2009 World Championships preview at 120 kg/264.5 lbs. in Greco-Roman wrestling
Share:
by Gary Abbott
Generally regarded as one of the greatest talents in wrestling today, 2008 Olympic champion Mijian Lopez of Cuba dazzles with his combination of skill, strength, speed and power. He is capable of dominating his opponents. Lopez also won World titles in 2005 and 2007, and a World silver in 2006. He has continued wrestling after the Beijing Games, winning the 2009 Pan American Championships. He enters the World Championships as an overwhelming favorite in Herning.
Placing second to Lopez the last two years has been Khasan Baroev of Russia. In addition to winning the 2004 Olympic gold medal, Baroev also won World gold medals in 2003 and 2006. His achievements make him the top challenger to Lopez if he competes in Denmark. Another possible Russian entry is Alexander Anuchin, who was fifth at the European Championships this year.
Capturing bronze medals at the 2008 Olympics and 2007 World Championships was Yuri Patrikeev of Armenia. He was Russia's heavyweight after the retirement of Alexander Karelin in 2000, and won a World bronze for them, but lost his spot to other Russian athletes. He has thrived competing for his new country. Patrikeev was the 2008 and 2009 European champion and was second behind Lopez at the 2009 World Cup.
The other 2008 Olympic bronze medalist was Midaugas Mizgaitis of Lithuania, who had his best performance ever at the Beijing Games. His best previous finish was fourth at the 2003 World Championships.
2002 World champion Dremiel Byers of the United States was disappointed with his seventh place finish at the 2008 Olympic Games. Byers boasts a World bronze medal from 2007. He has been successful this summer, winning three medals in international events in preparation for the World Championships.
Winning Asian titles the last two years has been Masoud Hashemzadeh of Iran. He scored a victory over Byers at the Golden Grand Prix finals in Azerbaijan this summer.
Four-time World silver medalist Mihaly Deak-Bardos of Greece remains on a quest to win a World gold medal. He was a bronze medalist at this year's European Championships. In his mid-30's, he may be past his prime, but remains a serious medal threat in every event he enters.
A pair of talented Europeans, Jalmar Sjoberg of Sweden and Yannick Szczepaniak of France, were fifth at the 2008 Olympic Games. Sjoberg was second behind Patrikeev at this year's European Championships and boasts a 2005 Junior World title. Szczepaniak was also fifth at the 2007 World Championships, showing some consistency.
Nico Schmidt of Germany had a strong performance winning a bronze medal at the 2009 European Championships. Dmitri Javakhishvili of Georgia won a gold medal at the Pytlasinski International in Poland, a major tune-up event for the World Championships.
Turkey has two good big men in Riza Kayaalp and Yetka Yilmaz Gul. Other athletes to watch include Liu Deli of China, Anton Botev of Azberbaijan, Ivan Ivanov of Bulgaria and Vladimir Berdzik of Belarus.
RECENT WORLD AND OLYMPIC RESULTS
2008 Olympics results
120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Gold - Mijain Lopez (Cuba); Silver - Khasan Baroev (Russia); Bronze - Mindaugas Mizgaitis (Lithuania); Bronze - Yuri Patrikeev (Armenia); 5th - Yannick Szczepaniak (France); 5th - Jalmar Sjoberg (Sweden); 7th - Dremiel Byers (USA); 8th - Mihaly Deak-Bardos (Hungary); 9th - Liu Deli (China); 10th - Anton Botev (Azberbaijan)
2007 World Championships results
120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Gold - Mijain Lopez (Cuba); Silver - Khassan Baroev (Russia); Bronze - Dremiel Byers (United States); Bronze - Yuri Patrikeev (Armenia); 5th - Yannick Szczepaniak (France); 5th - Mihaly Deak Bardos (Hungary); 7th - Iosef Chugoshvili (Belarus); 8th -David Saldadze (Uzbekistan); 9th - Georgiy Tsurtsumia (Kazakhstan); 10th
2006 World Championships results
120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Gold - Khasan Baroev (Russia); Silver - Mijian Lopez (Cuba); Bronze - Sergei Artsiukin (Belarus); Bronze - Ismail Guzel (Turkey); 5th - Jalmar Sjoberg (Sweden); 5th - Mihaly Deak-Bardos (Hungary); 7th - Masoud Hashemzadeh (Iran); 8th - David Vala (Czech Republic); 9th - Dremiel Byers (United States); 10th - Mizgaitis Mindaugas (Lithuania)
2005 World Championships results
120 kg/264.5 lbs.- Gold - Mijial Lopez (Cuba); Silver - Mihaly Deak-Bardos (Hungary); Bronze - Sergei Artsiukin (Belarus); Bronze - Yetka Yilmaz (Turkey); 5th - Georgi Tsursumia (Kazakhstan); 5th - Mindaugas Mizgaitis (Lithuania); 7th - Juha Ahokas (Finland); 8th - Kostayantyn Stryzhak (Ukraine); 9th - David Vala (Czech Republic); 10th - Serguei Mourieko (Bulgaria)
Placing second to Lopez the last two years has been Khasan Baroev of Russia. In addition to winning the 2004 Olympic gold medal, Baroev also won World gold medals in 2003 and 2006. His achievements make him the top challenger to Lopez if he competes in Denmark. Another possible Russian entry is Alexander Anuchin, who was fifth at the European Championships this year.
Capturing bronze medals at the 2008 Olympics and 2007 World Championships was Yuri Patrikeev of Armenia. He was Russia's heavyweight after the retirement of Alexander Karelin in 2000, and won a World bronze for them, but lost his spot to other Russian athletes. He has thrived competing for his new country. Patrikeev was the 2008 and 2009 European champion and was second behind Lopez at the 2009 World Cup.
The other 2008 Olympic bronze medalist was Midaugas Mizgaitis of Lithuania, who had his best performance ever at the Beijing Games. His best previous finish was fourth at the 2003 World Championships.
2002 World champion Dremiel Byers of the United States was disappointed with his seventh place finish at the 2008 Olympic Games. Byers boasts a World bronze medal from 2007. He has been successful this summer, winning three medals in international events in preparation for the World Championships.
Winning Asian titles the last two years has been Masoud Hashemzadeh of Iran. He scored a victory over Byers at the Golden Grand Prix finals in Azerbaijan this summer.
Four-time World silver medalist Mihaly Deak-Bardos of Greece remains on a quest to win a World gold medal. He was a bronze medalist at this year's European Championships. In his mid-30's, he may be past his prime, but remains a serious medal threat in every event he enters.
A pair of talented Europeans, Jalmar Sjoberg of Sweden and Yannick Szczepaniak of France, were fifth at the 2008 Olympic Games. Sjoberg was second behind Patrikeev at this year's European Championships and boasts a 2005 Junior World title. Szczepaniak was also fifth at the 2007 World Championships, showing some consistency.
Nico Schmidt of Germany had a strong performance winning a bronze medal at the 2009 European Championships. Dmitri Javakhishvili of Georgia won a gold medal at the Pytlasinski International in Poland, a major tune-up event for the World Championships.
Turkey has two good big men in Riza Kayaalp and Yetka Yilmaz Gul. Other athletes to watch include Liu Deli of China, Anton Botev of Azberbaijan, Ivan Ivanov of Bulgaria and Vladimir Berdzik of Belarus.
RECENT WORLD AND OLYMPIC RESULTS
2008 Olympics results
120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Gold - Mijain Lopez (Cuba); Silver - Khasan Baroev (Russia); Bronze - Mindaugas Mizgaitis (Lithuania); Bronze - Yuri Patrikeev (Armenia); 5th - Yannick Szczepaniak (France); 5th - Jalmar Sjoberg (Sweden); 7th - Dremiel Byers (USA); 8th - Mihaly Deak-Bardos (Hungary); 9th - Liu Deli (China); 10th - Anton Botev (Azberbaijan)
2007 World Championships results
120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Gold - Mijain Lopez (Cuba); Silver - Khassan Baroev (Russia); Bronze - Dremiel Byers (United States); Bronze - Yuri Patrikeev (Armenia); 5th - Yannick Szczepaniak (France); 5th - Mihaly Deak Bardos (Hungary); 7th - Iosef Chugoshvili (Belarus); 8th -David Saldadze (Uzbekistan); 9th - Georgiy Tsurtsumia (Kazakhstan); 10th
2006 World Championships results
120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Gold - Khasan Baroev (Russia); Silver - Mijian Lopez (Cuba); Bronze - Sergei Artsiukin (Belarus); Bronze - Ismail Guzel (Turkey); 5th - Jalmar Sjoberg (Sweden); 5th - Mihaly Deak-Bardos (Hungary); 7th - Masoud Hashemzadeh (Iran); 8th - David Vala (Czech Republic); 9th - Dremiel Byers (United States); 10th - Mizgaitis Mindaugas (Lithuania)
2005 World Championships results
120 kg/264.5 lbs.- Gold - Mijial Lopez (Cuba); Silver - Mihaly Deak-Bardos (Hungary); Bronze - Sergei Artsiukin (Belarus); Bronze - Yetka Yilmaz (Turkey); 5th - Georgi Tsursumia (Kazakhstan); 5th - Mindaugas Mizgaitis (Lithuania); 7th - Juha Ahokas (Finland); 8th - Kostayantyn Stryzhak (Ukraine); 9th - David Vala (Czech Republic); 10th - Serguei Mourieko (Bulgaria)
