Paris Preview: Spencer Lee seeks gold at first Olympic Games in Paris at 57 kg in men's freestyle

The top seed at 57 kg is 2023 World champion Stevan Micic of Serbia, who competed in college for Northwestern and Michigan and was a U20 World medalist for the USA before changing nations. Based upon the seeding, his half-bracket will include No. 4 Meirambek Kartbay of Kazakhstan, No. 5 Zelimkhan Abakarov of Albania and No. 8 Gulomjon Abdullaev of Uzbekistan.

Kartbay has never won a World medal, but was fifth in the 2023 Worlds and consistent in the Ranking Series events. Abakarov was a 2022 World champion and a 2023 World bronze medalist and hailed from Russia earlier in his career. Abudllaev has not been a World medalist, but competed in the 2020 Olympics and won the Asian Olympic Games Qualifier.

The No. 2 seed is Rei Higuchi of Japan, a 2022 World champion and 2023 World bronze medalist who won a silber medal in the 2016 Olympic Games. Higuchi is one of the top favorites in this weight class. Based upon seeding, his half bracket will include No. 3 Arsen Harutyunyan of Armenia, No. 6 Aman of India and No. 7 Wanhao Zou of China.

Harutynyan has been on the podium at the World Championships for three straight years, winning World bronze medals each time. He has also won three straight European gold medals. Aman was a 2022 U23 World champion and 2023 Asian champion who is seeking his first World medal. Zou’s best finish at the Senior Worlds was fifth in 2022, and boasts a U23 World bronze.

The rest of the field will be drawn into the bracket, and this group includes U.S. entry Spencer Lee. Although this is Lee’s first Senior-level U.S. team, he was a terror in the age-group level, with three World titles won in dominating fashion. Lee has returned after overcoming injuries during his college career at Iowa and has not wrestled many of these athletes at the Senior level.

Two other U.S. college wrestlers are also getting drawn in, Roman Bravo Young of Mexico and Darian Cruz of Puerto Rico. Bravo Young won two NCAA titles for Penn State and Cruz was an NCAA champ for Lehigh. Both qualified through the Pan American Olympic Qualifier, while Lee had to go to the final qualifier to get the USA in the field. Cruz competed in two Senior Worlds, while Bravo Young has no Senior World-level experience.

None of the other qualifiers have been a Senior World or Olympic medalist. Aliabbas Rzazade of Azerbaijan has been a U23 World champion. Bekzat Almaz Uulu of Kyrgyzstan won a U23 World medal. Vladimir Egorov of North Macedonia, Gamal Mohamed of Egypt and Diamantino Iuna Fafe of Guinea Biseau and round out the field. Mohamed won the African/Oceania Olympic Qualifier.

57 kg MFS Seeded Wrestlers

No. 1 Stevan MICIC (SRB)

No. 2 Rei HIGUCHI (JPN )

No. 3 Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM)

No. 4 Meirambek KARTBAY (KAZ)

No. 5 Zelimkhan ABAKAROV (ALB)

No. 6 Aman AMAN (IND)

No. 7 Wanhao ZOU (CHN)

No. 8 Gulomjon ABDULLAEV (UZB)

57 kg MFS Olympians (to be drawn in)

Aliabbas RZAZADE (AZE)

Gamal MOHAMED (EGY)

Diamantino IUNA FAFE (GBS)

Bekzat ALMAZ UULU (KGZ)

Roman BRAVO YOUNG (MEX)

Vladimir EGOROV (MKD)

Darian CRUZ (PUR)

Spencer LEE (USA)

Competition Days

(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 53kg

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 57kg