The World Wrestling Olympic Qualifiers 2024 took place in Istanbul, Turkey, from May 9 -12. Three quota places were available in each category. The finalists (top two) and the winner among the two bronze medalists competed for the quota places for their countries. Among the Oceania countries that competed in the Final Olympic Games Qualifier were Australia, American Samoa, Nauru and Palau.
On May 09, Day 1 of the competition, Elias Vaoifi of American Samoa competed in the Greco Roman Style 87kg division against Nicu Ojog of Romania but lost 10-1. It was a very tough match as Vaoifi was the only athlete from Oceania competing in Greco Roman.
The World Olympic Qualifier entered Day 2 with women’s wrestling in six weight classes. Uilau Tarkong competed in the womens 68kg weight division against Noemi Szabados of Hungary, but lost during the first period of the match after Szabados scored 4 points during a takedown. Sazbados went on to compete against Mimi Hristova of Bulgaria but lost 4-0. Uilau ranked 17 out of 22 wrestlers in her weight category.
Other athletes that competed on Day 2 were Nachi Masuda of Australia who competed in the womens 62kg division against Krista Incze or Romania, but she lost in the 2nd period of the match to Long Jia of China. Incze went on to defeat the athlete from China and another athlete from Individual Neutral Athletes (IAN)- these are those nations allowed to compete under neutral Olympic flag by the IOC. Nachi went on to wrestle in the repeche match against China but lost. Icze was able to qualify for the Paris Olympic Games. In the womens 72kg weight division, Annie Anjumela Aloiio of American Samoa wrestled Anastasia Shustova of Ukraine but lost the match by fall during the first period.
On Day 3 of the competition, Josh Failauga of American competed in the mens 65kg division against Maxim Sacultan of Modova. Lowe Bingham of Nauru competed in the mens 65kg division against Shannon Geran Hanna II of the Bahamas, but lost 10-0 in the first period.
Cristian Etpison Nicolescu of Palau competed in the mens 65kg freestyle division. He wrestled Niurgun Skriabin of Individual Neutral Athletes (IAN) originally from Belarus. Skriabin went on to wrestle Zain Retherford from the USA for the bronze medal, but lost 7-0. Retherford earned the bronze medal and qualified for the final spot for the Paris Olympic Games. The top two Olympic spots went to Mongolia and Albania. Cristian ranked 28 out of 35 overall.
Ariston Faamalosi Bartley of American Samoa competed against Yip Cheuk Yeung from Hong Kong in the mens freestyle 86kg division. Ariston dominated the match and won by technical superiority 10-0. Ariston went on to wrestle Vladimeri Gamkrelidze of Georgia but lost 10-0. Vladermeri went on to defeat Ukrain for the bronze medal and earned his ticket to the Paris Olympic Games. In the mens 97kg, Thomas Barns also of Australia competed against Maxwell Lacey of Costa Rica and performed very well and was first to score but lost the match 18-7 in the 2nd period.
Overall, it was a tough event for our Oceania team but nevertheless, we were proud of all our athletes that competed in this Final Olympic Games Qualifier.