The World of Greco-Roman Wrestling is loved, revered, followed and the most dominated by the East European countries. Rest of the world including India has lot of catching up to do in this form of Wrestling.
Greco-Roman has never been happy hunting ground for India and only in the 2010 Commonwealth Games, when India hosted the event and Greco-Roman was a part of the competition, India had the maximum medal haul (4 gold, 1 silver and 2 bronze).Since then, the story has been of hits and misses with a bronze medal at the 2013 Wrestling World Championships (Sandeep Tulsi Yadav won a bronze medal in 66kg category) being the only highlight. Let’s take a look what the World of Greco-Roman wrestling means to India and who will be the medal contenders at the World Wrestling Championship 2019 in the Greco-Roman style of wrestling.
55 KG – Greco-Roman
Eldaniz Azizli (AZE) 2018 World Champion
Nugzari Tsurtsumia (GEO) 2018 World bronze
Indian Contender
Manjeet from Haryana will represent India in this category. 28 year old Manjeet is currently working for Indian army (since 2011). Manjeet’s uncle used to be a wrestler who inspired him to take up wrestling. He was trained in Sonipat itself for the wrestling at the age of 11 . His favourite wrestling moment when he won the semi-final bout against Rajinder Sangwan in 2015 Senior National Championship held in Delhi. It was the first time that someone defeated the wrestler Sangwan in India in 12 years. Manjeet has little credentials to show as far as international stage is concerned.
Wrestling fans can catch all the action LIVE from UWW World Championship 2019 on www.wrestlingtv.in
60 KG – Greco-Roman
The category of 60Kg will see the most number of medallists competing for the world title. It is surprising but true that the 60kg category will have 15 Olympic or World Championship medallist in the fray.
Ivo Angelov (BUL) 2013 World Champion, ’11 World bronze
Sailike Walihan (CHN) 2018 World bronze
Kenichiro Fumita (JPN) 2017 World Champion
Aidos Sultangali (KAZ) 2018 World bronze
Kim Seung-Hak (KOR) 2017 World bronze
Victor Ciobanu (MDA) 2018 World silver
Stig-Andre Berge (NOR) 2016 Olympic bronze, ’14 World bronze
Sergey Emelin (RUS) 2018 World Champion
Lenur Temirov (UKR) 2018 World bronze
Elmurat Tasmuradov (UZB) 2016 Olympic bronze, ’18 World silver, two-time World bronze63 KG
Shinobu Ota (JPN) 2016 Olympic bronze
Almat Kebispaev (KAZ) 2011 World silver, two-time World bronze
Tynar Sharshenbekov (KGZ) 2018 World silver
Stepan Maryanyan (RUS) 2018 World Champion, ’17 World bronze
Rahman Bilici (TUR) 2018 World bronze
Indian Contender – Manish
22 year old Manish was born in Rohtak, Haryana. He is currently working for Indian railways and has Silver medal to his credit in Junior Asian Championship in 2015 but in such a tough field he has extremely remote chance to win a medal for the country
67 Kg – Greco-Roman
One of the most interesting battle in the Greco-Roman wrestling will be seen in this category. Hardcore fans of the sport will be happy to know that “Dance Boy” — 2015 World Champion/’16 Olympic bronze Rasul Chunayev — is on Azerbaijan’s entry list for 67 kilos along with 3 time world champion Frank Staebler from Germany, reigning Olympic champion Molina from Cuba and 2018 world champion Artem Surkov of Russia in fray for the title.
Rasul Chunayev (AZE) 2015 World Champion, ’16 Olympic bronze, two-time World bronze
Ismael Borrero Molina (CUB) 2016 Olympic Champion, ’15 World Champion
Shmagi Bolkvadze (GEO) 2016 Olympic bronze
Frank Staebler (GER) Three-time World Champion, ’13 World bronze
Meiirzhan Shermakhanbet (KAZ) 2018 World bronze
Ryu Han-Soo (KOR) Two-time World Champion, ’15 World silver
Edgaras Venckaitis (LTU) 2014 World bronze
Artem Surkov (RUS) 2018 World Champion, two-time World bronze
Atakan Yuksel (TUR) 2017 World bronze
Wrestling fans can catch all the action LIVE from UWW World Championship 2019 on www.wrestlingtv.in
72 KG – Greco-Roman
The biggest contenders for the title are –
Aik Mnatsakanian (BUL) 2018 World bronze
Balint Korpasi (HUN) 2016 World Champion, ’18 World silver, ’17 World bronze
Demeu Zhadraev (KAZ) 2017 World silver
Mateusz Bernatek (POL) 2017 World silver
Indian Contender – Yogesh
77 KG – Greco-Roman
Next up is 77 kilograms with 21 medals, and a lot of the credit is due to the consistency of Roman Vlasov (RUS), Kim Hyeon-Woo (KOR), and Tamas Lorincz (HUN). This dynamite trio can stake claim to a combined 14 medals. Also in this weight are ’17 champ Viktor Nemes(SRB) and Elvin Mursaliev (AZE), who both have two medals apiece.
Elvin Mursaliev (AZE) Two-time World bronze
Tamas Lorincz (HUN) 2012 Olympic silver, two-time World silver, ’14 World bronze
Mohammadali Abdolhamid Gerei (IRI) 2017 World bronze
Kim Hyeon-Woo (KOR) 2012 Olympic Champion, ’13 World Champion, ’16 Olympic bronze, two-time World bronze
Daniel Cataraga (MDA) 2016 World silver
Roman Vlasov (RUS) Two-time Olympic Champion, two-time World Champion, ’13 World silver
Viktor Nemes (SRB) 2017 World Champion, ’18 World bronze
Fatih Cengiz (TUR) 2017 World bronze
Indian Contender – Gurpreet Singh
India’s most accomplished name in the Greco-Roman style of wrestling Gurpreet Singh will be in fray in this category. Hailing from Punjab, Gurpreet is working as as Sub-Inspector in Punjab police and has Commonwealth Games gold medal and Asian Championship Silver medal to his credit.
Wrestling fans can catch all the action LIVE from UWW World Championship 2019 on www.wrestlingtv.in
82 KG – Greco-Roman
Emrah Kus of Turkey will start as favorite to win the World Championship Gold at Kazakhstan. Kus has been given top billing in the category.
Maksim Manukyan (ARM) 2017 World Champion, ’18 World bronze
Viktar Sasunouski (BLR) Two-time World bronze
Lasha Gobadze (GEO) 2015 World bronze
Pascal Eisele (GER) 2017 World bronze
Saeid Abdevali (IRI) 2011 World Champion, ’16 Olympic bronze, ’17 World bronze
Emrah Kus (TUR) 2018 World silver, ’13 World bronze
Indian Contender – Harpreet Singh
One of the most well known Greco-Roman wrestler, Harpreet Singh will be seen in action in this category. Harpreet who has 2 Commonwealth Championship title and 4 Asian Championship medals to his credit can cause a upset in this category.
87 KG – Greco-Roman
Artur Shahinyan (ARM) 2018 World bronze
Rami Antero Heitaniemi (FIN) 2011 World bronze
Denis Kudla (GER) 2017 World silver, ’16 Olympic bronze
Viktor Lorincz (HUN) Two-time World bronze
Metehan Basar (TUR) Two-time World Champion
Zhan Belenyuk (UKR) 2015 World Champion, ’16 Olympic silver, ’18 World silver, ’14 World bronze
Rustam Assakalov (UZB) 2015 World silver
97 KG – Greco-Roman
Artur Aleksanyan of Armenia is the multiple world champion in this category. Aleksanyan has 3 world titles and 2016 Olympic Gold to his credit. The 97 kg category will see 7 wrestlers who has World Championship medals to their credit.
Artur Aleksanyan (ARM) 2016 Olympic Champion, three-time World Champion, ’13 World silver, ’12 Olympic bronze
Kiril Milov (BUL) 2018 World silver
Mélonin Noumonvi (FRA) 2014 World Champion, ’09 World silver
Balazs Kiss (HUN) 2009 World Champion, two-time World bronze
Musa Evloev (RUS) 2018 World Champion
Mihail Kajaia (SRB) 2018 World bronze
Cenk Ildem (TUR) 2016 Olympic bronze, two-time World bronze
Wrestling fans can catch all the action LIVE from UWW World Championship 2019 on www.wrestlingtv.in
Indian Contender – Ravi
23 year old Ravi was born in Haryana and like most of his teammates he is employed with the Indian Railways. Young Naveen recently won Under 23 Asian Championship Silver Medal at Mangolia but he will have his task cut out at Kazakhstan World Championships.
130 KG – Greco-Roman
The most bling is available at heavyweight thanks to the powerhouse tandem of Mijain Lopez (CUB) and Riza Kayaalp (TUR). Lopez — who has won the year’s top tournament eight times counting both the Worlds and Olympics — owns 11 overall Senior medals. Kayaalp, who boasts three Senior World crowns, holds nine medals. Right behind them at 130 kilos is two-time World Champion Heiki Nabi (EST), a five-time medalist. This weight class alone (home to Team USA’s 2018 World silver Adam Coon) is responsible for 29 pieces of hardware, which leads all categories.
Yasmany Acosta Fernandez (CHL) 2017 World bronze
Mijain Lopez (CUB) Three-time Olympic Champion, five-time World Champion, three-time World silver
Heiki Nabi (EST) Two-time World Champion, 2012 Olympic silver, ’17 World silver, ’14 World bronze
Kim Min-Seok (KOR) 2018 World bronze
Sergey Semenov (RUS) 2018 World Champion
Riza Kayaalp (TUR) Three-time World Champion, 2016 Olympic silver, two-time World silver, ’12 Olympic bronze, two-time World bronze
Adam Coon (USA) 2018 World silver
Indian Contender – Naveen
Commonwealth Championship Gold Medalist, Naveen hails from a tiny village Selvia of Sonipat, Haryana, Naveen also had his share of success at the Asian level but at a global level it will be too big a ask for Naveen to win a medal at the World Championship 2019
Wrestling fans can catch all the action LIVE from UWW World Championship 2019 on www.wrestlingtv.in
What is Greco-Roman wrestling ??
Greco-Roman Wrestling has a particular set of rules that sets it apart from other forms of wrestling. Unlike free-style in this form participants are required to use their upper bodies to execute a variety of different moves to pin their opponent and/or score points in order to win the fight.
Holds below the waist area are forbidden. This includes grabbing opponent’s knees, thighs or legs.
Leg trips, kicks and knee strikes are also forbidden.
Wrestling fans can catch all the action LIVE from UWW World Championship 2019 on www.wrestlingtv.in
