Muhammad Ali (R) of Pakistan competes against Hassan Shahsavan of Australia in the Greco-Roman 74 kg repechage bout at the Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games. © Matt King/Getty Images

AUSSIE SET TO RE-LIVE LONDON GLORY

It has been 64 years since London last hosted the Olympic Games and 64 years since Australia last won medals in wrestling. In London, Dick Garrard won a silver medal as a welterweight and Jim Armstrong won a bronze medal in the heavyweight division. Australia's only other wrestling medal was in Los Angeles 1932, a bronze to Eddie Scarf in the light-heavyweight.

Melbourne based wrestler Farzad Tarash appears as if will be looking to re-live history and break the Australian medal drought by himself when he attempts to reach the podium at ExCeL in East London’s Royal Victoria Dock.

Tarash competes in the U/60kg Freestyle division and is set to make the Australian team after making the final of the Oceania and African Olympic qualifying tournament in Morocco when he knocked off the local favourite in the semi final before finishing runner up.

WRESTLING EVENTS

There are two wrestling disciplines at the Olympic Games - freestyle (men and women) and Greco-Roman (men only). It is a body-to-body combat sport where athletes aim to force the back of the opponent’s shoulders on to the ground. A wrestling bout comprises two three-minute periods, with a 30 second break. Wrestlers are awarded points from officials for technical manoeuvres against their opponent. The person who wins 2 out of 3 periods wins the bout.

Greco-Roman wrestling allows competitors to use only their arms to “attack” the upper bodies of their opponents.

Freestyle wrestling allows competitors to use their arms and legs to perform holds on the whole body of their opponents.

The 18 events that make up the Olympic competition program are:

  • Men’s Freestyle (7 events): 55, 60, 66, 74, 84, 96, 120kg
  • Men’s Greco-Roman (7 events): 55, 60, 66, 74, 84, 96, 120kg
  • Women’s Freestyle (4 events): 48, 55, 63, 72kg

 

QUALIFICATION AND SELECTION

For each wrestling discipline (freestyle and Greco Roman), the places obtained for the Olympic Games will be obtained by the athletes but allocated to the National Olympic Committees (NOCs). The NOCs are authorised to replace a qualified athlete who is injured or off form during the final entry, but only in the event concerned.

For all the wrestling competitions that are part of the qualification system for the London 2012 Olympic Games, all the NOCs may enter a maximum of one wrestler by weight category in each style. The same goes for the Olympic Games.

An NOC can not send participants to compete in the next phase in the weight categories in which they have already qualified an athlete.

  • 1st phase: Istanbul World Championships, September 2011 (108 wrestlers)

The first six male and six female wrestlers in each Olympic weight category, ranked in the 2011 World Championships, will be qualified for the Olympic Games, i.e. 108 wrestlers.

  • 2nd phase: 2012 Continental qualification tournament (144 wrestlers)

Each continent organises a specific Olympic qualification tournament. Wrestlers from Oceania and Africa will participate together in one tournament from 16-18 March 2012. The first two male and two female wrestlers of each tournament of each Olympic weight category will qualify.
- Europe: 36 athletes
- Asia: 36 athletes
- America: 36 athletes
- Oceania and Africa: 36 athletes

  • 3rd phase: 1st 2012 international qualification tournament (50 wrestlers)

All countries of all the continents, who have not yet qualified, may participate in this 3rd phase. The first three male and two female wrestlers in each Olympic weight category ranked at this tournament will qualify for the 2012 Olympic Games.

  • 4th phase: 2nd 2012 international qualification tournament (36 wrestlers)

All countries of all the continents, who have not yet qualified, may participate in this 4th phase. The first two male and first two female wrestlers in each Olympic weight category ranked at this tournament will qualify for the 2012 Olympic Games.

For all the Nomination and Selection documentation click here>>>

 

AUSTRALIAN OLYMPIC HISTORY

Australia’s first wrestler was Harry Morris in the welterweight division at the Amsterdam Games in 1928. Australia has been represented by at least one wrestler at every Games since then. Three Australians have won Olympic medals in freestyle events, but never in Greco-Roman. In Los Angeles 1932, Eddie Scarf was third in the light-heavyweight division. Twelve years later in London, Dick Garrard won a silver medal as a welterweight and Jim Armstrong won a bronze medal in the heavyweight division.

Women competed in wrestling for the first time at the 2004 Athens Olympics, in four freestyle weight categories. Australia was first represented in women's wrestling at Beijing 2008 by Kyla Bremner. 

To read more about Australia’s Olympic wrestling history, click here>>>