U23 World Championships Greco-Roman Preview: Olympic and Senior World medalists among stars in field
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by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling
Sergey Semenov (Russia) tosses Eduard Popp (Germany) for a touch fall in the 130 kg bronze medal match at the 2016 Olympic Games. Photo by Tony Rotundo, Wrestlers Are Warriors
The first U23 World Championships are set for Bydogszcz, Poland, Nov. 21-26, bringing together the world’s best 18-23 year old wrestlers in the three Olympic disciplines. This is a new event, and mixes some current Senior-level competitors with rising talents from the age-group programs.
TheMat.com will post previews daily over the weekend, looking at the U.S. athlete and the top medal contenders in each weight class in all three styles. We start with Greco-Roman today, which will be held at the start of the event, Nov. 21-22.
Fans will be able to enjoy the action live each day on TrackWrestling.
57 kg/125.5 lbs.
The American
Dalton Roberts of Fowlerville, Mich. is no stranger to major international events, after competing on two U.S. Junior World Teams. He has travelled overseas often as part of the Northern Michigan-U.S. Olympic Training Site program up in Marquette, with trips to Europe and South America included, and some medals on those trips. Roberts had to beat teammate and 2017 Junior World Teamer Randon Miranda to make this team. He has the background to compete well, but will need to step it up to his highest level to stay with this group of athletes.
Other Top Medal contenders
• Gyanender (India) – 9th in 2017 Senior World Championships
• Erik Torba (Hungary), 10th in 2017 Senior World Championships, 5th in 2017 Senior Europeans, 3rd in 2015 Junior Worlds
• Keramat Abdevali or Meysam Dalkhani (Iran)
Abdevali – 2017 Junior World champion, 3rd in 2014 Youth Olympic Games, 3rd in 2014 Cadet Worlds
Dalkhani – 3rd in 2016 Junior World Championships
• Sergey Emelin (Russia) – 3rd in 2017 Padubbny (Russia), 2016 European U23 World champion, 3rd in 2014 Junior Worlds
• Dato Chkhartishvili (Georgia) – 2016 Junior World champion, 3rd in 2017 European U23 Championships
• Justas Petravicius (Lithuania) – 3rd in 2017 World Military Championships, 3rd in 2017 European U23s
• Zhora Abovian (Ukraine) – 2016 Ukraine Senior Nationals champion, 5th in 2016 Junior Worlds
• Seydylla Tazeyev (Turkmenistan) – 3rd in 2016 Junior Worlds, 2017 Asian Junior champion
• Masato Kawana (Japan) – 3rd in 2015 Junior Worlds
• Lauri Maehoenen (Finland) – 2017 Vantaa Cup champ (Finland), 5th in 2014 Junior Worlds
• Luis Orta (Cuba) – 3rd in 2017 Cerro Pelado (Cuba)
• Aidos Sultangali (Kazakhstan) – 3rd in 2017 Asian Indoor Games, 5th in 2013 Cadet Worlds
• Abdemmour Laouni (Algeria) – 2016 Mediterranean Senior champion, 2nd in 2017 African Seniors
The skinny
This is a large weight with a variety of talent, but no dominant athletes, making it wide open for medal hopefuls. The top Senior athletes are Gyanender (IND) and Torba (HUN), who were ninth and 10th at the Senior Worlds in Paris this year. Russia brings a medalist from the rugged Padubbny tourney, Emelin. Iran has a choice between the 2017 Junior World champ Abdevali or the 2016 Junior World bronze winner Dalkhani. 2016 Junior World champion Chkhartishvili (GEO) leads the pack of past age-group World medalists. Abovian (UKR) won his nation’s Senior Nationals. Many others have Senior or age-group medals. Lots of experience, no dominant hammer on the preliminary lists.
66 kg/145.5 lbs.
The American
Alejandro Sancho of Miami, Fla. is already a top American Senior athlete. He has made the Senior National Team three straight years and has been as high as No. 2 on the Senior ladder. He competed in the 2014 Junior Worlds and just missed out on making other age-group World teams. A leader at the NMU-OTS program, Sancho has a ton of international experience, and can beat tough foes when his offense is cranked up. He believes he can win at U23s, and his background shows that he is capable of that.
Other Top Medal Contenders
• Shmagi Bolkvadze (Georgia) – 2016 Olympic bronze medalist, 2014 Junior World champion, 2nd in 2014 Junior Worlds
• Karen Aslanyan (Armenia) – 5th in 2017 Senior Worlds, 2017 World Military champion, 2013 Junior World champion
• Elman Mukhtarov (Azerbaijan) – 3rd in 2015 European Games, 2014 Junior World champion, 2011 Cadet World champion
• Alen Mirzoian (Russia) – 3rd in 2017 Russian Senior Nationals
• Roman Pacurkowski (Poland), 2017 European U23 champion
• Gaoquan Zhang (China) – 5th in 2017 Asian Senior Championships
• Mihai Mihut (Romania) – 3rd in 2015 Junior World Championships
• Manish (India) – 2016 Commonwealth Games champion, 5th in 2017 Junior Worlds
• Serhii Kozub (Ukraine) – 2nd in 2017 European U23 Championships
• Deyvid Dimitrov (Bulgaria) – 3rd in 2017 European U23 Championships
• Amin Kabiyaninhejad (Iran) – 2017 Asian Junior champion
• Shogo Takahashi (Japan) – 5th in 2017 Asian Senior Championships, 2nd in 2017 Dave Schultz (USA)
• Otto Losonczi (Hungary) – 2016 Vantaa Cup champion (Finland), 2nd in 2015 European Juniors
The skinny
This weight class is top-loaded with top Senior performers. 2016 Olympic bronze medalist Bolvadze (GEO) is the top dog, but Aslanyan (ARM), who was fifth in the 2017 Senior Worlds, and Mukhtarov (AZE), third in the 2015 European Games are proven starts. All three have also won age-group World titles. There is a lot of talent behind these three, all capable of pushing to a medal match. Russian Mirzoan was third at their Senior Nationals. Pacurkowski (POL) is the reigning European U23 champion. Sancho (USA) has a ton of Senior success and has some great scoring technique. Zhang (CHN) made the medal round at the 2017 Asian Seniors, as did Takahashi (JPN). Depending on the draw, especially if the big hitters end up on the same side, there is opportunity for a young talent to make a name for themselves.
71 kg/156 lbs.
The American
Alex Mossing of Toledo, Ohio, a junior at the U.S. Air Force Academy, will get his first major international competition at the U23 Worlds. Mossing won the 2017 University Nationals and was named OW, and followed it up with a nice victory at the U23 World Team Trials. He steps away from the college season to pursue a medal in Greco-Roman, the style which he has made his biggest impact. Mossing placed fourth at the Big 12 Championships last year as a sophomore. Of college wrestlers involved in Greco, he has a great resource with the U.S. Olympic Training Center nearby and a town full of Greco-Roman people in Colorado Springs. It is fair to say Mossing is a long-shot at the U23 Worlds, but he has never seemed to limit himself at any level of wrestling. Plus, the field is not deep at 71 kg in Poland.
Other Top Medal Contenders
• Ibrahim Ghanem (Egypt) – 10th in 2017 Senior World Championships, 2017 African Senior champion, 3rd in 2015 Military Worlds
• Ramaz Zoidze (Georgia) – 2017 European U23 champion, 2015 and 2016 Junior World champion, 2011 Cadet World champion
• Rinat Akhmedov (Russia) – 3rd in 2017 Russian Senior Nationals
• Farshad Belfakeh (Iran) – 1st in 2017 Asian Indoor Games, 2017 Ukrainian Memorial champion
• Murat Dag (Turkey) – 5th in 2017 European Senior Championships, 5th in 2017 European U23s
• Armen Hakobyan (Armenia) – 2nd in 2017 Military Worlds, 3rd in 2011 Cadet Worlds
• Robert Fritsch (Hungary) – 2nd in 2017 U23 European Championships, 2nd in 2017 Grand Prix of Paris
• Artur Politaiev (Ukraine) – 2012 Cadet World champion, 2nd in 2013 Cadet World Championships
• Mattias Lipasti (Finland) – 2014 Cadet World champion
• Sunan Suleymanov (Azerbaijan) –3rd in 2012 Cadet World Championships
• Matteusz Nowak (Poland) – 5th in 2016 World University Championships
The skinny
Good luck predicting 71 kg in Greco at U23 Worlds. In comparison to other weights, this one does not have a ton of strong Senior performers. Ghanem (EGY) was 10th at the Senior Worlds this year. Akhmedov (RUS) won a bronze at the Russian Senior Nationals. Dag (TUR) was fifth at the 2017 European Seniors. The medalists here could come from age-group programs. Zoidze (GEO) is a two-time Junior World champion, a 2011 Cadet World champion and a 2017 U23 European champion. Past Cadet World champions include Politaiev (UKR) and Lipasti (FIN). There are a handful of other age-group World medals in the field. It will be fun to see who breaks through.
75 kg/165 lbs.
The American
Although he has been strong within U.S. age-group Greco-Roman circles, Jesse Porter is competing on his first age-group World Team. One of the best guys up at the NMU-OTS program, Porter has three Senior-level international medals to his credit. He won the 2017 Junior World Team Trials, but lost the Special Wrestle-off to eventual Junior World champion Kamal Bey. He was second behind Bey at the 2016 Junior World Team Trials. Porter won the 2016 University Nationals, but that was not a World Team qualifier. Porter has all the tools, with strength and technique plus a tough competitive edge. This guy has worked hard for this opportunity, and could make something good happen in his first big international test.
Other Top Medal Contenders
• Fatih Cengiz (Turkey) – 5th in 2017 Senior World Championships
• Tsimur Berdyieu (Belarus) – 5th in 2015 Senior Worlds, 2016 World Military champion
• Ridong Zhang (China) – 3rd in 2015 and 2016 Asian Seniors, 3rd in 2015 UWW Golden Grand Prix
• Zoltan Levai (Hungary) – 2017 U23 European champion, 3rd in 2014, 2015 and 2016 Junior Worlds
• Gela Bolkvadze (Georgia) – 2016 European U23 champion, 2nd in 2017 European U23s,
• Rajbek Bisultanov (Denmark) – 5th in 2016 European Senior Championships
• Antonio Kamemjasevic (Croatia) – 2nd in 2016 and 2017 European U23s, 2nd in 2011 Cadet Worlds
• Akhmed Kaytsukov (Russia) – 3rd in 2017 European U23s, 3rd in 2016 Junior Worlds
• Iwan Nylypiuk (Poland) – 2nd in 2016 University Worlds
• Georte Mariea (Romania) – 2nd in 2016 Junior Worlds, 5th in 2017 Military Worlds
• Nasir Hasanov (Azerbaijan) – 3rd in 2017 Junior Worlds, 2nd in 2016 Cadet Worlds
• Shohei Yabiku (Japan) – 3rd in 2013 Junior Worlds, 5th in 2015 Junior Worlds
• Pavlo Molnar (Ukraine) – 2nd in 2013 Cadet Worlds
The skinny
There are two guys in the field who have been fifth at the Senior World Championships, Cengiz (TUR) and Berdyieu (BLR). Two-time Asian Senior bronze medalist Zhang (CHN), and Bisultanov (DEN), who was fifth in the European Seniors, also have high achievements. The weight is stacked with age-group achievements, including two-time Junior World bronze medalist and 2017 European U23 champion Levai (HUN). There are seven others with some kind of age-group World medal on the preliminary list. Kamenjasevic (CRO) has won European U23 silver medals the last two years. Porter (USA) can’t be ignored. This weight should be very competitive.
80 kg/176 lbs.
The American
Kamal Bey of Colorado Springs, Colo. is making a big splash in international Greco-Roman. With big throws and wide-open bouts, Bey won the Junior World title this year, and is looking for a second age-group World gold. Bey is moving up one weight class from where he won that Junior World title. He was No. 2 on the Senior level in the USA this year, falling in the Trials finals to Mason Manville. A native of Illinois, Bey came to Colorado for his last year of high school and has been focusing full-time on Greco-Roman ever since. Not only is his achievement level high, but so is his confidence. Bey has the ability to come from behind in any match, and trusts his ability to score points in big chunks. Fans won’t want to miss him as he gets tested in Poland next week.
Other Top Medal Contenders
• Lasha Gobadze (Georgia) – 3rd in 2015 Senior Worlds, 2015 and 2016 European U23 champion, 3rd in 2014 Junior Worlds
• Alex Kessidis (Sweden) – 2017 European U23 champion, 2nd in 2016 European U23s, 5th in 2015 Junior Worlds
• Azamat Khakulov (Russia) – 3rd in 2016 Russian Senior Nationals, 3rd in 2017 Military Worlds
• Peter Nagy (Hungary) – 2016 University World champion, 3rd in 2015 Junior Worlds in freestyle
• Eltun Vazirzade (Azerbaijan) – 2nd in 2017 Military Worlds, 3rd in 2016 and 2017 European U23s
• Burhan Akbudak (Turkey) – 2nd in 2015 Junior Worlds, 2nd in 2016 European U23s
• Andrii Antoniuk (Ukraine) – 2nd in 2013 Junior Worlds
• Mahdi Ebrahimi (Iran) – 2017 Asian Indoor Games champion, 2016 Asian Junior champion
• Yuya Maeta (Japan) – 2015 and 2017 Japan Senior World team member
The skinny
With a Senior World bronze medalist in Gobadze (GEO), who has also won two European U23 golds, there is a favorite in this field. A talented young star is Kessidis (SWE), who was the 2017 European U23 champion and is making his mark as a Senior. Khakulov (RUS) was third in the 2016 Russian Senior Nationals. 2016 University World champion Nagy (HUN) competed in the USA in high school, and USA fans will remember that he beat Mark Hall in the 2015 Junior Worlds in freestyle and finished third. Vaziradze (AZE) was a 2017 Military World silver medalist. 2017 Junior World champion Bey (USA) is up a weight but an explosive scoring machine. Past Junior World silver medalists include Akbudak (TUR) and Antoniuk (UKR). That said, this weight lacks some of the depth of other weights, so there could be some room for some new people to step up.
85 kg/187 lbs.
The American
Barrett Stanghill of Minneapolis, Minn. has paid his dues in the USA Greco-Roman program. A Montana native, Stanghill went to the Greco program up at Northern Michigan and had a very successful age-group career there. When done with college, he moved to join the Minnesota Storm and train with the Greco specialists there. He was a 2015 University Nationals champion and was second in the 2016 University Nationals. In 2017, he moved up the ranks on the U.S. Senior level, taking third in the U.S. Open and fourth in the Senior World Team Trials. He looked impressive in the U23 Trials in October. While Stanghill has been overseas before, this is his first World Championships appearance.
Other Top Medal Contenders
• Islam Abbasov (Azerbaijan) – 5th in 2017 Senior Worlds, 2nd in 2016 Military Worlds, 3rd in 2017 Military Worlds
• Daniel Gregorich Hechavarria (Cuba) – 7th in 2017 Senior Worlds, 2nd in 2017 Pan Am Senior Championships
• Erik Szilvassy (Hungary) – 2016 University World champion, 2017 European U23 champion
• Adem Boudjemline (Algeria) – 2016 Olympian, 2016 African Senior champion, 2nd in 2017 African Seniors
• Aisha Aishan (China) – 2nd in 2015 and 2016 Asian Senior Championships
• Ruslan Iusupov (Russia) – 2nd in 2016 Russian Senior Nationals
• Ali Cengiz (Turkey) – 2015 Junior World champion, 2nd in 2017 Islamic Solidarity Games, 2nd in 2016 Junior Worlds
• Vladimir Stankic (Serbia) – 2016 Mediterranean champion, 2nd in 2013 U23 Europeans
• Mikita Klimovich (Belarus) – 3rd in 2017 Junior World Championships
• Dimitrios Tsekeridis (Greece) – 3rd in 2015 Junior World Championships
• Yoan Dimitrov (Bulgaria) – 2nd in 2016 European U23s
• Toni Metsomaeki (Finland) - 5th in 2017 Miltiary Worlds, 5th in 2017 Junior Worlds
The skinny
There are some solid Senior wrestlers in this draw, led by Abbasov (AZE) who was fifth in the 2017 Senior Worlds in Paris. Gregorich (CUB) was seventh in the Senior Worlds in Paris and was a Pan American Senior silver medalist this year. Boudjemline (ALG) was a 2016 Olympian and won the 2016 African Seniors. Aishan (CHN) boasts two Asian Senior silver medals. Iusupov (RUS) was second in the 2016 Russian Senior Nationals. Of the age group stars in the field, Cengiz (TUR) was a Junior World champion. Junior World bronzes have gone to Klimovich (BLR) and Tsekeridis (GRE). This weight has some balance, and should be hard to handicap.
98 kg/215 lbs.
The American
Blake Smith of Peoria, Ariz. hails from the Northern Michigan University – U.S. Olympic Training Site program and is developing into a successful big man in Greco-Roman. Smith won the 2017 UWW Junior World Team Trials this spring, but was defeated in a Special Wrestle-off against Senior World Team member G’Angelo Hancock. For the U23 Trials, Hancock moved up to heavyweight, and Smith was dominant in the finals with a technical fall and a pin of a NMU-OTS teammate. His international experience is limited to some Junior and Senior events in Europe, and this is his first World Championships assignment. Smith continues to improve, but will need to put out his best wrestling yet to have a shot at medal contention.
Other Top Medal Contenders
• Alexander Golovin (Russia), 2nd in 2017 Russian Senior Nationals, 3rd in 2016 Padubbny International
• Kevin Mejia Castillo (Honduras), 2nd 2015 Pan American Games, 3rd in 2011 Cadet Worlds, 3x Senior World Team member
• Yevhenii Saveta (Ukraine) – 2016 Ukraine Senior National champion, 3rd in 2017 Military Worlds
• Fatih Baskoy (Turkey) – 2016 University World champion, 2015 European U23 champion, 3rd in 2013 Junior Worlds
• Matti Kuosmanen (Finland) – 3rd in 2017 Military Worlds, 2nd in 2017 European U23s, 3rd in 2013 Cadet Worlds
• Mohammad Sever (Germany), 2016 European U23 champion, 3rd in 2017 European U23s, 2nd in 2012 Cadet Worlds
• Kukuri Kirtskhalia (Georgia) – 2nd in 2016 European U23s
• Bopembe Sychev (Belarus) – 2nd in 2016 Junior Worlds, 3rd in 2014 Cadet Worlds
• Orkhan Nuriyev (Azerbaijan), 3rd in 2016 Cadet World Championships
• Romas Fridrukas (Lithuania) – 3rd in 2013 Junior Worlds
• Amirhossein Hosseini (Iran) – 2017 Asian Indoor Games champion, 5th in 2017 Junior Worlds
• Kiril Milov (Bulgaria) – 2nd in 2014 Youth Olympic Games
The skinny
This should be a very competitive weight class, with some talented Senior guys and rising younger athletes. Russian Nationals runner-up Golovin (RUS) and 2016 Ukrainian National champion Yevhenii Saveta (UKR) are high on their Senior ladder. Mejia (HON) has three Senior Worlds in his pocket, and a Pan Am Games silver. Baskoy (TUR) won the 2016 University Worlds and the 2015 European U23s, plus some Senior medals. Sever (GER) has been a European U23 champion. Kuosmanen (FIN) was third in 2017 Military Worlds. There are a lot of Junior and Cadet World medals throughout the field, and others we didn’t even list as a contender with very solid resumes. It will be a battle.
130 kg/286 lbs.
The American
G’Angelo Hancock moves up from 98 kg, where he was a Senior and Junior World Team member this year. Hancock did not win a medal at either of those 2017 World meets, so he is highly motivated to medal in his third Worlds this year. He was a 2016 Junior World bronze medalist. His Senior achievements include a 2017 Pan American bronze medal and gold medals at the 2017 Dave Schultz Memorial and the 2016 Bill Farrell Memorial. He has a ton of international experience for such a young man. The big question is whether his active and powerful style can translate to heavyweight. He has competed at the U23 Trials against big men and won a dual meet at heavyweight in Belarus in preparation. But still, the jury is out on whether his move up in weight works well at the U23 level.
Other Top Medal Contenders
• Sergey Semenov (Russia) – 2016 Olympic bronze medalist, 2016 and 2017 Russian Senior National champion, 2017 Podubbny champion, 2013 and 2014 Junior World champion
• Zviadi Pataridze (Georgia) – 2016 and 2016 Junior World champion, 2013 and 2014 Cadet World champion, 2016 and 2017 European Junior champion
• Osman Yildirim (Turkey) – 2017 Islamic Solidarity Games champion, 2017 European U23 champion, 2nd in 2016 Junior Worlds, 3rd in 2014 and 2015 Junior Worlds
• Mantas Knystautas (Lithuania) – 2017 Military World champion, 2nd in 2017 European U23s, 2nd in 2014 Junior Worlds
• Abdellatif Mohamed (Egypt) – 2017 African Senior champion
• Arata Sonata (Japan) – 5th in 2017 Asian Senior Championships, three-time Japan Senior World Team
• Vladyslav Voronyi (Ukraine) – 2nd in 2016 European U23s
• Ferenc Almasi (Hungary) – 3rd in 2016 Junior Worlds
• Oyan Nazariani (Azerbaijan) – 2016 UWW Golden Grand Prix Finals champion
• Oskar Marvik (Norway) – 3rd in 2017 European U23s
The skinny
With Olympic bronze medalist and two-time Russian National champion Semenov (RUS) in the field, there is a clear favorite. Semenov also boasts two Junior World titles. But this won’t be a walk in the park. Two-time Junior World and two-time Cadet World champion Pataridze (GEO) is most accomplished from the age-group ranks. Yildirim (TUR) has both Senior and age-group medals in big-time events. Knystautas (LTU) won the Military Worlds and was a Junior World finalist. Mohamed (EGY) is the reigning African Senior champion. Hancock (USA) moves up in weight, but has an impressive resume. Toss in a bunch of age-group World medalists and others with Senior experience and the big men should put on quite a show in Poland.
The first U23 World Championships are set for Bydogszcz, Poland, Nov. 21-26, bringing together the world’s best 18-23 year old wrestlers in the three Olympic disciplines. This is a new event, and mixes some current Senior-level competitors with rising talents from the age-group programs.
TheMat.com will post previews daily over the weekend, looking at the U.S. athlete and the top medal contenders in each weight class in all three styles. We start with Greco-Roman today, which will be held at the start of the event, Nov. 21-22.
Fans will be able to enjoy the action live each day on TrackWrestling.
57 kg/125.5 lbs.
The American
Dalton Roberts of Fowlerville, Mich. is no stranger to major international events, after competing on two U.S. Junior World Teams. He has travelled overseas often as part of the Northern Michigan-U.S. Olympic Training Site program up in Marquette, with trips to Europe and South America included, and some medals on those trips. Roberts had to beat teammate and 2017 Junior World Teamer Randon Miranda to make this team. He has the background to compete well, but will need to step it up to his highest level to stay with this group of athletes.
Other Top Medal contenders
• Gyanender (India) – 9th in 2017 Senior World Championships
• Erik Torba (Hungary), 10th in 2017 Senior World Championships, 5th in 2017 Senior Europeans, 3rd in 2015 Junior Worlds
• Keramat Abdevali or Meysam Dalkhani (Iran)
Abdevali – 2017 Junior World champion, 3rd in 2014 Youth Olympic Games, 3rd in 2014 Cadet Worlds
Dalkhani – 3rd in 2016 Junior World Championships
• Sergey Emelin (Russia) – 3rd in 2017 Padubbny (Russia), 2016 European U23 World champion, 3rd in 2014 Junior Worlds
• Dato Chkhartishvili (Georgia) – 2016 Junior World champion, 3rd in 2017 European U23 Championships
• Justas Petravicius (Lithuania) – 3rd in 2017 World Military Championships, 3rd in 2017 European U23s
• Zhora Abovian (Ukraine) – 2016 Ukraine Senior Nationals champion, 5th in 2016 Junior Worlds
• Seydylla Tazeyev (Turkmenistan) – 3rd in 2016 Junior Worlds, 2017 Asian Junior champion
• Masato Kawana (Japan) – 3rd in 2015 Junior Worlds
• Lauri Maehoenen (Finland) – 2017 Vantaa Cup champ (Finland), 5th in 2014 Junior Worlds
• Luis Orta (Cuba) – 3rd in 2017 Cerro Pelado (Cuba)
• Aidos Sultangali (Kazakhstan) – 3rd in 2017 Asian Indoor Games, 5th in 2013 Cadet Worlds
• Abdemmour Laouni (Algeria) – 2016 Mediterranean Senior champion, 2nd in 2017 African Seniors
The skinny
This is a large weight with a variety of talent, but no dominant athletes, making it wide open for medal hopefuls. The top Senior athletes are Gyanender (IND) and Torba (HUN), who were ninth and 10th at the Senior Worlds in Paris this year. Russia brings a medalist from the rugged Padubbny tourney, Emelin. Iran has a choice between the 2017 Junior World champ Abdevali or the 2016 Junior World bronze winner Dalkhani. 2016 Junior World champion Chkhartishvili (GEO) leads the pack of past age-group World medalists. Abovian (UKR) won his nation’s Senior Nationals. Many others have Senior or age-group medals. Lots of experience, no dominant hammer on the preliminary lists.
66 kg/145.5 lbs.
The American
Alejandro Sancho of Miami, Fla. is already a top American Senior athlete. He has made the Senior National Team three straight years and has been as high as No. 2 on the Senior ladder. He competed in the 2014 Junior Worlds and just missed out on making other age-group World teams. A leader at the NMU-OTS program, Sancho has a ton of international experience, and can beat tough foes when his offense is cranked up. He believes he can win at U23s, and his background shows that he is capable of that.
Other Top Medal Contenders
• Shmagi Bolkvadze (Georgia) – 2016 Olympic bronze medalist, 2014 Junior World champion, 2nd in 2014 Junior Worlds
• Karen Aslanyan (Armenia) – 5th in 2017 Senior Worlds, 2017 World Military champion, 2013 Junior World champion
• Elman Mukhtarov (Azerbaijan) – 3rd in 2015 European Games, 2014 Junior World champion, 2011 Cadet World champion
• Alen Mirzoian (Russia) – 3rd in 2017 Russian Senior Nationals
• Roman Pacurkowski (Poland), 2017 European U23 champion
• Gaoquan Zhang (China) – 5th in 2017 Asian Senior Championships
• Mihai Mihut (Romania) – 3rd in 2015 Junior World Championships
• Manish (India) – 2016 Commonwealth Games champion, 5th in 2017 Junior Worlds
• Serhii Kozub (Ukraine) – 2nd in 2017 European U23 Championships
• Deyvid Dimitrov (Bulgaria) – 3rd in 2017 European U23 Championships
• Amin Kabiyaninhejad (Iran) – 2017 Asian Junior champion
• Shogo Takahashi (Japan) – 5th in 2017 Asian Senior Championships, 2nd in 2017 Dave Schultz (USA)
• Otto Losonczi (Hungary) – 2016 Vantaa Cup champion (Finland), 2nd in 2015 European Juniors
The skinny
This weight class is top-loaded with top Senior performers. 2016 Olympic bronze medalist Bolvadze (GEO) is the top dog, but Aslanyan (ARM), who was fifth in the 2017 Senior Worlds, and Mukhtarov (AZE), third in the 2015 European Games are proven starts. All three have also won age-group World titles. There is a lot of talent behind these three, all capable of pushing to a medal match. Russian Mirzoan was third at their Senior Nationals. Pacurkowski (POL) is the reigning European U23 champion. Sancho (USA) has a ton of Senior success and has some great scoring technique. Zhang (CHN) made the medal round at the 2017 Asian Seniors, as did Takahashi (JPN). Depending on the draw, especially if the big hitters end up on the same side, there is opportunity for a young talent to make a name for themselves.
71 kg/156 lbs.
The American
Alex Mossing of Toledo, Ohio, a junior at the U.S. Air Force Academy, will get his first major international competition at the U23 Worlds. Mossing won the 2017 University Nationals and was named OW, and followed it up with a nice victory at the U23 World Team Trials. He steps away from the college season to pursue a medal in Greco-Roman, the style which he has made his biggest impact. Mossing placed fourth at the Big 12 Championships last year as a sophomore. Of college wrestlers involved in Greco, he has a great resource with the U.S. Olympic Training Center nearby and a town full of Greco-Roman people in Colorado Springs. It is fair to say Mossing is a long-shot at the U23 Worlds, but he has never seemed to limit himself at any level of wrestling. Plus, the field is not deep at 71 kg in Poland.
Other Top Medal Contenders
• Ibrahim Ghanem (Egypt) – 10th in 2017 Senior World Championships, 2017 African Senior champion, 3rd in 2015 Military Worlds
• Ramaz Zoidze (Georgia) – 2017 European U23 champion, 2015 and 2016 Junior World champion, 2011 Cadet World champion
• Rinat Akhmedov (Russia) – 3rd in 2017 Russian Senior Nationals
• Farshad Belfakeh (Iran) – 1st in 2017 Asian Indoor Games, 2017 Ukrainian Memorial champion
• Murat Dag (Turkey) – 5th in 2017 European Senior Championships, 5th in 2017 European U23s
• Armen Hakobyan (Armenia) – 2nd in 2017 Military Worlds, 3rd in 2011 Cadet Worlds
• Robert Fritsch (Hungary) – 2nd in 2017 U23 European Championships, 2nd in 2017 Grand Prix of Paris
• Artur Politaiev (Ukraine) – 2012 Cadet World champion, 2nd in 2013 Cadet World Championships
• Mattias Lipasti (Finland) – 2014 Cadet World champion
• Sunan Suleymanov (Azerbaijan) –3rd in 2012 Cadet World Championships
• Matteusz Nowak (Poland) – 5th in 2016 World University Championships
The skinny
Good luck predicting 71 kg in Greco at U23 Worlds. In comparison to other weights, this one does not have a ton of strong Senior performers. Ghanem (EGY) was 10th at the Senior Worlds this year. Akhmedov (RUS) won a bronze at the Russian Senior Nationals. Dag (TUR) was fifth at the 2017 European Seniors. The medalists here could come from age-group programs. Zoidze (GEO) is a two-time Junior World champion, a 2011 Cadet World champion and a 2017 U23 European champion. Past Cadet World champions include Politaiev (UKR) and Lipasti (FIN). There are a handful of other age-group World medals in the field. It will be fun to see who breaks through.
75 kg/165 lbs.
The American
Although he has been strong within U.S. age-group Greco-Roman circles, Jesse Porter is competing on his first age-group World Team. One of the best guys up at the NMU-OTS program, Porter has three Senior-level international medals to his credit. He won the 2017 Junior World Team Trials, but lost the Special Wrestle-off to eventual Junior World champion Kamal Bey. He was second behind Bey at the 2016 Junior World Team Trials. Porter won the 2016 University Nationals, but that was not a World Team qualifier. Porter has all the tools, with strength and technique plus a tough competitive edge. This guy has worked hard for this opportunity, and could make something good happen in his first big international test.
Other Top Medal Contenders
• Fatih Cengiz (Turkey) – 5th in 2017 Senior World Championships
• Tsimur Berdyieu (Belarus) – 5th in 2015 Senior Worlds, 2016 World Military champion
• Ridong Zhang (China) – 3rd in 2015 and 2016 Asian Seniors, 3rd in 2015 UWW Golden Grand Prix
• Zoltan Levai (Hungary) – 2017 U23 European champion, 3rd in 2014, 2015 and 2016 Junior Worlds
• Gela Bolkvadze (Georgia) – 2016 European U23 champion, 2nd in 2017 European U23s,
• Rajbek Bisultanov (Denmark) – 5th in 2016 European Senior Championships
• Antonio Kamemjasevic (Croatia) – 2nd in 2016 and 2017 European U23s, 2nd in 2011 Cadet Worlds
• Akhmed Kaytsukov (Russia) – 3rd in 2017 European U23s, 3rd in 2016 Junior Worlds
• Iwan Nylypiuk (Poland) – 2nd in 2016 University Worlds
• Georte Mariea (Romania) – 2nd in 2016 Junior Worlds, 5th in 2017 Military Worlds
• Nasir Hasanov (Azerbaijan) – 3rd in 2017 Junior Worlds, 2nd in 2016 Cadet Worlds
• Shohei Yabiku (Japan) – 3rd in 2013 Junior Worlds, 5th in 2015 Junior Worlds
• Pavlo Molnar (Ukraine) – 2nd in 2013 Cadet Worlds
The skinny
There are two guys in the field who have been fifth at the Senior World Championships, Cengiz (TUR) and Berdyieu (BLR). Two-time Asian Senior bronze medalist Zhang (CHN), and Bisultanov (DEN), who was fifth in the European Seniors, also have high achievements. The weight is stacked with age-group achievements, including two-time Junior World bronze medalist and 2017 European U23 champion Levai (HUN). There are seven others with some kind of age-group World medal on the preliminary list. Kamenjasevic (CRO) has won European U23 silver medals the last two years. Porter (USA) can’t be ignored. This weight should be very competitive.
80 kg/176 lbs.
The American
Kamal Bey of Colorado Springs, Colo. is making a big splash in international Greco-Roman. With big throws and wide-open bouts, Bey won the Junior World title this year, and is looking for a second age-group World gold. Bey is moving up one weight class from where he won that Junior World title. He was No. 2 on the Senior level in the USA this year, falling in the Trials finals to Mason Manville. A native of Illinois, Bey came to Colorado for his last year of high school and has been focusing full-time on Greco-Roman ever since. Not only is his achievement level high, but so is his confidence. Bey has the ability to come from behind in any match, and trusts his ability to score points in big chunks. Fans won’t want to miss him as he gets tested in Poland next week.
Other Top Medal Contenders
• Lasha Gobadze (Georgia) – 3rd in 2015 Senior Worlds, 2015 and 2016 European U23 champion, 3rd in 2014 Junior Worlds
• Alex Kessidis (Sweden) – 2017 European U23 champion, 2nd in 2016 European U23s, 5th in 2015 Junior Worlds
• Azamat Khakulov (Russia) – 3rd in 2016 Russian Senior Nationals, 3rd in 2017 Military Worlds
• Peter Nagy (Hungary) – 2016 University World champion, 3rd in 2015 Junior Worlds in freestyle
• Eltun Vazirzade (Azerbaijan) – 2nd in 2017 Military Worlds, 3rd in 2016 and 2017 European U23s
• Burhan Akbudak (Turkey) – 2nd in 2015 Junior Worlds, 2nd in 2016 European U23s
• Andrii Antoniuk (Ukraine) – 2nd in 2013 Junior Worlds
• Mahdi Ebrahimi (Iran) – 2017 Asian Indoor Games champion, 2016 Asian Junior champion
• Yuya Maeta (Japan) – 2015 and 2017 Japan Senior World team member
The skinny
With a Senior World bronze medalist in Gobadze (GEO), who has also won two European U23 golds, there is a favorite in this field. A talented young star is Kessidis (SWE), who was the 2017 European U23 champion and is making his mark as a Senior. Khakulov (RUS) was third in the 2016 Russian Senior Nationals. 2016 University World champion Nagy (HUN) competed in the USA in high school, and USA fans will remember that he beat Mark Hall in the 2015 Junior Worlds in freestyle and finished third. Vaziradze (AZE) was a 2017 Military World silver medalist. 2017 Junior World champion Bey (USA) is up a weight but an explosive scoring machine. Past Junior World silver medalists include Akbudak (TUR) and Antoniuk (UKR). That said, this weight lacks some of the depth of other weights, so there could be some room for some new people to step up.
85 kg/187 lbs.
The American
Barrett Stanghill of Minneapolis, Minn. has paid his dues in the USA Greco-Roman program. A Montana native, Stanghill went to the Greco program up at Northern Michigan and had a very successful age-group career there. When done with college, he moved to join the Minnesota Storm and train with the Greco specialists there. He was a 2015 University Nationals champion and was second in the 2016 University Nationals. In 2017, he moved up the ranks on the U.S. Senior level, taking third in the U.S. Open and fourth in the Senior World Team Trials. He looked impressive in the U23 Trials in October. While Stanghill has been overseas before, this is his first World Championships appearance.
Other Top Medal Contenders
• Islam Abbasov (Azerbaijan) – 5th in 2017 Senior Worlds, 2nd in 2016 Military Worlds, 3rd in 2017 Military Worlds
• Daniel Gregorich Hechavarria (Cuba) – 7th in 2017 Senior Worlds, 2nd in 2017 Pan Am Senior Championships
• Erik Szilvassy (Hungary) – 2016 University World champion, 2017 European U23 champion
• Adem Boudjemline (Algeria) – 2016 Olympian, 2016 African Senior champion, 2nd in 2017 African Seniors
• Aisha Aishan (China) – 2nd in 2015 and 2016 Asian Senior Championships
• Ruslan Iusupov (Russia) – 2nd in 2016 Russian Senior Nationals
• Ali Cengiz (Turkey) – 2015 Junior World champion, 2nd in 2017 Islamic Solidarity Games, 2nd in 2016 Junior Worlds
• Vladimir Stankic (Serbia) – 2016 Mediterranean champion, 2nd in 2013 U23 Europeans
• Mikita Klimovich (Belarus) – 3rd in 2017 Junior World Championships
• Dimitrios Tsekeridis (Greece) – 3rd in 2015 Junior World Championships
• Yoan Dimitrov (Bulgaria) – 2nd in 2016 European U23s
• Toni Metsomaeki (Finland) - 5th in 2017 Miltiary Worlds, 5th in 2017 Junior Worlds
The skinny
There are some solid Senior wrestlers in this draw, led by Abbasov (AZE) who was fifth in the 2017 Senior Worlds in Paris. Gregorich (CUB) was seventh in the Senior Worlds in Paris and was a Pan American Senior silver medalist this year. Boudjemline (ALG) was a 2016 Olympian and won the 2016 African Seniors. Aishan (CHN) boasts two Asian Senior silver medals. Iusupov (RUS) was second in the 2016 Russian Senior Nationals. Of the age group stars in the field, Cengiz (TUR) was a Junior World champion. Junior World bronzes have gone to Klimovich (BLR) and Tsekeridis (GRE). This weight has some balance, and should be hard to handicap.
98 kg/215 lbs.
The American
Blake Smith of Peoria, Ariz. hails from the Northern Michigan University – U.S. Olympic Training Site program and is developing into a successful big man in Greco-Roman. Smith won the 2017 UWW Junior World Team Trials this spring, but was defeated in a Special Wrestle-off against Senior World Team member G’Angelo Hancock. For the U23 Trials, Hancock moved up to heavyweight, and Smith was dominant in the finals with a technical fall and a pin of a NMU-OTS teammate. His international experience is limited to some Junior and Senior events in Europe, and this is his first World Championships assignment. Smith continues to improve, but will need to put out his best wrestling yet to have a shot at medal contention.
Other Top Medal Contenders
• Alexander Golovin (Russia), 2nd in 2017 Russian Senior Nationals, 3rd in 2016 Padubbny International
• Kevin Mejia Castillo (Honduras), 2nd 2015 Pan American Games, 3rd in 2011 Cadet Worlds, 3x Senior World Team member
• Yevhenii Saveta (Ukraine) – 2016 Ukraine Senior National champion, 3rd in 2017 Military Worlds
• Fatih Baskoy (Turkey) – 2016 University World champion, 2015 European U23 champion, 3rd in 2013 Junior Worlds
• Matti Kuosmanen (Finland) – 3rd in 2017 Military Worlds, 2nd in 2017 European U23s, 3rd in 2013 Cadet Worlds
• Mohammad Sever (Germany), 2016 European U23 champion, 3rd in 2017 European U23s, 2nd in 2012 Cadet Worlds
• Kukuri Kirtskhalia (Georgia) – 2nd in 2016 European U23s
• Bopembe Sychev (Belarus) – 2nd in 2016 Junior Worlds, 3rd in 2014 Cadet Worlds
• Orkhan Nuriyev (Azerbaijan), 3rd in 2016 Cadet World Championships
• Romas Fridrukas (Lithuania) – 3rd in 2013 Junior Worlds
• Amirhossein Hosseini (Iran) – 2017 Asian Indoor Games champion, 5th in 2017 Junior Worlds
• Kiril Milov (Bulgaria) – 2nd in 2014 Youth Olympic Games
The skinny
This should be a very competitive weight class, with some talented Senior guys and rising younger athletes. Russian Nationals runner-up Golovin (RUS) and 2016 Ukrainian National champion Yevhenii Saveta (UKR) are high on their Senior ladder. Mejia (HON) has three Senior Worlds in his pocket, and a Pan Am Games silver. Baskoy (TUR) won the 2016 University Worlds and the 2015 European U23s, plus some Senior medals. Sever (GER) has been a European U23 champion. Kuosmanen (FIN) was third in 2017 Military Worlds. There are a lot of Junior and Cadet World medals throughout the field, and others we didn’t even list as a contender with very solid resumes. It will be a battle.
130 kg/286 lbs.
The American
G’Angelo Hancock moves up from 98 kg, where he was a Senior and Junior World Team member this year. Hancock did not win a medal at either of those 2017 World meets, so he is highly motivated to medal in his third Worlds this year. He was a 2016 Junior World bronze medalist. His Senior achievements include a 2017 Pan American bronze medal and gold medals at the 2017 Dave Schultz Memorial and the 2016 Bill Farrell Memorial. He has a ton of international experience for such a young man. The big question is whether his active and powerful style can translate to heavyweight. He has competed at the U23 Trials against big men and won a dual meet at heavyweight in Belarus in preparation. But still, the jury is out on whether his move up in weight works well at the U23 level.
Other Top Medal Contenders
• Sergey Semenov (Russia) – 2016 Olympic bronze medalist, 2016 and 2017 Russian Senior National champion, 2017 Podubbny champion, 2013 and 2014 Junior World champion
• Zviadi Pataridze (Georgia) – 2016 and 2016 Junior World champion, 2013 and 2014 Cadet World champion, 2016 and 2017 European Junior champion
• Osman Yildirim (Turkey) – 2017 Islamic Solidarity Games champion, 2017 European U23 champion, 2nd in 2016 Junior Worlds, 3rd in 2014 and 2015 Junior Worlds
• Mantas Knystautas (Lithuania) – 2017 Military World champion, 2nd in 2017 European U23s, 2nd in 2014 Junior Worlds
• Abdellatif Mohamed (Egypt) – 2017 African Senior champion
• Arata Sonata (Japan) – 5th in 2017 Asian Senior Championships, three-time Japan Senior World Team
• Vladyslav Voronyi (Ukraine) – 2nd in 2016 European U23s
• Ferenc Almasi (Hungary) – 3rd in 2016 Junior Worlds
• Oyan Nazariani (Azerbaijan) – 2016 UWW Golden Grand Prix Finals champion
• Oskar Marvik (Norway) – 3rd in 2017 European U23s
The skinny
With Olympic bronze medalist and two-time Russian National champion Semenov (RUS) in the field, there is a clear favorite. Semenov also boasts two Junior World titles. But this won’t be a walk in the park. Two-time Junior World and two-time Cadet World champion Pataridze (GEO) is most accomplished from the age-group ranks. Yildirim (TUR) has both Senior and age-group medals in big-time events. Knystautas (LTU) won the Military Worlds and was a Junior World finalist. Mohamed (EGY) is the reigning African Senior champion. Hancock (USA) moves up in weight, but has an impressive resume. Toss in a bunch of age-group World medalists and others with Senior experience and the big men should put on quite a show in Poland.
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