Wrestling UWW World Olympic Games Qualifier 2021

[phelps 7,706]

21 minutes ago, MHSN said:

which Baran ? they will have a TOUGH job that's for sure but this is not over yet. I will write a detailed post about the freestyle draw soon

he wrote it...the -97kg guy...

 

well, this weight looks unbalanced too...

 

Conyedo, Thiele and Bataev are the only 3 decent wrestlers in the top half, while in the bottom half we have Andriitsev, Baran, Saritov, Ceban...even the young promising Swiss, Scherrer...

 

let's say that Italy, Germany and Bulgaria have been the lucky side this time...hopefully we can qualify 1 more wrestler with such a draw...

 

meanwhile in Greco-Roman, Kakhelashvili was not that lucky...at least, he avoided the always dangerous Hrabovik, but Lokiayev, Baldauf and Szoke are not the easiest route to Tokyo...

 

Caneva in the women's -68kg might have a chance, too, but she won't have an easy task against BLR/KAZ and eventually Manolova in the decisive bout (however, once again the lower half of the draw looks stronger than the top half)...

[MHSN 3,632]

9 minutes ago, rybak said:

Baran in 97kg  

 

the biggest question is, is he in the same shape as he was during the European Championship ? if yes he is the favorite but I'm not sure about that. I don't know if he cuts weight. that's a very important factor.

[MHSN 3,632]

OK let's take a look at the draws, freestyle first

 

57kg:

I see 3 big favorites in the top half, Takahashi, Andreu and Andreyev ! I think Takahashi will have a better chance becuse he has only one tough match ahead of him. while the winner of CUB/BLR in the first round still has to go through KGZ.  I think Japan and Cuba will wrestle for the quota at the end.

I believe first round match between two Georgian wrestlers (one of them is now wrestling for AZE) will be the key. Bekhbayar from MGL was impressive before but I wonder why they used another guy at the Asian QT !? is he not in shape ? there are some other good wrestlers in the bottom half, UKR, ITA, TJK. even KOR. but I think at the end it will be between AZE and MGL

my picks: and

 

65kg:

unbelievable draw! if I had to name 5 favorite wrestlers, all of them are in the bottom half ! Kilicsallayan has the draw of his life, he is not that great himself but I really don't see anybody callenging him for the quota. maybe Habat, or Semisorow or Mukhtarov.

but wow, bottom half is really hard, Oliver, Bekbulatov, Gadzhiev. Georgia had to send Lomtadze (World Champion at 61kg) since Khincheghasvhili tested positive for COVID, Ukraine is also in the bottom half and I have to add Belarus, he is very dangerous as well. but I think it will be between UZB, POL and USA. Bekbulatov and Oliver will wrestle in the 2nd round. Gadhziev will face Skriabin (BLR) in the 2nd round.

my picks: and

 

74kg:

another very one-sided draw. there are some "good wrestlers" in the top half but all favorites are in the bottom side. KOR, ISR, HUN, UKR, GRE, ARM they all will have a chance in the top half. HUN has a first round bye and an easy second round. which will give him an advantage.

but what about the bottom half ? Demirtas, Salkazanov, Kadimagomedov, Tsabolov. Budazhapov and Umarpashaev, I believe one of them will qualify. Kadimagomedov has to beat another Russian born wrestler in Budazahpov in the first round. Salkazanov has a better road to the SF, he will only face Umaspashaev in the QF, the guy who pinned him in Hungary, I think that won't happen again. I will pick Salkazanov just because he has easier 1st and 2nd round matches but we have to wait and see if he is still in a good shape only couple weeks after the European Champs.

my picks: and

 

86kg:

this is a weak weight in general, lots of good guys here. it's really hard to pick favorites. top half looks easier, I think ESP and POL will have a better chance here, maybe JPN or HUN

the biggest question in bottom half is about,Aminashvili, he was good in Euro but is he ready now ?  we also have AZE, BUL, CUB, GER, SVK and MDA. even UKR. I go with GEO but this will be very close between those guys.

my picks: and

 

97kg:

there are only 3 good wrestlers in the top half, ITA, GER and BUL. Thiele was very good at the European QT, his first round match vs Conyedo is like a final. the winner will wrestle Bataev in the semifinal.

I give chance to 3 wrestlers here, UKR, POL and ROU. Baran did great at home during the European Champs but is he still ready ? he is stronger than Saritov but Saritov is like a snake and can score from any position. my pick here depends on these guys shape. Andiitsev didn't wrestle much recently. he is an Olympic medalist but 9 years ago. so for me it's between Poland and Romania. I consider that 50/50

my picks: and

 

125kg:

I think the QF between Kozyrev and Baran will decide the top half. Kozyrev is new to the senior level and is beatable. but still he is Russian and they are always the favorite ! the bottom half is wide open, there is no favorite. lots of below average guys. the Azerbaijani guy is probably Russian so I pick him but I don't know much about him. maybe Aiaal Lazarev surprises him.

my picks: and

[MHSN 3,632]

and Greco

 

60kg:

balanced draw, Ivo Angelov at home is probably the biggest favorite from the top half even though I was expecting Bulgaria to enter the young Nazaryan. after a bye he has to win 3 tough matches to qualify. Lizatovic (CRO), Chkhartishvili (GEO) and then most probably Ciobanu (MDA) even though Ciobanu has to beat Hungary first. a month I would pick Ciobanu but he was disappointing recently, I pick BUL even though Angelov can lose to any of these guys.

we have some big names in the bottom half as well, ARM, AZE, BLR and KOR are favorites here. interestingly Azerbaijan is trusting Mammadov again after what happened in Hungary. Mammadov has to beat Olympic bronze medalist Berge in the first round. I also like to give a very small chance to Montano of Ecuador. he is good sometimes. that new Korean guy is also very dangerous but I pick World U23 Champion from Armenia.

my picks: and

 

67kg:

in a rare situation we have a tougher top half. we have POL KAZ, KGZ, NOR, ARM and TUR in the top half. Sahakyan has two "easy" matches before facing the winner of Kebispayev-Basar. he was disappointing at the European QT but I'm going to give him another chance lol  former European Champion Thoresen was also terrible there. he will face Aslanyan (ARM) first. also don't forget Ismailov (KGZ) he makes surprises sometimes.

we have a very interesting name in the bottom half, Rasul Chunayev! I didn't hear about him for a while. I'm not sure if he is in shape but if he is fit  he is surely the favorite. but his draw is not that easy he has to start with Islomov (MDA) then Dimitriv (BUL) and next is UKR for him. I know he is cutting a lot for 67kg, not sure if his body can handle 3 not-so-easy matches. from the last quarter it will be BLR or JPN but I think whoever survives from the 3rd Q will win the SF too.

my picks: and

 

77kg:

two biggest names here are both in the top half, Kim and Nemes! this is a nightmare draw for Kim, he will start with Rafig Huseynov (AZE) and then guess who ? the Indian guy who destroyed him at the Asian QT. Nemes will have two "easy" matches before facing BLR or UKR in the Quarters. I believe he will find his way into the SF, most probably against Kim. this will be a hell of a match but I think Nemes will 1-1 his way into the Olympics lol

but watch out for Gurpreet. this guy can make everybody tired you have to score big on him early otherwise even Nemes will have hard time against his cardio.

Ait Mnatsakanian was really impressive in Hungary and he is wrestling at home. so he is my pick from the bottom half. but it won't be easy for him. first round will be crucial against a dangerous Moldovan. next is POL and then probably GEO for him. you never can underestimate Georgia in Greco-Roman. I think Cengiz (TUR) will be in the SF from the last quarter against probably BUL or GEO.

my picks: and

 

87kg:

this is where Iran and Russia try to complete their Greco teams and unfortunately they have to beat each other! we also have the European Champion Datunashvili (SRB) in this half. and I think one of these 3 guys will qualify. Chakvetadze is the clear favorite here as the Olympic Champion. honestly I don't have much hope for our "new guy". Chakvetadze has a bye and then two "easy" matches to reach the SF to probably face the winner of IRN-SRB.

Basar (TUR) and Shahinyan (ARM) are the biggest names in the bottom half. tough draw for the Armenian. he will face the winner of BUL-SWE (both of them are good) in the 2nd round before facing Basar. I think the winner of that ARM-TUR match will qualify at the end. but I also give a slim chance to the winner of POL-CRO match in the 3rd quarter. whoever wins that match most probably will advance to the SF and Huklek (CRO) once created lots of problems for Shahinyan. so that's not impossible.

my picks: and

 

97kg:

Nikoloz (ITA) is the clear favorite here, the draw is not that easy though. I think he can handle the Azeri guy. Baldauf can be tough in the QF.  Szoke (HUN) has a relatively easier path to the SF to face Nikoloz. I think the Italian will finally make it but he wrestled at the European Champs few days ago. maybe that helps his opponents here.

the bottom half is wide open, BLR, GER, FRA and maybe UKR or CZE are the favorites. Peter Ohler (GER) used to be good but I didn't watch him for a while.

my picks: and

 

130kg:

there is no real favorite here so I make it quick. I think 5 guys are "capable" of that in the top half. ROU, AZE, POL, CRO and maybe NOR.

in the bottom half I'm more interested to see the talented guy from Finland, he is a 97kg wrestler but since another talented guy from Finland qualified that weight he has no other option to try his chance here. and I really think he has a chance. UKR, ARM, HUN and USA are the biggest obstacles ahead of him. but he only has to beat one of them (of course after beating BUL which won't be easy)

my picks: and

[mrv86 3,138]

Well, 2 wrestlers already qualified, and nothing else for Mexico after those terrible draws.

[Dolby 735]

And Bekbulatov is out 

 

 

[Fly_like_a_don 1,091]

Angola and Guniea Bissau have withdrawn from the tournament I believe. 

[MHSN 3,632]

after the first round, still no big surprise but I have to say both Polish wrestlers I was expecting to qualify were disappointing despite the win

 

and it seems we have lots of American-born wrestlers in the competition, for Italy, San Marino, Israel, Lebanon. Puerto Rico, Colombia etc. some of them aren't necessarily good.

[ChandlerMne 1,041]

Tsabolov against Demirtas.

Will be hard. Cant say who is favorite

[Vektor 3,326]

I think it's not the first time from our Hungarian Russians that they manage to lose in the last few seconds of their match. We tried to increase our quotas with Russians in freestyle, and in the end we only got one.