Sanchez, Munaretto win gold, Diakomihalis adds bronze as U.S. wins men’s freestyle team title at U17 World Championships

AMMAN, Jordan – The United States won the team title in men’s freestyle at the 2024 U17 World Championships in Amman, Jordan, on Sunday as two golds and one bronze were added to the medal count.

Samuel Sanchez captured gold at 45 kg after defeating Amirabbas Ramezanibazarmahalleh of Iran, 9-5. Sanchez mounted a thrilling comeback after falling behind 5-0 through the first period. Sanchez turned the tide in the second period with a pair of takedowns, and added a point after Ramezanibazarmahalleh received a caution. Sanchez continued the momentum with two exposures, winning the match 9-5. This win not only secured Sanchez’s gold medal but also clinched the U.S. men’s freestyle World team title.

At 51 kg, Domenic Munaretto added to the U.S. medal count with a hard-fought 3-1 win over Frederick Bachmann Jr. of Puerto Rico. The match was more strategic than any other final, with only one takedown being the decisive factor in the win. Bachmann Jr. was awarded a point after Munaretto was put on the clock and was unable score. Munaretto got on the board when Bachmann Jr. was called for passivity, making it 1-1. With just seconds remaining, Munaretto secured a crucial takedown, securing the win and his second world title, having previously won U17 World gold in 2022.

Elijah Diakomihalis showed his resilience by winning bronze at 92 kg. Earlier in the day in his repechage match, Diakomihalis dominated Farukh Momunzhanov of Kyrgyzstan with a 10-0 victory, scoring four points early and building his lead with a takedown and two turns. This win sent him to his bronze medal match against Individual Neutral Athlete Aliaksei Khadunou. Diakomihalis took control with a step out and a caution against Khadunou, followed by a takedown to lead 4-0. Khadunou responded with a takedown to make it 4-2, but Diakomihalis continued to press, scoring another takedown and adding a turn to lead 8-2. Khadunou managed to add a point on a step out, but Diakomihalis maintained his strong defense, winning 8-3 to secure the bronze medal.

Melvin Miller, competing at 71 kg, fell short in his bronze medal match against Kairi Ito of Japan, falling 7-2. After winning his repechage match against Nursadyk Nurdinov of Kyrgyzstan with a 9-2 decision, Miller advanced to the bronze medal match. Ito took an early lead and widened the gap, fending off Miller’s offensive attack. He placed fifth, contributing ten valuable points to the U.S. team’s overall score.

At 60 kg, Jordyn Raney was unable to compete in the bronze medal match due to an injury sustained in his semifinal match on Saturday. Raney’s performance earned him a fifth-place finish and ten crucial team points for the United States.

On Saturday, the U.S. men’s freestyle team secured three medals as Michael Mocco (110 kg) won gold, and Henry Aslikyan (48 kg) and Keanu Dillard (55 kg) added bronze. For the full recap, visit themat.com.

The United States won the team race with 152 points. Iran secured second place with 132 points, followed by Kyrgyzstan with 104 points. Georgia and Azerbaijan rounded out the top five with 77 points.

For the full match-by-match results, visit UWW Arena.

At Amman, Jordan, August 25, 2024

1. United States, 152 points
2. Iran, 132 points
3. Kyrgyzstan, 104 points
4. Georgia, 77 points
5. Azerbaijan, 77 points
6. Kazakhstan, 65 points
7. Japan, 57 points
8. Puerto Rico, 52 points
9. Turkiye, 50 points
10. Armenia, 49 points
11. Ukraine, 49 points
12. Uzbekistan, 35 points
13. India, 34 points
14. Germany, 20 points
15. Romania, 19 points
16. Canada, 14 points
17. Great Britain, 10 points
18. Hungary, 10 points
19. Greece, 8 points
20. China, 6 points

45 kg

Gold – Samuel Sanchez (United States)

Silver – Amirabbas Ramezanibazarmahalleh (Iran)

Bronze – Ravan Hasanzade (Azerbaijan)

Bronze – Dzhamal Bakaev (AIN)

5 – Bekzat Amangeldy (Kazakhstan)

5 – Mher Hakobyan (Armenia)

7 – Kiryl Nikitsik (AIN)

8 – Shivam Shivam (India)

9 – Omar Musleh (Jordan)

10 – Mykhailo Didoshak (Ukraine)

48 kg

Gold – Ulugbek Rashidov (Uzbekistan)

Silver – Amirabbas Alizadeh (Iran)

Bronze – Chingis Saryglar (AIN)

Bronze – Henry Aslikyan (United States)

5 – Temuri Tutarashvili (Georgia)

5 – Vladyslav Kaidakov (Ukraine)

7 – Armen Papikyan (Armenia)

8 – Harsh Harsh (India)

9 – Andre Huarcaya Lopez (Peru)

10 – Erbol Bolotov (Kyrgyzstan)

51 kg

Gold – Domenic Munaretto (United States)

Silver – Frederick Bachmann Jr (Puerto Rico)

Bronze – Marlen Abdraimov (Kyrgyzstan)

Bronze – Jinnosuke Okonogi (Japan)

5 – Ozodbek Alijonov (Uzbekistan)

5 – Akhmed Atangeriev (AIN)

7 – Ibrahim Yskakbek (Kazakhstan)

8 – Ashot Gyulnazaryan (Armenia)

9 – Tugrul Demirci (Turkey)

10 – Muhammad Ismayilov (Azerbaijan)

55 kg

Gold – Kursantbek Isakov (Kyrgyzstan)

Silver – Joseph Ivan Bachmann (Puerto Rico)

Bronze – Huseyn Huseynov (Azerbaijan)

Bronze – Keanu Dillard (United States)

5 – Gagik Ghazaryan (Armenia)

5 – Yukiya Kitade (Japan)

7 – Tundzhai Verdiyev (AIN)

8 – Efe Ramazan Karatas (Turkey)

9 – Yeraly Askerbek (Kazakhstan)

10 – Mate Tsinadze (Georgia)

60 kg

Gold – Omurbek Asan Uulu (Kyrgyzstan)

Silver – Huseyn Ismayilov (Azerbaijan)

Bronze – Itsuki Yonashiro (Japan)

Bronze – Hayk Avanesyan (Armenia)

5 – Jordyn Raney (United States)

5 – Danoush Jowkar (Great Britain)

7 – Ivan Zalisko (Ukraine)

8 – Ahora Khateri (Iran)

9 – Bekassyl Assambek (Kazakhstan)

10 – Bilal Ince (Turkey)

65 kg

Gold – Rustamzhan Kakharov (Kyrgyzstan)

Silver – Ramazan Abdulkadyrov (AIN)

Bronze – Umut Uslu (Turkey)

Bronze – Bakdaulet Akimzhan (Kazakhstan)

5 – Roman Pronak (Ukraine)

5 – Rati Revazashvili (Georgia)

7 – Artsiom Hohinashvili (AIN)

8 – Yasin Tayebi (Iran)

9 – Yandro Omar Soto Rivera (Puerto Rico)

10 – Nathaniel Askew IV (United States)

71 kg

Gold – Abolfazl Shamsipour Hajivand (Iran)

Silver – Manuel Wagin (Germany)

Bronze – Kairi Ito (Japan)

Bronze – Fatih Aydin (Turkey)

5 – Melvin Miller (United States)

5 – Mark Laposa (Hungary)

7 – Kawayran Vazquez Jr (Puerto Rico)

8 – Yuchen Liu (China)

9 – Samir Ibishov (Ukraine)

10 – Nursadyk Nurdinov (Kyrgyzstan)

80 kg

Gold – Reza Afshar (Iran)

Silver – Nikoloz Maisuradze (Georgia)

Bronze – Darius Adrian Sas (Romania)

Bronze – Artur Kostiuk (Ukraine)

5 – Emmitt Sherlock (United States)

5 – Mahammad Abaszada (Azerbaijan)

7 – Samidullo Alimzhanov (Kyrgyzstan)

8 – Vevik Vevik (India)

9 – Beibarys Yergali (Kazakhstan)

10 – Aldat Kesaev (AIN)

92 kg

Gold – Konstantine Petriashvili (Georgia)

Silver – Rodion Sanakoev (AIN)

Bronze – Amir Ali Pour (Iran)

Bronze – Elijah Diakomihalis (United States)

5 – Michealjeet Grewal (Canada)

5 – Aliaksei Khadunou (AIN)

7 – Nikolaos Karavanos (Greece)

8 – Sunny Sunny (India)

9 – David Adrian Metea (Romania)

10 – Farukh Momunzhanov (Kyrgyzstan)

110 kg

Gold – Michael Mocco (United States)

Silver – Yedige Kassimbek (Kazakhstan)

Bronze – Mukhamad Gantemirov (Azerbaijan)

Bronze – Abolfazl Mohammad Nezhad (Iran)

5 – Gigia Lukunidze (Georgia)

5 – Singh Jaspooran (India)

7 – Ugur Irtegun (Turkey)

8 – Yaraslau Kokhan (AIN)

9 – Jagroop Singh Dhinsa (Canada)

10 – Yuki Yamamoto (Japan)

45 kg: Samuel Sanchez (Whittier, Calif./Rough House Wrestling/TMWC), gold medalist

WIN Taku Shiba (Japan), 10-0 tech. fall

WIN Mher Hakobyan (Armenia), 11-0

WIN Dzhamal Bakaev (AIN), pin 3:23

WIN Amirabbas Ramezanibazarmahalleh (Iran), 9-5

51 kg: Domenic Munaretto (St. Charles, Ill.), gold medalist

WIN Ozodbek Alijonov (Uzbekistan), 10-0

WIN Ashot Gyulnazaryan (Armenia), 11-1

WIN Marlen Abdraimov (Kyrgyzstan), 5-1

WIN Frederick Bachmann Jr. (Puerto Rico), 3-1

60 kg: Jordyn Raney (Sturgis, Ky./Union County HS Wrestling), fifth place

WIN Adlan Saitiev (AIN), 10-4

WIN Stefan Gouws (South Africa), pin 0:54

WIN Bekassyl Assambek (Kazakhstan), 11-6

LOSS Omurbek Asan Uulu (Kyrgyzstan), pin 3:58

LOSS Itsuki Yonashiro (Japan), inj. def.

71 kg: Melvin Miller (Windber, Pa./Bishop McCort HS), fifth place

WIN Arsiom Bolsun (AIN), 6-2

WIN Nihad Abasov (Azerbaijan), 11-0

LOSS Manuel Wagin (Germany), 7-1

WIN Nursadyk Nurdinov (Kyrgyzstan), 9-2

LOSS Kairi Ito (Japan), 7-2

92 kg: Elijah Diakomihalis (Rochester, N.Y.), bronze medalist

WIN Farhad Suleymanli (Azerbaijan), 7-3

LOSS Konstantine Petriashvili (Georgia), 7-5

WIN Farukh Momunzhanov (Kyrgyzstan), 10-0

WIN Aliaksei Khadunou (AIN), 8-3