By Gary Abbott
USA Wrestling
BELGRADE, Serbia – The United States added two more men’s freestyle medals on Monday and remained in the men’s freestyle team race at the World Wrestling Championships at Stark Arena.

In the Group Two finals, four-time World champion Kyle Dake had a classic battle with 2020 Olympic champion and two-time World champion Zaurbek Sidakov, an Individual Neutral Athlete from Russia at 74 kg. It was the last final of the night. When it was all over, after a number of challenges and close calls, Sidakov won his third career World title with a 10-7 victory over Dake.

Dake led 1-0 at the break on a step out, but things opened up in the second period. When Dake was on the shot clock, Sidakov got a takedown and added a point when the 30 seconds ran out on Dake to lead 3-0. A Dake takedown tied it at 3-3. There was a wild exchange which went to a challenge and when it was sorted out Sidakov led 8-7. A exchange at the end of the match also went to a challenge, and Sidakov was given two more points for a 10-7 finish.

Dake won four matches on Sunday to qualify for the finals. Dake has been in the finals for each of the five Senior World Championships that he has entered, and this loss was his first at a Senior Worlds. In his one Olympic appearance, Dake won a bronze medal, but did not face Sidakov in that event.

Zahid Valencia won a bronze medal at 92 kg, with a dominant 11-0 technical fall over Arash Yoshida of Japan. Valencia scored the first takedown, which was challenged by Japan, but upheld, giving him a 3-0 lead. Valencia hit a double leg takedown and scored three straight turns to end the match in the first period.

Valencia, who was defeated in his second match on Sunday to eventual finalist Osman Nuragomedov of Azerbaijan, won his repechage match on Monday morning against Denys Sahaliuk of Ukraine, 6-0. Valencia, who won two NCAA titles for Arizona State, was competing in his first Senior World Championships.

The two Group Two wrestlers who were defeated on Sunday and not eligible for repechage did not place in the top 10 of their weight class, Zane Richards at 57 kg and Chance Marsteller at 79 kg.

With the two medals on Monday, the USA has won six medals so far in men’s freestyle. Included were golds by Vitali Arujau (61 kg), Zain Retherford (70 kg) and David Taylor (86 kg), a silver by Dake and bronze medalis by Valencia and Mason Parris (125 kg).

After the first eight men’s freestyle weight classes, the United States remains in the lead in the team race, with Iran still in second place.

Both of the men’s freestyle wrestlers in Group Three who started competition today were defeated in the quarterfinals, 2016 Olympic champion and three-time World champion Kyle Snyder at 97 kg and first-time World Team member Nick Lee at 65 kg.

Snyder won his first two matches by technical fall, then was stunned in the quarterfinals by young Akhmed Tazhudinov of Bahrain in an 11-0 technical fall. Tazhudinov continued his outstanding wrestling by shocking two-time Olympic champion and five-time World champion Abdulrashid Sadulaev by injury default at 4:59. Tazhudinov ws winning 9-2 when Sadulaev stopped wrestling. By making the finals, Tazhudinov pulled Snyder back into repechage on Monday.

Snyder will face the winner of the repechage match between Max Lacey of Costa Rico and Magomed Ibragimov of Uzbekistan in another repechage match. Should Snyder win his bout, he would qualify for a bronze-medal match against Sadulaev. This is an Olympic weight, so Snyder needs to be among the top five in the standings to qualify the USA for the Paris Olympics at 97 kg.

Lee won his first three matches, including a tight 4-3 win over Umidjon Jalolov of Uzbekistan in the third round. In the quarterfinals, Lee was defeated by 2022 World champion Rahman Amouzadkhalili of Iran, 7-4. When Amouzadkhalili was beaten on a last second takedown by Ismail Musukaev of Hungary in the semifinals, Lee was eliminated from repechage. This is an Olympic weight class, so the USA did not qualify for the Paris Games at 65 kg at this event.

The U.S. women’s freestyle team had a strong day, putting both of their athletes from Group One into medal matches.

2019 World champion Jacarra Winchester has a chance for a second World title, after a big win in the 55 kg semifinals on Monday evening over Anastasya Blayvas of Germany in a 10-0 technical fall. Winchester had three wins on the day, outscoring her opponents 28-2.

She will battle another World champion in the finals, Haruna Okuno of Japan, who won a Senior Worlds titles in 2017 and 2018.

Jennifer Page also reached the semifinals at 59 kg, where she was defeated by 2017 U23 World silver medalist Qi Zhang of China, 5-1. Page had a huge 6-4 win the quarterfinals over 2021 World champion Sae Nanjo of Japan.

In her bronze-medal match, Page will face the winner Tamara Dollak of Hungary and Alyona Kolesnik of Azerbaijan. Page is competing in her first Senior World Championships.

Four more women’s freestyle weight classes begin on Tuesday, with these U.S. wrestlers hitting the mats for the first time: Sarah Hildebrandt (50 kg), Helen Maroulis (57 kg), Macey Kilty (65 kg) and Adeline Gray (76 kg).

WORLD WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIPS

At Belgrade, Serbia, September 18

Men’s Freestyle Group Two Finals results

57 kg

Gold - Stevan Micic (Serbia)

Silver - Rei Higuchi (Japan)

Bronze - Arsen Harutyunuan (Armenia)

Bronze - Zelimkhan Abakarov (Albania)

5th - Meirambek Kartbay (Kazakhstan)

5th - Zavur Uguev (Individual Neutral Athlete),

7th - Gulomjon Abdullaev (Uzbekistan)

8th - Milad Jahangir Valizadeh (Iran)

9th - Niklas Stechele (Germany)

10th - Wanhao Zou (China)

Gold - Stevan Micic (Serbia) dec. Rei Higuchi (Japan), 7-4

Bronze - Arsen Harutyunuan (Armenia) tech. fall Meirambek Kartbay (Kazakhstan), 11-0

Bronze - Zelimkhan Abakarov (Albania) dec. Zavur Uguev (Individual Neutral Athlete), 4-4

57 kg Olympic Playoff - Zavur Uguev (Individual Neutral Athlete) dec. Meirambek Kartbay (Kazakhstan), 4-0

74 kg

Gold - Zaurbek Sidakov (Individual Neutral Athlete)

Silver - Kyle Dake (United States)

Bronze - Hetik Cabolov (Serbia)

Bronze -Daichi Takatani (Japan)

5th - Turan Bayramov (Azerbaijan)

5th - Georgios Kougioumtsidis (Greece),

7th - Feng Lu (China)

8th - Nurkozha Kaipanov (Kazakhstan)

9th - Hrayr Alikhanyan (Armenia)

10th - Yones Aliakbar Emamichoghaei (Iran)

Gold - Zaurbek Sidakov (Individual Neutral Athlete) dec. Kyle Dake (United States), 10-7

Bronze - Hetik Cabolov (Serbia) dec. Turan Bayramov (Azerbaijan), 6-4

Bronze -.Daichi Takatani (Japan) pin Georgios Kougioumtsidis (Greece), 3:38

74 kg Olympic Playoff – Georgios Kougioumtsidis (Greece) disq.. Turan Bayramov (Azerbaijan), three cautions

79 kg

Gold - Akhmed Usmanov (Individual Neutral Athlete)

Silver - Vladimeri Gamkrelidze (Georgia)

Bronze – Mohammed Nokholidarimi (Iran)

Bronze - Vasyl Mykhailov (Ukraine)

5th - Orkhan Abasov (Azerbaijan),

5th - Bolat Sakayev (Kazakhstan)

7th - Akhsarbek Gulaev (Slovakia)

8th - Ahmad Magomedov (North Macedonia)

9th - Byambadorj Bat Erdene (Mongolia)

10th -  Mihail Iliev Georgiev (Bulgaria)

Gold - Akhmed Usmanov (Individual Neutral Athlete) dec. Vladimeri Gamkrelidze (Georgia), 4-1

Bronze – Mohammed Nokholidarimi (Iran) tech. fall Orkhan Abasov (Azerbaijan), 10-0

Bronze - Vasyl Mykhailov (Ukraine) dec. Bolat Sakayev (Kazakhstan), 3-1

92 kg

Gold - Rizabek Aitmukhan (Kazakhstan)

Silver - Osman Nurmagomedov (Azerbaijan)

Bronze - Feyzullah Akturk (Turkey)

Bronze - Zahid Valencia (USA)

5th - Miriani Maisuradze (Georgia)

5th - Arash Yoshida (Japan)

7th - Pruthviraj Patil (UWW)

8th - Amirali Hamid Azarpira (Iran)

9th - Denys Sahaliuk (Ukraine)

10th - Vladislav Valiev (Individual Neutral Athlete)

Gold - Rizabek Aitmukhan (Kazakhstan) dec. Osman Nurmagomedov (Azerbaijan), 5-2

Bronze - Feyzullah Akturk (Turkey) dec. Miriani Maisuradze (Georgia), 5-3

Bronze - Zahid Valencia (USA) tech. fall Arash Yoshida (Japan), 11-0

U.S. men’s freestyle Group Two results

57 kg - Zane Richards (Titan Mercury WC/Illinois RTC)

LOSS Aliabbas Rzazade (Azerbaijan), 3-2

74 kg – Kyle Dake (Titan Mercury WC/Nittany Lion WC), Silver Medal

WIN Magomet Evloev (Tajikistan), tech. fall 12-2

WIN Nurkozha Kaipanov (Kazakhstan), 9-4

WIN Daichi Takatani (Japan), 6-4

WIN Georgios Kougioumtsidis (Greece), 4-1

LOSS Zaurbek Sidakov (Individual Neutral Athlete), 10-7

79 kg – Chance Marsteller (Titan Mercury WC/NYC RTC),

WIN Chems Fetairia (Algeria), 7-2

LOSS Orkhan Abasov (Azerbaijan), 9-3

92 kg - Zahid Valencia (Sunkist Kids), Bronze Medal

WIN Amirali Azarpira (Iran), 12-9

LOSS Osman Nuragomedov (Azerbaijan), 5-1

WIN Denys Sahaliuk (Ukraine), 6-0

WIN Arash Yoshida (Japan), tech. fall 11-0

Team Standings after eight weight classes

1. United States, 125

2. Iran, 94

3. Kazakhstan, 70

4. Georgia, 65

5. Japan, 61

Men’s freestyle Group Three finals pairings

65 kg - Ismail Musukaev (Hungary) vs. Sebastian Rivera (Puerto Rico)

97 kg  - Akhmed Tazhudinov (Bahrain) vs. Magomedkhan Magomedov (Azerbaijan)

Men’s Freestyle Group Three semifinal results

65 kg

Ismail Musukaev (Hungary) dec. Rahman Amouzadkhalili (Iran), 6-5

Sebastian Rivera (Puerto Rico) dec. Vazgen Tevanyan (Armenia), 10-9

97 kg

Akhmed Tazhudinov (Bahrain) dec. Abdulrashid Sadulaev (Individual Neutral Athlete), 9-2

Magomedkhan Magomedov (Azerbaijan) dec. Givi Matcharishvili (Georgia), 6-1

U.S. men’s freestyle Group Three results

65 kg – Nick Lee (Titan Mercury WC/Nittany Lion WC), eliminated

WIN Kryzsztof Bienkowski (Poland), 6-0

WIN Austin Gomez (Mexico), pin 3:58

WIN Umidjon Jalolov (Uzbekistan), 4-3

LOSS Rahman Amouzadkhalili (Iran), 7-4

97 kg - Kyle Snyder (Titan Mercury WC/Nittany Lion WC), in repechage

WIN Nishan Randhawa (Canada), tech fall 11-0

WIN Radu Lefter (Moldova), tech fall 12-1

LOSS Akhmed Tazhudinov (Bahrain), tech fall 11-0

Repechage – Vs winner of Max Lacey (Costa Rico) and Magomed Ibragimov (Uzbekistan)

Women's Freestyle Group One finals pairings

55 kg - Haruna Okuno (Japan) vs. Jacarra Winchester (United States)

59 kg - Qi Zhang (China) vs. Yuliia Tkach (Ukraine)

Women's Freestyle Group One semifinal results

55 kg

Haruna Okuno (Japan) dec. Mariana Dragutan (Moldova), 6-0

Jacarra Winchester (United States) tech. fall Anastasia Blayvas (Germany), 10-0

59 kg

Qi Zhang (China) dec. Jennifer Page (United States), 5-1

Yuliia Tkach (Ukraine) pin Elena Brugger (Germany), 1:14

U.S. women’s freestyle Group One results

55 kg –Jacarra Winchester (Titan Mercury WC/USOPTC)

WIN Neha Sharma (UWW), 7-2

WIN Mariia Vynnyk (Ukraine), tech fall 11-0

WIN Anastasia Blayvas (Germany), tech fall 10-0

Gold Medal - Haruna Okuno (Japan)

59 kg –Jennifer Page (Titan Mercury WC/Nittany Lion WC)

WIN Anjli (UWW), tech fall 11-0

WIN Sae Nanjo (Japan), 6-4

LOSS Qi Zhang (China), 5-1

Bronze Medal – Vs. winner of Tamara Dollak (Hungary) and Alyona Kolesnik (Azerbaijan)

U.S. Women’s Freestyle Group Two first round draws

50 kg – Sarah Hildebrandt (New York AC/USOPTC)

Vs. winner of Miseon Kwon (Korea) and Emma Wangila (Kenya)

Kwon – no information available

Wangila – 3rd in 2022 African Championships, 4th in 2021 African Championships

57 kg – Helen Maroulis (Sunkist Kids)

Vs. Nesmarie Rodriguez (Puerto Rico), 2nd in 2017 and 2020 Pan American Championships, 3rd in 2019 Pan American Games

65 kg –Macey Kilty (Sunkist Kids)

Vs. Valeriia Dondupova Suvorova (Individual Neutral Athlete), 2nd in 2020 Yarygin Grand Prix (Russia), 2017 Medved Prizes champion (Belarus)

76 kg –Adeline Gray (New York AC)

Vs. Jimin Baek (Korea), no information available