By Gary Abbott
USA Wrestling

PARIS, France – In a dominant fashion, 2020 Olympic bronze medalist and four-time World champion Kyle Dake has blasted into the semifinals at 74 kg in men’s freestyle at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 on Friday at Champ-de-Mars Arena.

Dake, who is seeded No. 1, opened with a first-period 10-0 technical fall over Anthony Montero Chirinos of Venezuela, a 2016 Pan American champion.

In the quarterfinals, he dominated then pinned two-time World medalist Yones Emamichoghaei of Iran in 5:37. Dake scored two takedowns and a step out to lead 5-1 at the break. A quick takedown and turn in the second period stretched the lead to 9-1. Dake took Emamichoghaei to his back and finished the pin with 23 seconds to go.

Dake will battle No. 4 Daichi Takatani of Japan in Friday night’s semifinals. Takatani won a 2023 World bronze medal and won a pair of age-group World medals.

In women’s freestyle, two-time World silver medalist and 2020 Olympian Kayla Miracle, was edged in the quarterfinals by No. 1 seed Aisuluu Tynybekova of Kyrgyzstan in a 6-6 criteria decision. Miracle is seeded No. 8 at this weight.

Miracle jumped to a 3-0 lead at the break with a takedown and a shot clock point. In the second period, Tynybekova scored on a step out to make it 3-1. In a key exchange, Tynybekova got behind Miracle and scored a four-point takedown, to take a 5-3 lead.  A USA challenge was denied, to make it 6-3. A Miracle shot lead to step out out with 28 seconds left to close it to 6-4. A Miracle takedown in the last second ties it at 6-6, but Tynybekova secured the tie-breaker with a four-point move.

For Miracle to qualify for the Saturday repechage, Tynybekova must win her semifinal match against Iryna Koliadenko of Ukraine. Tynybekova won a 2020 Olympic silver medal and is a three-time World champion. Koliadenko was a 2020 Olympic bronze medalist, 2019 World silver medalist and a 2023 World bronze medalist.

Miracle looked sharp in her opening 12-2 techical fall over Nesrin Bas of Turkey, a 2022 and 2023 U23 World champion and 2024 European champion.

In men’s freestyle, 2023 World bronze medalist Mason Parris fell in his Olympic debut at 125 kg to two-time World medalist Lkhagvagerel Munkhtur of Mongolia, 10-5. Parris, who was seeded No. 3, scored a first-period takedown and led 2-1 at the break. He extended the lead to 3-1 with a step out point. In a key move, Munkhtur took Parris down on the edge for four points. A U.S. challenge was denied making the score 6-3. Munkhtur walked Parris off the mat for a step out and a caution and one for fleeing to make it 8-3. Another Munkhtur takedown closed it out at 10-3.

Mason Parris was eliminated when No. 6 seed Giorgi Meshvildishvili of Azerbaijan defeated Lkhagvagerel Munkhtur of Mongolia, 12-2. Only losers to finalists are eligible for repechage.

Three other American wrestlers will be in action Friday night during the Group 4 medal rounds. Spencer Lee will be battling for gold against Japan’s Rei Higuchi in the 57 kg men’s freestyle finals. Aaron Brooks will compete for a bronze medal against Javrail Shapiev of Uzbekistan at 86 kg in men’s freestyle. Helen Maroulis, a 2016 Olympic champion and 2020 Olympic bronze medalist, will seek a third career Olympic medal in the 57 kg women’s freestyle bronze-medal bout against Hannah Taylor of Canada.

The second session begins at 6:15 p.m. local time (12:15 p.m. Eastern time) with the Group 5 semifinals, which features Dake. Next up is the Group 4 finals at 7:30 p.m. local time (1:30 p.m. Eastern time) with Lee, Brooks and Maroulis going for medals.

All of the action is live on Peacock.

OLYMPIC GAMES PARIS 2024

At Paris, France

Group 5 semifinal pairings

Men's Freestyle 74 kg

Kyle Dake (United States) vs. Daichi Takatani (Japan)

Viktor Rassadin (Tajikistan) vs. Razambek Jamalov (Uzbekistan)

Men's Freestyle 125 kg

Amir Zare (Iran) vs. Taha Akgul (Turkey)

Giorgi Meshvildshvili (Azerbaijan) vs. Geno Petriashvili (Georgia)

Women's Freestyle 62 kg

Aisuluu Tynybekova (Kyrgyzstan) vs. Iryna Koliadenko (Ukraine)

Grace Bullen (Norway) vs. Sakura Motoki (Japan)

Group 5 quarterfinal results

Men's Freestyle 74 kg

Kyle Dake (United States) pin Younes Emamichoghaei (Iran), 5:37

Daichi Takatani (Japan) tech fall Hetik Cabolov (Serbia), 10-0

Viktor Rassadin (Tajikistan) dec. Feng Lu (China), 7-4

Razambek Jamalov (Uzbekistan) dec. Cherman Valiev (Albania), 6-5

Men's Freestyle 125 kg

Amir Zare (Iran) tech fall Amar Dhesi (Canada), 10-0

Taha Akgul (Turkey) dec. Daniel Ligeti (Hungary), 8-0

Giorgi Meshvildshvili (Azerbaijan) tech fall Lkhagvagerel Munkhtur (Mongolia), 12-2

Geno Petriashvili (Georgia) dec. Robert Baran (Poland), 9-2

Women's Freestyle 62 kg

Aisuluu Tynybekova (Kyrgyzstan) dec. Kayla Miracle (United States), 6-6

Iryna Koliadenko (Ukraine) dec. Bilyana Dudova (Bulgaria), 7-3

Grace Bullen (Norway) tech. fall Luisa Niemesch (Germany), 10-0

Sakura Motoki (Japan) tech. fall Ana Godinez (Canada), 11-0

Group 5 U.S. men’s freestyle results

74 kg – Kyle Dake, State College, Pa. (Titan Mercury WC/Nittany Lion WC), in semifinals

WIN Anthony Montero Chirinos (Venezuela), tech fall, 10-0

WIN Yones Emamichoghaei (Iran), pin 5:37

Semifinals – Vs. Daichi Takatani (Japan)

125 kg – Mason Parris, Ann Arbor, Mich. (Titan Mercury WC/Cliff Keen WC), eliminated

LOSS Lkhagvagerel Munkhtur (Mongolia), 10-5

Group 5 U.S. women’s freestyle results

62 kg – Kayla Miracle, Tempe, Ariz. (Sunkist Kids), still possible for repechage

WIN Nesrin Bas (Turkey), tech. fall 12-2

LOSS Aisuluu Tynybekova (Kyrgyzstan), 6-6

Group 4 finals pairings

Men’s Freestyle 57 kg

Gold - Rei Higuchi (Japan) vs. Spencer Lee (United States)

Bronze – Aman Sehrawat (India) vs. Darian Cruz (Puerto Rico)

Bronze - Gulomjon Abdullaev (Uzbekistan) vs. Bekzat Almaz Uulu (Kyrgyzstan)

Men’s Freestyle 86 kg

Gold - Magomed Ramazanov (Bulgaria) vs. Hassan Yazdani (Iran)

Bronze – Aaron Brooks (United States) Javrail Shapiev (Uzbekistan)

Bronze - Myles Amine (San Marino) vs. Dauren Kurugliev (Greece)

Women’s Freestyle 57 kg

Gold - Tsugumi Sakurai (Japan) vs. Anastasia Nichita (Moldova)

Bronze – Helen Maroulis (United States) vs. Hannah Taylor (Canada)

Bronze - Kexin Hong (China) vs. Giulla Penalber (Brazil)

Group 4 U.S. men’s freestyle results

57 kg – Spencer Lee, Iowa City, Iowa (Titan Mercury WC/Hawkeye WC), in gold-medal bout

WIN Wanhao Zou (China), 3-2

WIN Bekzat Almaz Uulu (Kyrgyzstan), tech fall 12-2

WIN Gulomjon Abdullaev (Uzbekistan), tech fall 14-4

Gold-Medal finals – Vs. Rei Higuchi (Japan)

86 kg – Aaron Brooks, Hagerstown, Md. (Titan Mercury WC/Nittany Lion WC), in bronze-medal bout

WIN Azamat Dauletbekov (Kazakhstan), 4-3

WIN Hayato Ishiguro (Japan), tech fall 11-1

LOSS Magomed Ramazanov (Bulgaria), 4-3

Bronze Medal Bout – Vs. Javrail Shapiev (Uzbekistan)

Group 4 women’s freestyle results

57 kg – Helen Maroulis, Rockville, Md. (Sunkist Kids), in bronze-medal bout

WIN Anshu (India), 7-2

WIN Alina Hrushyna Akobiia (Ukraine), 7-4

LOSS Tsugumi Sakurai (Japan), 10-4

Bronze Medal Bout – Hannah Taylor (Canada)