Paris Preview: Hildebrandt seeded sixth, aims for second Olympic medal in Paris at 50 kg in women's freestyle

The No. 1 seed is 2020 Olympic champion Yui Susaki of Japan, also a four-time World champion (2017, 2018 and 2022, 2023), the dominant wrestler of this generation. Susaki seeks a second Olympic title and to add to her legacy within Japan’s storied history. Add in age-group titles, and she has 11 World and Olympic golds. Her half-bracket will include No. 4 Evin Demirhan of Turkey, No. 5 Alisson Cardoza Rey of Colombia and No. 8 Oksana Livach of Ukraine.

Demirhan, a 2022 European champion who was fifth in the 2023 World Championships, is competing in her second Olympic Games. Cardoza Rey, also fifth at the 2023 Worlds, has limited international success, and qualified through the Pan American Olympic Qualifier. Livach, a 2018 Senior World bronze medalist, was fifth in the 2020 Olympics and was a 2013 16U World champion.  

The bottom half-bracket is more loaded with experience. The No. 2 seed is three-time Senior World medalist Otgonjargal Dolgorjav of Mongolia, a World finalist in both 2022 and 2023. She is short and very powerful. Her half-bracket includes No. 3 Ziqi Feng of China, No. 6 Sarah Hildebrandt of the USA and No. 7 Mariya Stadnik of Ukraine, one of the sport’s top legends.

Feng, a 2023 World bronze medalist, was second in the 2024 Asian Championships and a 2019 U23 World silver medalist. Hildebrandt, a 2020 Olympic bronze medalist, boasts four Senior World medals, including two silver medals. Hildebrandt has an explosive offense. Dolgorjav has given Hildebrandt fits in recent victories over the American. Stadnik is a rare four-time Olympic medalist (silvers in 2012 2016, bronzes in 2008, 2020) and two-time World champion, but at 35 is a longshot for the title.

Three past Senior World medalist are unseeded and will be drawn in. India’s Vinesh was a 2019 and 2022 World bronze medalist and is in her third Olympics. Anastasia Blayvas of Germany, 2023 World bronze medal at 55 kg and a two-time age-group World medalist, dropped down in weight. North Korea’s Son Hyang Kim is a 2017 World bronze medalist and 2014 Youth Olympic champion.

Other qualifiers are Cuba’s Yusneylis Guzman Lopez, a 2023 Pan American Games champion and 2020 Olympian, four-time African bronze medalist Ibtissem Doudou of Algeria, two-time age-group World medalist Nada Mohamed of Egypt, plus Gabija Dilyte of Lithuania and Aktenge Keunimjaeva of Uzbekistan. The big question is if an anybody in this field hault Susaki’s dominance.

50 kg WFS Seeded Wrestlers

No. 1 Yui SUSAKI (JPN)

No. 2 Otgonjargal DOLGORJAV (MGL)

No. 3 Ziqi FENG (CHN)

No. 4 Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR)

No. 5 Alisson CARDOZO REY (COL)

No. 6 Sarah HILDEBRANDT (USA)

No. 7 Mariya STADNIK (AZE)

No. 8 Oksana LIVACH (UKR)

50 kg WFS Olympians (to be drawn in)

Ibtissem DOUDOU (ALG)

Yusneylis GUZMAN LOPEZ (CUB)

Nada MOHAMED (EGY)

Anastasia BLAYVAS (GER)

VINESH (IND)

Gabija DILYTE (LTU)

Son Hyang KIM (PRK)

Aktenge KEUNIMJAEVA (UZB)

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

Tuesday, August 6, 2024

11:00 a.m. - Repechage Men’s Greco Roman 60-130 kg and Women’s Freestyle 68 kg

11:30 a.m. - Round of 16 and Quarterfinals - Men’s Greco-Roman 77-97 kg and Women’s Freestyle 50 kg.

6:15 p.m. - Semifinals - Men’s Greco-Roman 77-97 kg and Women’s Freestyle 50 kg

7:15 p.m. - Medal Rounds in Men’s Greco Roman 60-130 kg and Women’s Freestyle 68 kg

Wednesday, August 7, 2024

11:00 a.m. – Repechage Men’s Greco Roman 77-97 kg and Women’s Freestyle 50 kg

11:30 a.m. - Round of 16 and Quarterfinals - Men’s Greco-Roman 67-87 kg and Women’s Freestyle 53 kg

6:15 p.m. - Semifinals - Men’s Greco-Roman 67-87 kg and Women’s Freestyle 53 kg

7:15 p.m. - Medal Rounds in Men’s Greco-Roman 77-97 kg and Women’s Freestyle 50 kg