The UWW World Olympic Games Qualifying Tournament begun in Mongolian capital Ulaanbaatar today ©Sachiko Hotaka/UWW

Sweden and Uzbekistan took advantage of the bronze medal playoffs at the United World Wrestling (UWW) World Olympic Games Qualifying Tournament in Mongolian capital Ulaanbaatar as they each secured a pair of Rio 2016 berths.

The event at the Sport Buyant Ukhaa Complex is one of two World Tournaments scheduled to be held prior to the Games - and offer wrestlers who have not yet secured their places another chance.

In Ulaanbaatar, the top three wrestlers in freestyle and Greco-Roman as well as the two finalists in the women’s events will secure Rio 2016 berths for their countries.

Junior world bronze medallist Zakarias Berg and Fredrik Schoen held on throughout closely-fought matches for wins at 85 kilograms and 98kg respectively, to earn the first Olympic spots in Greco-Roman for Sweden.

Berg dropped Austria’s Amer Hrustanovic to his back as they tumbled out of bounds in their playoff match for a 6-2 victory at 85kg.

Schoen, the 2014 European bronze medallist, defeated Italy’s Daigoro Timoncini 2-1 in their playoff bout.

Uzbekistan also benefited from the bronze medal playoff rule in Ulaanbaatar, securing tickets for Rio 2016 courtesy of Elmurat Tasmuradov at 59kg and fellow London 2012 Olympian Muminjon Abdullaev at 130kg.

Belarus had two tournament champions as Javid Hamzatov and Aleksander Hrabovik triumphed at 85kg and 98kg with Armenia’s Maksim Manukyan and Georgia’s Revazi Nadareishvili taking the respective runners-up spots. 

They will be joined at Rio 2016 by compatriot Soslan Daurov, who qualified at last September’s World Championships in Las Vegas with a fifth-place finish.

Hungary's Peter Bacsi reached the Greco-Roman 75kg final to ensure he will be competing at a third Olympic Games
Hungary's Peter Bacsi reached the Greco-Roman 75kg final to ensure he will be competing at a third Olympic Games ©Sachiko Hotaka/UWW

Earlier, 2014 world bronze medallist Stig Andre Berge became the first member of Norway’s Rio 2016 team when he won in the semi-finals at 59kg. 

Edgaras Venckaitis became the first to qualify Lithuania in wrestling with a playoff triumph at 66kg.

In the morning session, Hungary’s Peter Bacsi won the battle of 2014 world champions, beating Armenia’s Arsen Julfalakyan 7-0 to launch his drive to the 75kg finals and a trip to his third Olympic Games.

Julfalakyan, a silver medallist at London 2012, stormed back through repechage, defeating 80kg European champion Pascal Eisele of Germany for his third ticket to the Olympic Games.

London 2012 gold medallist Hamid Soryan of Iran tumbled out of the competition at 59kg in the round of 16, while 2013 world champion Ivo Angelov of Bulgaria was eliminated in the quarter-finals by eventual winner Kim Seung-Hak of South Korea.

The second world tournament in Istanbul is due to be held between May 6 and 8.