Jordan Burroughs competing in the men’s 74 kg. semifinals at 2019 the World Wrestling Championships on Sept. 20, 2019 in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan.
Jordan Burroughs struck early and didn’t let up en route to the bronze medal in the men’s 74 kg. weight class at the World Wrestling Championships on Saturday in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan.
Facing Mao Okui of Japan for his seventh career world championship medal, Burroughs scored an early takedown and a high gut wrench for a 4-0 lead in the opening moments of the match. The 2012 Olympic champion led 6-0 at the break after a double leg takedown and, eyeing his spot on the podium, came out blazing again with another takedown and ultimately a 10-0 technical fall victory.
This was Burroughs’ seventh appearance on the world team. His bid for a fifth world title fell short when he lost by just one point in his semifinal match against defending world champion Zaurbek Sidakov of Russia on Friday.
This was the third world championship bronze medal for the two-time Olympian. Burroughs also won bronze in 2014 and 2018.
By reaching the semifinals, Burroughs also earned a qualifying spot at 74 kg. at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020.
To reach the semifinals he defeated Azmat Nurykau of Belarus, Murad Kuramagomedov of Hungary and Khadzimurad Gadzhiev of Azerbaijan.
The 31-year-old from Sicklerville, New Jersey, is coming off a strong August that saw him win his third straight Pan American Games title after going 3-0 and defeating two former world medalists. He won the gold on the anniversary of his winning the gold medal at the Olympic Games London 2012.
Karen Price is a reporter from Pittsburgh who has covered Olympic sports for various publications. She is a freelance contributor to TeamUSA.org on behalf of Red Line Editorial, Inc.
