Yesterday would wrap up the 2022 Junior World Wrestling Championships. Team USA will bring home 11 total medals from Sophia, Bulgaria.
Medal Breakdown-
3 Gold
4 Silver
4 Bronze
Men’s Freestyle-
57kg Jore Volk-
Volk was one of the three gold medals that Team USA will be bringing home. He had a scare in round one where he would win the match off of a challenge call that was successful after the match was over.
His pace would just reign supreme at the tournament here and nobody could handle it. He would go on to take out Merey Bezarbayev of Kazakhstan in the finals to win junior world gold.
Full Results From Volk-
1/8 Volk VPO1 Mohammadzezhadjavan (Iran) 7-5
1/4 Volk VPO1 Naimov (Uzbekistan) 7-2
1/2 Volk VPO1 Gvinjilia (Georgia) 13-6
1-2 Volk VPO1 Bazarbeyev (Kazakhstan) 3-2
61kg Nick Bouzakis-
The Ohio State commit started off his tournament strong with two falls in the qualification round and the 1/8 finals. He would fall to Iran in the 1/4 finals in a crazy high scoring 13-11 match. He would advance to repechage with Iran making the finals and ultimately taking 2nd.
In repechage Bouzakis would fall to Abramov of Ukraine in the first repechage and came away with a 7th place finish at junior worlds.
Full Results From Bouzakis-
Qual. Bouzakis VFA Rakhimov
1/8 Bouzakis VFA Toprak
1/4 Habibzadehsroukolaei VPO1 Bouzakis 13-11
Rep 2 Abramov VPO1 Bouzakis 16-15
65kg Vince Cornella-
Cornella would come away with a 5th place finish after falling in the bronze medal match. Pretty much domination the first two matches at the world championships and mounting a great comeback in the quarterfinals he looked good.
Jalolov of Uzbekistan eventual champ would shut out Cornella in the semfinals 4-0 and Cornella was immediately pulled into the bronze medal match.
He would fall to Aoyagi of Japan 6-6 on criteria in a hard fought bout.
Full Results From Cornella-
Qual. Cornella VPO Olzhakanov 8-0
1/8 Cornella VSU Pomakov 10-0
1/4 Cornella VPO1 Asadollah Shakeri 6-5
1/2 Jalolov VPO Cornella 4-0
3-5 Aoyagi VPO1 Cornella 6-6
70kg Mitchell Mesenbrink-
Mesenbrink had a great tournament making the finals and taking a silver medal. The finals match against Heybatov of Azerbaijan was a shoot out and Heybatov was able to convert on his attacks better to win.
He had a good comeback in the semis where he was down 3-0 against Papikyan of Armenia and a close one with Iran in the quarters against Iran which he won 9-7.
Otherwise Mesenbrink was not really challenged at this tournament walking through his first two opponents.
Full Results From Mesenbrink-
Qual. Mesenbrink VSU Abdurachmanov 12-0
1/8 Mesenbrink VSU Kerimbekov 10-0
1/4 Mesenbrink VPO1 Mohammad Aghei 9-7
1/2 Mesenbrink VPO1 Hayk Papikya 6-3
1-2 Heybatov VPO1 Mesenbrink 13-7
74kg Alex Facundo-
Facundo would have a rough tournament here falling to Elahi of Iran in round one. Not a bad showing in my opinion but Elahi falling to Sagar Jaglan of India in the next round was rough knocking Elahi out of the tournament.
Full Results From Facundo-
1/8 Elahi VPO1 Facundo 5-4
79kg Brayden Thompson-
Thompson got hit with a rough match in round one pulling eventual champion Yari of Iran in round one where he would fall. He would be pulled back into repechage when Yari made the finals and he would lose that match as well.
Full Results From Thompson-
1/8 Yari VPO1 Thompson 6-2
Rep 2 Ovec VPO1 Thompson 2-1
86kg Bennett Berge-
Berge would dominate throughout in his first matches. He would have a battle against Turkey in the semis but came out on top, and he would end up taking silver to France at the junior world championships.
Full Results From Berge-
Qual. Berge VSU Simonyan 10-0
1/8 Berge VSU1 Hajduch 12-2
1/4 Berge VSU Dod 10-0
1/2 Berge VPO1 Kucuksolak 9-7
1-2 Magamadov VPO1 Berge 10-5
92kg Jaxon Smith-
Smith would come away with a 5th place finish but he would fall twice by technical superiority to Georgia and Armenia who were the 2 and 3 in the placings.
Not a bad showing but the top guys at this weight looked very good especially Iran’s champ who teched his way through the tournament outscoring his opponents 41-0
Full Results From Smith-
1/8 Smith VPO1 Demian 8-1
1/4 Margishvili VSU1 Smith 12-2
Rep 2 Smith VSU Kildau 10-0
3-5 Sargsyan VSU1 Smith 12-2
97kg Ben Kueter-
The Iowa commit looked phenomenal at the tournament taking gold even pinning his opponent from Turkey in the world finals.
He mounted an incredible comeback in the semifinals where he was down 8-0 early and would put up 17 points to win the match 17-14 to advance to the world finals and bring home gold.
Full Results From Kueter-
Qual. Kueter VSU Duscov 10-0
1/4 Kueter VPO1 Niraj 8-1
1/2 Kueter VPO1 Khutchua 17-14
1-2 Kueter VFA Gidak
125kg Nick Feldman-
The first real international showing from the Ohio State commit and number one pound for pound wrestler in high school last season. Feldman came away with a 5th place finish.
He ran into the Iranian hammer Masoumi in the semifinals where he was teched 11-1 and fell in the bronze medal match after Georgia rolled through his shot and pinned Feldman.
Overall this was not a bad performace for how long he has competed in freestyle and he should be good even though there was a lot of talk about this.
Full Results From Feldman-
1/4 Feldman VPO1 Ivanov 5-2
1/2 Masoumi Valadi VSU1 Feldman 11-1
3-5 Suleimanashvili VFA Feldman
Team Race-
In men’s freestyle Iran would become the team champs here by a pretty decent margin and the United States would take second about 25 points behind. India would finish in third place about 20 points behind the United States as well.
Team Standings Top 5-
1) Iran
2) United States
3) India
4) Azerbaijan
5) Georgia
Women’s Freestyle-
50kg Audrey Jimenez-
Jimenez would have a solid showing her taking silver but she would run into Umi Ito of Japan in the finals who cruised through the tournament and would end up teching her in the first period 10-0. Ito would tech all of her opponents out scoring them 45-5.
Full Results From Jimenez-
1/8 Jimenez VSU1 Shrinova 13-2
1/4 Jimenez VS Dilyte 11-0 11-0
1/2 Jimenez VFA Walczak
1-2 Ito VSU Jimenez 10-0
53kg Katie Gomez-
Gomez looked solid in this tournament taking home a bronze medal. She would fall in the quarters but dominate with two techs to leave with a bronze medal.
Full Results From Gomez-
1/8 Gomez VSU Cakmak 10-0
1/4 Shagayeva VFA Gomez
Rep 2 Gomez VSU1 Tair 13-2
3-5 Gomez VSU1 Mohamed 12-2
55kg Adriana Dorado Marin-
Dorado Marin would lose by tech first round to Hungary and Hungary would lose by tech in the next round to Japan to knock her out of the tournament.
Full Results From Dorado Marin-
1/4 Szenttamasi VSU1 Dorado Marin 12-2
57kg Sofia Macaluso-
Macaluso looked fantastic at the tournament taking silver. Her only loss to another one of Japan’s hammers Ruka Natami. She would capture pins in her other three matches not really being touched.
Full Results From Macaluso-
1/8 Macaluso VFA Sito
1/4 Macaluso VFA Russo
1/2 Macaluso VFA Dernekci
1-2 Natami VPO1 Macaluso 6-1
59kg Savannah Cosme-
Cosme would go 0-1 at the junior world championships after falling in the 1/4 finals to Dagbasi 1-1. Dagbasi was knocked off in the following match eliminating Cosme from the tournament.
Full Results From Cosme-
1/4 Dagbasi VPO1 Cosme 1-1
62kg Adaugo Nwachukwu-
Nwachukwu would take bronze here with her only loss being to Sonam of India by criteria. She dominated otherwise with 2 pins and 1 technical superiority win.
Full Results From Nwachukwu-
1/8 Nwachukwu VFA Thiebaux
1/4 Sonam VPO1 Nwachukwu 5-5
Rep 2 Nwachukwu VFA Dubek
3-5 Nwachukwu VSU Nuridin Kyzy
65kg Reese Larramendy-
The Iowa commit Larramendy would pick up a 5th place finish here looking decent otherwise. She would fall to Japan in the quarterfinals and Tunisia in the bronze medal match.
Full Results From Larramendy-
1/8 Larramendy VSU1 Polowczyk 12-2
1/4 Yoshitake VSU Larramendy 10-0
Rep 2 Larramendy VPO1 Eniko Elekes 10-9
3-5 Jlassi VPO1 Larramendy 9-2
68kg Destiny Rodriguez-
Rodriguez went 0-1 after losing to Godino of Italy by technicaly superiority 12-1. Godino was teched by Nurtaeva of Kyrgystan in the next round which eliminated Rodriguez from the world championships.
Full Results From Rodriguez-
1/8 Godino VSU1 Rodriguez 12-1
72kg Amit Elor-
Elor was a top 3 most dominant wrestler at this tournament hands down, and that is saying a lot looking at how there were multiple wrestlers who teched their way through the world championships.
She will be competing at the senior world championships in Serbia at 72kg and will be looking to pick up the first medal of her senior level career there.
Full Results From Elor-
Qual. Elor VFA Sghaier
1/4 Elor VSU Virag 10-0
1/2 Elor VSU1 Reetika 12-1
1-2 Elor VSU Panassovich 10-0
76kg Tristan Kelly-
Kelly looked solid her capping off her run with a bronze medal. She fell in the quarterfinals to Moro of Japan by fall but was dominant in her other two bouts getting a pin and a shut out.
Full Results From Kelly-
Qual. Kelly VPO Dos Santos 9-0
1/4 Moro VFA Kelly
3-5 Kelly VFA Tkachuk
Team Race-
No real surprise her as Japan remained dominant throughout the entire tournament crowning 6 champions which is absolutely insane. India would come in at second place after scoring 130 points. The United States would secure a third place finish with 104 points.
Team Standings Top 5-
1) Japan
2) India
3) United States
4) Ukraine
5) Kazakhstan
Greco-Roman-
55kg Jonathan Gurule-
Gurule would be knocked off in the 1/8 finals by Kyrgystan and he would fall in the semifinals eliminating Gurule from the world championships with a 0-1 finish.
Full Results From Gurule-
1/8 Suiorkulov VPO1 Gurule 7-2
60kg Maxwell Black-
Black fell in his first match in the qualification round to Iran, he would advance to the finals pulling Black into repechage where he would fall to Koto Gami of Japan going 0-2.
Full Results From Black-
Qual. Esmaeli Leivesi VSU Black 9-0
Rep 3 Gomi VSU Black 9-0
63kg Haiden Drury-
Drury would lose in his first bout to Azerbaijan, and he would not make the finals knocking Drury out of the tournament with a 0-1 finish.
Full Results From Drury-
1/8 Babashov VSU Drury 8-0
67kg Robert Perez-
Perez would cruise into the quarterfinals with two technical superiority wins but would fall in the semifinals to Kazakhstan 3-3 on criteria. With Kazakhstan losing in the semifinals it would eliminate Perez from the tournament with a 2-1 finish.
Full Results From Perez-
Qual. Perez VSU Nadorgin 8-0
1/8 Perez VSU Takacs 8-0
1/4 Koshar VPO1 Perez 3-3
72kg Richard Fedalen-
Fedalan was in possibly the biggest bracket of the tournament with an almost full qualification round. He would win that match by technical superiority and would fall in his next bout by tech as well to Sweden’s Barbanos. Sweden would not make the finals and this would eliminate Fedalen from the tournament.
Full Results From Fedalen-
Qual. Fedalen VSU Hauthaler 8-0
1/8 Barbanos VSU1 Fedalen 13-4
77kg Payton Jacobson-
Jacobson would lose his first match in the 1/8 final to Turkey, he would advance to the finals pulling Jacobson back into repechage. Jacobson won the first one but then would fall to Azerbaijan in the repechage two to make the bronze medal match.
Full Results From Jacobson-
1/8 Saricicek VSU1 Jacobson 9-1
Rep 3 Jacobson VSU Macias Torres 8-0
Rep 2 Hasanli VPO1 Jacobson 3-1
82kg Adrian Artsisheuskiy-
Artsisheuskiy starting things off with a nice tech in the first round but would lose to Italy in the following match. Italy would not make the finals causing Artsisheuskiy to not be granted repechage.
Full Results From Artsisheuskiy-
Qual. Artsisheuskiy VSU1 Roungeris 11-2
1/8 Rivalta VFA Artsisheuskiy
87kg Kodiak Stephens-
Stephens would start things off with a nice tech over Singh of India but he would fall in his next match to Uspenski of Estonia and he would not make the finals so Stephens would not make repechage.
Full Results From Stephens-
Qual. Stephens VSU Singh 8-0
1/8 Uspenski VPO1 Stephens 2-1
97kg Christian Carroll-
Carroll had a rough first match just getting caught in some weird positions. His opponent would end up falling in the semifinals which would eliminate Carroll from the competition 0-1.
Full Results From Carroll-
1/8 Raimaly Uulu VPO1 Carroll 9-7
130kg Aden Attao-
Attao was the one bright spot for Team USA Greco securing a bronze medal at heavyweight. He hit a few monster throws even hitting a nice lat drop for a pin against Euro silver medalist Bazso of Hungary in the quarters. He would fall in the semis to Ukraine and advance directly to the bronze medal bout.
He would put on an absolute clinic against Eissa of Egypt and getting the tech eventually the secure a bronze medal.
Full Results From Attao-
1/8 Attao VSU1 Parvesh 12-4
1/4 Attao VFA Bazso
1/2 Vyshnyvetskyi VSU Attao 10-0
3-5 Attao VSU Eissa 11-3
Team Race-
Iran kind of just walked through this and it was not really close. They outscored the second place finishers (Azerbaijan) by 54 points and there was really no chance. Team USA finishes 13th.
Team Standings Top 5-
1) Iran
2) Azerbaijan
3) Ukraine
4) Armenia
5) Turkey
Overall Thoughts-
Good tournament from Team USA, Don’t want to just repeat what everyone else has been saying for a while but more funding and emphasis needs to be put into Greco-Roman if we want to see results. We have the athletes just not the training to compete at the world level. Attao looked great this tournament just looked like he was at a massive size disadvantage in the semis vs Ukraine.
Were some places that women’s freestyle could have grabbed some points but great performances all around from them and Amit Elor put on a masterclass walking through the field. Japan looked phenomenal and with 6 champs it just really is not possible to beat them there.
In men’s freestyle we looked good, I would say Facundo is just a rough draw and Feldman just lost to a good kid and lack of freestyle experience. Overall not a bad tournament and second place finish isn’t bad considering how well Iran wrestled.
