By Gary Abbott
USA Wrestling
OSLO, Norway – 2020 Olympian G’Angelo Hancock got off to a great start at the Senior World Championships in Greco-Roman on Friday, winning his first two matches without allowing a point and qualifying for the semifinals at 97 kg.

Hancock opened with a solid 5-0 victory over two-time U23 European bronze medalist Ibrahim Tigci of Turkey. Tigci was hit for passivity first to make it 1-0, and Hancock turned him with a high gut wrench to lead 3-0 going into the break. In the second period, Hancock locked up a front headlock and powered Tigci to the mat for a takedown and the final 5-0 score

In the quarterfinals, Hancock was in total control in a 6-0 victory over 2018 World silver medalist Kiril Milov of Bulgaria. Milov was hit for passivity, putting Hancock up 1-0. In par terre, Hancock lifted and threw Milov for two points for a 3-0 lead. Milov tried a throw which Hancock countered for a takedown and a 5-0 lead. The Bulgarian corner challenged the call, but it was denied, giving Hancock another point and a 6-0 lead at the break. There was no scoring in the second period, and Milov was not close to getting a successful attack.

Hancock has drawn Alex Szoke of Hungary in his semifinals match. Szoke was fifth in the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo and was a 2016 Cadet World champion.

In addition to competing at the Tokyo Olympics, Hancock has three previous Senior World Championships appearances under his belt. He is just one victory away from securing his first medal. Hancock has the No. 3 seed at his weight class.

In his opening bout at 60 kg, Dalton Roberts was defeated by 2020 European champion Gevorg Gharibyan of Armenia, 8-4. Gharibyan scored first on an arm throw to lead 2-0. When Roberts was hit with passivity, putting Gharibyan up 3-0, Gharibyan added a four-point throw from the mat for a 7-0 lead. Roberts blocked a throw attempt for a two-point reversal to make it 7-2 at the break. In the second period, Gharibyan was hit for passivity to make it 7-3, but Roberts could not score on top. Both athletes added a step out, finishing it at the 8-4 final score.

Gharibyan won his quarterfinal bout, keeping Roberts’ hopes alive to get back into repechage. In the semifinals, Gharibyan must beat No. 1 seed and 2018 World silver medalist Victor Ciobanu of Moldova for Roberts to get pulled into repechage on Saturday.

Competing in his first Senior World Championships Cohlton Schultz , who was the national winner of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame's Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award in 2019, opened with a tight 5-3 loss to No. 1 seed and 2020 Olympic silver medalist Iakobi Kajaia of Georgia at 130 kg. In the first period, Schultz was penalized for passivity, putting Kajaia up 1-0. On top in par terre, Kajaia scored two gut wrench turns, but on the second one, Schultz powered through for a two-point reversal with exposure to make it 5-2. In the second period, Kajaia was hit with passivity, tightening it to 5-3. Schultz could not turn Kajaia, and Kajaia waa able to hold his position on the feet to secure the victory.

Kajaia will need to earn a spot in the gold-medal finals tonight for Schultz to be brought back into repechage. Kajaia did his part by winning the quarterfinals in this session and has one more victory needed for Schultz to get back into the tournament.

In the repechage for Group One, two-time Olympian Ben Provisor was defeated by 2016 World bronze medalist Laszlo Szabo of Hungary, 2-1. Szabo scored first on a step out. Provisor was hit for passivity in the first period making it 2-0 for Szabo. In the second period, Szabo was hit for passivity, tightening it to 2-1. Provisor could not turn Szabo in par terre, and was not able to score on the feet in the final minute, giving Szabo the victory.

The Group Two semifinals will be held at 5:00 p.m. local time, followed by the Group One finals at 6:00 p.m. (This is a new time for the semifinals). Oslo is six hours ahead of U.S. Eastern time. All of the action is live on FloWrestling.

SENIOR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Oslo, Norway, October 8

Group Two semifinals pairings

60 kg
Gevorg Gharibyan (Armenia) vs. Victor Ciobanu (Moldova)
Zholaman Sharshenbekov (Kyrgyzstan) vs. Murad Mammadov (Azerbaijan)

97 kg
Mohammadhadi Saravi (Iran) vs. Nikoloz Kakhelashvili (Italy)
G’Angelo Hancock (USA) vs. Alex Szoke (Hungary)

130 kg
Iakobi Kajaia (Georgia) vs. Zurabi Gedekhauri (Russian Wrestling Federation)
Aliakbar Yousofiahmadchali (Iran) vs. Yasmani Acosta Fernandez (Chile)

U.S. Greco-Roman Group Two draws for Friday

60 kg – Dalton Roberts (Colorado Springs, Colo./Army WCAP)
LOSS Gevorg Gharibyan (Armenia), 8-4

97 kg – No. 3 seed G’Angelo Hancock (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids)
WIN Ibrahim Tigci (Turkey), 5-0
WIN Kiril Milov (Bulgaria)
Semifinals – Vs. Alex Szoke (Hungary)

130 kg – Cohlton Schultz (Parker, Colo./Sunkist Kids)
LOSS Iakobi Kajaia (Georgia), 5-3

U.S. Greco-Roman Group One results

55 kg – Max Nowry (Colorado Springs, Colo./Army WCAP)
WIN Sajjad Abbaspourragani (Iran), tech fall 10-1, 3:00
LOSS Norayr Hakhoyan (Armenia), tech. fall 9-0, 2:04

72 kg – Patrick Smith (Minneapolis, Minn./Minnesota Storm)
LOSS Valentin Petic (Moldova), 6-3

77 kg – Jesse Porter (Clifton Park, N.Y./NMU-OTS/New York AC)
LOSS Bogdan Kourinnoi (Sweden), 3-1

82 kg – No. 2 seed Ben Provisor (Des Moines, Iowa/New York AC)
WIN Satoki Mukai (Japan), 2-1
LOSS Burhan Akbudak (Turkey), tech. fall 8-0, 2:21
LOSS Laszlo Szabo (Hungary), 2-1