Olympic champion & six-time World champion Jordan Burroughs makes 74 kg finals at Kunaev DA in Kazakhstan
by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling
TARAZ CITY, Kazakhstan - 2012 Olympic champion and six-time World champion Jordan Burroughs (Philadelphia, Pa./Sunkist Kids/Pennsylvania RTC) has reached the 74 kg finals of the Kunaev DA International on Friday.
In the semifinals, he defeated Yerbarys Satybaldy of Kazakhstan by technical fall, 10-0, scoring four takedowns and two step outs to finish the match in the second period.
He opened his tournament with a 9-2 victory over 2021 U17 World bronze medalist Yerhan Bexultanov of Kazakhstan, then advanced in the next round with a forfeit over Kant Mussabekov of Kazakhstan.
He will battle 2018 and 2019 U20 World bronze medalist Syrbaz Talgat of Kazakhstan in the gold-medal finals, set for 8:00 a.m. U.S. Eastern time on Saturday.
Burroughs is down to 74 kg, the weight where he won his Olympic title and four of his World titles, for the first time since the finals of the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in Fort Worth, Texas in April 2021.
Burroughs is currently No. 2 on the U.S. Freestyle National Team at 79 kg and is making the drop to the Olympic weight class for 2024, seeking to make his third U.S. Olympic Team.
Two other U.S. Senior Freestyle National Team members will begin competition on Saturday at 65 kg, 2022 World silver medalist Yianni Diakomihalis (Rochester, N.Y./Titan Mercury WC/Spartan Combat RTC) and Joey McKenna (Philadelphia, Pa./Titan Mercury WC/Pennsylvania RTC). Their first round draw is below. They are both in the bottom bracket at 65 kg, and if they both advance, they could meet in the semifinals.
The Kazakhstan Wrestling Federation is streaming the event live on its YouTube Channel
United World Wrestling has been posting Burroughs matches on its Instagram with links to the videos from its X account
Updates are being posted by the Pennsylvania RTC X account
KUNAEV DA INTERNATIONAL
At Taraz City, Kazakhstan, November 3
U.S. men’s freestyle performances
74 kg – Jordan Burroughs, Philadelphia, Pa. (Sunkist Kids/Pennsylvania RTC), in gold medal finals
WIN Yerhan Bexultanov (Kazakhstan), 9-2
WIN Kanat Mussabekov (Kazakhstan), forfeit
WIN Zafarbek Otakhanov (Uzbekistan), 9-1
WIN Yerbarys Satybaldy (Kazakhstan), tech fall, 10-0
Gold Medal – Syrbaz Talgat (Kazakhstan)
U.S. men’s freestyle first round draw for Saturday
65 kg - Yianni Diakomihalis (Rochester, N.Y./Titan Mercury WC/Spartan Combat RTC)
Vs. Nursultan Sadyk (Kazakhstan)
65 kg Joey McKenna (Philadelphia, Pa./Titan Mercury WC/Pennsylvania RTC)
Vs. Rustem Tolen (Kazakhstan)
Note: Special thanks to Coach Brandon Slay and the Pennsylvania RTC, and Vinay Siwach and United World Wrestling for their help with this coverage.
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