2016 Olympic Games

The Rotating Cast Of Characters - 59kg Preview

The Rotating Cast Of Characters - 59kg Preview

​Today's Olympic preview is for 59kg Greco-Roman, which competes on Sunday the 14th in Rio.

Aug 3, 2016 by Wrestling Nomad
The Rotating Cast Of Characters - 59kg Preview
​Today's preview is for 59kg Greco-Roman, which competes on Sunday the 14th.

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Today's preview is for 59kg Greco-Roman, which competes on Sunday the 14th.

The Contenders

#1 Ismael Borrero Molina (CUB) - The defending world champion is very difficult to predict on his feet.
#2 Rovshan Bayramov (AZE) - Will the third time be the charm for this two-time Olympic silver medalist?
#3 Almat Kebispayev (KAZ) - One of the most offensively dynamic wrestlers at this weight.
#14 Hamid Sourian (IRI) - The six-time world champion is not what he once was, but is still the reigning Olympic gold medalist.

The Dark Horses

#9 Elmurat Tasmuradov (UZB) - Keeps the pressure on and won bronze in both 2013 and 2014.
#17 Ibrahim Labazanov (RUS) - 2016 Poddubny champ was almost not selected.
#19 Jesse Thielke (USA) - The honey badger just needs the right mindset to be able to bring home some hardware.

Weight in Flux

This weight has been almost impossible to predict since they combined the old 55kg and 60kg classes. So much so that at the past two world championships, 14 different countries and 15 different athletes have made the quarterfinals. 

The only guy to wrestle for a medal both years is defending champion Ismael Borrero Molina (CUB)--the same guy that didn't win Granma Cup, didn't place at Pan-Am Games, and walked off after one match in Ukraine earlier this year. Guy is talented, but mercurial to say the least.

​Borrero Molina wins a world title in under a minute:


In gambling, the "public" money would be on reigning Olympic gold medalist Hamid Sourian (IRI), but if you saw him compete over the last nine months, you would be hard-pressed to make a case for him as the favorite. His lungs will likely still be an issue come August 14 when this weight wrestles.

Almat Kebispayev is a freak of nature with no regard for other people's well-being. The head pinch he hit against Tasmuradov literally caused him to bleed from the nose. That kind of nastiness will come in handy as he tries to expand on his three senior-level world medals.

Kebispayev goes ham on Tasmuradov at Golden Grand Prix


How Thielke Can Medal

Everyone knew Jesse Thielke had this in him. He was remarkably successful coming up through the age-level ranks, both nationally and internationally.

More than almost any Greco-Roman athlete we have, Thielke does a great job incorporating folkstyle roots into his wrestling. At the las-chance qualifier, he hit a super duck and a switch in different matches to propel him to victory.

The main thing standing between Thielke and a medal is himself. A proper weight cut and refuel will allow him to be at his absolute peak in Rio. Junior world medals and his performance in Turkey are more than all of the ammunition he needs to believe in himself.

Beyond that, Thielke needs to keep his eyes off the scoreboard. Despite being arm spun twice in the semifinals of the last-chance qualifier, Thielke wound up winning that match by technical superiority to cement his status as an Olympian.

Keep Your Eye On

Elmurat Tasmuradov is a Tasmanian devil. When this guy takes the mat, even non-Greco people tune in. He teched his way into the semifinals in 2014, only to run into Sourian and lose a 2-1 match.

Tasmuradov knocks off Olympic bronze Modos


The drama in Russia centered on their 57kg freestyle spot, but the 59kg Greco spot was just as contentiously won. Originally, a wrestle-off they did just a few weeks ago meant nothing as Stepan Maryanyan was selected. But after an injury to Maryanyan, the spot is in the hands of Ibrahim Labazanov now. Labazanov won Poddubny, Russian Nationals and the special wrestle-off for the weight, so it makes sense to send him to Rio.

Predictions

GOLD: Almat Kebispayev, Kazakhstan
SILVER: Arsen Eraliev, Kyrgyzstan
BRONZE: Ismael Borrero Molina, Cuba
BRONZE: Elmurat Tasmuradov, Uzbekistan
FIFTH: Yun Won-Chol, North Korea
FIFTH: Hamid Sourian, Iran


Olympic Wrestling Previews:

Men's Freestyle: 57KG | 65KG | 74KG | 86KG | 97KG | 125KG
Women's Freestyle: 48KG | 53KG | 63KG | 75KG
Greco Roman: 59KG | 75KG | 85KG (Coming 8/14) | 130KG


Top Matches Of Olympians:

Men's Frestyle: Daniel Dennis | Frank Molinaro | Jordan Burroughs
J'den Cox | Kyle Snyder | Tervel Dlagnev

Greco Roman: Jesse Thielke | Andy Bisek | Robby Smith | Ben Provisor (Coming 8/14)
Women's Freestyle: Haley Augello | Helen Maroulis | Elena Pirozhkova | Adeline Gray

Know A Foreign Hammer:

Toghrul Asgarov | Roman Vlasov | Taha Akgul
Saori Yoshida | Anzor Boltakaev | Abdulrashid Sadulaev
Anuiar Gedeuv | Erica Wiebe | Soronzonbold Battsetsegg
Hamid Soryan | Vladimir Khinchegashvili

2016 Olympic Wrestling Schedule