What is Wrestling?
Wrestling is a sport where two individuals engage or grapple with the aim of throwing or holding their opponent’s shoulders to the ground, or else outscore them during the match.
At the Olympics there are two variations of wrestling: Freestyle and Greco-Roman. The rules are almost identical, except that in Greco-Roman a wrestler may not attack an opponent below the waist or use his own legs to execute holds.
With the possible exception of athletics, wrestling is recognised as the world’s oldest competitive sport.
By whom, where and when was Wrestling invented?
Cave drawings of wrestlers in France and ancient Egypt have been found dating as far back as 3,000 BC.
The ancient Greeks used the sport as a way to train soldiers in hand-to-hand combat, and the sport was adopted and evolved by the ancient Romans to remove some of its brutality.
What are the rules of Wrestling?
In Greco-Roman wrestling, the wrestlers use only their arms and upper bodies to attack, and can only hold those same parts of their opponents.
As the name suggests, freestyle is a much more open form in which wrestlers also use their legs and may hold opponents above or below the waist.
The most common method of winning bouts in both variations is by points. Wrestlers score points by executing legal holds, throws, takedowns, manoeuvring the opponent to expose his back to the mat for several seconds or by executing reversals.
Reversals involve negating an opponent’s position of advantage from a defensive position and gaining control of the situation.
Moves carry points in accordance to their degree of difficulty and a single move can carry from anywhere between one to five points. High scoring moves, generally arching throws, generally carry the maximum number of points.
Competitors can also gain points if the opponent causes infractions, for example illegal holds, trying to flee a hold rather than defend it, being too negative or by being too passive. These often result in cautions, and the accumulation of three during a bout automatically results in the offending wrestler getting disqualified.
At the end of the six-minute period, the total scores are tallied and the wrestler with more points wins. In case of a tie, the wrestler who has scored the maximum number of points from a single move is declared the winner.
The threshold for a victory by technical fall is a 10-point lead in freestyle, and an 8-point lead in Greco-Roman. A wrestler can also win the match automatically by pinning their opponent.
How long is a Wrestling match?
Wrestling matches at the Olympics consist of three periods each lasting two-minutes each, with wrestlers aiming to secure a ‘best two out of three’ victory. There is a 30-second break between periods.
What holds are illegal in freestyle Wrestling?
Athletes may not choke, twist arms, strike using an elbow or knee, head butt, pull hair, bite, or drive their opponent’s head into the ground.
Holds that pose a danger to the head, neck, or back are also not allowed.
In Greco-Roman, any use of the legs is illegal. The most common violations are using the legs to defend or execute lifts and throws.
Wrestling and the Olympics
Wrestling was introduced into the ancient Olympics in 708 BC, shortly after the Games' recorded history began, as part of the Pentathlon.
When the modern Olympic Games resumed in Athens in 1896, wrestling became a focus of the Games. This was because organisers considered it historically significant as Greco-Roman wrestling was deemed to be a reincarnation of ancient Greek and Roman wrestling.
Other than the 1900 Olympics, wrestling has been part of every Summer Olympic programme since the first modern Olympic Games were held in Athens in 1896.
In 1904, Olympic officials added freestyle wrestling, commonly known as "catch as catch can", to the programme. This style had far less history and tradition than Greco-Roman but did possess great popularity, having developed into a form of professional entertainment performed at fairs and festivals across Great Britain and the United States.
Freestyle has been contested at every Games other than Stockholm 1912 and Antwerp 1920.
While Greco-Roman remains a sport in which only males compete, women’s freestyle wrestling was introduced to the Olympic programme at Athens 2004, where there were four women’s events on the programme. That was increased to six categories - in line with the men - for the Rio 2016 Games.
The USA and Japan are the most successful still active nations in Olympic wrestling history, with Japan’s women dominating the female division.
Best Wrestlers to watch
On the men’s freestyle side, Jordan Burroughs is considered to be one of the greatest ever.
The USA grappler won Olympic gold at London 2012 and has also picked up six world titles, including the 2022 79kg crown at the age of 33.
Burroughs’ compatriot, ‘Magic Man’ David Taylor is an Olympic and multi-world champion at 86kg and is known for his relentless attacking style.
Taylor’s great rival, Iran’s Rio 2016 Olympic champion Hassan Yazdani, is a giant in the sport in every sense, while superlative Abdulrashid Sadulaev is an Olympic champion in two different weight classes.
In women’s freestyle, USA’s Tamyra Mensah-Stock was one of the biggest names in the sport after claiming 68kg gold at Tokyo 2020, and several world championships titles. She recently retired.
Also keep an eye on Helen Maroulis, the 53kg Rio 2016 Olympic champion from the USA, who has made a successful return to the sport after a lengthy break with concussion and illness.
Japan remains a force to be reckoned with, with Tokyo Olympic champions Mukaida Mayu and Susaki Yui dominating the 53kg-55kg and 50kg categories respectively.
In Greco-Roman wrestling, Turkey’s Riza Kayaalp has established himself as a dominant figure at 130 kg, with three Olympic medals and a multitude of world titles.
Other top stars include Mohammad Reza Geraei of Iran, who won 67kg gold at Tokyo 2020 and is nicknamed ‘The Iceman’ for his ability to perform under pressure, and Armenia’s Artur Aleksanyan, who has dominated the 98kg division over the past decade.
