Rei Higuchi at the 2016 Olympic Games (Photo/Tony Rotundo; WrestlersAreWarriors.com)The Uzbekistan freestyle team had a disappointing World Championships back in 2019 at Nur-Sultan when it failed to qualify even a single weight out of the six Olympic categories. A delay in the qualifying tournaments due to the COVID-19 had their wrestlers struggling to maintain weight and had restricted training.
But a week back, when the Uzbekistan team left Almaty after the Asian Olympic Qualifiers, they were the most successful freestyle team with four qualified athletes including veterans Bekzod Abdurakhamonov (74kg) and Magomed Ibragimov (97kg). The two others were youngsters Muminjon Abdullaev (57kg) and Javrail Shapiev (86kg). Despite their success, a surprising result at 65kg spoiled their party.
Ilyas Bekbulatov arrived in Almaty as the favorite to win the 65kg weight category but he was stunned in the semifinal. In all likelihood, he will now wrestle at the last chance World Olympic Qualifier in Sofia, Bulgaria next month.
His result was not the only surprising one in Almaty. Japan had a disastrous tournament in freestyle and Greco-Roman. India, which had three qualified wrestlers in Nur-Sultan, failed to qualify even one in Almaty, despite all three reaching the semifinals.
The following are some of the biggest names that are yet to qualify for the Olympic Games in Tokyo
Freestyle:
Ilyas Bekbulatov (Uzbekistan): Two points. That was all Bekbulatov needed to qualify for the Olympics. After dominating the field at 65kg in Almaty, the Russia-transfer to Uzbekistan was up against Ernazar Akmataliev of Kyrgyzstan. After the Uzbek had built a 8-0 lead in the first period, Akmataliev threw him on his back with a head lock and got the pin eight seconds before the end of the first period.
Having won the 70kg Asian title in 2020, Bekbulatov went back to his native Dagestan to continue his training. He had completed the transfer in a hope to compete at the Olympic Games, as it became harder and harder from Russia.
Now, as only two weeks remain for the Sofia tournament, it becomes a huge challenge for him to qualify given that he has to undergo the whole process of reducing his weight. Not to talk about the opponents he will face in Sofia. Jordan Olivier from the USA, Rio Olympic champion at 57kg Vladimer Khinchegashivili (GEO) and Poland veteran Magomedmurad Gadzhiev are all eyeing the two spots available.
Turkey's Selahattin Kilicsallayan will also pose big trouble for him. Niurgun Skriabin of Belarus, Ukraine's Vasyl Shuptar, Vladimir Dubov of Bulgaria and David Habat of Slovenia are the underdogs of the category.
Rei Higuchi (Japan): The biggest story from Almaty has to be Rio Olympics silver medalist Higuchi failing to make the weight in the 57kg category. After winning the All-Japan Championships in December 2019 to represent his country at the Asian Olympic qualifiers, a delay of one year did not help his plans. His quest for his second Olympic medal ended when he was disqualified for being overweight by 50 grams.
He is unavailable for the last chance as the Japan Wrestling Federation had already decided that Yuki Takahashi will go to Sofia in a bid to win the spot for Japan. The JWF is considering a trial in case Takahashi wins.
Sohsuke Takatania (Japan): A former world silver medalist and two-time Olympian, Takatani could have given Japan their quota at 86kg but he flopped in stunning fashion. After leading 6-1 against unheralded Zushen Lin of China, he gave up six points to lose 8-7. Lin scored the final takedown with just 23 seconds left on the clock.
Women's Wrestling
Seema (India): India's recent success in women's wrestling have made them a strong force in Asia. The lightweight wrestlers have always been more successful than their heavier counterparts. So when Seema was entered for the Almaty tournament, she was expected to qualify for the Tokyo Games, given that she had finished seventh at the World Championships.
Unfortunately, she failed to do so after big losses to eventual champion Yui Susaki of Japan and 2019 Ivan Yargyin champion Namuuntsetseg Ochir of Mongolia. Her performance did not replicate the success she had in the lead up to the World Championships, having won two ranking series gold medals and being a top-three wrestler for United World Wrestling throughout the year.
It is yet uncertain who will represent India at the last chance qualifiers in Sofia and Seema may have to appear for a second trial back home in India.
Tserenchimed Sukhee (Mongolia): Mongolia could not have asked for a better tournament as they qualified four wrestlers out of the five they brought to Almaty. The unlucky one being Tserenchimed Sukhee. Having jumped up a weight category to 62kg from 57kg, Tserenchimed was looking good to qualify as she reached the semifinal despite a 4-4 loss to Ayaulym Kassymova. But Chinese wrestler Jia Long handed her a 10-0 loss in the semifinal to end the Mongolian's dream.
Mongolia is likely to send Bolortuya Khurelkhuu to Sofia as she won a silver medal at the following Asian Championships in Almaty.
Greco-Roman
Meiirzhan Shermakhanbet (Kazakhstan): Wrestling at home could have been enough motivation for Shermakhanbet to win an Olympic quota for Kazakhstan. But Marlen Asikeev of Kyrgyzstan had other ideas. Both met in the qualification round at 67kg weight category and Asikeev controlled the bout to perfection. He not only took the lead but maintained it to win 8-2.
The Kazak wrestler will have to go through the tough process of qualifying via the last chance in Sofia.
Kim Hyeonwoo (Korea): Korea's 2012 Olympics champion and bronze medalist in Rio had a forgetful tournament as he lost in the quarterfinal of the 77kg category in Almaty. Wrestling against India's Gurpreet Singh, Kim gave up two four-point throws and suffered a 9-0 loss. To add insult to injury, Kim failed to medal at the Asian Championships at 82kg.
It will be interesting to see if Korea sends a new entry to Sofia or will stick with 33-year-old Kim.
Gurpreet Singh (India): He managed to beat two-time Olympic medalist Kim Hyeonwoo in Almaty but was tossed around by Akzhol Makhmudov of Kyrgyzstan as India's biggest hope to qualify for the Olympics ended in Almaty.
A former Asian Championships medalist Gurpreet came to Almaty as one of the favorites to qualify, but Makhmudov handed him a 8-2 defeat to end his chance. It is likely that India may have a trial between Gurpreet and Sajan, a multiple-time age-group world medalist, to decide who goes to Sofia.
Hossein Nouri (Iran): The favorite to qualify from Almaty in the 87kg weight category was Hossein Nouri of Iran. A three-time Asian champion and winner of Asian Games, Nouri suffered a 4-4 loss to Fei Peng of China. Leading 4-0 in the second period, Nouri was sent on his back when Peng produced a surprise move to win on criteria.
Iran had won three quotes in Nur-Sultan and two more in Almaty. A quota at 87kg would have completed their squad for Tokyo, but now Iran will be racing against time to find a candidate for the Sofia tournament.
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