Aaron Pico of the USA battles Hassan Yazdanicharati of Iran in the FILA Junior World finals at 66 kg in Zagreb, Croatia. T.R. Foley photoZAGREB, Croatia – It was a day full of success and challenges for the U.S. Junior World Freestyle Team, which entered the day tied in third in the team standings with two medals.
With four talented and motivated wrestlers on the mat Sunday, the USA had its share of ups and downs, but came out of the day with four more medalists, bringing their total to six medals out of eight weight classes. In the final team standings, the United States took second place, behind only the champions from Iran. The team had a 16-4 record for the day.
Claiming a silver medal at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. was Aaron Pico (Whittier, Calif./Titan Mercury WC) at 66 kg/145.5 lbs., who dropped his finals bout to Hassan Yazdanicharati of Iran, 2-9.
The match was close most of the way, with two key points that went the Iranian’s way. Late in the first period, Pico got behind Yazdanicharati and tried to score a takedown but stepped out instead, giving the Iranian a 3-2-lead. Early in the second period with the score still 3-2, the Iranian was put on the 30-second shot clock. Right off the whistle, Yazdanicharati shot in on Pico and ultimately converted the shot for a score. Had Pico emerged in those situations, the result may have been different.
All three U.S. wrestlers who had bronze-medal matches won, finishing their tournament with a win and a medal. They were Thomas Gilman (Council Bluffs, Iowa/Hawkeye WC) at 55 kg/121 lbs. Gabe Dean (Lowell, Mich. (Titan Mercury WC/FLWC) at 84 kg/185 lbs. and Adam Coon (Fowlerville, Mich./Cliff Keen WC) at 120 kg/264.5 lbs.
Gilman, who stars for the University of Iowa, won a crazy 11-6 bronze-medal bout against Vladimir Kurdin of Kazakhstan. Kurdin was effective in counters and scoring from defensive positions, giving Gilman challenges in many exchanges on the mat. Gilman kept his composure, continued his attack, and opened up the lead in the second period.
Dean, the Cornell All-American, received the bronze medal when his opponent failed to compete due to injury default caused in his semifinal loss. Dean completed his first World Championships with a 4-1 record and a medal, having competed in freestyle for only two years to date.
Coon won his second FILA Junior World medal of the week, after also winning a Greco-Roman bronze medal on Wednesday. He scored a pin over Yusuf Emre Dede of Turkey in 2:20, converting a body lock throw for the fall. Coon, who competes for the University of Michigan, bounced back from a heartbreaking last second loss in the semifinals to Canadian Amar Dhesi, 6-7.
The United States finished with six medals in the tournament, including a silver medal from Joey McKenna at 60 kg and a bronze medal from Kyle Snyder at 96 kg won on Saturday.
Iran won the team title with 64 points, followed by the United States with 58 points in second and Russia with 49 points in third.
Click here for video interviews with all the U.S. Junior World medalists plus coaches
FILA JUNIOR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Zagreb, Croatia
Men’s freestyle results
55 kg/121 lbs.
Gold - Azmat Tuskaev (Russia)
Silver - Mihcalan Hasa-Zada (Azerbaijan)
Bronze – Layua Baris (Turkey)
Bronze – Thomas Gilman (USA)
5th – Puntsag Erdenebileg (Mongolia)
5th – Vladimir Kurdin (Kazakhstan)
7th – Reza Atri (Iran)
8th – Giorgi Lezhava (Georgia)
9th – Armen Arakelian (Ukraine)
10th – Issei Oshiro (Japan)
Gold – Tuskaev dec. Hasan-Zada, 4-3
Bronze – Gilman dec. Kurdin, 9-6
Bronze – Baris tech. fall Erdenebileg, 12-2
66 kg/145.5 lbs.
Gold - Hasan Yazdanicharati (Iran)
Silver - Aaron Pico (USA)
Bronze – Daichi Takatani (Japan)
Bronze – Rasul Arsanaliev (Russia)
5th – Mihail Georgie (Bulgaria)
5th – Ilyas Zhumay (Kazakhstan)
7th – Lin Zeping (China)
8th – Surkho Rashitkhanov (Belarus)
9th – Murad Sulyemanov (Azerbaijan)
10th – Haydar Yavuz (Turkey)
Gold – Yazdanicharati dec. Pico, 9-2
Bronze – Takatani dec. Georgie, 14-1 2
Bronze – Arsanaliev dec. Zhumay, pin
84 kg/185 lbs.
Gold – Areza Karmimachiani (Iran)
Silver - Azamat Dauletbekov (Kazakshtan)
Bronze – Peaveen Praveen (India)
Bronze – Gabe Dean (USA)
5th – Mraz Dzhagarian (Ukraine)
5th – Nurmagomed Gadzhiyev (Azerbaijan)
7th – Pavlos Sotiriadis (Greece)
8th – Gadzhi Radzhabov (Russia)
9th – Fatih Erdin (Turkey)
10th – Erik Bizunovic (Lithuania)
Gold - Karmimachiani tech. fall Dauletbekov (Kazakshtan), 12-2
Bronze – Praveen dec. Dzhafarian, 4-2
Bronze – Dean injury default Gadzhiyev
120 kg/264.5 lbs.
Gold– Geno Petriashvili (Georgia)
Silver - Amar Dhesi (Canada)
Bronze – Amin Taheri (Iran)
Bronze – Adam Coon (USA)
5th – Kamil Kosciolek (Poland)
5th – Yusuf Emre Dede (Turkey)
7th – Oyan Nazaryani (Azerbaijan)
8th – Marian Todorov (Bulgaria)
9th – Gegnnadij Cudinovic (Germany)
10th – Rangi Roubaljeet (India)
Gold – Petriashvili tech fall Dhesi, 10-0
Bronze – Taheri tech fall Kosciolek, 11-0
Bronze – Coon pin Dede
U.S. Men’s Freestyle performances on Sunday
55 kg/121 lbs. – Thomas Gilman, Council Bluffs, Iowa (Hawkeye WC), 3rd
WIN Abdelhak Kherbache (Algeria), tech fall, 10-0, 2:29
WIN Methodli Chadli (Tunisia), tech. fall, 10-0
WIN Reza Atri (Iran), 4-4
LOSS Michalan Hasan-Zada (Azerbaijan), 2-5
WIN Vladimir Kurdin (Kazakhstan), 11-6
66 kg/145.5 lbs. – Aaron Pico, Whittier, Calif. (Titan Mercury WC), 2nd
WIN Deichi Takatani (Japan), 7-5
WIN Kyrillos Binembaoum (Greece), 10-0, 2:25
WIN SurkoRashitkhanov (Belarus), tech. fall 10-0, 3:42
WIN Mihail Georgie (Bulgaria), tech. fall 11-0, 5:52
LOSS Hassan Yazdanicharati (Iran), 2-9
84 kg/185 lbs. – Gabe Dean, Lowell, Mich. (Titan Mercury WC/FLWC), 3rd
WIN Selimmuhamet Muhadeyyev (Turkmenistan), tech. fall, 10-0, 1:16
WIN Adris Ruhle (Latvia), tech. fall 12-2, 4:08
LOSS Azamat Dauletbekov (Kazakhstan), 6-7
WIN Pavlos Sotiriadis(Greece), tech. fall 14-3, 3:33
WIN Nuramagomed Gadzhiyev (Azerbaijan), injury default
120 kg/264.5 lbs. – Adam Coon, Fowlerville, Mich. (Cliff Keen WC), 3rd
WIN Qiang Tao (China), tech fall 10-0, 1:17
WIN Rangi Roubaljeet (India), tech. fall 10-0, 2:48
WIN Oyan Nazaryani (Azerbaijan), pin
LOSS Amar Dhesi (Canada), 6-7
WIN Yusuf Emre Dede (Turkey), pin 2:20
Team standings
1. Iran, 64 pts.
2. United States, 58 pts.
3. Russia, 49 pts.
4. Turkey, 42 pts.
5. Azerbaijan, 41 pts.
6. Kazakhstan, 27 pts.
7. Ukraine, 20 pts.
8. Georgia, 17 pts.
9. Belarus, 15 pts.
10. Japan, 14 pts.
11. India, 12 pts.
12. France, 10 pts.
13. (tie) Canada, 9 pts.
13. (tie) Bulgaria, 9 pts.
13. (tie) Romania, 9 pts.
16. Mongolia, 7 pts.
17. (tie) Korea, 6 pts
17. (tie) Poland, 6 pts.
17. (tie) China, 6 pts.
20. (tie) Germany, 5 pts.
20. (tie) Kyrgyzstan, 5 pts.
22 (tie) Armenia, 4 pts.
22. (tie) Greece, 4 pts.
22 (tie) Hungary, 4 pts.
25. Switzerland, 3 pts.
26. Lithuania, 1 pt.