Postponed Olympics Day 3: Gold medals scheduled at 68 kg women, plus 77 kg and 97 kg Greco-Roman
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by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling
World champion Tamyra Mensah-Stock of the United States, who qualified the USA for the 2020 Olympic Games, is shown at the 2019 World Championships. The gold-medal finals at her weight class, 68 kg, would have been held today if the 2020 Games had not been postponed. Photo by Tony Rotundo, Wrestlers are Warriors.
Today, August 4, was scheduled to be the second night that medals would be awarded in wrestling at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan, had the event not been postponed and rescheduled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We will take a closer look at the three weight classes that would have been featured in the August 4 medal rounds today, 68 kg in women’s freestyle, plus two Greco-Roman weight classes, 77 kg and 97 kg.
At this point, half of the field has been determined in every weight class for the 2021 Olympic wrestling competition. We will look at the nations qualified (and the athletes expected to wrestle), as well as those who might be favored to qualify for the Olympics in the Olympic Qualifiers to come in 2021. The United States team will not be determined until April 2021.
Women’s 68 kg review
The 2019 World champion at 68 kg was the exciting Tamyra Mensah-Stock of the USA, who not only secured the Olympic berth for her nation but also goes into the Tokyo Olympics as a strong favorite to win the gold medal. Mensah-Stock has won a World medal for two straight years, with a 2018 World bronze medal in her trophy case. Mensah-Stock was very excited to get the weight qualified right off the bat, because she won the 2016 Olympic Trials but could not go to Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil because the USA did not qualify at her weight class. Mensah-Stock had an amazing 2019 season, going unbeaten for the year.
Mensah-Stock defeated 2012 World champion and 2016 Olympic bronze medalist Jenny Fransson of Sweden in the World finals. Since then, Fransson has been embroiled in a doping case, which has seen her receive a four-year suspension that she is appealing. Fransson’s penalty goes back to January 2020, meaning her result at the 2019 Worlds is not during the suspension. Seems like Sweden retains the Olympic berth, yet it probably won’t be Fransson in the field, but a different Swedish athlete.
The field in Tokyo will include the 2016 Olympic champion and 2017 World champion from host Japan, Sara Dosho, who finished fifth at the 2019 Worlds. Dosho boasts three other World medals to go with her golds. Two-time World champion Battsetseg Soronzonbold of Mongolia was third at the 2019 Worlds, as was Germany’s Anna Schell. 2019 World champion Alla Cherkasova of Ukraine also qualified with a fifth-place World finish in 2019. The two athletes who earned the Pan American Qualifier berths were 2018 World silver medalist Danielle Lappage of Canada and 2018 U23 World champion Yudari Sanchez of Cuba.
The fight for the remaining eight berths at 68 kg with be intense. Three past Olympic medalists have not yet earned a spot in the Olympics, 2016 Olympic silver medalist Maryia Mamashuk of Belarus, 2016 Olympic bronze medalist Ekaterina Larionova of Kazakhstan and 2008 Olympic bronze medalist Agnieszka Wieszczek-Kordus of Poland. Also left out so far is two-time Senior World medalist Koumba Larroque of France, who also boasts four age-group World titles. Add in two-time World medalists Ansastasia Grigorjeva of Latvia and Feng Zhou of China. A pair of 2018 World bronze medalists must also qualify, Buse Tusun of Turkey and Irina Netreba of Azerbaijan. Africa’s top talent who is not yet qualified is Blessing Oborududu of Nigeria, who was fifth at the 2017 World Championships.
Women’s 68 kg/149.75 lbs. Olympic Games qualifiers
2019 World champion – United States (Tamyra Mensah-Stock)
2019 World silver medalist – Sweden (Anna Jenny Fransson)
2019 World bronze medalist – Mongolia (Battsetseg Soronzonbold)
2019 World bronze medalist – Germany (Anna Carmen Schell)
2019 World fifth place – Ukraine (Alla Cherkasova)
2019 World fifth place – Japan (Sara Dosho)
2020 Pan American Olympic Qualifier champion – Canada (Danielle Lappage)
2020 Pan American Olympic Qualifier runner-up – Cuba (Yudari Sanchez Rodriguez)
Greco-Roman 97 kg review
The United States gained an Olympic berth at 97 kg in Greco-Roman when three-time Senior World Team member G’Angelo Hancock reached the finals of the Pan American Olympic Games qualifier in Canada in March. Hancock, who is a past Junior World medalist, has won numerous international medals during this Olympic cycle, including a victory over Olympic champion Artur Aleksanyan of Armenia. Hancock is still in hunt of his first Senior World-level medal, and if he makes the U.S. team, will look to win an Olympic medal the first for his trophy case.
Aleksanyan is the most decorated in the field, with his 2016 Olympic gold, three World titles and a 2012 Olympic bronze medal. Aleksanyan lost in the finals of the 2019 World Championships to Russian star Musa Evloev, who now boasts two Senior World titles and a Senior World silver medal. Serbia’s Mihail Kajaia has won a World bronze medal the last two years. 2016 Olympic bronze medalist Cenk Ildem of Turkey was also third at the 2019 World Championships. Earning their place in the Olympic field were Tadeusz Michalik of Poland and Giorgi Melia of Georgia, both who were fifth at the 2019 Worlds. The Pan American Olympic Qualifier champion was Gabriel Rosillo Kindelan of Cuba, who was a 2019 Junior World champion.
2014 World champion Melonin Noumonvi of France and 2009 World champion Balasz Kiss of Hungary are among the athletes who still need to get qualified for Tokyo. Add in 2018 World silver medalist Kiril Milenov Milov of Bulgaria and 2018 World bronze medalist Mahdi Abbas Aliyarfeizabadi to the list. Also watch for 2018 World Military champion Matti Kuosmanen of Finland, plus Yerulan Iskakov of Kazakhstan, Kevin Mejia of Honduras, Jahongir Turdiev of Uzbekistan and Adem Boudjemline of Algeria.
Greco-Roman 97 kg/213.75 lbs. Olympic Games qualifiers
2019 World champion - Russia (Musa Evloev)
2019 World silver medalist - Armenia (Artur Aleksanyan)
2019 World bronze medalist - Serbia (Mihail Kajaia)
2019 World bronze medalist - Turkey (Cenk Ildem)
2019 World fifth place - Poland (Tadeusz Michalik)
2019 World fifth place - Georgia (Giorgi Melia)
2020 Pan American Olympic Qualifier champion – Cuba (Gabriel Rosillo Kindelan)
2020 Pan American Olympic Qualifier runner-up – United States (G’Angelo Hancock)
Greco-Roman 77 kg review
At this time, the United States does not have a qualifier at 77 kg, which is one of the deepest weight classes in Greco-Roman at the World level. 2019 Pan American Games champion and 2014 World University silver medalist Pat Smith is the current No. 1 for the USA at this weight class. Also in this weight for Team USA is 2017 Junior World champion Kamal Bey, who placed seventh at the 2018 Senior Worlds. The USA will have a competitive Olympic Trials, with the winner needing to go to the Last Chance Qualifier in Bulgaria to get the weight qualified.
Leading the qualifiers already set for Tokyo is 2019 World champion and 2012 Olympic silver medalist Tamas Lorincz of Hungary, who also boasts World silver medals in 2017 and 2018. Placing second at the 2019 Worlds is young star Alex Kessidis of Sweden, who was also fifth in the 2018 Senior Worlds. Two-time World bronze medalist Mohammadali Abdolhamid Geraei of Iran is among the top contenders. Jalgasbay Berdimuratov of Uzbekistan was a bit of a surprise with his 2019 World bronze medal. Askhat Dimukhamedov of Kazakhstan, who has been fifth at the Senior Worlds four times, is qualified, as is Armenia’s Karapet Chalyan, a 2013 Junior World champion. Earning berths through the 2020 Pan American Qualifier were champion Yosvanys Pena Flores of Cuba and runner-up Jose Vargas Rueda of Mexico, neither who have appeared in a Senior World-level tournament to date.
The achievements of those who are not yet in the Olympic field yet seem to be even more impressive than those who are in it. The two dominant athletes from the weight class, Roman Vlasov of Russia and Kim Hyeon-Woo of Korea, did not qualify at the 2019 Worlds. Vlasov is a two-time Olympic champion and two-time Senior World champion. Kim is a 2012 Olympic champion and 2013 World champion. Russia also has a 2018 World champion in Aleksandr Chekhirkin in its stable. Others seeking qualification are 2018 World bronze medalist Viktor Nemes of Serbia, 2017 World bronze medalist Fatih Cengiz of Turkey, 2017 World bronze medalist Elvin Mursaliev of Azerbaijan, 2016 World University champion Pavel Liakh of Belarus, 2018 U23 World champion Daniel Catataga of Moldova, plus Bozo Starcevic of Croatia (who was fifth at the 2016 Olympics). The remaining qualifiers will be highly competitive.
Greco-Roman 77 kg/169.5 lbs. Olympic Games qualifiers
2019 World champion - Hungary (Tamas Lorincz)
2019 World silver medalist - Sweden (Alex Bjurberg Kessidis)
2019 World bronze medalist - Iran (Mohammadali Abdolhamid Geraei)
2019 World bronze medalist - Uzbekistan (Jalgasbay Berdimuratov)
2019 World fifth place - Armenia (Karapet Chalyan)
2019 World fifth place - Kazakhstan (Askhat Dilmukhamedov)
2020 Pan American Olympic Qualifier champion – Cuba (Yosvanys Pena Flores)
2020 Pan American Olympic Qualifier runner-up – Mexico (Jose Vargas Rueda)
Today, August 4, was scheduled to be the second night that medals would be awarded in wrestling at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan, had the event not been postponed and rescheduled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We will take a closer look at the three weight classes that would have been featured in the August 4 medal rounds today, 68 kg in women’s freestyle, plus two Greco-Roman weight classes, 77 kg and 97 kg.
At this point, half of the field has been determined in every weight class for the 2021 Olympic wrestling competition. We will look at the nations qualified (and the athletes expected to wrestle), as well as those who might be favored to qualify for the Olympics in the Olympic Qualifiers to come in 2021. The United States team will not be determined until April 2021.
Women’s 68 kg review
The 2019 World champion at 68 kg was the exciting Tamyra Mensah-Stock of the USA, who not only secured the Olympic berth for her nation but also goes into the Tokyo Olympics as a strong favorite to win the gold medal. Mensah-Stock has won a World medal for two straight years, with a 2018 World bronze medal in her trophy case. Mensah-Stock was very excited to get the weight qualified right off the bat, because she won the 2016 Olympic Trials but could not go to Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil because the USA did not qualify at her weight class. Mensah-Stock had an amazing 2019 season, going unbeaten for the year.
Mensah-Stock defeated 2012 World champion and 2016 Olympic bronze medalist Jenny Fransson of Sweden in the World finals. Since then, Fransson has been embroiled in a doping case, which has seen her receive a four-year suspension that she is appealing. Fransson’s penalty goes back to January 2020, meaning her result at the 2019 Worlds is not during the suspension. Seems like Sweden retains the Olympic berth, yet it probably won’t be Fransson in the field, but a different Swedish athlete.
The field in Tokyo will include the 2016 Olympic champion and 2017 World champion from host Japan, Sara Dosho, who finished fifth at the 2019 Worlds. Dosho boasts three other World medals to go with her golds. Two-time World champion Battsetseg Soronzonbold of Mongolia was third at the 2019 Worlds, as was Germany’s Anna Schell. 2019 World champion Alla Cherkasova of Ukraine also qualified with a fifth-place World finish in 2019. The two athletes who earned the Pan American Qualifier berths were 2018 World silver medalist Danielle Lappage of Canada and 2018 U23 World champion Yudari Sanchez of Cuba.
The fight for the remaining eight berths at 68 kg with be intense. Three past Olympic medalists have not yet earned a spot in the Olympics, 2016 Olympic silver medalist Maryia Mamashuk of Belarus, 2016 Olympic bronze medalist Ekaterina Larionova of Kazakhstan and 2008 Olympic bronze medalist Agnieszka Wieszczek-Kordus of Poland. Also left out so far is two-time Senior World medalist Koumba Larroque of France, who also boasts four age-group World titles. Add in two-time World medalists Ansastasia Grigorjeva of Latvia and Feng Zhou of China. A pair of 2018 World bronze medalists must also qualify, Buse Tusun of Turkey and Irina Netreba of Azerbaijan. Africa’s top talent who is not yet qualified is Blessing Oborududu of Nigeria, who was fifth at the 2017 World Championships.
Women’s 68 kg/149.75 lbs. Olympic Games qualifiers
2019 World champion – United States (Tamyra Mensah-Stock)
2019 World silver medalist – Sweden (Anna Jenny Fransson)
2019 World bronze medalist – Mongolia (Battsetseg Soronzonbold)
2019 World bronze medalist – Germany (Anna Carmen Schell)
2019 World fifth place – Ukraine (Alla Cherkasova)
2019 World fifth place – Japan (Sara Dosho)
2020 Pan American Olympic Qualifier champion – Canada (Danielle Lappage)
2020 Pan American Olympic Qualifier runner-up – Cuba (Yudari Sanchez Rodriguez)
Greco-Roman 97 kg review
The United States gained an Olympic berth at 97 kg in Greco-Roman when three-time Senior World Team member G’Angelo Hancock reached the finals of the Pan American Olympic Games qualifier in Canada in March. Hancock, who is a past Junior World medalist, has won numerous international medals during this Olympic cycle, including a victory over Olympic champion Artur Aleksanyan of Armenia. Hancock is still in hunt of his first Senior World-level medal, and if he makes the U.S. team, will look to win an Olympic medal the first for his trophy case.
Aleksanyan is the most decorated in the field, with his 2016 Olympic gold, three World titles and a 2012 Olympic bronze medal. Aleksanyan lost in the finals of the 2019 World Championships to Russian star Musa Evloev, who now boasts two Senior World titles and a Senior World silver medal. Serbia’s Mihail Kajaia has won a World bronze medal the last two years. 2016 Olympic bronze medalist Cenk Ildem of Turkey was also third at the 2019 World Championships. Earning their place in the Olympic field were Tadeusz Michalik of Poland and Giorgi Melia of Georgia, both who were fifth at the 2019 Worlds. The Pan American Olympic Qualifier champion was Gabriel Rosillo Kindelan of Cuba, who was a 2019 Junior World champion.
2014 World champion Melonin Noumonvi of France and 2009 World champion Balasz Kiss of Hungary are among the athletes who still need to get qualified for Tokyo. Add in 2018 World silver medalist Kiril Milenov Milov of Bulgaria and 2018 World bronze medalist Mahdi Abbas Aliyarfeizabadi to the list. Also watch for 2018 World Military champion Matti Kuosmanen of Finland, plus Yerulan Iskakov of Kazakhstan, Kevin Mejia of Honduras, Jahongir Turdiev of Uzbekistan and Adem Boudjemline of Algeria.
Greco-Roman 97 kg/213.75 lbs. Olympic Games qualifiers
2019 World champion - Russia (Musa Evloev)
2019 World silver medalist - Armenia (Artur Aleksanyan)
2019 World bronze medalist - Serbia (Mihail Kajaia)
2019 World bronze medalist - Turkey (Cenk Ildem)
2019 World fifth place - Poland (Tadeusz Michalik)
2019 World fifth place - Georgia (Giorgi Melia)
2020 Pan American Olympic Qualifier champion – Cuba (Gabriel Rosillo Kindelan)
2020 Pan American Olympic Qualifier runner-up – United States (G’Angelo Hancock)
Greco-Roman 77 kg review
At this time, the United States does not have a qualifier at 77 kg, which is one of the deepest weight classes in Greco-Roman at the World level. 2019 Pan American Games champion and 2014 World University silver medalist Pat Smith is the current No. 1 for the USA at this weight class. Also in this weight for Team USA is 2017 Junior World champion Kamal Bey, who placed seventh at the 2018 Senior Worlds. The USA will have a competitive Olympic Trials, with the winner needing to go to the Last Chance Qualifier in Bulgaria to get the weight qualified.
Leading the qualifiers already set for Tokyo is 2019 World champion and 2012 Olympic silver medalist Tamas Lorincz of Hungary, who also boasts World silver medals in 2017 and 2018. Placing second at the 2019 Worlds is young star Alex Kessidis of Sweden, who was also fifth in the 2018 Senior Worlds. Two-time World bronze medalist Mohammadali Abdolhamid Geraei of Iran is among the top contenders. Jalgasbay Berdimuratov of Uzbekistan was a bit of a surprise with his 2019 World bronze medal. Askhat Dimukhamedov of Kazakhstan, who has been fifth at the Senior Worlds four times, is qualified, as is Armenia’s Karapet Chalyan, a 2013 Junior World champion. Earning berths through the 2020 Pan American Qualifier were champion Yosvanys Pena Flores of Cuba and runner-up Jose Vargas Rueda of Mexico, neither who have appeared in a Senior World-level tournament to date.
The achievements of those who are not yet in the Olympic field yet seem to be even more impressive than those who are in it. The two dominant athletes from the weight class, Roman Vlasov of Russia and Kim Hyeon-Woo of Korea, did not qualify at the 2019 Worlds. Vlasov is a two-time Olympic champion and two-time Senior World champion. Kim is a 2012 Olympic champion and 2013 World champion. Russia also has a 2018 World champion in Aleksandr Chekhirkin in its stable. Others seeking qualification are 2018 World bronze medalist Viktor Nemes of Serbia, 2017 World bronze medalist Fatih Cengiz of Turkey, 2017 World bronze medalist Elvin Mursaliev of Azerbaijan, 2016 World University champion Pavel Liakh of Belarus, 2018 U23 World champion Daniel Catataga of Moldova, plus Bozo Starcevic of Croatia (who was fifth at the 2016 Olympics). The remaining qualifiers will be highly competitive.
Greco-Roman 77 kg/169.5 lbs. Olympic Games qualifiers
2019 World champion - Hungary (Tamas Lorincz)
2019 World silver medalist - Sweden (Alex Bjurberg Kessidis)
2019 World bronze medalist - Iran (Mohammadali Abdolhamid Geraei)
2019 World bronze medalist - Uzbekistan (Jalgasbay Berdimuratov)
2019 World fifth place - Armenia (Karapet Chalyan)
2019 World fifth place - Kazakhstan (Askhat Dilmukhamedov)
2020 Pan American Olympic Qualifier champion – Cuba (Yosvanys Pena Flores)
2020 Pan American Olympic Qualifier runner-up – Mexico (Jose Vargas Rueda)
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