A roadmap to follow for the wrestling competition during the 2024 Summer Olympic Games in Paris.
Athletes to watch
Hassan Yazdani, Iran: Nicknamed “The Greatest,” Yazdani was a gold medalist at 74 kilograms in 2016. He lost to David Taylor in the gold medal match in the 86-kilogram division in Tokyo. Taylor isn’t competing in Paris, possibly clearing a way for Yazdani to return to the top.
Taha Akgul, Turkey: A 2016 gold medalist, Akgul was among those who lost to American Gable Steveson at the Tokyo Games. He beat Georgia’s Geno Petriashvili, the silver medalist in Tokyo, at the European Championships earlier this year. With Steveson not returning, Akgul could emerge victorious in the 125-kilogram class.
Kennedy Blades, United States. The dynamic 20-year-old beat Tokyo Olympic silver medalist Adeline Gray at the U.S. trials and is competing in the women’s 76-kilogram freestyle division.
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Helen Maroulis, United States. She is aiming to become the first American women’s wrestler to win three Olympic medals. She won gold in 2016 and bronze in Tokyo and is competing in the 57-kilogram division in Paris.
Storylines to follow
Who will be the men’s heavyweight champion in freestyle? Steveson won at age 21, then left for pro wrestling and didn’t participate in the U.S. Olympic Trials. That leaves the class wide open.
New faces: None of the three U.S. gold medalists from Tokyo return. Taylor lost to Aaron Brooks in the trials and Tamyra Mensah-Stock and Steveson did not attempt to qualify.
Zhan Beleniuk, a member of Ukraine’s Parliament, won gold in Tokyo and is aiming to win again.
Key dates
The competition starts Aug. 5 and gold medal matches are scheduled from Aug. 7-11.
Reigning champions
Men’s Freestyle
57 kg: Zaur Uguev, Russia
65 kg: Takuto Otoguro, Japan
74 kg: Zaurbek Sidakov, Russia
86 kg: David Taylor, United States
97 kg: Abdulrashid Sadulaev, Russia
125 kg: Gable Steveson, United States
Men’s Greco-Roman
60 kg: Luis Orta, Cuba
67 kg: Mohammad Reza Geraei, Iran
77 kg: Tamas Lorincz, Hungary
87 kg: Zhan Beleniuk, Ukraine
97 kg: Musa Evloev, Russia
130 kg: Mijain Lopez, Cuba
Women’s freestyle
50 kg: Yui Susaki, Japan
53 kg: Mayu Mukaida, Japan
57 kg: Risako Kawai, Japan
62 kg: Yukako Kawai, Japan
68 kg: Tamyra Mensah-Stock, United States
76 kg: Aline Rotter-Focken, Germany