Wrestling 2020 Tokyo Olympic Review

Men’s Freestyle -57kg

In the quarter-finals of the top half, two former world championships medalists came up against each other. It was Nurislam Sanayev (Kazakhstan) who overcame home favourite Yuki Takahashi (Japan). Ravi Kumar Dahiya (India) had the easiest-looking draw and made it through to the semi-finals with an aggregate score of 27-6. Suleyman Atli (Turkey) was upset in the opening round by Reza Atri (Iran). The bottom quarter hosted the favourite, Zaur Uguev (Russia), who edged Thomas Gilman (United States) in a tough opening bout before beating Gulomjon Abdullaev (Uzbekistan). Dahiya beat Sanayev from behind, with a last-minute pin despite being bitten by the Kazakh. Uguev joined him with an 8-3 win over Atri. In the final, Uguev dominated defensively and took a 7-4 victory. Gilman came through the repechage with an 11-1 win and then beat Atri 9-1 to seal bronze.

🥇Zaur Uguev 🇷🇺

🥈Ravi Kumar Dahiya 🇮🇳

🥉Thomas Gilman 🇺🇸

🥉Nurislam Sanayev 🇰🇿

Men’s Freestyle -65kg

A big clash came in the quarter-finals as Gadzhimurad Rashidov (Russia) beat Magomedmurad Gadzhiev (Poland) 6-2. In the semi-finals, he came up against Takuto Otoguro (Japan), a clash between the last two world champions. Otoguro reached that stage by beating Iszmail Muszukajev (Hungary) in the quarter-final. A high-scoring contest in the opening round saw Daulet Niyazbekov (Kazakhstan) beat Alejandro Valdes (Cuba) 21-11. Haji Aliyev (Azerbaijan) then defeated Niyazbekov 9-1. Bajrang Punia (India) came through the bottom quarter to face Aliyev but lost 12-5. In the top half, Otoguro edged Rashidov 3-2 in a fascinating clash. In the final it was Otoguro who won 5-4 to take gold.

🥇Takuto Otoguro 🇯🇵

🥈Haji Aliyev 🇦🇿

🥉Gadzhimurad Rashidov 🇷🇺

🥉Bajrang Punia 🇮🇳

Men’s Freestyle -74kg

Frank Chamizo (Italy) headlined the top quarter, a two-time world champion famed for his battles with Jordan Burroughs. He would make his way through to the semi-final, with a notable win over Avtandil Kentchadze (Georgia). Kyle Dake (United States) had been a two-time world champion at a higher weight but was upset by Mahamedkhabib Kadzimahamedau (Belarus) 11-0. Double world champion Zaurbek Sidakov (Russia) started strongly, coming through his quarter with an aggregate score of 25-8. World championship bronze medalist Daniyar Kaisanov (Kazakhstan) also came through his quarter impressively. Kadzimahamedau beat Chamizo 9-7, whilst Sidakov showed his dominance with an 11-0 win over Kaisanov. In the final, he won 7-0, completing an incredible run. Dake beat Genadry Garzon (Cuba) 10-0 and Chamizo 5-0 to confirm bronze.

🥇Zaurbek Sidakov 🇷🇺

🥈Mahamedkhabib Kadzimahamedau 🇧🇾

🥉Kyle Dake 🇺🇸

🥉Bekzod Abdurakhmonov 🇰🇿

Men’s Freestyle -86kg

Hassan Yazdani (Iran) cruised impressively through his quarter with 12-1 and 11-2 victories. The 12-1 victory came against 2019 World Championship bronze medalist Stefan Reichmuth (Switzerland). In the semi-final, he came up against Arut Naifonov (Russia), who progressed with an aggregate 18-1 score. Yazdani took a 7-1 victory. David Taylor (United States) was eager to look just as dominant and came through his quarter with an aggregate 23-2 score. Deepak Punia (India) was the other semi-finalist, althouh not as dominant as the preceding three. Taylor would set up the dream final, with a 10-0 victory. In the final, Taylor landed a double-leg takedown with ten seconds to go, to seal gold

🥇David Taylor 🇺🇸

🥈Hassan Yazdani 🇮🇷

🥉Arut Naifonov 🇷🇺

🥉Myles Amine 🇸🇲

Men’s Freestyle -97kg

Everyone was hoping to see the rematch between Kyle Snyder (United States), the reigning Olympic and double world champion, and Abdulrashid Sadulaev (Russia), the reigning Olympic champion at 86kg and quadruple world champion. Sadulaev would cruise through the draw, beating world and Olympic medalists by an aggregate score of 19-0. Only Jordan Steen (Canada) was able to score points against Snyder on his way to the final, in the opening bout, as Snyder came through with an aggregate score of 23-2. In the final, Sadulaev took a 2-0 lead at the interval with a shot clock score and a step-out. He soon built a 6-0 lead and, although Snyder scored a takedown and forced a step-out of his own, he could only drag it back to 6-3. In the repechage, Sharif Sharifov (Azerbaijan), the 2012 Olympic champion, won his way through to the bronze medal match-up, only to lose to Reineris Salas (Cuba). In the other matchup, Abraham Conyedo (Italy) beat Suleyman Karadeniz (Turkey) 6-2.

🥇Abdulrashid Sadulaev 🇷🇺

🥈Kyle Snyder 🇺🇸

🥉Reineris Salas 🇨🇺

🥉Abraham Conyedo 🇮🇹

Men’s Freestyle -125kg

Geno Petriashvili (Georgia) won the first quarter, defeating double world championship medalist Deng Zhiwei (China). Oleksandr Khotsianivskyi (Ukraine) was the seeded wrestler but was defeated by Amir Hossein Zare (Iran). Taha Akgul (Turkey), the reigning Olympic champion, was beaten 7-0 by the young and explosive Gable Steveson (United States). The bottom quarter saw Yusup Batirmurzaev (Kazakhstan) come through. Petriashvili defeated Zare 6-3, whilst Steveson won 5-0, meaning he had not conceded a single point in making the Olympic final. Steveson took a 5-1 lead in the final, but Petriashvili used his experience in the second half to battle back and lead 8-5. With six seconds remaining Steveson cut the deficit to 8-7 before producing a takedown in the final second to snatch gold from the triple world champion.

🥇Gable Steveson 🇺🇸

🥈Geno Petriashvili 🇬🇪

🥉Amir Hossein Zare 🇮🇷

🥉Taha Akgul 🇹🇷

Men’s Greco-Roman -60kg

Kenichiro Fumita (Japan) was the number-one seed and came through his quarter relatively comfortably. In the semi-final, he came up against Lenur Temirov (Ukraine) who had overcome Olympic medalist Elmurat Tasmuradov (Uzbekistan) and Armen Melikyan (Armenia). Victor Ciobanu (Moldova) won his quarter with consecutive 8-0 victories. The big surprise of the early rounds came as Luis Orta (Cuba) beat Sergey Emelin (Russia) 4-3. Orta then beat Ciobanu 11-0, with Fumita winning 5-1 to make the final. In the final Orta was dominant, taking his own 5-1 win, cementing an incredible run. In the repechage, Walihan Salike (China) made his way to the bronze medal matchup and beat Temirov. Emelin beat Ildar Hafizov (United States) 7-1 and Ciobanu 12-1 to secure his bronze medal.

🥇Luis Orta 🇨🇺

🥈Kenichiro Fumita 🇯🇵

🥉Walihan Salike 🇨🇳

🥉Sergey Emelin 🇷🇺

Men’s Greco-Roman -67kg

Ismael Borrero (Cuba) was looking for a second Olympic medal and to confirm his status as a wrestling great. Instead, he went out in the first round to Ramaz Zoidze (Georgia), who went on to win the quarter. Former world champion Frank Stabler (Germany) defeated world championship bronze medalist Mate Nemes (Serbia), only for Mohammad Reza Geraei (Iran) to beat him in the quarter-final. Artem Surkov (Russia) was another world champion who was eliminated early, losing to Parviz Nasibov (Ukraine). Ryu Han-su (South Korea) was eliminated by Mohamed Ibrahim El-Sayed (Egypt). In the semi-finals, Geraei beat Zoidze 6-1, meaning Borrero missed out on the repechage. Geraei looked even more impressive in the semi-final, beating Nasibov 9-1. Stabler would beat Julian Horta (Colombia) 8-0 and follow up against Zoidze to win bronze.

🥇Mohammad Reza Geraei 🇮🇷

🥈Parviz Nasibov 🇺🇦

🥉Frank Stabler 🇩🇪

🥉Mohamed Ibrahim El-Sayed 🇪🇬

Men’s Greco-Roman -77kg

Tamas Lorincz (Hungary) was helped by a withdrawal, meaning one victory over Shohei Yabiku (Japan), was enough to earn him to a semi-final place. Two double bronze medalists in the World Championships were expected to clash in the second quarter, but Aik Mnatsakanian (Bulgaria) was defeated by Bozo Starcevcic (Croatia), who in turn lost to Mohammad Ali Geraei (Iran). Another bronze medalist, Jalgasbay Berdimuratov (Uzbekistan), was upset by Karapet Chalyan (Armenia), who then went on to beat Aleksandr Chekhirin (Russia). Akzhol Makhmudov (Kyrgyzstan) impressed, opening with an 11-0 win and following it up with a 9-1 victory over Rafig Huseynov (Azerbaijan). Lorincz edged Ali Geraei in the semi-finals, whilst Makhmudov continued his impressive Games with a 6-2 win. Lorincz was able to stop the run, with a 2-1 victory to take gold. Yakibu received a walkover in his opening repechage contest, and managed to overcome Ali Geraei 13-3. Huseynov also came through to repechage to medal.

🥇Tomasz Lorincz 🇭🇺

🥈Akzhol Makhmudov 🇰🇬

🥉Shohei Yakibu 🇯🇵

🥉Rafig Huseynov 🇦🇿

Men’s Greco-Roman -87kg

Viktor Lorincz (Hungary) was looking to follow brother Tamas with a gold medal and started well, coming through his quarter, impressively beating familiar foe Dennis Kudla (Germany). Mohamed Metwally (Egypt) beat Daniel Gregorich (Cuba) to make the semi-final. Rustam Assakalov (Uzbekistan), a World Championship bronze medalist, beat the world champion from the weight below, Lasha Gobadze (Georgia), in the opening round, only to go out to Ivan Huklek (Croatia) in the quarter-final. In the bottom quarter, silver medalist from Rio, Zhan Beleniuk (Ukraine) cruised through. His form continued in the semi-final, where he beat Huklek 7-1. Lorincz also won comfortably in the semi, taking a 9-2 victory. In the final Beleniuk was able to improve on his silver from Rio, with a 5-1 victory. Both Kudla and Zurab Datunashvili (Serbia) came through the repechage and win to take bronze medals.

🥇Zhan Beleniuk 🇺🇦

🥈Viktor Lorincz 🇭🇺

🥉Dennis Kudla 🇩🇪

🥉Zurab Datunashvili 🇷🇸

Men’s Greco-Roman -97kg

Musa Evloev (Russia) was the dominant force in recent years and made hisway through to the semi-finals relatively easily. Double World Championship bronze medalist Mikheil Kajaia (Serbia) was upset by G’Angelo Hancock (United States) before the American was beaten by Tadeusz Michalik (Poland). Cenk Ildem (Turkey), won bronze in the 2016 Olympics but, was defeated in the opening round here as Mohammad Hadi Saravi (Iran) came through his quarter. 2016 Olympic champion Artur Aleksanyan (Armenia) headlined his quarter and came through with victories of 4-1 and 5-1. In the semi-final, Evloev won 7-1, whilst Aleksanyan won 4-1 to set up the dream final. It was Evloev who came out on top, winning 5-1. In this weight division, both the semi-finalists would take the bronze medals.

🥇Musa Evloev 🇷🇺

🥈Artur Aleksanyan 🇦🇲

🥉Mohammad Hadi Saravi 🇮🇷

🥉Tadeusz Michalik 🇵🇱

Men’s Greco-Roman -130kg

Riza Kayaalp (Turkey) took advantage of a relatively easy path to the semi-final, where he was drawn against arch-rival and all-time great Mijain Lopez (Cuba), looking to add a fourth Olympic gold. Lopez cruised through to the semis, with 9-0 wins over the Asian and European champions. Yasmani Acosta (Chile) won the third quarter, whilst Sergey Semenov (Russia) was beaten by Iakob Kajaja (Georgia). Lopez managed to edge Kayaalp 2-0, whilst Kajaja got the win to make the final. In the final, Lopez showed his dominance with a 5-0 win, meaning he did not concede a point throughout the whole tournament. It was Semenov and Kayaalp who took the bronze medals.

🥇Mijain Lopez 🇨🇺

🥈Iakob Kajaja 🇬🇪

🥉Sergey Semenov 🇷🇺

🥉Riza Kayaalp 🇹🇷

Women’s Freestyle -50kg

World champion Mariya Stadnik (Azerbaijan) beat European champion Stalvira Orshush (Russia) and made her way through her quarter. She was looking to add to her collection of Olympic medals, a bronze and two silvers. Yui Susaki (Japan) set up a semi-final with Stadnik after two 10-0 victories. Sun Yanan (China), another former Olympic medalist, also made her way through her quarter. In a quarter containing three world championship medalists including herself, Sarah Hildebrandt (United States) cruised through with an aggregate score of 23-2. Susaki comfortably defeated Stadnik 11-0, whilst Yanan edged Hildebrandt. In the final, Susaki would once again show her class, defeating Yanan 10-0, meaning she finished with a combined score in the Olympics of 41-0. Both Stadnik and Hildebrandt would hold on to the bronze medals with massive wins.

🥇Yui Susaki 🇯🇵

🥈Sun Yanan 🇨🇳

🥉Sarah Hildebrandt 🇺🇸

🥉Mariya Stadnik 🇦🇿

Women’s Freestyle -53kg

Vinesh Phogat (India), a world championship bronze medalist, beat 2016 Olympic medalist Sofia Mattsson (Sweden), but was defeated in the quarter-final by Vanesa Kaladzinskaya (Belarus). In the battle of medalists from the 2019 World Championships at 55kg, Jacarra Winchester (United States) defeated Olga Khoroshavtseva (Russia) 7-0, only to lose to reigning double bronze medalist Pang Qianyu (China) in the quarter-final. Bat-Ochiryn Bolortuyaa (Mongolia) came through her quarter to face Mayu Mukaida (Japan) who won her quarter with an aggregate score of 22-2. Qianyu edged Kaladzinskaya, whilst Mukaida won 6-3. In the final Qianyu took a 4-0 lead but the Japanese wrestler rebounded to win 5-4.

🥇Mayu Mukaida 🇯🇵

🥈Pang Qianyu 🇨🇳

🥉Bat-Ochiryn Bolortuyaa 🇲🇳

🥉Vanesa Kaladzinskaya 🇧🇾

Women’s Freestyle -57kg

Risako Kawai (Japan) impressed early on with 8-2 and 7-0 wins to make it through to the semi-final. There she came up against 2016 Olympic champion Helen Maroulis (United States), who had overcome a tough draw that included 2018 world champion Rong Ningning (China). Iryna Kurachkina (Belarus) came through her quarter by defeating Valeria Koblova (Russia). Three-time world championship medalist Odunayo Adekuoroye (Nigeria) was upset in round one by Anastasia Nichita (Moldova), who went on to be defeated by Evelina Nikolova (Bulgaria). In the semi-finals, Kawai secured a 2-1 victory over Maroulis, with all three points coming from passivity calls. Kurachkina overcame Nikolova 11-0. In the final, Kurachkina pushed Kawai, but the Japanese lady took a 5-0 win.

🥇Risako Kawai 🇯🇵

🥈Iryna Kurachkina 🇧🇾

🥉Helen Maroulis 🇺🇸

🥉Evelina Nikolova 🇧🇬

Women’s Freestyle -62kg

Aisuluu Tynybekova (Kyrgyzstan) entered as the number-one seed but was in a tough quarter, featuring numerous former World Championship medalists. She came through comfortably, winning 8-0 and 6-0 to make the semi-final. The favourite in the second quarter, Iryna Koliadenko (Ukraine) also made her way through. Yukako Kawai (Japan) was also in a tough quarter, beating 2019 World Championship silver medalist Lyubov Ovcharova (Russia) and Henna Johansson (Sweden), who won bronze in 2019. Taybe Yusein (Hungary) came through the bottom quarter. She then fell 3-2 to Kawai in the semi-finals, whilst Tynybekova beat Koliadenko 10-0. Kawai beat her in the final, with a 4-3 victory.

🥇Yukako Kawai 🇯🇵

🥈Aisuluu Tynybekova 🇰🇬

🥉Iryna Koliadenko 🇺🇦

🥉Taybe Yusein 🇭🇺

Women’s Freestyle -68kg

Tamyra Mensah (United States) looked imperious, beating reigning Olympic champion Sara Dosho (Japan)10-0 and Zhou Feng (China) by the same scoreline to reach the semi-final. Former world champion Alla Cherkasova (Ukraine) also came through to the semi-finals without dropping a point. In that semi-final, Mensah secured a 10-4 victory. Soronzonboldyn Battsetseg (Mongolia) came through a tough quarter to take on Blessing Oborududu (Nigeria) in the semi-final. Oborududu beat her 7-2. In the final, Mensah claimed a 4-1 victory to seal gold. In the repechage, Dosho and Meerim Zhumanazarova (Kyrgyzstan) made it to the bronze medal match, but only Zhumanazarova was able to claim bronze.

🥇Tamyra Mensah 🇺🇸

🥈Blessing Oborududu 🇳🇬

🥉Meerim Zhumanazarova 🇰🇬

🥉Alla Cherkasova 🇺🇦

Women’s Freestyle -76kg

Adeline Gray (United States) came through her quarter with a win over Yasemin Adar (Turkey). She would have expected to face Natalia Vorobieva (Russia) in the semi-finals, but Aiperi Medet Kyzy (Kyrgyzstan) beat her 12-0 after also beating 2016 bronze medalist Elmira Syzdykova (Kazakhstan). A 2016 gold medalist Erica Wiebe (Canada), was knocked out in the opening round by Epp Mae (Estonia), who then lost to Hiroe Minagawa (Japan). Aline Rotter-Focken (Germany) beat Zhou Qian (China) to take her place in the semi-final. Gray edged Kyzy 3-2 and Rotter-Focken won 3-1 to set up their final. Rotter-Focken was able to get the win over her friend Grey with some impressive counter-attacking wrestling. Adar earned victories over Zaineb Sghaier (Tunisia) and Kyzy to take bronze. Qian also came through the repechage to win bronze.

🥇Aline Rotter-Focken 🇩🇪

🥈Adeline Grey 🇺🇸

🥉Zhou Qian 🇨🇳

🥉Yasemin Adar 🇹🇷