By Gary Abbott
USA Wrestling

POREC, Croatia - Three-time World champion Eliana Bommarito finished the first day with a perfect 2-0 record in the women’s Over 70 kg weight class at the Beach World Series Porec at the Zelena Laguna Resort in Porec, Croatia on Saturday. This is the second stop of the five-event Senior Beach World Series for 2026.

Bommarito’s bracket features a five-athlete round robin, where she will compete once against each of the other four competitors. The medals will be awarded based upon the results of the completed round robin on Sunday.

Bommarito opened up on Saturday morning with a 49 second pin over long-time Beach rival Stefania Zacheila of Greece. In the second round, Bommarito faced fellow American Sadie Evans, who she defeated by pin in 50 seconds. Bommarito has two more matches scheduled for Sunday and if she wins them, she will clinch the gold medal.

Bommarito has been the most successful U.S. Beach wrestlers in history and one of the top Beach stars in the world. During the last three years, Bommarito has won eight gold medals at individual Beach World Series events, two in 2025, four in 2024 and two in 2023. Only one other American, Justin Benjamin in the 70 kg men’s division, has ever won a gold medal at an individual Beach World Series stop. Bommarito has also won two Beach World Series individual bronze medals in the past (in Croatia and Mexico in 2025). Add in her two age-group Beach World Championships medals, a U20 World gold in 2023 and a U20 World silver in 2024.

Evans had a bye in the first session, and her match with Bommarito was her only bout of the day. She has three matches scheduled for Sunday. She still has a chance to win a medal, based upon the results of her Sunday matches.

Evans was sixth in Beach World Series Porec in 2025 and 11th at Beach World Series Katerini in Greece last season. Evans was a U17 Beach World bronze medalist in 2024.

The other American on the tour is Keenan Graef, who remains in the hunt for a medal at the men’s 80 kg weight class. Graef won a bronze medal at this weight class at the Carolina Beach Nationals in Carolina Beach, N.C. in early May.

Graef was drawn into a best-of-three knockout series against Antonio Bahtovic of Croatia, which he needed to win to advance into Group A. Graef won both of his knockout matches over Bahtovic, by identical 3-0 scores, both wins in less than 30 seconds.

In Group A competition, Graef was pinned in the opening match by Christos Christoforidis of Greece in 1:17. In his second Group match, Graef scored a 3-0 victory over Miljan Rajic of Serbia. He has one Group bout set for Sunday morning against Vusal Aliyev of Azerbaijan. Based upon that match, Graef could still earn a spot in Sunday afternoon’s semifinals.

On Sunday morning, the Group competition completes at 10:00 a.m. local time. The final session is at 5:00 p.m., featuring the elimination rounds and finals. Porec is six hours ahead of U.S. Eastern time zone. The event is being broadcast live on FloWrestling.

BEACH WORLD SERIES POREC

At Porec, Croatia, May 30

U.S. Men’s Beach Saturday results and Sunday pairings

80 kg – Keenan Graef, Overland Park, Kansas 

Knockout – WIN Antonio Bahtovic (Croatia), 3-0, 0:26

Knockout – WIN Antonio Bahtovic (Croatia), 3-0, 0:23

LOSS Christos Christoforidis (Greece), pin 1:17

WIN Miljan Rajic (Serbia), 3-0, 0:43

Vs. Vusal Aliyev (Azerbaijan)

U.S. Women’s Beach results

+70 kg – Sadie Evans, Belfair, Wash.  

LOSS Eliana Bommarito (USA), pin 0:50

Vs. Stefania Zacheila (Greece)

Vs. Angelique Gonzalez (France)

Vs. Daria Konstanynova (Ukraine)

+70 kg: Elianna Bommarito, Brighton, Mich.   

WIN Stefania Zacheila (Greece), pin 0:49

WIN Sadie Evans (USA), pin 0:50

Vs. Angelique Gonzalez (France)

Vs. Daria Konstanynova (Ukraine)

Remaining Event Schedule (local time)

(Porec is six hours ahead of U.S. Eastern time)

Sunday, May 31 

10:00 a.m. – Group Rounds

5:00 p.m. – Elimination Rounds and Finals

8:00 p.m. – Closing Celebration