freestyle 86kg for his first title since 2022, when he won the last of 12 straight over four weight classes.

Taishi NARIKUNITaishi NARIKUNI shows off his two medals, one in freestyle and other in Greco. (Photo: Takeo Yabuki / wrestling-spirits.jp)

Narikuni's quest for double glory has its roots in his mother, a two-time world champion who runs the kids club in Tokyo where he got his start. To exceed mom, he set a target of also winning two world golds -- but adding a twist by making it one each in freestyle and Greco.

He accomplished half of his goal in 2022, when he captured the freestyle 70kg gold in Belgrade. But his chance to complete the crusade this year fell flat when he lost his first-round match at the worlds in Zagreb.

Narikuni said he will focus on Greco at the second world qualifier, the Meiji Cup All-Japan Invitational Championships in the spring, to assure his place on the team to the 2026 worlds. The world gold in Greco now tops his list of holy grails.

"Of course I am aiming for the Olympics," Narikuni said. "But at this time, my main target is to become a world champion in Greco. This is just a point to be passed along the way. I feel I got over one hurdle."

In the final, Narikuni earned an activity point and steoput to take a 2-0 lead into the break. In the second period, he countered a tackle attempt for a 2-point exposure.

When Tomiyama then got in deep on a double-leg, Narikuni went over the top to grab the legs from the back. Tomiyama rose up and dumped Narikuni to the mat and got behind for 2, but never had solid control and Narikuni quickly reversed, then transitioned immediately into a gut wrench to go up 7-2.

Taishi NARIKUNITaishi NARIKUNI counters a takedown attempt by Yuma TOMIYAMA for a 2-point exposure in the second period of the freestyle 70kg final. (Photo: Takeo Yabuki / wrestling-spirits.jp)

The thought that this might be his last opportunity served as strong motivation for Narikuni, overcoming any doubts and pain.

"I thought that this might be my only chance," he said. "If I had put it off, it might not come again. And that influenced my freestyle wrestling today. Instead of the full-out attack that I rely on, I went into a defensive shell. In the end, the result was good, but it wasn't done very well."

Narikuni became the first wrestler to complete the double since Mitsuo YOSHIDA won the 100kg titles in both styles in 1973. Ironically, Kaisei TANABE also had a chance to achieve the feat this week, but after winning the Greco 63kg title on Thursday, he lost in the semifinals at freestyle 65kg on Saturday.

Narikuni has long been a bit of a maverick in the wrestling world, often opting for weight training over live practice sessions. His desire to compete in both styles may have been an act of defiance against the common wisdom of specializing in one.

"People around me said that I had to specialize in one style, but that didn't sit well with me," Narikuni said. "Maybe I had a strong feeling of wanting to show them it could be done, and that's what makes this result so good."

As with Tanabe, there has been an increase in wrestlers doing both styles even up to the college level, a trend that Narikuni finds quite pleasing.

"That really makes me happy," he said. "When it is first tried, they will hear that it will degrade how people see them or that it won't be easy. Of course it isn't easy. Up to now, there was no format for doing both styles. To take up both with its own rules is something to be proud of, and I'm happy that there are wrestlers trying to emulate me."

Arash YoshidaArash YOSHIDA dumps Noah LEIBOWITZ to his back for a 4-point takedown in the freestyle 97kg final. (Photo: Takeo Yabuki / wrestling-spirits.jp)

At 97kg, Yoshida continues to establish himself as the preeminent Japanese wrestler in the heavy weights, easily dismantling high schooler Noah LEIBOWITZ with an 11-0 technical fall in 1:13. That was a repeat of last spring's Meiji Cup final.

Yoshida showed the power that once gave him a victory over world champion Kyle SNYDER by starting off with four straight stepouts, with a fleeing point tacked onto the last. He then bulled Liebowitz over for a 4-point takedown, then used a lace lock to finish off the victory.

"It's a relief," Yoshida said. "A friend told me to go for crushing victories, and in the end, I won without giving up a point, so I think I cleared the level that my friend wanted. I was able to do what I do best from the start by pushing out, and that was a good way to pile up points."

Snyder avenged his earlier loss to Yoshida in the semifinals in Zagreb en route to the gold medal, but Yoshida views that as a positive. He feels that Snyder was not in prime condition when they met in February in Tirana.

"I lost to this year's world champion, but it was good that I faced him," he said. "I will prepare so that I can win at the Meiji Cup and get back to the World Championships."

Sohsuke TAKATANISohsuke TAKATANI couldn't finish off this takedown against Yudai TAKAHASHI, but it was good enough to run out the clock for victory in the 86kg final. (Photo: Takeo Yabuki / wrestling-spirits.jp)

In the freestyle 86kg final, the 36-year-old Takatani added another gold to his bulging collection with a 2-2 victory over 2023 world U23 bronze medalist Yudai TAKAHASHI.

Takahashi scored a relatively easy takedown off a single-leg early in the first period, which was compounded when Takatani suffered a twisted ankle. But the veteran kept his nerves and when the opening came, he grabbed it. In the second period, he responded to a takedown attempt with well-timed counter roll to go up 2-2 on criteria.

In the final seconds, it was Takatani who went on the attack and got in on a single, even getting Takahashi's leg into the air. Although Takahashi squirmed out, it proved just as effective as a scoring move because time ran out.

"When he got the single leg at the beginning, I twisted my ankle and I couldn't put pressure on it," Takatani said. "After that, the opponent stopped pressing, so I thought as long it was only two points [difference], I could come back and I carried on with the match calmly. That's something that gets acquired with age."

Takatani is currently the head coach at his alma mater of Takushoku University, and is also a graduate student at Tsukuba University working on his doctorate.

He said that before his match, he received a message from the university for confirmation regarding the doctoral dissertation he had submitted.

He said he replied, "I have the final now, I'll check it when it's over." A message in response read: "Definitely win the title," so "I have good news for them."

Takatani, a three-time Olympian and a 2014 world silver medalist at 74kg, said his immediate goal is to get to the Asian Games, a competition that he has never experienced and which will be hosted by Japan.

He was unaware that the victory in the Emperor's Cup earned him a ticket to the Asian Championships, to be held in Kyrgyzstan. "But I have my work, and that's a time when there are a lot of tests. It might be hard to work it in. I will ask around."

Koto GOMIKoto GOMI works to turn Yu SHIOTANI in the Greco 60kg final. (Photo: Takeo Yabuki / wrestling-spirits.jp)

In other finals, world U23 and national collegiate champion Koto GOMI pulled off an impressive 8-0 victory over former world bronze medalist Yu SHIOTANI in the Greco 60kg final.

Gomi opened with a nifty 4-point arm throw, maintained control and added a 2-point exposure, then finished off the match with an arm lock roll in 1:46.

"Up to now, I had won on the collegiate level, but at the All-Japan I never even got close to the final," Gomi said. "I'm really happy to win the title."

Gomi and Shiotani had clashed twice previously this year, with Shiotani winning by technical fall at the Meiji Cup and Gomi turning the table with a victory by fall a month ago at the National Games.

At the All-Japan, the weight class was missing two-time defending champion Kaito INABA and Paris Olympic champion Kenichiro FUMITA, who was entered at 63kg but is expected to eventually return to the Olympic weight in the run-up to the 2028 Los Angeles Games. Both pulled out of the tournament due to injuries.

"Those are rivals I don't think I can beat yet," Gomi said. "It's more than just practicing harder, I have to think hard about how to train so that I can win again at the All-Japan."

For now, Gomi can look forward to making his international debut on the senior level at the Asian Championships.

"Going to that will not change what I have to do," he said. "I will be alright by sticking to my firm attacking style of wrestling."

In the women's 53kg final, Moe KIYOOKA won her fourth straight national championship and second in a row at that weight with a 4-0 victory over Umi IMAI.

Kiyooka, who won back-to-back titles at 55kg in 2022 and 2023 as well as the 2024 world gold, took a 3-0 lead in the first period with a takedown and activity point, then added a stepout in the second.

Day 3 Results

Freestyle

65kg (15 entries)
SF 1: Kotaro KIYOOKA df. Kaiji OGINO, 3-2
SF 2: Takara SUDA df. Kaisei TANABE, 5-4

70kg (21 entries)
GOLD: Taishi NARIKUNI df. Yuma TOMIYAMA, 7-2

BRONZE: Taishin HONNA df. Takeru KOZUKA, 7-6
BRONZE: Ariya YOSHIDA df. Kaito MORITA by Inj. Def.

SF 1: Taishi NARIKUNI df. Taishin HONNA, 10-2
SF 2: Yuma TOMIYAMA df. Kaito MORITA by TF, 10-0, :37

74kg (11 entries)
SF 1: Kota TAKAHASHI df. Toki OGAWA by TF, 11-0, 3:49
SF 2: Yoshinosuke AOYAGI df. Hikaru TAKATA, 7-1

86kg (10 entries)
GOLD: Sohsuke TAKATANI df. Kodai TAKAHASHI, 2-2

BRONZE: Natsura OKAZAWA df. Daichi AKIHO by TF, 11-1, 4:00
BRONZE: Tatsuya SHIRAI df. Ryonosuke KAMIYA, 5-1

97kg (8 entries)
GOLD: Arash YOSHIDA df. Noah LEIBOWITZ by TF, 11-0, 1:13

BRONZE: Toyoki HAMADA, no opponent
BRONZE: Ryusei TAKAHASHI df. Keita KOBAYASHI, 4-0

Greco-Roman

60kg (16 entries)
GOLD: Koto GOMI df. Yu SHIOTANI by TF, 8-0, 1:46

BRONZE: Keijiro SONE df. Takuma NAKASHIMA, 6-4
BRONZE: Ayata SUZUKI df. Maito KAWANA, 9-5

67kg (13 entries)
SF 1: Kyotaro SOGABE df. Kensuke SHIMIZU, 8-1
SF 2: Katsuaki ENDO df. Kojiro HASEGAWA, 4-0

77kg (13 entries)
SF 1: Nao KUSAKA df. Naoki KADODE by TF, 11-0, 1:41
SF 2: Isami HORIKITA df. Kodai SAKURABA, 6-1

82kg (16 entries)
GOLD: Tatsuya FUJII df. Reon KAKEGAWA, 6-6

BRONZE: Tesshin HIGUCHI df. Hisashi KONISHI, 8-6
BRONZE: Daizo TANIZAKI df. Yudai KOBORI by TF, 11-1, 4:51

SF 1: Reon KAKEGAWA df. Tesshin HIGUCHI by TF, 8-0, :28
SF 2: Tatsuya FUJII df. Daizo TANIZAKI by TF, 11-3, 4:43

130kg (9 entries)
GOLD: Yuta NARA df. Shion OBATA, 6-1

BRONZE: Kosei YAMADA df. Ayumu IWASAWA by TF, 9-0, 2:16
BRONZE: Sota OKUMURA df. Kosei MIYAKE by TF, 8-0, 1:47

Women's Wrestling

50kg (17 entries)
SF 1: Yui SUSAKI df. Mako ONO by TF, 10-0, 2:48
SF 2: Haruna MORIKAWA df. Rinka OGAWA by Fall, 4:47 (3-1)

53kg (10 entries)
GOLD: Moe KIYOOKA df. Umi IMAI, 4-0

BRONZE: Mayu SHIDOCHI df. Miwa MAGARA by TF, 10-0, 2:53
BRONZE: Saki YUMIYA df. Futaba UCHINO, 9-0

55kg (17 entries)
GOLD: Sowaka UCHIDA df. Nagisa HARADA, 2-0

BRONZE: Nana KOZUKA df. Natsumi MASUDA, 10-6
BRONZE: Karina HONDA df. Yuna SAWATANI, 6-5

SF 1: Sowaka UCHIDA df. Nana KOZUKA, 11-10
SF 2: Nagisa HARADA df. Yuna SAWATANI, 4-2

57kg (10 entries)
SF 1: Himeka TOKUHARA df. Rin KINOSHITA by TF, 10-0, 1:48
SF 2: Akari FUJINAMI df. Sara NATAMI, 7-4

62kg (9 entries)
SF 1: Sakura MOTOKI df. Yuzuka INAGAKI, 8-2
SF 2: Nonoka OZAKI df. Sakura ONISHI, 4-1