The World Olympic Games Qualifier is going down in Istanbul, Türkiye with the top 3 wrestlers earning the final spots at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Spencer Lee will compete on May 11-12 in a deep 57 kg weight class. Check out the article below for a breakdown of the top 5 toughest wrestlers Lee might have to defeat in order to qualify for the Olympics.

1. Aman Sherawat, IND

India’s Aman Sherawat has proven to be one of the best guys in the world at 57 kg, and in my opinion, is the biggest threat to Spencer Lee in Istanbul. Sherawat wrestles an insane pace and was a U23 World Champion in 2023. While he hasn’t won a senior world medal yet, he notably defeated Zane Richards twice in the past year - 11-0 and 10-4. Beyond those wins, Aman also has notable victories over Wanhao Zou, Muhammet Karavus, Bekzat Almaz Uulu, Suleyman Atli, and several other of the top wrestlers in the world at 57 kg. 

Despite the above success, Sherawat failed to qualify for the Olympics at the Asian Olympic Games Qualifier when he lost to Uzbekistan’s Gulomjon Abdullaev by pin, while losing 10-0. In that match, Abdullaev exposed Sherawat’s lack of leg defense and finished quickly on several leg attacks. Spencer Lee is well-known for his ability to get to legs and finish quickly - this fact, combined with Lee’s ability in parterre, makes me think Sherawat isn’t a terrible matchup for Lee.

Aman's win over Zane Richards from the 2024 Zagreb Open:

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2. Alireza Sarlak, IRI

Iran’s Alireza Sarlak won a silver medal at the 2021 World Championships where he lost to Thomas Gilman in the finals, 5-3. Sarlak failed to place at the 2022 World Championships but could be a tough matchup for Lee in Istanbul. Sarlak wrestles the classic Iranian style with a solid underhook and holds incredible position the entire match. Sarlak will push Lee’s conditioning and while I still favor Lee, Sarlak could be a dangerous opponent if the match is close with Lee late in the second period. 

Sarlak's win over two-time world medalist Suleyman Atli:

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3. Horst Lehr, GER

Horst Lehr was a surprise world bronze medalist in 2021 with his most notable win coming against Russia’s Abubakar Mutaliev in the bronze medal match. While Lehr hasn’t reached the podium since it doesn’t mean he’s not world-class and dangerous. In fact, Lehr pinned Thomas Gilman at the 2022 Tunisian Ranking series with a highlight reel elevator in the first. Those “big moves” aren’t always replicable but Lehr’s unconventional style means Lee will have to wrestle smart the entire match in order to take out the tough German.

Horst Lehr's win over Thoams Gilman:

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4. Muhammet Karavus, TUR

Karavus is only 20 years old and was a U20 world silver in 2021. While he’s young, the Turkish Wrestling Federation must think highly of him considering they are sending him to qualify the weight over two-time world medalist Suleyman Atli. On top of the U20 World Silver, Karavus won a silver medal at the Senior European Championships in 2022 and has notable wins over Zane Richards and Darian Cruz. Karavus wrestles a wild pace and is still developing but we could see him make a big jump forward in Istanbul. 

Karavus' win over Zane Richards at the 2024 Zagreb Open:

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5. Wanhao Zou, CHN

I’d be surprised to see Wanhao Zou make a run to the finals but he could be a challenge for Spencer Lee. Zou doesn’t have a high-powered offense like some of the above wrestlers but makes his money with his defense. If Lee struggles to open up Zou early, this could be a closer match than most expect. Zou has never medaled at a senior world championships but he won a U23 world bronze medal in 2018 and has notable wins over Horst Lehr, Georgi Vangelov, Aliabbas Rzazade, Alireza Sarlak, and several other top guys in the world. 

Other guys to watch out for in the bracket:

• Zanabazar Zandanbud, MGL - 2022 Senior World Bronze
• Georgi Vangelov, BUL - 2022 Senior World 5th, 2011 Junior World Silver
• Andrey Yatsenko, UKR - 2017 Senior World Bronze, 2013 Cadet World Champ

Prediction For Spencer Lee At The World Olympic Games Qualifier

Even with the above wrestlers in the field, I still think Spencer Lee is the best wrestler in this field and will qualify for the Olympics by making the finals. Lee is finally healthy, and his performance over the past few months has proven he’s getting better every time he takes the mat. I expect him to put on a show in Istanbul and establish himself as a legitimate Olympic gold medal contender leading into the Summer Games.