Olympic Games preview in men's freestyle at 125 kg/275 lbs.
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by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling
Tervel Dlagnev of the USA, shown at the 2016 Pan American Olympic Qualifier, returns to the Olympics after placing fifth at the 2012 London Games. Photo by Tony Rotundo, Wrestlers Are Warriors.
Date of competition: Saturday, August 20
Winning the last two World Championship gold medals has been Taha Akgul of Turkey, who also boasts a 2013 World bronze medal. Akgul has won three European Championships plus the 2015 European Games and also won two World University gold medals. He has been dominant in many of his matches against top rivals, giving him great confidence going into Rio.
Three-time World champion Bilyal Makhov of Russia won a bronze medal at the 2012 Olympic Games. He has won World freestyle medals, with a silver in 2011 and a bronze in 2015. He has also won World bronze medals in Greco-Roman in both 2014 and 2015. A two-time Junior World champion as well, Makhov is big, strong and skilled.
2015 World silver medalist and 2011 World bronze medalist Jamaladdin Magomedov of Azerbaijan is another top contender. He competed in the 2012 Olympics but did not place. 2013 and 2015 World bronze medalist Geno Petriashvili of Georgia was also a Junior World champion in 2013. He won the 2016 European Championships as well.
2009 and 2014 World bronze medalist Tervel Dlagnev of the United States is returning to the Olympics after placing fifth at the 2012 Olympic Games. Dlagnev was also fifth at the 2011 and 2013 World Championships. A University World champion in 2008, Dlagnev is as experienced and talented as any of the athletes in the draw. He is a leader on the USA team, and as experienced as anybody in this weight class.
2012 Olympic bronze medalist Komiel Ghasemi also won a World silver medal in 2014. Ghasemi also won the Asian Olympic Qualifier. Ghasemi beat Dlagnev in the bronze-medal bout at the 2012 Olympics, but Dlagnev has wins over Ghasemi as well in their personal rivalry.
Levan Berianidze of Armenia won a 2010 World bronze medal when he was wrestling for Georgia. He earned his spot in Rio by placing fifth at the 2015 World Championships for his new nation.
Chuluunbat Jargalsaikhan of Mongolia has been fifth in the World twice (2011 and 2015) and has been a medalist at the Asian Championships for a number of years.
Daulet Shabanbay of Kazakhstan, who was fifth at the 2012 Olympic Games, qualified by placing second in the Asian Olympic Qualifier. Aiaal Lazarev of Kyrgyzstan, a 2015 Asian champion, is another veteran competitor in the draw. Ukraine could also select past World medalist Alen Zasieiev, who was banned for a positive meldonium test, but reinstated by UWW after they received additional IOC direction on how to handle these positive tests.
Deng Zhiwei of China won the 1st World Olympic Qualifier in Mongolia and was a 2013 World Military champion.
Ukraine has chosen 2013 World silver medalist Alen Zasieiev over Oleksandr Khotsianivski to compete in Rio. Zasieiev qualified Ukraine at the European Olympic Qualifier, but was then disqualified for testing positive for meldonium. Khotsianivski claimed the gold at the 2nd World Olympic Qualifier in Turkey to get Ukraine back in. When the IOC clarified the procedures for meldonium testing, UWW reinstated Zasieiev, who was then selected by Ukraine for the Games.
Winning the Africa/Oceania Olympic qualifier was Diaaeldin Abdelmottaleb of Egypt, who also won the 2016 African Championships.
Ibrahim Saidau of Belarus placed second in the final World Olympic Qualifier to earn his spot in Rio. He wrestled for Russia through 2012, but began to compete for Belarus in 2014. Korey Jarvis of Canada, a 2014 Commonwealth Games champion, qualified by taking second at the Pan American Olympic Qualifier.
Among the other qualifiers are Lyuben Iliev of Bulgaria, Robert Baran of Poland and Slim Trabelsi of Tunisia. Added to the field as a selection by the Triparthite Commission is Skilang Florian Temengil of Palau. Temengil, an eight time Oceania champion, also competed in the 2008 Olympic Games.
PROJECTED OLYMPIC GAMES FIELD
Armenia - Levan Berianidze (World No. 8)
Azerbaijan - Jamaladdin Magomedov (World No. 5)
Belarus - Ibrahim Saidau
Bulgaria – Dimitar Kumchev
Canada - Korey Jarvis
China – Deng Zhiwei (World No. 7)
Egypt - Diaaeldin Abdelmottaleb (World No. 20)
Georgia - Geno Petriashvili (World No. 1)
Hungary – Daniel Ligeti (World No. 12)
Iran - Komeil Ghasemi (World No. 6)
Kazakhstan - Daulet Shabanbay (World No. 9)
Kyrgyzstan - Aiaal Lazarev (World No. 17)
Mongolia - Chuluunbat Jargalsaikhan (World No. 10)
Palau – Skilang Florian Temengil
Poland - Robert Baran (World No. 11)
Russia - Bilyal Makhov (World No. 2)
Tunisia – Radhouane Chebbi
Turkey - Taha Akgul (World No. 4)
Ukraine - Alen Zasieiev
United States - Tervel Dlagnev (World No. 14)
*UWW Pre-Olympic World ranking released July 27
RECENT WORLD AND OLYMPIC RESULTS
2015 World Championships
125 kg/275 lbs. - Gold – Taha Akgul (Turkey); Silver – Jamaladdin Magomedov (Azerbaijan); Bronze – Geno Petriashvili (Georgia); Bronze – Bilyal Makhov (Russia); 5th – Chuluunbat Jargalsaikhan (Mongolia); 5th – Levan Berianidze (Armenia); 7th – Daulet Shabanbay (Kazakhstan); 8th – Nobuyoshi Arakida (Japan); 9th – Parviz Hadi (Iran); 10th – Aiaal Lazarev (Kyrgyzstan)
2014 World Championships
125 kg/275 lbs. - Gold – Taha Akgul (Turkey); Silver – Komil Ghasemi (Iran); Bronze – Tervel Dlagnev (USA); Bronze – Khadzhimurat Gatsalov (Russia); 5th – Alexei Shemarov (Belarus); 5th – Oleksandr Khotsianivskyi (Ukraine); 7th – Chuluunbat Jargalsaikhan (Mongolia); 8th – Aslan Dzebisov (Azerbaijan); 9th – Nick Matuhin (Germany); 10th – Zhiwei Deng (China)
2013 World Championships
120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Gold – Khadzhimurat Gatsalov (Russia); Silver – Alen Zasieiev (Ukraine); Bronze – Geno Petriashvili (Georgia); Bronze – Taha Akgul (Turkey); 5th – Zhiwei Deng (China); 5th – Tervel Dlagnev (USA); 7th – Rares Chintoan (Romania); 8th – Jamaladdin Magomedov (Azerbaijan); 9th – Daniel Ligeti (Hungary); 10th – Komeil Ghasemi (Iran)
2012 Olympic Games
120 kg/264.5 lbs. – Gold – Artur Taymazov (Uzbekistan); Silver – Davit Modzmanashvili (Georgia); Bronze – Komeil Ghasemi (Iran); Bronze – Bilyal Makhov (Russia); 5th – Tervel Dlagnev (USA); 5th – Daulet Shabanbay (Kazakhstan); 7th – Chuluunbat Jargalsaikhan (Mongolia); 8th – Alexei Shemarov (Belarus); 9th – Taha Akgul (Turkey); 10th – Rares Chintoan (Romania)
2011 World Championships
120 kg/264.5 lbs. – Gold – Alexei Shemarov (Belarus); Silver – Bilyal Makhov (Russia); Bronze – Jamaladdin Magomedov (Azerbaijan); Bronze – Davit Modzmanashvili (Georgia); 5th – Chuluunbat Jargalsaikhan (Mongolia); 5th – Tervel Dlagnev (USA); 7th – Fatih Cakiroglu (Turkey); 8th – Artur Taymazov (Uzbekistan); 9th – Ioannis Arzoumanidis (Greece); 10th – Fatjon Baro (Albania)
2010 World Championships
120 kg/264.5 lbs. – Gold – Bilyal Makhov (Russia); Silver – Artur Taymazov (Uzbekistan); Bronze – Levan Berianidze (Georgia); Bronze – Ioannis Arzoumanidis (Greece); 5th – Daniel Ligeti (Hungary); 5th – Ali Isayev (Azerbaijan); 7th – Fardin Masoumi (Iran); 8th – Marid Mutalimov (Kazakhstan); 9th – Les Sigman (USA); 10th – Zhiwei Dong (China)
2009 World Championships
120 kg/264.5 lbs. – Gold – Bilyal Makhov (Russia); Silver – Fardin Masoumi (Iran); Bronze – Ioannis Arzoumanidis (Greece); Bronze – Tervel Dlagnev (USA); 5th – Disney Rodriguez (Cuba); 5th – Alex Modebadze (Georgia); 7th – Bartomiej Bartnicki (Poland); 8th – Ali Isayev (Azerbaijan); 9th - Arjan Bhullar (Canada); 10th – Alexei Shemarov (Belarus)
Date of competition: Saturday, August 20
Winning the last two World Championship gold medals has been Taha Akgul of Turkey, who also boasts a 2013 World bronze medal. Akgul has won three European Championships plus the 2015 European Games and also won two World University gold medals. He has been dominant in many of his matches against top rivals, giving him great confidence going into Rio.
Three-time World champion Bilyal Makhov of Russia won a bronze medal at the 2012 Olympic Games. He has won World freestyle medals, with a silver in 2011 and a bronze in 2015. He has also won World bronze medals in Greco-Roman in both 2014 and 2015. A two-time Junior World champion as well, Makhov is big, strong and skilled.
2015 World silver medalist and 2011 World bronze medalist Jamaladdin Magomedov of Azerbaijan is another top contender. He competed in the 2012 Olympics but did not place. 2013 and 2015 World bronze medalist Geno Petriashvili of Georgia was also a Junior World champion in 2013. He won the 2016 European Championships as well.
2009 and 2014 World bronze medalist Tervel Dlagnev of the United States is returning to the Olympics after placing fifth at the 2012 Olympic Games. Dlagnev was also fifth at the 2011 and 2013 World Championships. A University World champion in 2008, Dlagnev is as experienced and talented as any of the athletes in the draw. He is a leader on the USA team, and as experienced as anybody in this weight class.
2012 Olympic bronze medalist Komiel Ghasemi also won a World silver medal in 2014. Ghasemi also won the Asian Olympic Qualifier. Ghasemi beat Dlagnev in the bronze-medal bout at the 2012 Olympics, but Dlagnev has wins over Ghasemi as well in their personal rivalry.
Levan Berianidze of Armenia won a 2010 World bronze medal when he was wrestling for Georgia. He earned his spot in Rio by placing fifth at the 2015 World Championships for his new nation.
Chuluunbat Jargalsaikhan of Mongolia has been fifth in the World twice (2011 and 2015) and has been a medalist at the Asian Championships for a number of years.
Daulet Shabanbay of Kazakhstan, who was fifth at the 2012 Olympic Games, qualified by placing second in the Asian Olympic Qualifier. Aiaal Lazarev of Kyrgyzstan, a 2015 Asian champion, is another veteran competitor in the draw. Ukraine could also select past World medalist Alen Zasieiev, who was banned for a positive meldonium test, but reinstated by UWW after they received additional IOC direction on how to handle these positive tests.
Deng Zhiwei of China won the 1st World Olympic Qualifier in Mongolia and was a 2013 World Military champion.
Ukraine has chosen 2013 World silver medalist Alen Zasieiev over Oleksandr Khotsianivski to compete in Rio. Zasieiev qualified Ukraine at the European Olympic Qualifier, but was then disqualified for testing positive for meldonium. Khotsianivski claimed the gold at the 2nd World Olympic Qualifier in Turkey to get Ukraine back in. When the IOC clarified the procedures for meldonium testing, UWW reinstated Zasieiev, who was then selected by Ukraine for the Games.
Winning the Africa/Oceania Olympic qualifier was Diaaeldin Abdelmottaleb of Egypt, who also won the 2016 African Championships.
Ibrahim Saidau of Belarus placed second in the final World Olympic Qualifier to earn his spot in Rio. He wrestled for Russia through 2012, but began to compete for Belarus in 2014. Korey Jarvis of Canada, a 2014 Commonwealth Games champion, qualified by taking second at the Pan American Olympic Qualifier.
Among the other qualifiers are Lyuben Iliev of Bulgaria, Robert Baran of Poland and Slim Trabelsi of Tunisia. Added to the field as a selection by the Triparthite Commission is Skilang Florian Temengil of Palau. Temengil, an eight time Oceania champion, also competed in the 2008 Olympic Games.
PROJECTED OLYMPIC GAMES FIELD
Armenia - Levan Berianidze (World No. 8)
Azerbaijan - Jamaladdin Magomedov (World No. 5)
Belarus - Ibrahim Saidau
Bulgaria – Dimitar Kumchev
Canada - Korey Jarvis
China – Deng Zhiwei (World No. 7)
Egypt - Diaaeldin Abdelmottaleb (World No. 20)
Georgia - Geno Petriashvili (World No. 1)
Hungary – Daniel Ligeti (World No. 12)
Iran - Komeil Ghasemi (World No. 6)
Kazakhstan - Daulet Shabanbay (World No. 9)
Kyrgyzstan - Aiaal Lazarev (World No. 17)
Mongolia - Chuluunbat Jargalsaikhan (World No. 10)
Palau – Skilang Florian Temengil
Poland - Robert Baran (World No. 11)
Russia - Bilyal Makhov (World No. 2)
Tunisia – Radhouane Chebbi
Turkey - Taha Akgul (World No. 4)
Ukraine - Alen Zasieiev
United States - Tervel Dlagnev (World No. 14)
*UWW Pre-Olympic World ranking released July 27
RECENT WORLD AND OLYMPIC RESULTS
2015 World Championships
125 kg/275 lbs. - Gold – Taha Akgul (Turkey); Silver – Jamaladdin Magomedov (Azerbaijan); Bronze – Geno Petriashvili (Georgia); Bronze – Bilyal Makhov (Russia); 5th – Chuluunbat Jargalsaikhan (Mongolia); 5th – Levan Berianidze (Armenia); 7th – Daulet Shabanbay (Kazakhstan); 8th – Nobuyoshi Arakida (Japan); 9th – Parviz Hadi (Iran); 10th – Aiaal Lazarev (Kyrgyzstan)
2014 World Championships
125 kg/275 lbs. - Gold – Taha Akgul (Turkey); Silver – Komil Ghasemi (Iran); Bronze – Tervel Dlagnev (USA); Bronze – Khadzhimurat Gatsalov (Russia); 5th – Alexei Shemarov (Belarus); 5th – Oleksandr Khotsianivskyi (Ukraine); 7th – Chuluunbat Jargalsaikhan (Mongolia); 8th – Aslan Dzebisov (Azerbaijan); 9th – Nick Matuhin (Germany); 10th – Zhiwei Deng (China)
2013 World Championships
120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Gold – Khadzhimurat Gatsalov (Russia); Silver – Alen Zasieiev (Ukraine); Bronze – Geno Petriashvili (Georgia); Bronze – Taha Akgul (Turkey); 5th – Zhiwei Deng (China); 5th – Tervel Dlagnev (USA); 7th – Rares Chintoan (Romania); 8th – Jamaladdin Magomedov (Azerbaijan); 9th – Daniel Ligeti (Hungary); 10th – Komeil Ghasemi (Iran)
2012 Olympic Games
120 kg/264.5 lbs. – Gold – Artur Taymazov (Uzbekistan); Silver – Davit Modzmanashvili (Georgia); Bronze – Komeil Ghasemi (Iran); Bronze – Bilyal Makhov (Russia); 5th – Tervel Dlagnev (USA); 5th – Daulet Shabanbay (Kazakhstan); 7th – Chuluunbat Jargalsaikhan (Mongolia); 8th – Alexei Shemarov (Belarus); 9th – Taha Akgul (Turkey); 10th – Rares Chintoan (Romania)
2011 World Championships
120 kg/264.5 lbs. – Gold – Alexei Shemarov (Belarus); Silver – Bilyal Makhov (Russia); Bronze – Jamaladdin Magomedov (Azerbaijan); Bronze – Davit Modzmanashvili (Georgia); 5th – Chuluunbat Jargalsaikhan (Mongolia); 5th – Tervel Dlagnev (USA); 7th – Fatih Cakiroglu (Turkey); 8th – Artur Taymazov (Uzbekistan); 9th – Ioannis Arzoumanidis (Greece); 10th – Fatjon Baro (Albania)
2010 World Championships
120 kg/264.5 lbs. – Gold – Bilyal Makhov (Russia); Silver – Artur Taymazov (Uzbekistan); Bronze – Levan Berianidze (Georgia); Bronze – Ioannis Arzoumanidis (Greece); 5th – Daniel Ligeti (Hungary); 5th – Ali Isayev (Azerbaijan); 7th – Fardin Masoumi (Iran); 8th – Marid Mutalimov (Kazakhstan); 9th – Les Sigman (USA); 10th – Zhiwei Dong (China)
2009 World Championships
120 kg/264.5 lbs. – Gold – Bilyal Makhov (Russia); Silver – Fardin Masoumi (Iran); Bronze – Ioannis Arzoumanidis (Greece); Bronze – Tervel Dlagnev (USA); 5th – Disney Rodriguez (Cuba); 5th – Alex Modebadze (Georgia); 7th – Bartomiej Bartnicki (Poland); 8th – Ali Isayev (Azerbaijan); 9th - Arjan Bhullar (Canada); 10th – Alexei Shemarov (Belarus)
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