The Toughest Weight in Rio - 75kg Greco Preview
Today’s Olympic preview focuses on the deepest and most credentialed weight of any style in Rio.
The Contenders
#1 Roman Vlasov (RUS) - Defending world and Olympic champ has the best par terre throws in the sport
#4 Kim Hyeon-Woo (KOR) - Another Olympic champ from London and has a win Vlasov
#1 at 80kg Selcuk Cebi (TUR) - The ageless wonder didn’t win his first world title until 27
It’s difficult to watch Vlasov and not think that he is the strongest man in the world. The man has the strength of a panda and if you appreciate the nuances of Greco it becomes apparent pretty quickly.
Vlasov’s two main tricks are straight legging in neutral to hold center and draw passive calls, and to use his shin as a ramp when picking people up in par terre. Combine these two things, and you have a man who can dominate the strongest weight at last year's world championships without giving up a point.
Hyeon-Woo is one of the few guys able to knock off Vlasov, as we saw at the 2013 world championships. After winning 66kg in London, he has filled out well as a 75kg and has the body to scrap with the best in the weight. Hyeon-Woo’s main issue is that he can get sloppy, relying too much on correct throws. He can also move forward too quickly on his feet and get himself off balance.
Hyeon-Woo wins battle of Olympic golds over Vlasov
Cebi is like the Greco version of Khetag Gazyumov, an ageless wonder who continues to shine on the world stage. Last year’s 80kg world champ, he will be one of the biggest bodies in the weight, and it shows in his par terre defense. His opponents will need to make sure their gut wrenches are cinched up tight, otherwise Cebi will step over and get at least a reversal point.
The Dark Horses
#2 Dozshan Kartikov (KAZ) - This year's Asian Champ and a former junior world silver medalist
#3 Mark Madsen (DEN) - The Mad Dane has bedeviled Bisek lately and is a great litmus test for any would-be 75kg star
#5 Andy Bisek (USA) - The 'Stace is unquestionably the best Greco athlete we have in America today
It's rather difficult to pick dark horses when almost everyone at this weight has a world medal to their name. Kartikov has really taken off the past year and leads a surprisingly tough Kazakhstan team which has won five medals over the past three Olympics.
Kartikov wins his first Asian title
Madsen is the classic definition of "always a bridesmaid, never a bride," after four silver medals in his career. He will need to keep the pressure up with his lefty shoulder lean to rack up the passive calls. Madsen also has an interesting shoulder charge attack that he used to score four against Bisek at the Golden Grand Prix.
How Bisek Can Medal
Bisek does a very subtle tricep pull in neutral which allows him to control center and pick up passive calls. He’s not super dynamic in neutral, but honestly, neither is Vlasov.
Bisek shocks Vlasov in Tashkent
Where Bisek’s bread is buttered is par terre, and in particular a low gut to the right side. This weight class in general does not see a great deal of takedowns from neutral, but rather the separation here comes in the ability to pick up passive calls and get your opponent put down in par terre.
Within the Greco community in America, Bisek has gone through the two powerhouse programs: The Northern Michigan program for college and now training on the senior level with the Minnesota Storm. He was the first Greco American to medal at a world championships since 2009, and the first to medal in consecutive years since Justin "Harry" Lester in 2006-07.
Team USA has not had a Greco-Roman medal at the Olympics since Adam Wheeler at the 2008 Beijing Games. Although this is the clearly the deepest weight, Bisek has beaten three world champs at world the past two years. Expect him to be in the hunt for a medal no matter where he is drawn into the bracket.
Predictions
GOLD: Roman Vlasov, Russia
SILVER: Selcuk Cebi, Turkey
BRONZE: Kim Hyeon-Woo, Korea
BRONZE: Mark Madsen, Denmark
FIFTH: Andy Bisek, USA
FIFTH: Doszhan Kartikov, Kazakhstan
Olympic Wrestling Previews:
Men's Freestyle: 57KG | 65KG | 74KG | 86KG | 97KG | 125KGWomen'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 AkgulSaori Yoshida | Anzor Boltakaev | Abdulrashid Sadulaev
Anuiar Gedeuv | Erica Wiebe | Soronzonbold Battsetsegg
Hamid Soryan | Vladimir Khinchegashvili
2016 Olympic Wrestling Schedule