SZOMBATHELY, Hungary (March 26) – Rio 2016 bronze medal winners Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) and Denis KUDLA (GER) kick off the march to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games this week at the European Under-23 Wrestling Championships.
Defending U23 champion Petriashvili will attempt to repeat as champion at 125kg in freestyle while Kudla, a titlist at the inaugural 2015 U23 meet, will seek a second Greco-Roman title at 85kg on the final day of the March 28-April 2 meet at Arena Savaria.
But, while highlighting some of the top young wrestlers in Europe today, the championships – and the inaugural world U23s in November -- can also be expected to provide some early glimpses of the hopefuls aiming at a berth in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
Freestyle: Tuesday & Wednesday (March 28-29)
The first day of competition opens with returning champion Imam ADZHIEV (RUS), up from 61kg, trying to impress at 65kg while 2013 junior world champ Suleyman ATLI (TUR) takes his first shot at a U23 crown after winning Yasar Dogu ahead of Yarygin titlist Zaur UGUEV (RUS) and 2015 junior world champ Makhir AMIRASLANOV (AZE).
Petriashvili, who also won the senior European crown last year, is a favorite to reach in the finale at 125kg on the second day of freestyle bouts. Another gold medalist from the 2016 senior European championships, Gadshimurad RASHIDOV (RUS), could kick off the evening in the 61kg gold medal final.
Women’s Wrestling: Thursday & Friday (March 30-31)
Koumba LARROQUE (FRA) has been checking off age-group titles the last couple of years -- cadet European and world (2015), junior European and world (2016) – and added her first two senior crowns in Paris and Klippan at 69kg earlier this year. Larroque will be in action on Thursday.
Returning champions also competing on the first day will be Turkish teammates Evin DEMIRHAN (48kg) and Buse TOSUN (69kg) as well as Olena KREMZER (UKR) at 55kg and Tatyana OMELCHENKO (AZE) at 60kg. Senior world champion Oksana HERHEL (UKR) will be in the mix at 60kg.
Petra OLLI (FIN), winner of the 60kg in 2015, returns at 63kg in a bid for her second U23 title and Tatyana KIT (UKR) seeks a repeat at 58kg on the second day.
Greco-Roman: Saturday & Sunday (April 1-2)
Two-time junior world champion Ramaz ZOIDZE (GEO) kicks off wrestling in the classic style, seeking at a U23 gold medal at 71kg after a bronze medal last year, while teammate Gela BOLKVADZE (GEO) tries to keep the 80kg crown in Georgia for a third straight year.
Also on the first day, 98kg features U23 champions from 2015, Fatih BASCOY (TUR), and 2016, Muhammed Etka SEVER (GER).
The final day of the championships opens with Rio 2016 bronze medalist Shmagi BOLKVADZE (GEO), wrestling in his first U23 meet at 66kg and Lasha GOBADZE (GEO), who has won the first two titles at 80kg for Georgia, tries for his third U23 triumph at 85kg.
Gobadze joins 2015 champ Kudla, defending champion Erik SZILVASSY (HUN), two-time junior world champ Islam ABBASOV (AZE) and 2015 junior winner Ali CENGIZ (TUR) -- all vying for the 85kg gold medal.
Zviadi PATARIDZE (GEO) has brought the curtain down with winning performances in his last seven age-group events and will be a favorite to do it again in the 130kg final.
Schedule
Monday, March 27
17:00-17:45 – Medical Examination: FS 57kg, 65kg, 74kg & 97kg
18:00-18:30 – Weigh-In: FS 57kg, 65kg, 74kg & 97kg
Tuesday, March 28
10:00-13:00 – Qualification Rounds & Repechage: FS 57kg, 65kg, 74kg & 97kg
15:15-16:15 – Medical Examination: FS 61kg, 70kg, 86kg & 125kg
16:30-17:00 – Weigh-In: FS 61kg, 70kg, 86kg & 125kg
17:00-17:30 – Opening Ceremony
17:30-20:30 – Finals & Award Ceremonies: FS 57kg, 65kg, 74kg & 97kg
Wednesday, March 29
10:00-13:00 – Qualification Rounds & Repechage: FS 61kg, 70kg, 86kg & 125kg
15:30-16:15 – Medical Examination: WW 48kg, 55kg, 60kg & 69kg
16:30-17:00 – Weigh-In: WW 48kg, 55kg, 60kg & 69kg
17:00-19:00 – Finals & Award Ceremonies: FS 61kg, 70kg, 86kg & 125kg
Thursday, March 30
10:00-13:00 – Qualification Rounds & Repechage: WW 48kg, 55kg, 60kg & 69kg
15:30-16:15 – Medical Examination: WW 53kg, 58kg, 63kg & 75kg
16:30-17:00 – Weigh-In: WW 53kg, 58kg, 63kg & 75kg
17:00-19:00 – Finals & Award Ceremonies: WW 48kg, 55kg, 60kg & 69kg
Friday, March 31
10:00-13:00 – Qualification Rounds & Repechage: WW 53kg, 58kg, 63kg & 75kg
15:30-16:15 – Medical Examination: GR 59kg, 71kg, 80kg & 98kg
16:30-17:00 – Weigh-In: GR 59kg, 71kg, 80kg & 98kg
17:00-19:00 – Finals & Award Ceremonies: WW 53kg, 58kg, 63kg & 75kg
Saturday, April 1
10:00-13:00 – Qualification Rounds & Repechage: GR 59kg, 71kg, 80kg & 98kg
15:30-16:15 – Medical Examination: GR 66kg, 75kg, 85kg & 130kg
16:30-17:00 – Weigh-In: GR 66kg, 75kg, 85kg & 130kg
17:00-19:00 – Finals & Award Ceremonies: GR 59kg, 71kg, 80kg & 98kg
Sunday, April 2
09:00-13:00 – Qualification Rounds & Repechage: GR 66kg, 75kg, 85kg & 130kg
17:00-19:00 – Finals & Award Ceremonies: GR 66kg, 75kg, 85kg & 130kg
