ISTANBUL (May 4) – The final 36 wrestling berths for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games will be up for grabs this weekend at the “last chance” qualifying tournament in Istanbul
A total of 300 licenses for Rio 2016 have already been handed out to 58 national Olympic committees via last year’s world championships in Las Vegas, four continental qualifying meets this winter and spring, and the first world qualifier two weeks ago in Ulaanbaatar.
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Russia leads all countries heading into the final qualifying tourney with 15 berths, including tickets for all 12 men’s events. Azerbaijan is second with 13, followed by China, Kazakhstan and the United States with 12 each.
Seventeen of the 58 countries have qualified in all three disciplines – Greco-Roman, Freestyle and Women’s Wrestling – while 19 others have secured berths in only one.
Azerbaijan has qualified for all six events in freestyle along with Russia, Iran and Georgia, while Egypt is the only country other than Russia to have booked all six slots in Greco-Roman. In the women’s events, Japan and Canada will be sending full squads to Rio de Janeiro.
Still, with many of the world’s top wrestlers already holding reservations for Rio 2016, a handful of world and Olympic Games champions and medalists remain in the hunt for a possible nomination in Istanbul.
Thumbnail previews of each day and discipline:
Friday, May 6 – Greco-Roman, all categories
Wrestling begins Friday with one of the biggest names in wrestling over the last decade – Hamid SORYAN (IRI) – still looking to secure a berth in Rio. A win in Istanbul by the London 2012 gold medalist and six-time world champion would give Iran entries in all 12 men’s events.
Soryan, who notched his most recent world title in 2014, was tripped up in the round of 16 in Ulaanbaatar by 2013 world champion Ivo ANGELOV (BUL). Angelov, in turn, fell in the quarterfinals, knocking Soryan out of contention in the first world qualifier.
Angelov is on Bulgaria’s entry list for Istanbul, but Soryan remains a question mark as late entries continue to trickle in. If not Soryan, Iran could go with Asian silver medalist Saman ABDOULVALI (IRI).
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Azerbaijan has two world champions listed at 66kg, hoping whoever they choose -- Hasan ALIYEV (AZE) or Rasul CHUNAYEV (AZE) -- will add to its list of qualifiers. Artak MARGARYAN (FRA) could challenge after finishing in third and eighth in last month’s two tournaments.
Selcuk CEBI (TUR) is the reigning world champion at 80kg but is entered at 75kg hoping to join a list of qualifiers that already boasts world champions Roman VLASOV (RUS), KIM Hyeon-Woo (KOR), Arsen JULFALAKYAN (ARM), Saeid Mourad ABDVALI (IRI) and Peter BACSI (HUN).
World champion Melonin NOUMONVI (FRA) and London 2012 bronze medalists Damian JANIKOWSKI (POL) are the favorites at 85kg while Aleksander KAZAKEVIC (LTU) could battle for one of the two tickets.
In the heavier weight categories, Azerbaijan tries fill the gap at 98kg with two-time Olympian Shalva GADABADZE (AZE) or 2014 junior world champ Orkhan NURIEV (AZE), while London 2012 bronze medalist Johan EUREN (SWE) hopes his shaky knee can carry him to Rio at 130kg.
Saturday, May 7 – Women’s Wrestling, all categories
Alina MAKHINYA (UKR) and Vanesa KALADZINSKAYA (BLR) are the only world champions from this most recent Olympic cycle still looking to qualify for Rio 2016.
Makhinya, who was third in Zrenjanin, comes in as the favorite at 69kg, but could face 2014 world bronze medal winner Laura SKUJINA (LAT) for a ticket.
London 2012 Olympian Kaladzinskaya, who was fifth at 53kg in Zrenjanin, is entered at 48kg and faces a possible showdown with 2014 world silver medalist Iwona MATKOWSKA (POL). European under-23 champion Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR) could join the mix
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Russia also enters European under-23 champion Natalya MALYSHEVA (RUS) at 53kg and European Games silver medalist Ekaterina BUKINA (RUS) at 75kg. Both finished in third place in Ulaanbaatar after semifinal losses.
The field is wide open at 63kg with veterans Monika MICHALIK (POL) and Henna JOHANSSON (SWE) leading the way, but 17-year-old Koumba LARROQUE (FRA) could surprise. The cadet world champion gave 2013 world champion Marianna SASTIN (HUN) all she could handle in the Ulaanbaatar semifinals.
Sunday, May 8 – Freestyle, all categories
Two-time world champion Ibragim ALDATOV (UKR) is the biggest name waiting to qualify in the freestyle events. Aldatov dropped a 3-3 decision to Amarhadshi MAGOMEDOV (BLR) in Zrenjanin semifinals at 86kg.
Aldatov will be the favorite in Istanbul, but European Games silver medalist Piotr IANULOV (MDA) and Asian Games bronze medalists KIM Gwak-Uk (KOR) and Umidyon ISMANOV (UZB) could present the biggest obstacles to reaching his third Olympic Games.
Asian Games bronze medalist DORJKHAND Khuderbulga (MGL) dropped a Rio 2016 wrestle-off before the hometown crowd in Ulaanbaatar, but arrives in Istanbul as the favorite at 97kg. A win here would give Mongolia its sixth ticket in the freestyle events.
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World bronze medalist at 70kg Bekzod ABDURAKHMANOV (UZB) steps in for Rashid KURBANOV (UZB) at 74kg and becomes a favorite in a wide-open weight category.
The lightest categories will also be wide-open affairs with 2013 junior world champion Suleyman ATLI (TUR) and world bronze medalist at 61kg Vasyl SHUPTAR (UKR) leading at 57kg.
At 65kg, European bronze medalist Azamat KURIKOV (BLR) and Borislav NOVACHKOV (BUL), who finished fourth in Ulaanbaatar, are the favorites. World champion David SAFARYAN (ARM) is also expected as organizers wait for final entries. Frank MOLINARO (USA) seeks to give the U.S. a sixth ticket to Rio 2016 in freestyle.
Schedule
Thursday, May 5
13:00-14:45 – Medical Examination & Weigh-in: Greco-Roman, all categories
Friday, May 6
10:00-15:00 – Qualification Rounds & Repechage: Greco-Roman, all categories
15:15-17:00 - Medical Examination & Weigh-in: Women’s Wrestling, all categories
17:30-18:00 – Opening Ceremony
18:00-20:00 – Finals and Awards Ceremonies: Greco-Roman, all categories
Saturday, May 7
10:00-15:00 – Qualification Rounds & Repechage: Women’s Wrestling, all categories
16:00-17:45 - Medical Examination & Weigh-in: Freestyle, all categories
18:00-20:00 – Finals and Awards Ceremonies: Women’s Wrestling, all categories
Sunday, May 8
10:00-15:00 – Qualification Rounds & Repechage: Freestyle, all categories
18:00-20:00 – Finals and Awards Ceremonies: Freestyle, all categories
