The draws have been released for the 2023 Grand Prix of Germany, which begins tomorrow (Saturday) at 10:30am local time (4:30am ET) in Dortmund.
Four athletes from the United States are competing, including ’23 World Team member Ildar Hafizov (60 kg, Army/WCAP). He is joined by U23 World reps Payton Jacobson (Sunkist/NTS) and Cade Lautt (97 kg, Tar Heel WC) as well as Courtney Freeman (130 kg, Marines).
Denmark is entering the tournament with three competitors — Nikolai Mohammadi (60 kg), Oliver Krueger (77 kg), and Mathias Bak (97 kg). Of the three nations which are the focus, Norway leads the pack. Seven wrestlers are hitting the mats, no surprise given how active the Scandinavian program has been this season. At 67 kilograms, both ’20 European Championships gold Morten Thoresen and ’23 Euro bronze Haavard Joergensen are in the bracket; 77 kilos has both Sebastian Aak and the returning-from-injury Per-Anders Kure; ’22 U23 World Champion Exauce Mukubu is entered at 87; Felix Baldauf is at 97; and ’21 World bronze Oskar Marvik will be occupying a bracket spot at heavyweight.
The World Team selection process ended for the United States back in June at Final X: Newark, but for many other nations that process has not yet concluded. Norway itself has an interesting situation with Thoresen and the surging Joergensen, but several countries whose athletes will be appearing are in the same boat. Host country Germany and Poland are additional examples of federations who are using the results from the Grand Prix of Germany to further inform their selection decisions. By the time the event wraps on Sunday, the World Championships in Belgrade will be only 39 days away.
2023 Grand Prix of Germany
August 12-13 — Dortmund, GER
Tournament Schedule
Live streaming available here. All times local (+6 hours ET).
Saturday, August 12
10:30am-5:00pm — Qualification rounds
6:00pm-8:00pm — Semifinals
Sunday, August 13
10:30am-3:00pm — Repechage, medal rounds, and finals
Draws
60 kg
Ildar Hafizov (USA) — quarterfinal
vs. Leo Tudezca (FRA)
Nikolai Mohammadi (DEN) — quarterfinal
vs. either Adem Burak Uzun (TUR, ’23 European Championships gold, ’21 U23 World bronze) or Helary Maegisalu (EST)
67 kg
Haavard Joergensen (NOR) — round-of-16
vs. Kyotoro Sogabe (JPN) or Oleh Khalilov (UKR)
Morten Thoresen (NOR) — round-of-16
vs. either Maksym Liu (UKR) or Meirzan Shermakhanbet (KAZ, ’18 World bronze)
77 kg
Oliver Krueger (DEN) — qualification round
vs. Fabio Dietsche (SUI)
Sebastian Aak (NOR) — qualification round
vs. Johnny Burr (FRA)
Per-Anders Kure (NOR) — qualification round
vs. Albin Olofsson (SWE)
82 kg
Payton Jacobson (USA) — qualification round
vs. Otto Ketonen (FIN)
87 kg
Exauce Mukubu (NOR) — round-of-16
vs. either Ramon Betschart (SUI) or Madamin Mirzoiev (UKR)
97 kg
Cade Lautt (USA) — round-of-16
vs. Artiom Shumski (POL)
Felix Baldauf (NOR) — qualification round
vs. Metehan Basar (TUR, 2X World Champion)
130 kg
Courtney Freeman (USA) — qualification round
vs. Mikhail Vyshnyvetsky (UKR)
Oksar Marvik (NOR) — qualification round
vs. Svetoslav Kalashnikov (UKR)
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