The 2019 world champion and legend of Turkish wrestling Riza KAYAALP is gunning for his tenth European title (European Championships: 8; European Games: 1) in Rome. The Turkish big man can lock up the 130kg top seed at the Olympic Games by delivering one more gold medal-winning performance at the European level. He has appeared in ten consecutive European finals, claiming gold in nine of those trips. His lone loss came in 2011 against Khassan BAROEV of Russia.
Kayaalp can cement his spot as the top seed with a win this week and have the luxury of sitting out of the Poland Open.
The reemergence of Mijian LOPEZ (CUB) after a three-year absence is set to play a big role in Kayaalp earning the top spot. Lopez will return to the mat later this year to try to chase a fourth Olympic gold medal. Lopez’s return will eventually knock out fellow Cuban and second-ranked Oscar PINO HINDS (CUB) from the 130kg rankings.
Without Hinds in the rankings, and with a max of 40 possible points left to earn over the continental championships and the Poland Open, Kayaalp only needs to claim 12 points at the European Championships to become the No. 1 seed in Tokyo.
That means the man who has reached the European finals in ten straight trips only needs to finish top-seven to sit atop the 130kg when the Olympics roll around. But it’s safe to say, Kayaalp isn’t chasing a top-seven finish, he’s in pursuit of a tenth European gold medal.
Staebler Moving up to 72kg for European Championships
Frank STAEBLER of Germany has entered the European Championships at 72kg and not 67kg, the weight in which he qualified Germany for the Olympic Games with a bronze-medal finish in Nur-Sultan.
Staebler has had the most success of his career at 72kg and is extremely familiar with the weight. He’ll move back up to the weight where he won two of his three world titles. Most recently, he won the 72kg world title at the 2018 World Championships in Budapest, Hungary.
Davor STEFANEK (SRB) and Adam KURAK (RUS) are the two stars with enough firepower and experience to stop Staebler from winning his second career European title.
Stefanek, a Rio Olympic champion, is returning to competition for the first time since the 2018 World Championships. He dropped his 2018 world finals match against Artem SURKOV (RUS) and sat out the entire 2019 season.
Kurak, a two-time European champion, is also entered at 72kg. He’s returning to the mat for the first time since winning the City of Sassari Ranking Series event in May of last year.
Monday (February 10)
Qualification rounds GR – 55-63-77-87-130kg
Semi-Final GR – 55-63-77-87-130kg
Tuesday (February 11)
Qualification rounds GR – 60-67-72-82-97kg
Repechage GR – 55-63-77-87-130kg
Semi Final GR – 60-67-72-82-97kg
Finals GR – 55-63-77-87-130kg
Wednesday (February 12)
Qualification rounds WW – 50-55-59-68-76kg
Repechage GR – 60-67-72-82-97kg
Semi Final WW – 50-55-59-68-76kg
Finals GR – 60-67-72-82-97kg
Thursday (February 13)
Qualification rounds WW – 53-57-62-65-72kg
Repechage WW – 50-55-59-68-76kg
Semi Final WW – 53-57-62-65-72kg
Finals WW – 50-55-59-68-76kg
Friday (February 14)
Qualification rounds FS – 57-65-70-79-97kg
Repechage WW – 53-57-62-65-72kg
Semi Final FS – 57-65-70-79-97kg
Finals WW – 53-57-62-65-72kg
Saturday (February 15)
Qualification rounds FS – 61-74-86-92-125kg
Repechage FS – 57-65-70-79-97kg
Semi Final FS – 61-74-86-92-125kg
Finals FS – 57-65-70-79-97kg
Sunday (February 16)
Repechage FS – 61-74-86-92-125kg
Finals FS – 61-74-86-92-125kg
