At this point, all the wrestling participants for the 2024 Olympic Games are already known. Today we will consider freestyle wrestling in the weight category up to 86 kg.
This is one of those weight categories where there is no participant from Russia in the list of leaders. There have been a lot of changes in the lists of leaders, and most importantly - will not participate the reigning Olympic champion - David Taylor (USA).
Taylor did not make the U.S. Olympic team. He lost in the qualifying bouts to Aaron Brooks and left his place in the national team to a young wrestler, this will give Hassan Yazdani a little freedom as only Taylor caught the Iranian's weak spot.
Hassan Yazdani (Iran) is currently the main leader for a championship at the Olympics, you don't even need to explain who he is. He has been competing with David Taylor for many years now, and they are the only two to be seen in the finals of the World Championships.
Aaron Brooks (USA) - he can also be considered the leader in this weight class, as he defeated the reigning Olympic champion David Taylor. David had no health problems, he even became World Champion last year, and he was already considered to be the main face of the Olympic Games in Paris, but it was not so. At the qualifying bouts for a spot on the U.S. roster, Aaron Brooks wins two bouts in a row and gets the opportunity to go to Paris.
A week ago, Aaron Brooks had a problem with doping control. A drug was found in his system that could have been a big problem for his participation in the Olympic Games. According to Brooks, he was prescribed Vyvanse for attention deficit disorder because he was having trouble with his studies. The only violation in his case was that he did not have a doctor's prescription in Albania, but when it soon turned out that he was using the drug for medical reasons, he was cleared of all suspicions of doping.
The wrestler wonders why this story has come to light now that he has qualified for the Olympics. He again had to endure anxious expectations until it was confirmed that he was clean and could go to Paris.
Artur Naifonov (Russia) is a wrestler clean for the bronze medal. Artur didn't shine with special wrestling and was always behind his competitors from USA and Iran. And before the Russian Championships he had a surgery, which brought with it problems. He did not take part in the national championships, and the champion at that time was 20-year-old Ibragim Kadiev. But they will have a qualifying bout before the Olympics, and it is the winner of the bout between Naivonov and Kadiev who will go to Paris. At the last Olympic Games Arthur won a bronze medal.
Dauren Kurugliev (Greece) is a strong wrestler in this weight class, a reigning European champion. But will he be able to show the same level as at the European Championships? This is still in doubt.
Aaron Brooks (USA) - U23 World Champion,
Hassan Yazdani (Iran) - Olympic champion (2016) and three-time world champion.
Azamat Daluetbekov (Kazakhstan) - Two-time World Championship bronze medalist, and three-time Asian champion.
Miles Amine (San Marino) - Olympic bronze medalist (2020) and two-time European silver medalist.
Javrail Shapiyev (Uzbekistan) - Asian Championship silver medalist.
Artur Naifonov (AIN, Russia) - Olympic bronze medalist (2020)
Osman Nurmagomedov (Azerbaijan) - silver medalist of the World Championship (2023)
Vladimir Gamkrelidze (Georgia) - silver medalist of the World Championship (2023)
Dauren Kurugliev (Greece) - three-time European champion.
Hayato Ishiguro (Japan)
Bat Erdene Byambasuren (Mongolia)
Magomed Ramazanov (Bulgaria)
Ethan Ramos (Puerto Rico)
Alexander Moore (Canada)
Jayden Lawrence (Australia)
Fateh Benferjallah (Algeria)
