Japan leads with eight Olympic weights qualified for Paris Games after men’s and women’s freestyle at Senior Worlds
by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling
With the conclusion of the women’s freestyle competition at the 2023 Senior World Championships in Belgrade, Japan has taken over the lead among all nations in Olympic wrestling quota berths with eight.
Japan had a fantastic performance in women’s freestyle, qualifying at all six weight classes. Japan also added two quota spots from the men’s freestyle competition.
The top five athletes at each weight class at the Senior Worlds in Belgrade qualify their nation to compete in the Paris Games at that specific weight class. Individual athletes do not qualify, as each nation may select which athlete to enter at the Olympics for each quota berth earned.
The United States is next with seven quota berths, adding three women’s freestyle berths to the four men’s freestyle berths it had earned earlier in the week.
So far, 60 quota spots have been determined, 30 in men’s freestyle and 30 in women’s freestyle. There will be 30 more quots berths available in Greco-Roman, which concludes Sunday.
Two nations have four qualifiers, Individual Neutral Athletes from Russia and Turkey. AIN-Russia had all four from the men’s freestyle competition. Turkey secured two in men’s freestyle and two in women’s freestyle. Iran is next with three qualifiers, all from men’s freestyle.
A total of 34 nations have qualified at least one athlete in men’s freestyle and/or women’s freestyle.
We will update this after the conclusion of Greco-Roman at the World Wrestling Championships.
There are two more phases of Olympic qualifying after the World Championships. Additional quota spots will be awarded at the Continental Olympic Qualifiers, with the final quota spots awarded at the World Olympic Qualifying event.
Updated Olympic Qualification by nation, all styles
(as of September 21, 2023)
Japan, 8 (57kgMFS, 74kgMFS, 50kgWFS, 53 kgWFS, 57kgWFS, 62kgWFS, 68kgWFS, 76kgWFS)
United States, 7 (74kgMFS, 86kgMFS, 97kgMFS, 125 kgMFS, 50kgWFS, 57kgWFS, 76kgWFS)
Individual Neutral Athlete RUS, 4 (57kgMFS, 65kgMFS, 74kgMFS, 125 kgMFS)
Turkey, 4 (97kgMFS, 125kgMFS, 50kgWFS, 68kgWFS)
Iran, 3 (65kgMFS, 86kgMFS, 125kg MFS)
Armenia, 2 (57kgMFS, 65kgMFS)
Georgia, 2 (97kgMFS, 125kgMFS)
Kyrgysztan 2 (62kgWFS, 76kgWFS)
Moldova, 2 (57kgWFS, 68kgWFS)
Mongolia, 2 (50kgWFS, 68kgWFS)
Serbia, 2 (57kgMFS, 74kgMFS)
Albania, 1 (57kgMFS)
Azerbaijan, 1 (97kgMFS)
Bahrain, 1 (97kgMFS)
China, 1 (50kgWFS)
Colombia, 1 (76kgWFS)
Cuba, 1 (76kgWFS)
Ecuador, 1 (53kgWFS)
France, 1 (68kgWFS)
Germany, 1 (62kgWFS)
Greece, 1 (74kgMFS)
Hungary, 1 (65kgMFS)
Individual Neutral Athlete BLR, 1 (53kgWFS)
Kazakhstan, 1 (86kgMFS)
Nigeria, 1 (57kgWFS)
Norway, 1 (62kgWFS)
Poland, 1 (57kgWFS)
Puerto Rico, 1 (65kgMFS)
San Marino, 1 (86 kgMFS)
Sweden, 1 (53kgWFS)
Turkey, 1 (50kgWFS)
Ukraine, 1 (62kgWFS)
UWW IND, 1 (53kgWFS)
Uzbekistan, 1 (86kgMFS)
Updated Olympic Qualification in women’s freestyle
Japan, 6 (50kgWFS, 53 kgWFS, 57kgWFS, 62kgWFS, 68kgWFS, 76kgWFS)
United States, 3 (50kgWFS, 57kgWFS, 76kgWFS)
Kyrgysztan 2 (68kgWFS, 76kgWFS)
Moldova, 2 (57kgWFS, 68kgWFS)
Mongolia, 2 (50kgWFS, 68kgWFS)
Turkey, 2 (50kgWFS, 68kgWFS)
China, 1 (50kgWFS)
Colombia, 1 (76kgWFS)
Cuba, 1 (76kgWFS)
Ecuador, 1 (53kgWFS)
France, 1 (68kgWFS)
Germany, 1 (62kgWFS)
Individual Neutral Athlete BLR, 1 (53kgWFS)
Nigeria, 1 (57kgWFS)
Norway, 1 (62kgWFS)
Poland, 1 (57kgWFS)
Sweden, 1 (53kgWFS)
Ukraine, 1 (62kgWFS)
UWW IND, 1 (53kgWFS)
Olympic qualification in women’s freestyle
(with athlete who qualified weight class or expected entry)
50 kg/110 lbs.
2023 World champion – Japan (Yui Susaki)
2023 World silver medalist – Mongolia (Otgonjargal Dolgorjav)
2023 World bronze medalist – United States (Sarah Hildebrandt)
2023 World bronze medalist – China (Ziqi Feng)
2023 World fifth place wrestle-off – Turkey (Evin Demirhan)
2024 Pan American Olympic Qualifier champion –
2024 Pan American Olympic Qualifier runner-up –
2024 European Olympic Qualifier champion –
2024 European Olympic Qualifier runner-up –
2024 African/Oceania Olympic Qualifier champion –
2024 African/Oceania Olympic Qualifier runner-up –
2024 Asian Olympic Qualifier champion –
2024 Asian Olympic Qualifier runner-up –
2024 World Olympic Games Qualifier champion –
2024 World Olympic Games Qualifier runner-up –
2024 World Olympic Games Qualifier third place wrestle-off -
53 kg/116.5 lbs.
2023 World champion – Japan (Akari Fujinami)
2023 World silver medalist – Individual Neutral Athlete BLR (Vanesa Kaladzinskaya)
2023 World bronze medalist – Ecuador (Lucia Yepez Guzman)
2023 World bronze medalist – UWW IND (Antim)
2023 World fifth place wrestle-off – Sweden (Emma Malmgren)
2024 Pan American Olympic Qualifier champion –
2024 Pan American Olympic Qualifier runner-up –
2024 European Olympic Qualifier champion –
2024 European Olympic Qualifier runner-up –
2024 African/Oceania Olympic Qualifier champion –
2024 African/Oceania Olympic Qualifier runner-up –
2024 Asian Olympic Qualifier champion –
2024 Asian Olympic Qualifier runner-up –
2024 World Olympic Games Qualifier champion –
2024 World Olympic Games Qualifier runner-up –
2024 World Olympic Games Qualifier third place wrestle-off -
57 kg/125.5 lbs.
2023 World champion – Japan (Tsugumi Sakurai)
2023 World silver medalist – Moldova (Anastasia Nichita)
2023 World bronze medalist – United States (Helen Maroulis)
2023 World bronze medalist – Nigeria (Odunayo Adekuoroye)
2023 World fifth place wrestle-off – Poland (Anhelina Lysak)
2024 Pan American Olympic Qualifier champion –
2024 Pan American Olympic Qualifier runner-up –
2024 European Olympic Qualifier champion –
2024 European Olympic Qualifier runner-up –
2024 African/Oceania Olympic Qualifier champion –
2024 African/Oceania Olympic Qualifier runner-up –
2024 Asian Olympic Qualifier champion –
2024 Asian Olympic Qualifier runner-up –
2024 World Olympic Games Qualifier champion –
2024 World Olympic Games Qualifier runner-up –
2024 World Olympic Games Qualifier third place wrestle-off -
62 kg/136.5 lbs.
2023 World champion – Kyrgyzstan (Aisuluu Tynybekova)
2023 World silver medalist – Japan (Sakura Motoki)
2023 World bronze medalist – Norway (Grace Bullen)
2023 World bronze medalist – Ukraine (Iryna Koliadenko)
2023 World fifth place wrestle-off – Germany (Luisa Niemesch)
2024 Pan American Olympic Qualifier champion –
2024 Pan American Olympic Qualifier runner-up –
2024 European Olympic Qualifier champion –
2024 European Olympic Qualifier runner-up –
2024 African/Oceania Olympic Qualifier champion –
2024 African/Oceania Olympic Qualifier runner-up –
2024 Asian Olympic Qualifier champion –
2024 Asian Olympic Qualifier runner-up –
2024 World Olympic Games Qualifier champion –
2024 World Olympic Games Qualifier runner-up –
2024 World Olympic Games Qualifier third place wrestle-off -
68 kg/149.75 lbs.
2023 World champion – Turkey (Buse Cavusoglu Tosun)
2023 World silver medalist – Mongolia (Delgermaa Enkhsaikhan)
2023 World bronze medalist – France (Koumba Larroque)
2023 World bronze medalist – Moldova (Irina Ringaci)
2023 World fifth place wrestle-off – Japan (Ami Ishii)
2024 Pan American Olympic Qualifier champion –
2024 Pan American Olympic Qualifier runner-up –
2024 European Olympic Qualifier champion –
2024 European Olympic Qualifier runner-up –
2024 African/Oceania Olympic Qualifier champion –
2024 African/Oceania Olympic Qualifier runner-up –
2024 Asian Olympic Qualifier champion –
2024 Asian Olympic Qualifier runner-up –
2024 World Olympic Games Qualifier champion –
2024 World Olympic Games Qualifier runner-up –
2024 World Olympic Games Qualifier third place wrestle-off -
76 kg/167.5 lbs.
2023 World champion – Japan (Yuka Kagami)
2023 World silver medalist – Kyrgyzstan (Aiperi Medet Kyzy)
2023 World bronze medalist – United States (Adeline Gray)
2023 World bronze medalist – Colombia (Tatiana Renteria)
2023 World fifth place wrestle-off – Cuba (Milaimys Marin Potrille)
2024 Pan American Olympic Qualifier champion –
2024 Pan American Olympic Qualifier runner-up –
2024 European Olympic Qualifier champion –
2024 European Olympic Qualifier runner-up –
2024 African/Oceania Olympic Qualifier champion –
2024 African/Oceania Olympic Qualifier runner-up –
2024 Asian Olympic Qualifier champion –
2024 Asian Olympic Qualifier runner-up –
2024 World Olympic Games Qualifier champion –
2024 World Olympic Games Qualifier runner-up –
2024 World Olympic Games Qualifier third place wrestle-off -
Updated Olympic Qualification in men’s freestyle
Individual Neutral Athlete RUS, 4 (57kgMFS, 65kgMFS, 74kgMFS, 125 kgMFS)
United States, 4 (74kgMFS, 86kgMFS, 97kgMFS, 125 kgMFS)
Iran, 3 (65kgMFS, 86kgMFS, 125kg MFS)
Armenia, 2 (57kgMFS, 65kgMFS)
Georgia, 2 (97kgMFS, 125kgMFS)
Japan, 2 (57kgMFS, 74kgMFS)
Serbia, 2 (57kgMFS, 74kgMFS)
Turkey, 2 (97kgMFS, 125kgMFS)
Albania, 1 (57kgMFS)
Azerbaijan, 1 (97kgMFS)
Bahrain, 1 (97kgMFS)
Greece, 1 (74kgMFS)
Hungary, 1 (65kgMFS)
Kazakhstan, 1 (86kgMFS)
Puerto Rico, 1 (65kgMFS)
San Marino, 1 (86 kgMFS)
Uzbekistan, 1 (86kgMFS)
Olympic qualification in men’s freestyle
(with athlete who qualified weight class or expected entry)
57 kg/125.5 lbs.
2023 World champion – Serbia (Stevan Micic)
2023 World silver medalist – Japan (Rei Higuchi)
2023 World bronze medalist – Armenia (Arsen Harutyunuan)
2023 World bronze medalist – Albania (Zelimkhan Abakarov)
2023 World fifth place wrestle-off – Individual Neutral Athlete RUS (Zavur Uguev)
2024 Pan American Olympic Qualifier champion –
2024 Pan American Olympic Qualifier runner-up –
2024 European Olympic Qualifier champion –
2024 European Olympic Qualifier runner-up –
2024 African/Oceania Olympic Qualifier champion –
2024 African/Oceania Olympic Qualifier runner-up –
2024 Asian Olympic Qualifier champion –
2024 Asian Olympic Qualifier runner-up –
2024 World Olympic Games Qualifier champion –
2024 World Olympic Games Qualifier runner-up –
2024 World Olympic Games Qualifier third place wrestle-off -
65 kg/143 lbs.
2023 World champion – Hungary (Ismail Musukaev)
2023 World silver medalist – Puerto Rico (Sebastian Rivera)
2023 World bronze medalist – Individual Neutral Athlete RUS (Shamil Mamedov)
2023 World bronze medalist – Armenia (Vazgen Tevanyan)
2023 World fifth place wrestle-off – Iran (Rahman Amouzadkhalili)
2024 Pan American Olympic Qualifier champion –
2024 Pan American Olympic Qualifier runner-up –
2024 European Olympic Qualifier champion –
2024 European Olympic Qualifier runner-up –
2024 African/Oceania Olympic Qualifier champion –
2024 African/Oceania Olympic Qualifier runner-up –
2024 Asian Olympic Qualifier champion –
2024 Asian Olympic Qualifier runner-up –
2024 World Olympic Games Qualifier champion –
2024 World Olympic Games Qualifier runner-up –
2024 World Olympic Games Qualifier third place wrestle-off -
74 kg/163 lbs.
2023 World champion – Individual Neutral Athlete RUS (Zaurbek Sidakov)
2023 World silver medalist – United States (Kyle Dake)
2023 World bronze medalist – Serbia (Hetik Cabolov)
2023 World bronze medalist – Japan (Daichi Takatani)
2023 World fifth place wrestle-off – Greece (Kougioumtsidis)
2024 Pan American Olympic Qualifier champion –
2024 Pan American Olympic Qualifier runner-up –
2024 European Olympic Qualifier champion –
2024 European Olympic Qualifier runner-up –
2024 African/Oceania Olympic Qualifier champion –
2024 African/Oceania Olympic Qualifier runner-up –
2024 Asian Olympic Qualifier champion –
2024 Asian Olympic Qualifier runner-up –
2024 World Olympic Games Qualifier champion –
2024 World Olympic Games Qualifier runner-up –
2024 World Olympic Games Qualifier third place wrestle-off -
86 kg/189 lbs.
2023 World champion – United States (David Taylor)
2023 World silver medalist – Iran (Hassan Yazdanicharati)
2023 World bronze medalist – San Marino (Myles Amine)
2023 World bronze medalist – Kazakhstan (Azamat Dauletbekov)
2023 World fifth place wrestle-off – Uzbekistan (Javrail Shapiev)
2024 Pan American Olympic Qualifier champion –
2024 Pan American Olympic Qualifier runner-up –
2024 European Olympic Qualifier champion –
2024 European Olympic Qualifier runner-up –
2024 African/Oceania Olympic Qualifier champion –
2024 African/Oceania Olympic Qualifier runner-up –
2024 Asian Olympic Qualifier champion –
2024 Asian Olympic Qualifier runner-up –
2024 World Olympic Games Qualifier champion –
2024 World Olympic Games Qualifier runner-up –
2024 World Olympic Games Qualifier third place wrestle-off -
97 kg/213.75 lbs.
2023 World champion – Bahrain (Akhmed Tazhudinov)
2023 World silver medalist – Azerbaijan (Magomedkhan Magomedov)
2023 World bronze medalist – United States (Kyle Snyder)
2023 World bronze medalist – Georgia (Givi Matcharishvili)
2023 World fifth place wrestle-off – Turkey (Ibrahim Ciftci)
2024 Pan American Olympic Qualifier champion –
2024 Pan American Olympic Qualifier runner-up –
2024 European Olympic Qualifier champion –
2024 European Olympic Qualifier runner-up –
2024 African/Oceania Olympic Qualifier champion –
2024 African/Oceania Olympic Qualifier runner-up –
2024 Asian Olympic Qualifier champion –
2024 Asian Olympic Qualifier runner-up –
2024 World Olympic Games Qualifier champion –
2024 World Olympic Games Qualifier runner-up –
2024 World Olympic Games Qualifier third place wrestle-off -
125 kg/275 lbs.
2023 World champion – Iran (Amir Zare)
2023 World silver medalist – Georgia (Geno Petriashvili)
2023 World bronze medalist – United States (Mason Parris)
2023 World bronze medalist – Turkey (Taha Akgul)
2023 World fifth place wrestle-off – Individual Neutral Athlete (Abdulla Kurbanov)
2024 Pan American Olympic Qualifier champion –
2024 Pan American Olympic Qualifier runner-up –
2024 European Olympic Qualifier champion –
2024 European Olympic Qualifier runner-up –
2024 African/Oceania Olympic Qualifier champion –
2024 African/Oceania Olympic Qualifier runner-up –
2024 Asian Olympic Qualifier champion –
2024 Asian Olympic Qualifier runner-up –
2024 World Olympic Games Qualifier champion –
2024 World Olympic Games Qualifier runner-up –
2024 World Olympic Games Qualifier third place wrestle-off -