2008 Olympics preview at 84 kg/185 lbs. in men's freestyle wrestling

Gary Abbott USA Wrestling
07/31/2008

Among the most impressive athletes in wrestling today is 2007 World Champion Georgi Ketoev of Russia, who claimed his first World title last year in Baku, Azerbaijan with a dominant performance. Ketoev has followed that up with a gold medal at the 2008 European Championships. Ketoev seems to have replaced two-time World champion Sajid Sajidov, who also won a bronze medal at the 2004 Olympic Games.

Among the new stars who have emerged in recent years are Zaurbek Sokhiev of Uzbekistan and Reza Yazdani of Iran, both who were World bronze medalists in both 2006 and 2007. The silver medalist at the 2007 World Championships was Yasup Abdulasalamov, who was also ninth at the 2004 Olympic Games.

A top contender is 2005 World champion Revaz Mindorashvili of Georgia, who also claimed a silver medal at the 2006 World championships. Mindorashvili did not place at the 2007 World meet, but qualified for the Olympics by winning a silver medal behind Ketoev at the 2008 European Championships.

The hopes for the USA will rest in the hands of 2006 World Team member Andy Hrovat, who beat 2005 World Team member Mo Lawal in a grueling three-match series at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials. The United States qualified for this weight class last year when two-time World bronze medalist and 2004 Olympian Joe Williams placed fifth at the 2007 World Championships. Hrovat has gotten extensive international experience, and is a dangerous pinner who can generate offense in a hurry.

Qualifying by placing in the top eight at the 2007 World championships were Serhat Balci of Turkey, David Bichinashvili of Germany and Travis Cross of Canada. Among the other recent World medalists expected in the field are 2005 World bronze medalists Taras Danko of Ukraine and Magomed Kurguliev of Kazakhstan.

China’s Ying Wang won the 2008 Asian Championships. Others to watch include Radoslaw Horbik of Poland, Vadim Laliev of Armenia and Chagnaadorj Ganzorig of Mongolia.

Qualified nations at 84 kg/185 lbs: Armenia, Australia, Azerbaijan, Canada, China, Colombia, Cuba, Georgia, Germany, Iran, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Poland, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkey, Tunisia, Ukraine, United States, Uzbekistan

RECENT WORLD AND OLYMPIC RESULTS

2007 World Championship
84 kg/185 lbs. - Gold - Georgi Ketoev (Russia); Silver - Yasup Abdusalamov (Tajikistan); Bronze - Zaurbek Sokhiev (Uzbekistan); Bronze - Reza Yazdani (Iran); 5th - Serhat Balci (Turkey); 5th - Joe Williams (United States); 7th - David Bichinashvili (Germany); 8th - Travis Cross (Canada); 9th - Lazaros Loizidis (Greece); 10th - Felix Polianidis (Cyprus)

2006 World Championships
84 kg/185 lbs. – Gold – Sajid Sajidov (Russia); Silver – Revazi Mindorashvili (Georgia); Bronze – Reza Yazdani (Iran); Bronze – Zaurbek Sokhiev (Uzbekistan); 5th – Taras Danko (Ukraine); 5th – Vadim Laliev (Armenia); 7th – Radoslaw Horbik (Poland); 8th – Dejan Bogdanov (Macedonia); 9th – David Bichinashvili (Germany); 10th – Shinya Matsumoto (Japan)

2005 World Championships
84 kg/185 lbs. - Gold - Revaz Mindorishvili (Georgia); Silver - Yoel Romero (Cuba); Bronze - Magomed Kurguliev (Kazakhstan); Bronze - Taras Danko (Ukraine); 5th - Sazhid Sazhidov (Russia); 5th - Radoslaw Horbik (Poland); 7th- Mo Lawal (USA); 8th - Thomas Buchell (Switzerland); 9th - Saslan Hattsyiev (Bulgaria); 10th - Matthew White (Puerto Rico)

2004 Olympic Games
Gold – Cael Sanderson (USA); Silver – Moon Eui Jae (Korea); Bronze – Sazhid Sazhidov (Russia); 4th – Yoel Romero (Cuba); 5th – Majid Khodaei (Iran); 6th – Lazaro Loizidis (Greece); 7th – Taras Danko (Ukraine); 8th – Shamil Aliev (Tajikistan); 9th – Nicolae Ghita (Romania); 10th – Hideakazu Yokoyama (Japan)

2003 World Championships
84 kg/185 lbs. - Gold – Sajid Sajidov (Russia) dec. Cael Sanderson (United States), 4-3; Bronze – Revaz Mindorashvili (Georgia) dec. Siarhei Borchanka (Belarus), 6-2; 5th – Magomed Kurugliyev (Kazakhstan); 6th – Yoel Romero (Cuba); 7th – Gokhan Yavaser (Turkey); 8th – Mamed Agaev (Armenia); 9th – Nicolae Ghita (Romania); 10th – Vincent Aka Akesse (France)

2002 World Championships
84 kg/185 lbs. - Gold - Adam Saitiev (Russia) dec. Yoel Romero (Cuba), 4-3, ot, 6:14; Bronze - Majid Khodaee (Iran) dec. Arkadiy Tzopa (Bulgaria), 7-1; 5th - Marcin Jurecki (Poland); 6th - D. Mindorashvili (Georgia); 7th - Adam Sanakoev (Uzbekistan); 8th - Andre Backhaus (Germany); 9th - Kim Jang-Soo (Korea); 10th - Robert Eggertswyler (Switzerland)