Paris Preview: Brooks makes Olympic debut in a strong 86 kg bracket

Two-time World bronze medalist Azamat Daulenbekov of Kazakhstan gets the No. 1 seed. Daulenbekov was a 2024 Asian champion and has won three age-group World medals.

His half-bracket will include No. 4 Javrail Shapiev of Uzbekistan, No. 5 Magomed Ramazanov of Bulgaria and No. 8 Hayato Ishiguro of Japan. Shapiev was fifth in the 2023 World Championships and fifth in the 2000 Olympic Games. He most recently was second in the 2024 Asian Championships. Ramazanov qualified through the World Olympic Qualifier in Istanbul, and just started wrestling for Bulgaria after competing for Russia most of his career. Ishiburo, a 2018 U20 World champion,

The No. 2 seed is 2016 Olympic champion and 2020 Olympic silver medalist Hassan Yazdani Charati of Iran. Yazdani boasts three World titles. He was defeated by David Taylor of the USA in the Tokyo Olympics and in the World finals in 2022 and 2023. An injury reportedly threatened his Olympic run, but a recent win in Poland shows he is rounding into form.

His half-bracket will include No. 3 Myles Amine of San Marino, No. 6 Bat-Erdene Byambasuren of Mongolia and No. 7 Dauren Kurugliev of Greece. Amine, who wrestled for the University of Michigan, was a 2020 Olympic bronze medalist and won a 2023 World bronze medal. He has won two European silver medals. Byambasuren, a 2018 U20 World bronze medalist, qualified through the Asian Olympic Qualifier. Kurugliev, who wrestled a decade for Russia, was a 2024 European champion and qualified at the World Olympic Qualifier.

Getting drawn into the bracket is U20 World champion and U23 World champion Aaron Brooks of the United States, who knocked off 2020 Olympic champion David Taylor in the U.S. Olympic Team Trials. Brooks, a four-time NCAA champion at Penn State, did not get seeded as he has little Senior experience. Another U.S. collegian in the draw is Ethan Ramos of Puerto Rico, who competed for the University of North Carolina. Ramos qualified through the Pan American Olympic Qualifier.

Osman Nurmagomedov of Azerbaijan has won three Senior World medals, including a silver medal at 92 kg in 2023. Vladimeri Gamkrelidze of Georgia was a 2023 World silver medalist at 79 kg, and also a 2022 U23 World champion. Vasyl Mykhailov is a two-time World bronze medalist at 79 kg and competed in the 2020 Olympics at 74 kg. Others in the draw are Fateh Benferdjallah of Algeria, Jayden Lawrence of Australia and Alexander Moore of Canada.

86 kg MFS Seeded Wrestlers

No. 1 Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ)

No. 2 Hassan YAZDANICHARATI (IRI)

No. 3 Myles AMINE (SMR)

No. 4 Javrail SHAPIEV (UZB)

No. 5 Magomed RAMAZANOV (BUL)

No. 6 Bat BYAMBASUREN (MGL)

No. 7 Dauren KURUGLIEV (GRE)

No. 8 Hayato ISHIGURO (JPN)

86 kg MFS Olympians (to be drawn in)

Fateh BENFERDJALLAH (ALG)

Jayden LAWRENCE (AUS)

Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE)

Alexander MOORE (CAN)

Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO)

Ethan RAMOS (PUR)

Vasyl MYKHAILOV (UKR)

Aaron BROOKS (USA)

(Local Paris time, six hours ahead of U.S. time zone)

Thursday, August 8, 2024

11:00 a.m. - Repechage Men’s Greco Roman 67-87 kg and Women’s Freestyle 53 kg

11:30 a.m. - Round of 16 and Quarterfinals - Men’s Freestyle 57-86 kg and Women’s Freestyle 57 kg

6:15 p.m. - Semifinals - Men’s Freestyle 57-86 kg and Women’s Freestyle 57 kg

7:15 p.m. - Medal Rounds in Men’s Greco-Roman 67-87 kg and Women’s Freestyle 53 kg

Friday, August 9, 2024

11:00 a.m. - Repechage Men’s Freestyle 57-86 kg and Women’s Freestyle 57 kg

11:30 a.m. - Round of 16 and Quarterfinals - Men’s Freestyle 74-125 kg and Women’s Freestyle 62 kg

6:15 p.m. - Semifinals - Men’s Freestyle 74-125 kg and Women’s Freestyle 62 kg

7:15 p.m. - Medal Rounds in Men’s Freestyle 57-86 kg and Women’s Freestyle 57 kg