Olympic Wrestling Live Blog: Thursday Session II: Lee, Brooks, Maroulis in semifinals

We will not be doing live updates from the Group 3 finals, as there are no USA athletes competing. An update on this portion of the night session will be posted in the wrap story, which will also get more deep into the Group 4 semifinals. Thanks for joining us.

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Group 4 finals pairings

Men’s Freestyle 57 kg - Rei Higuchi (Japan) vs. Spencer Lee (United States)

Men’s Freestyle 86 kg - Magomed Ramazanov (Bulgaria) vs. Hassan Yazdani (Iran)

Women’s Freestyle 57 kg - Tsugumi Sakurai (Japan) vs. Anastasia Nichita (Moldova)

Group 4 semifinal results

Men’s Freestyle 57 kg

Rei Higuchi (Japan) tech fall Aman Sehrawat (India) , 10-0

Spencer Lee (United States) tech fall Gulomjon Abdullaev (Uzbekistan), 14-4

Men’s Freestyle 86 kg

Magomed Ramazanov (Bulgaria) dec. Aaron Brooks (United States), 4-3

Hassan Yazdani (Iran) dec. Myles Amine (San Marino), 7-1

Women’s Freestyle  57 kg

Tsugumi Sakurai (Japan) dec. Helen Maroulis (United States), 10-4

Anastasia Nichita (Moldova) pin Kexin Hong (China), 1:37

So, for the USA, Spencer Lee will go for men's freestyle gold at 57 kg, while Aaron Brooks (86 kg MFS) and Helen Maroulis (57 kg WFS) are going for bronze medals.

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57 kg WFS semifinals - Tsugumi Sakurai (Japan) dec. Helen Maroulis (USA), 10-4

Slick inside trip takedown for Maroulis, 2-0. Sakurai gets a four-point counter to take a 4-2 lead at the break.

Sakurai emerges from a scramble with a takedown, 6-2, and works to an ankle lace, 8-2. Another Sakurai takedown makes it 10-2. Maroulis gets a two-point reversal, 10-4.  Time runs out and Sakurai wins, 10-4.

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86 kg MFS semifinals - Magomed Ramazanov (Bulgaria) dec. Aaron Brooks (USA), 4-3

Ramazanov on the shot clock and can’t score, 1-0 for Brooks. Brooks powers for a double leg shot for a two point takedown, 3-0

Ramazanov spin behund for a takedown, 3-2. Ramazanov unable to turn Brooks, but got close. Brooks shoots on a leg late in the match, Ramazanov scores a slick counter exposure and beats Brooks, 4-3. Brooks to go for bronze.

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57 kg MFS semifinals – Spencer Lee (USA) tech fall Gulomjon Abdullaev (Uzbekistan), 14-4

Lee gets a single leg takedown to lead 2-0. Spin behind takedown for Lee, 4-0. Add two turns to make it 8-0 and then a roll throw from the feet for four points, 12-0. Uzbekistan challenges. They change it to four for Abdullaev and two for Lee, making it 10-4. Add a takedown and a turn and its 14-4 technical fall. Spencer Lee is going to the finals!!!

MEDAL COUNT - BEFORE THURSDAY FINALS

Greco-Roman Medal Count (60 kg, 130, 97 kg, 130 kg)

Kyrgyzstan, 3 (0-0-3)

Japan, 2 (2-0-0)

China, 2 (0-1-1)

Armenia, 2 (0-1-1)

Cuba, 2 (1-0-1)

Iran, 1 (1-0-0)

Kazakhstan 1 (0-1-1)

Chile, 1 (0-0-1)

North Korea, 1 (0-0-1)

Iran, 1 (0-0-1)

Women’s Freestyle Medal Count (50 kg, 68 kg)

United States, 2 (2-0-0)

Japan, 2 (0-0-2)

Cuba, 1 (0-1-0)

Kyrgyzstan, 1 (0-1-0)

China, 1 (0-0-1)

Turkey, 1 (0-0-1)

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#WrestleParis – Thursday 6:15 p.m.

U.S. mat assignments

Mat B, Bout 2– 57 kg MFS semifinals – Spencer Lee (USA) vs. Gulomjon Abdullaev (Uzbekistan)

Mat B, Bout 3 – 86 kg MFS preliminary - Aaron Brooks (USA) vs. Magomed Ramazanov (Bulgaria)

Mat B, Bout 5 – 57 kg WFS preliminary - Helen Maroulis (USA) vs. Tsugumi Sakurai (Japan)

USA Wrestling will be posting live blogs daily during the wrestling competition of the Olympic Games Paris 2024. Wrap stories follow each session, and additional content will be posted to USA Wrestling’s social media platforms.