The 57kg weight class at the Olympic Games is going to be a fun one to watch with many world champions in the bracket looking to take each other out.
The Field:
- Stevan Micic (Serbia)
- Zelimkhan Abakarov (Albania)
- Zavur Uguev (Russia)
- Rei Higuchi (Japan)
- Arsen Harutyunyan (Armenia)
- Gulomjon Abdullaev (Uzbekistan)
- Aman Sehrawat (India)
- Aliabbas Rzazade (Azerbaijan)
- Spencer Lee (United States)
- Bekzat Almaz Uulu (Kyrgyzstan)
- Wanhao Zou (China)
- Aryan Tyutrin (Belarus)
- Roman Bravo-Young (Mexico)
- Diamantino Iuna Fafe (Guinea-Bissau)
- Darian Cruz (Puerto Rico)
- Gamal Mohamad (Egypt)
Stevan Micic (Serbia)
Micic won bronze at the world championships in 2022 and followed that up with the first world title of his career last year in Belgrade.
In 2023 Micic defeated Gulomjon Abdullaev, Zavur Uguev, Zelimkhan Abakarov, and Rei Higuchi to win gold putting together one of the most impressive runs in recent years.
Zelimkhan Abakarov (Albania)
Abakarov has had a phenomenal career after switching federations from Russia. He won a gold medal at the world championships in 2023 with a big finals win over reigning champion Thomas Gilman.
This past year at the world championships it was a bronze medal finish for him with his only loss of the tournament coming to eventual champion Micic in the semifinals. Abakarov was able to post a big win in the bronze medal match defeating Zavur Uguev 4-4 on criteria.
Zavur Uguev (Russia)
Not the greatest showing from Uguev this past year at the world championships but he is still one of the best in the world and a big threat if not a favorite to win in Paris.
Uguev won the world championships in 2018 and 2019, he would then go on to follow it up with a gold medal at the Tokyo Olympic Games.
He did not compete at the world championships in 2021 and 2022. In 2023 it was rough for him falling to eventual champion Micic in the semifinals and losing again in the bronze medal match to reigning champion Abakarov on criteria to place 5th.
Rei Higuchi (Japan)
Higuchi won silver at the 2016 Olympics in Rio after falling to Vladimer Khinchegashvili in a very close bout. He would then come back in 2022 to win a his first world title up at the 61kg weight class.
This past year in Belgrade he made the descent to 57 kilos and had a solid performance all things considered with his only loss coming in the finals to Stevan Micic.
Arsen Harutyunyan (Armenia)
Harutyunyan is a big wildcard and he definitely has the potential to knock off anyone in this field at any time. His performance this last quad has been consistent winning bronze at the world championships in 2021, 2022, and 2023.
Spencer Lee (United States)
A lot of people think Spencer Lee has what it takes to get it done in Paris, and he very well could. We just have not seen enough of him to really make a call which just adds more suspense making things more interesting.
