Photo courtesy of Andy Hamilton
Amman, Jordan- The U.S. men's freestyle team has been on fire at the U20 World Championships in Amman, Jordan. With a flawless 14-0 record, all five athletes have advanced to the semifinal round, setting the stage for an exciting night of wrestling at the Princess Sumaya Lounge.
Jesse Mendez, a seasoned two-time World Team member, kickstarted the team's success with a crucial 2-1 victory over Mykyta Zubal from Ukraine. Mendez, an NCAA All-American from Ohio State, secured the win with a step out point in the final seconds of the match.
His performance only improved as the day went on, with impressive wins over Aden Sakybaev from Kyrgyzstan and Ion Berghi from Moldova. Mendez will now face Turkey's Abdullah Toprak in the 65 kg semifinals, setting up an intriguing matchup between his dynamic style and Toprak's strong Greco-Roman background.
Luke Lilledahl and Meyer Shapiro, both past U17 World champions, have also been in top form, showcasing their offensive skills and dominating their opponents.
Lilledahl faced a tough European challenge in the 57 kg but managed to secure victories over Lev Pavlov, Tolga Ozbek, and Edik Harutyunyan. In the semifinals, he will face Ruslan Abdullayev from Azerbaijan, the reigning U20 European champion, who has displayed exceptional mat awareness and counter single leg attacks.
Shapiro, in a clash of U17 World champions, displayed strong positioning and secured an 8-0 victory over Magomed Baitukaev. He faced a tougher challenge in the second round against Mirjavad Nabiyev from Azerbaijan but managed to secure a comeback victory. Shapiro's opponent in the 70 kg semifinals is Julian George from Puerto Rico, a U20 Pan-American silver medalist.
Camden McDanel has been a force to be reckoned with in the 97 kg weight class, leaving a trail of defeated opponents in his wake. With two technical falls under his belt, the Ohio native has emerged victorious against Toyoki Hamada from Japan and Taron Shahinyan from Poland. However, his toughest challenge awaits in the semifinals as he prepares to face off against Abolfazl Babaloo from Iran, a formidable opponent who clinched the bronze medal in the 2023 Yasar Dogu competition.
This highly anticipated match will not only determine
McDanel's fate but also play a crucial role in the team race, with Iran currently boasting three wrestlers in the semifinals, second to the United States.
Meanwhile, Georgia's Matty Singleton, a former Greco-Roman U20 World Team member, has been captivating spectators with his precision and composure in the 79 kg bracket.
His ability to flawlessly execute single leg takedowns has propelled him to two technical falls, leaving his opponents in awe. In a nail-biting quarterfinal match against Narek Grigoryan from Armenia, Singleton faced a pivotal moment.
However, he showcased his resilience and skill, securing a hard-fought 10-6 decision by executing a well-timed takedown and transitioning seamlessly into a trapped arm gut. As he advances to the semifinals, Singleton's next challenge comes in the form of Sagar Jaglan from India, a returning U20 World bronze medalist. The stage is set for an intense clash between two exceptional wrestlers vying for a spot in the finals.
The competition is heating up as the U20 World Championships continue with the first set of men's freestyle semifinals. Wrestling fans in the U.S. can catch all the live action on FloWrestling.com, while brackets and updated results will be provided by United World Wrestling on uww.org and the UWW mobile app. The stage is set for an intense night of wrestling as these talented athletes battle it out for a spot in the finals.
U.S. Men’s Freestyle Results
57 kg – Luke Lilledahl (St. Charles, Missouri/X-Calibur Athletics WC)
WIN Lev Pavlov (Individual Neutral Athlete), 9-2
WIN Tolga Ozbek (Turkey), 6-1
WIN Edik Harutyunyan (Armenia), 8-3
VS Ruslan Abdullayev (Azerbaijan)
65 kg – Jesse Mendez (Crown Point, Indiana/Titan Mercury WC/Ohio RTC)
WIN Mykyta Zubal (Ukraine), 2-1
WIN Aden Sakybaev (Kyrgyzstan), 7-2
WIN Ion Berghi (Moldova), 13-4
VS Abdullah Toprak (Turkey)
70 kg – Meyer Shapiro (Woodbine, Maryland/Spartan Combat RTC)
WIN Yuma Tomiyama (Japan), 11-0
WIN Mirjavad Nabiyev (Azerbaijan), 6-4
WIN Magomed Baitukaev (Individual Neutral Athlete), 8-0
VS Julian George (Puerto Rico)
79 kg – Matthew Singleton (College Park, Georgia/Wolfpack WC)
WIN Denizbek Ulan Uulu (Kyrgyzstan), tech. fall, 12-2
WIN Nandor Hajduch (Hungary), tech. fall, 10-0
WIN Narek Grigoryan (Armenia), 10-6
VS Sagar Jaglan (India)
97 kg – Camden McDanel (Circleville, Ohio)
WIN Toyoki Hamada (Japan), tech. fall, 12-1
WIN Taron Shahinyan (Poland), tech. fall, 12-2
VS Abolfazl Babaloo (Iran)
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