Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, April 22, 2024: Kazakhstan was the most successful country at the Asian Olympic Games Qualifiers in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan last weekend with five male athletes winning berths for the wrestling events at Paris 2024.
Alisher Yergali and Yusup Batirmurzaev finished in the top bracket in the Men’s Freestyle 97kg and 125kg events respectively to earn Kazakhstan two quota places in Paris. The winners of each semi-final bout in each of the six weight classes qualify for the Olympics.
In the Men’s Greco-Roman, three Kazakh athletes booked Olympic berths – Aidos Sultangali (60kg), Demeu Zhadrayev (77kg) and Alimkhan Syzdykov (130kg) – as the Central Asian country finished the Asian qualifiers with a successful strike rate.
Host nation Kyrgyzstan also won two quotas in the Men’s Freestyle through Bekzat Almaz Uulu (57kg) and Ernazar Akmatliev (65kg). Then in the Men’s Greco-Roman events, which concluded on Sunday, April 21, Amantur Ismailov won an Olympic licence in the 67kg class.
Apart from Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, four other countries won two spots each for Paris 2024 in freestyle wrestling – Uzbekistan, Mongolia, Japan and Iran.
In Greco-Roman, China’s Qian Haitao (87kg), Ri Se-ung of DPR Korea (60kg) and Korean duo Kim Seung Jun (97kg) and Lee Seung Chan (130kg) also forced their way into the picture.
While India’s much-vaunted male wrestlers came up short in the freestyle and Greco-Roman, the country won three Olympic berths in women’s wrestling through Vinesh Phogat, Anshu Malik and Reetika Hooda.
Tokyo Olympian Deepak Punia (86kg) and Sujeet (65kg) were not allowed to compete as they arrived late for weigh-ins after they were stuck in Dubai due to unprecedented heavy rainfall in the region.
Three countries saw bids for historic victories quashed, as Jordan and Saudi Arabia were left still waiting for their first-ever Olympians in wrestling, while Chinese Taipei remained without ever having a male wrestler make the Olympics.
Full Results of Asian Qualifiers for Paris Olympics
Men’s Freestyle
57kg: Gulomjon Abdullaev (Uzbekistan), Bekzat Almaz Uulu (Kyrgyzstan)
65kg: Kotaro Kiyooka (Japan), Ernazar Akmatliev (Kyrgyzstan)
74kg: Yones Aliakbar Emamichoghaei (Iran), Bekzod Abdurakhmonov (Uzbekistan)
86kg: Bat Erdene Byambasuren (Mongolia), Hayato Ishiguro (Japan)
97kg: Alisher Yergali (Kazakhstan), Amirali Hamid Azarpira (Iran)
125kg: Lkhagvagerel Munkhtur (Mongolia), Yusup Batirmurzaev (Kazakhstan)
Men’s Greco-Roman
60kg: Aidos Sultangali (Kazakhstan), Ri Se-ung (DPR Korea)
67kg: Amantur Ismailov (Kyrgyzstan), Kyotaro Sogabe (Japan)
77kg: Demeu Zhadrayev (Kazakhstan), Amin Yavar Kaviyaninejad (Iran)
87kg: Alireza Azizkhoon Mohmadipiani (Iran), Qian Haitao (China)
97kg: Rustam Assakalov (Uzbekistan), Kim Seung Jun (Korea)
130kg: Lee Seung Chan (Korea), Alimkhan Syzdykov (Kazakhstan)
Women’s Wrestling
50kg: Aktenge Keunimjaeva (Uzbekistan), Vinesh Phogat (India)
53kg: Pang Qianyu (China), Choe Hyog-yong (DPR Korea)
57kg: Hong Kexin (China), Anshu Malik (India)
62kg: Orkhon Purevdorj (Mongolia), Mun Hyon-gyong (DPR Korea)
68kg: Meerim Zhumanazarova (Kyrgyzstan), Pak Sol-gum (DPR Korea)
76kg: Wang Juan (China), Reetika Hooda (India)
