Sergey Kozyrev at the 2021 Last Chance Qualifier (Photo/Tony Rotundo; WrestlersAreWarriors.com)As of today, we under 50 days from the start of wrestling at the Olympic Games. Over the next 50 days, we'll bring you one profile per day of a decorated international contender. Make sure you get to know the wrestlers that Team USA will compete against in Tokyo.
6/24/21 - Kenchiro Fumita (Japan)
6/23/21 - Magomedkhabib Kadimagomedov (Belarus)
6/22/21 - Erica Wiebe (Canada)
6/21/21 - Myles Amine (San Marino)
6/20/21 - Sofia Mattsson (Sweden)
6/19/21 - Hassan Yazdani Charati (Iran)
6/18/21 - Tamas Lorincz (Hungary)
6/17/21 - Takuro Otoguro (Japan)
6/16/21 - Elizbar Odikadze (Georgia)
6/15/21 - Koumba Larroque (France)
6/14/21 - Haji Aliyev (Azerbaijan)
6/13/21 - Ningning Rong (China)
6/12/21 - Bajrang Punia (India)
6/11/21 - Frank Staebler (Germany)
6/10/21 - Geno Petriashvili (Georgia)
A much needed shot in the arm for an aging division that hadn't medaled all quad, #6 Sergey Kozyrev of Russia is one of the big five at heavyweights along with #1 Taha Akgul (TUR), #2 Geno Petriashvili (GEO), #7 Amir Zare (IRI) and Gable Steveson (USA) as the cream of the crop of the weight. In today's Olympic profile, we're going to look at Russian Nationals champion Sergey Kozyrev.
The Stats
#6 Sergey Kozyrev (RUS)- 2018 110 KG Cadet European champion, 2018 Youth Olympic Games 110 KG champion, 2018 100 KG Cadet world bronze medal, 2021 Russian Nationals champion, 2021 European championships runner-up, 2021 World Olympic Qualifier champion.
Key Wins: #8 Amir Zare (2018 110 KG Youth Olympic Game), #11 Anzor Khizriev (2021 Russian Nationals), #15 Atsamaz Tebloev (2021 Russian Nationals finals), #16 Zelimkhan Khizriev (2021 Russian Nationals).
Key Losses: #1 Taha Akgul (2021 European championships finals), Greg Kerkvliet (2018 110 KG Cadet world championships semifinals), Rasul Magomedov (2020 97 KG Russian Nationals championships).
2018-2021
Sergey Kozyrev's career began in 2018 as a standout at the Cadet level, winning the European Championships and finishing bronze at the World Championships after a loss to Penn State All-American Greg Kerkvliet (USA). Kozyrev had an impressive title to end the year at the Youth Olympic Games over 2019 U-23 World Champion #7 Amir Zare (IRI) that made him a young prospect to keep an eye on. Making his Senior level debut in 2020 at 125 KG the prestigious Yarygin, Kozyrev would be matched in the first round against returning Russian Nationals runner-up Said Gamidov (RUS). While he was game throughout, the experience edge was evident for Gamidov as he eliminated Kozyrev from competition with a 13-6 loss. After being outsized at the Yarygin, Kozyrev would cut down to 97 KG, wherein the opening round of Russian Nationals, he would face 2017 bronze medalist Rasul Magomedov. Magomedov, a lengthy counter-oriented wrestler, would hold onto a 4-3 win over the young Kozyrev and Kozyrev would be left on the outside looking again, clearly a future talent, but still yet to fully grow into the division.
Kozyrev's breakthrough would come this year at Russian Nationals in a loaded field with past medalists and champions Anzor Khizriev, Batraz Gazzaev, Vladislav Baitsaev, Baldan Tsyzhipov, Vitali Goloev, and Eric Dzhioev. In an absolutely loaded field, it would be Kozyrev who would make his name. Kozyrev's tournament started with a 2-1 win over returning 97 KG Russian Nationals bronze medalist Eric Dzhioev and an 8-5 win in the round of 16 against 2018 U-23 European runner-up Khasan Khubaev would put him in the quarters opposite the tournament favorite in two-time Russian Nationals champion Anzor Khizriev. Khizriev is an absolutely massive heavyweight, cutting down to 125 KG and boasted a lethal counter game that had bested 3x World/Olympic champion #1 Taha Akgul (TUR) two years earlier for Yarygin gold. Khizriev was the biggest test of Kozyrev's young career and what happened next no one, but Kozyrev, could have predicted. In the quarterfinal, Kozyrev showed no fear of the veteran and pulled out an astonishing 6-5 victory to make the semis opposite 2019 Russian Nationals bronze medalist Zelimkhan Khizriev. The younger Khizriev would be an easier match for Kozyrev, whose 5-1 victory put him in the finals opposite a surging Atsamaz Tebloev. Culminating his Cinderella run, Kozyrev would win a razor-thin 3-3 criteria victory over Tebloev to take home his first Senior medal and Senior Russian National title.
Even with his Russian national title, Kozyrev's path to Tokyo still wasn't paved. A dominant champion at the 2020 Individual World Cup and the 2020 Russian Nationals runner-up, Shamil Sharipov, had suffered a shocking semifinal loss at the European qualifier to #5 Dzianis Khramiankov (BLR), which meant Russia still had to go to the world qualifier and place top two to ensure they could go to Tokyo. With the fall of Sharipov and the rise of Kozyrev, and Kozyrev's runner-up finish at the European championships to #1 Taha Akgul (TUR) was picked as their man. Kozyrev looked excellent, making the finals with wins over European medalists #20 Robert Baran (POL) and Daniel Ligeti (HUN) and winning by forfeit over Sumit Sumit (IND) for gold.
Heavyweight is in a golden age right now with legends in #1 Taha Akgul (TUR) and #2 Geno Petriashvili (GEO) making history every time they step on the mat and electrifying young contenders in #6 Sergey Kozyrev (RUS), #7 Amir Zare (IRI) and Gable Steveson (USA) being right there with them ready to take the crown. Add in #5 Dzianis Khramiankov (BLR) and heavyweight has never been better. But the question is, it's known that Kozyrev can beat the best of the rest but come time in Tokyo, when he has to stare down Akgul, Petriashvili, Zare, or Steveson. Will he be able to pull the trigger and get the job done?
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