2020 Olympic Freestyle Qualifiers
2020 Olympic Freestyle Qualifiers
Six wrestlers for each Olympic weight have guaranteed the spot for their nation at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.
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Team USA fans, mark your calendars. The weekend of March 13, 2020, will be monumental.
Much of the United States' success (they finished in third place) this weekend came at the non-Olympic weights. Team USA qualified just two of six spots: 74 and 97. That means 57, 65, 86, and 125 will all have to qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Games in one of two ways: Pan Am Olympic Qualifier (March 13/Ottawa), or at the World last chance qualifier (May 1/Bulgaria), which figures to be much tougher.
The top six (those who wrestled for a medal) from Worlds qualify. The top two finishers from each continental qualifier and last chance earn Tokyo slots. It should be noted that nations that have already qualified a particular weight cannot send an entry to those tournaments at that weight.
In total, 12 European nations have at least one qualifier compared to eight countries from Asia and just two from Pan American nations. The full table of qualifiers per nation and weight class appears at the bottom of this article.
Russia qualified all but heavyweight. But the rest of the World showed total parity. The USA is not alone in their shortlist of qualifiers. Power nations Iran, Turkey, and Georgia also qualified just two of six. Azerbaijan got just one through. And despite their talent, Cuba, for the second straight year-before-the-Olympics, qualified no one!
As such it will be especially tough at the European OG qualifier which happens March 20 in Budapest. When you figure that there will inevitably be numerous studs who don't qualify through Euros, and a couple here and there at Pan Ams and Asians, you have to think the last-chance qualifier will be loaded and want to avoid it by any means necessary.
Individual Weight Class Qualifiers
Keep in mind that although the following individuals qualified, the spot guarantees their nation, not the individual, entry to Tokyo.
I used the name listed of the World entry for additional context, though in several cases who wins each nation's spot and who each nation sends to attempt to qualify is subject to change. There are also notable nation-weights included where they have talent that didn't come to Kazakhstan this year — for instance Ortega (CUB) at 57kg.
57 KG - Countries Qualified
Gold - Russia (Zaur Uguev)
Silver - Turkey (Suleyman Atli)
Bronze - India (Ravi Dahiya)
Bronze - Kazakhstan (Nurislam Sanayev)
5th - Iran (Reza Atri)
5th - Serbia (Stevan Micic)
Notable Countries Who Missed At 57
Asians | Euros | Pan Ams |
Japan - Takahashi | Armenia - Harutunyan | Canada - Capellan |
Kyrgyzstan - Zholdoshbekov | Azerbaijan - Amiraslanov | Colombia - Urbano |
Mongolia - Erdenebat | Belarus - Andreev | Cuba - Ortega |
North Korea - Kang | Bulgaria - Vangelov | United States - Fix |
Uzbekistan - Turobov | Georgia - Gogava | |
Italy - Davidovi | ||
Macedonia - Egorov | ||
Ukraine - Yatsenko |
Commentary:
Asians will be tough. Takahashi, a two-time medalist, and Erdenebat, who's always in medal contention, will likely be the top two seeds, but there's depth there. The Euro situation has good but not great non-qualifiers remaining. And Pan Ams has two very tough competitors in USA and Cuba. Also keep in mind that Urbano is very solid and actually ranked 19th in the world right now. He went 2-1 and made the quarters this week only losing to Sanayev (KAZ).
65 KG - Countries Qualified
Gold - Russia (Gadzhimurad Rashidov)
Silver - Kazakhstan (Daulet Niyezbekov)
Bronze - Hungary (Iszmail Muszukajev)
Bronze - India (Bajrang Punia)
5th - Japan (Takuto Otoguro)
5th - Mongolia (Tulga Tumur Ochir)
Notable Countries Who Missed At 65
Asians | Euros | Pan Ams |
Bahrain - Ali | Azerbaijan - Aliyev | Cuba - Tobier |
Iran - Cherati | Belarus - Skriabin | United States - Zain |
Korea - Jun-Sik | Georgia - Khinche | |
North Korea - Son | Romania - Guidea | |
Slovenia - Habat | ||
Turkey - Kilicsallayan | ||
Moldova - Perpelita | ||
Ukraine - Ogannesyan |
Commentary:
European nations pretty much own the depth at 65kg. While three Asian nations qualified, there aren't many more studs there. Imagine the Euro qualifier with Rio Olympic champ Khinchegashvili and three-time World champ Haji Aliyev leading the pack. USA should be in a good place with Pan Ams not very deep at 65kg.
74 KG - Countries Qualified
Gold - Russia (Zaurbek Sidkov)
Silver - Italy (Frank Chamizo)
Bronze - United States (Jordan Burroughs)
Bronze - France (Zelimkhan Khadjiev)
5th - Kasakhstan (Daniyar Kaisanov)
5th - Japan (Mao Okui)
Notable Countries Who Missed At 74
Asians | Euros | Pan Ams |
Bahrain - Batirov | Armenia - Safaryan | Canada - Balfour |
India - Sushil | Azerbaijan - Gadzhiyev | Columbia - Taffur |
Iran - Afzali | Belarus - Nurykau | Cuba - Garzon |
Mongolia - Ganzorig | Bulgaria - Kirov | Puerto Rico - Gomez |
Uzbekistan - Bekzod | Georgia - Kentchadze | |
Hungary - Kuramogamedov | ||
Moldova - Nedealco | ||
Turkey - Demirtas | ||
Ukraine - Mykhailov |
Commentary:
The depth at 74 is incredible, and the three most consistent performers (Burroughs, Sidakov, and Chamizo) all got through. Figure Batirov and Ganzorig to come up to 74 from 70, where they were for Nur-Sultan, and Asians is looking wicked with Bekzod and whoever Iran sends. Although the U.S. won't be involved, 74 at Pan Ams will be one of the deeper brackets there.
86 KG - Countries Qualified
Gold - Iran (Hassan Yazdani Charati)
Silver - India (Deepak Punia)
Bronze - Russia (Artur Naifonov)
Bronze - Switzerland (Stefan Reichmuth)
5th - Columbia (Carlos Izquierdo)
5th - San Marino (Myles Amine)
Notable Countries Who Missed At 86
Asians | Euros | Pan Ams |
China - Lin | Azerbijan - Gostiyev | Cuba - Torreblanca |
Japan - Takatani | Belarus - Shabanau | United States - Downey |
Kazakhstan - Davlumbayev | Georgia - Aminashvili | Puerto Rico - Espinal |
Kyrgyz - Gamidgadzhiev | Germany - Dudarov | Venezuela - Ceballos |
Mongolia - Orgodol | Hungary - Vereb | |
Uzbekistan - Shapiev | Moldova - Ianulov | |
Poland - Baranowski | ||
Slovakia - Makoev | ||
Spain - Friev | ||
Turkey - Erdin |
Commentary:
Pan Ams will have a really solid bracket for Downey or Taylor or whoever they send. Izquierdo made the medal match so he won't be at the Pan Am qualifier. Asians has a solid, not spectacular group (Takatani isn't what he once was at 74). But many Europeans, including the No. 2 seed Makoev, wrestled well below expectations in Nur-Sultan. That'll be a solid bracket.
97 KG - Countries Qualified
Gold - Russia (Abdulrashid Sadulaev)
Silver - Azerbaijan (Sharif Sharifov)
Bronze - United States (Kyle Snyder)
Bronze - N. Macedonia (Magomed Nurov)
5th - Georgia (Elizbar Odikadze)
5th - Kazakhstan (Alisher Yergali)
Notable Countries Who Missed At 97
Asians | Euros | Pan Ams |
India - Khatri | Belarus - Hushtyn | Cuba - Salas Perez |
Iran - Shabani | Italy - Conyedo | Venezuela - Robertti |
Japan - Matsumoto | Moldova - Ceban | |
Kyrgyz - Musaev | Romania - Saritov | |
Uzbekistan - Ibrigamov | Poland - Baran | |
Turkey - Ciftci | ||
Ukraine - Andriitsev |
Commentary:
Asians again: solid but not real medal threats. Kyle got in, leaving Salas Perez (who didn't come to Worlds) and Robertii as the top contenders at Pan Ams. Euros will be pretty wicked with 2018 bronze Conyedo, Rio bronze Saritov, Rio fifth Andriitsev, and Euro silver Hushtyn.
125 KG - Countries Qualified
Gold - Georgia (Geno Petriashvili)
Silver - Turkey (Taha Akgul)
Bronze - Uzbekistan (Khasanboy Rakhimov)
Bronze - Ukraine (Oleksandr Khotsianivskyi)
5th - China (Zhiwei Deng)
5th - Syria (Badzha Khutaba)
Notable Countries Who Missed At 125
Asians | Euros | Pan Ams |
India - Sumit | Armenia - Berianidze | Canada - Jarvis |
Iran - Hadi | Azerbaijan - Magomedov | Cuba - Hinds |
Kazakhstan - Boltin | Hungary - Ligeti | United States - Gwiazdowski |
Mongolia - Dorjkhand | Kosovo - Shala | |
Moldova - Romanov | ||
Poland - Baran | ||
Russia - Khizriev |
Commentary:
Several power nations failed to qualify for Rio, including Iran, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Russia, and the United States.
Russia and Iran entered backups at Worlds. Mohebbi was in for Hadi and Khugaev for Khizriev.
Berianidze, Gwiazdowski, Magomedov, and Hadi are all former World medalists. Sumit was fifth last year.
Team Qualifier Table
57kg | 65kg | 74kg | 86kg | 97kg | 125kg | Total | |
Azerbaijan | X | 1 | |||||
Colombia | X | 1 | |||||
China | X | 1 | |||||
France | X | 1 | |||||
Georgia | X | X | 2 | ||||
Hungary | X | 1 | |||||
India | X | X | X | 3 | |||
Iran | X | X | 2 | ||||
Italy | X | 1 | |||||
Japan | X | X | 2 | ||||
Kazakhstan | X | X | X | X | 4 | ||
Mongolia | X | 1 | |||||
N. Macedonia | X | 1 | |||||
Russia | X | X | X | X | X | 5 | |
San Marino | X | 1 | |||||
Serbia | X | 1 | |||||
Switzerland | X | 1 | |||||
Syria | X | 1 | |||||
Turkey | X | X | 2 | ||||
Ukraine | X | 1 | |||||
United States | X | X | 2 | ||||
Uzbekistan | X | 1 |