Today Georgian freestyle wrestling team will try to gather the whole staff for London Olympic Games in Sofia. Vladimer Khinchegashvili (55kg), Zurab Iakobashvili (66kg) and Giorgi Gogshelidze (96kg) will compete in Bulgarian license tournament. The team of Zaza Turmanidze has left these weight classes to win London licenses. Malkhaz Zarkua (60kg), Davit Khutsishvili (74kg), Davit Marsagishvili (84kg) and Davit Modzmanashvili (120kg) gained licenses at World Championship last year. Khinchegashvili is the luckiest in the ballot – he will start participation from ¼ final, wrestling against Francesco Javier Sanche Parao of Spain. In case of overcoming this obstacle, he will wrestle against winner between Marsel Evald of Germany and Urs Wild of Switzerland. In case of victory, Khinchegashvili will guarantee wrestling at Olympiad.

Neither Giorgi Gogshelidze must be unsatisfied with results of sortition. The main opponents: Abdusalam Gadisov of Russia and Aslanbek Alborov of Azerbaijan are on the opposite sides of the draw. Their ways will be crossed only in final. Before that Georgian wrestler has to beat three opponents. He will wrestle against Nikolai Cheban of Moldova. In case of victory, he will wrestle against winner between Shandor Kish of Hungary and Grigoris Kriaridis of Greece. In semifinal, Giorgi might wrestle against Edgar Ienokian of Armenia.

Zurab Iakobashvili (66kg) is among those sportsmen who will start participation from the first circle – 1/16 final. His opponent is finalist of Beijing Olympic Games and champion of Europe 2009, Andrei Stadnik of Ukraine. In case of beating him, Zurab will wrestle against winner between Gergo Foler of Hungary and Andreaas Triantafilidis of Greece. Wilson Ndregon of Albania, Stelios Mama of Cyprus and Martin Sebastian of Germany might be his rivals in semifinal.

Two licenses are played in each weight classes in Sofia. If sportsman who has already guaranteed license will get in quota, sportsman behind him will gain license.

Preliminary matches will start at 15:00 Tbilisi time.
 

Otar Maglakelidze