TAMPERE, Finland – Daton Fix and Gable Steveson won Junior World Championships and Ryan Deakin and Zahid Valencia captured silver medals on Wednesday to help the United States edge Russia by one point and win its first Junior World Championships freestyle team title since 1984.

The U.S. finished with three champions and seven total medals as Mark Hall won his second consecutive World title on Tuesday while Mitchell McKee captured silver and Kollin Moore earned bronze. It marks only the second time since 1984 that multiple Americans have won world titles.

Fix and Hall were the national Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award winners in 2017 and 2016, respectively, while Valencia was the national winner in 2015. It was Steveson’s first Junior World title, but his third consecutive age group World championship as he won Cadet World titles in 2015 and 2016.

Fix defeated Ismail Gadzhiev of Russia, 12-1, in the finals. It was the fifth technical fall win of the day for the Sand Springs, Oklahoma, native, who outscored his opponents 53-1 to claim his first world championship.

“It’s always something I’ve dreamed of doing, and it feels indescribable, really,” Fix said. “I couldn’t count the number of times I’ve dreamt of that moment and to accomplish that is really amazing.”

Russia won the next two gold-medal matchups against the U.S., leaving the team title to be decided by the 120 kg/264 lbs. championship bout.

With the weight of the country on his shoulders, Steveson showed poise in his battle against Iran’s Naeiim Hassanzadeh. The Minnesota native was on the board first with a step out and extended his lead to 3-0 at the break. One minute into the first period, Steveson scored a takedown on the edge, securing his final points of the day. The Iranian managed to get on the board with a step out, but it was not enough and Steveson walked away with a 5-1 win and sealed the team title for USA.

“It feels good,” Steveson said. “It feels better than last year. I’ve worked really hard for this, so it means a lot. I’m just happy I could come out here and win a team title with my team as well as my individual title.”

The Junior World Championships continue tomorrow with the first day of women’s freestyle wrestling as Asia Ray, Cameron Guerin, Gracie Figueroa and Alex Glaude take to the mat.

2017 JUNIOR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
Aug. 1-6 at Tampere, Finland

Team results
1. USA 68
2. Russia 67
3. Iran 49
4. Turkey 36
5. Azerbaijan 34
6. Armenia 32
7. India 27
8. Georgia 26
9. Mongolia 25
10. Germany 15

Finals matchups
50 kg/110 lbs.
Gold – Shahin Mukhtarov (Azerbaijan) dec. Karen Zurabyan (Armenia), 7-5
Bronze – Akbar Kenzhebck Uulu (Kyrgyzstan) win by fall Aslan Minkailov (Russia), 5:51
Bronze – Nasanuyan Narmandakh (Mongolia) dec. Rakhat Kalzhan (Kazakhstan), 6-2

55 kg/121 lbs.
Gold – Daton Fix (USA) tech. fall Ismail Gadzhiev (Russia), 12-1
Bronze – Arsen Harutyunyan (Armenia) dec. Ramzan Awtaew (Germany), 9-0
Bronze – Afgan Khashalov (Azerbaijan) dec. Nader Amir Nasrisamakoush (Iran), 8-7

60 kg/132 lbs.
Gold – Abdulla Akhmedov (Russia) win by fall Mitchell McKee (USA), 1:00
Bronze – Yones Emamichoghaei (Iran) tech. fall Eriglent Prizreni (Albania), 10-0
Bronze – Hiromu Sakaki (Japan) dec. Ravinder Ravinder (India), 9-6

66 kg/145 lbs.
Gold – David Baev (Russia) tech. fall Ryan Deakin (USA), 10-0
Bronze – Temuulen Enkhtuya (Mongolia) dec. Amirhossei Hosseini (Iran), 6-4
Bronze – Iveriko Julakidze (Georgia) dec. Gevorg Mkheyan (Armenia), 6-4

74 kg/163 lbs.
Gold – Mark Hall (USA) win by fall Isa Shapiev (Uzbekistan), 0:43
Bronze – Veer Dev Gulia (India) dec. Yajuro Yamasaki (Japan), 8-5
Bronze – Mohammad Mottaghinia (Iran) tech. fall Muhammet Kucukyildirim (Turkey), 11-0

84 kg/185 lbs.
Gold – Artur Naifonov (Russia) dec. Zahid Valencia (USA), 7-5
Bronze – Gadzhimura Magomedsaidov (Azerbaijan) tech fall Deepak Punia (India), 10-0
Bronze – Ahmad Yous Bazrighaleh (Iran) tech. fall Osman Gocen (Turkey), 18-8

96 kg/211 lbs.
Gold – Shamil Musaev (Russia) dec. Givi Matcharashvili (Georgia), 7-2
Bronze – Ibrahim Ciftci (Turkey) dec. Sargis Hovsepyan (Armenia), 7-0
Bronze – Kollin Moore (USA) tech. fall Ilja Matuhin (Germany), 11-0

120 kg/264 lbs.
Gold – Gable Steveson (USA) vs. Naeiim Hassanzadeh (Iran), 5-1
Bronze – Erdenetulg Davaadorj (Mongolia) vs. Feyzullah Akturk (Turkey)
Bronze – Zaur Kozonov (Russia) vs. Zuriko Urtashvili (Georgia)

U.S. men’s freestyle results
50 kg/110 lbs. – Malik Heinselman, Castle Rock, Colo. (Olympian WC), 8th
WIN Horst Lehr (Germany), 5-4
LOSS Rakhat Kalzhan (Kazakhstan), 8-2

55 kg/121 lbs. – Daton Fix (Sand Springs, Okla./Titan Mercury WC) - gold
WIN Salah Eddi Kateb (Algeria), 10-0
WIN Afgan Khashalov (Azerbaijan), 10-0
WIN Gulomjon Abdullaev (Uzbekistan), 11-0
WIN Nader Amir Nasrisamakoush (Iran), 10-0
WIN Ismail Gadzhiev (Russia), 12-1

60 kg/132 lbs. – Mitchell McKee, Hanover, Minn. (Minnesota Storm)
WIN Edemi Bolkvadze (Georgia), 11-9
WIN Hiromu Sakaki (Japan), 10-0
WIN Utku Dogan (Turkey), 11-9
WIN Ravinder Ravinder (India), 16-14
LOSS Abdulla Akhmedov (Russia), fall 1:00

66 kg/145 lbs. – Ryan Deakin (Broomfield, Colo./Northwestern) - silver
WIN Oleksandr Rybalko (Ukraine), 13-0
WIN Temuulen Enkhtuya (Mongolia), 7-6
WIN Amirhossei Hosseini (Iran), 10-2
LOSS David Baev (Russia), 10-0

74 kg/163 lbs. – Mark Hall, Apple Valley, Minn. (Nittany Lion WC)
WIN Adlan Bataiev (Ukraine), 10-0
WIN Radik Valiev (Russia), 6-2
WIN Mohammad Mottaghinia (Iran), 10-0
WIN Muhammet Kucukyildirim (Turkey), 10-3
WIN Isa Shapiev (Uzbekistan), fall 0:43

84 kg/185 lbs. – Zahid Valencia (Bellflower, Calif./Sunkist Kids WC) - silver
WIN Gadzhimura Magomedsaidov (Azerbaijan), 11-2
WIN Cheolyeon Lee (Korea), 10-0
WIN Deepak Punia (India), 11-0
LOSS Artur Naifonov (Russia), 7-5

96 kg/211 lbs. – Kollin Moore, Burbank, Ohio (Titan Mercury WC)
WIN Danyal Shariatinia (Iran), 10-5
WIN Alisher Yergli (Kazakhstan), 10-0
LOSS Givi Matcharashvili (Georgia), 16-4
WIN Ilja Matuhin (Germany), 11-0

120 kg/264 lbs. – Gable Steveson (Apple Valley, Minn./Minnesota Storm) - gold
WIN Khasanboy Rakhimov (Uzbekistan), 11-0
WIN Umar Israilov (Azerbaijan), 13-0
WIN Zuriko Urtashvili (Georgia), 11-0
WIN Zaur Kozonov (Russia), 21-10
WIN Naeiim Hassanzadeh (Iran), 5-1