DeSanto and Black win gold medals in Greco-Roman at Haavisto Cup in Finland

ILMAJOKI, Finland – U.S. wrestlers Otto Black (Parker, Colo./ Colorado Top Team) and Austin DeSanto (Iowa City, Iowa/Hawkeye WC) won gold medals in Greco-Roman at the Arvo Haavisto Cup on Saturday.

DeSanto, who is competing on his first Senior Greco-Roman tour, was dominant in winning all four of his round robin matches at 60 kg by technical fall. He outscored his opponents, 37-1 in the course of his matches. One of his victories was an 11-1 defeat of 2024 Nordic champion and eventual runner-up Adam Silverin of Sweden.

Black, a 2024 U20 World silver medalist,swept his pool competition with a technical fall over Ruslan Stamat of Sweden, and decisions over Nazar Biakin of Ukraine and Hugo Riehunkangas of Finland. In the semifinals, he earned an 11-0 technical fall over 2022 Haparanda Cup champion Algo Gamelius of Sweden.

In the gold-medal finals, Black hammered Niko Tervonen of Finland by technical fall, 11-2.

It was the second straight weekend where DeSanto and Black won medals in a traditional tournament in Scandinavia. Last weekend, both wrestled at 63 kg at the Haparanda Cup in Sweden, where Black claimed a silver medal and DeSanto earned a bronze medal.

In addition to his U20 World silver, Black was fifth at the 2021 U17 World Championships. He was also a 2024 U20 Pan American champion.

DeSanto, a four-time All-American for Iowa in college, is testing himself in Greco-Roman. He has won medals at international Senior freestyle events in France, Poland, Egypt and the United States.

On the tour, they were coached by 2006 World champion Joe Warren,

ARVO HAAVISTO CUP

At Ilmajoki, Finland, December 7

Greco-Roman Medalists

60 kg

Gold - Austin DeSanto (USA)

Silver - Adam Silverin (Sweden)

Bronze - Lauri Perkka (Finland)

67 kg

Gold - Otto Black (USA)

Silver - Niko Tervonen (Finland)

Bronze - Tim Bergfalk Eklund (Sweden)

72 kg

Gold - Rokas Cepauskas (Lithuania)

Silver - Georgios Barbanos (Sweden)

Bronze - Matias Lipasti (Finland)

77 kg

Gold - Hugo Baff (Sweden)

Silver - Oscar Pettersson Storm (Sweden)

Bronze - Marcos Sanchez-Silva (Spain)

82 kg

Gold - Otto Ketonen (Finland)

Silver - Albin Olofsson (Sweden)

Bronze - Adam Strandner (Sweden)

87 kg

Gold - Martin Ljosaak (Norway)

Silver - Elias Lyyski (Finland)

Bronze - Ivan Chmyr (Ukraine)

97 kg

Gold - Yehor Yakushenko (Ukraine)

Silver - Hamza Sertcanli (Sweden) 

Bronze - Waltteri Latvala (Finland)

130 kg

Gold - Konsta Mäenpää (Finland)

Silver - Elias Kuosmanen (Finland)

Bronze - Mantas Knystautas (Lithuania)

U.S. Greco-Roman results

60 kg – Austin DeSanto, Iowa City, Iowa (Hawkeye WC), gold medal

WIN Martin Aak (Norway), tech fall 9-0

WIN Adam Silverin (Sweden), tech fall 11-1

WIN Lauri Perkka (Finland), tech fall 9-0

WIN Mark Loitto (Sweden), tech fall 8-0

67 kg – Otto Black, Parker, Colo. (Colorado Top Team), gold medal

WIN Ruslan Stamat (Sweden), tech fall 9-0

WIN Nazar Biakin (Ukraine), 7-2

WIN Hugo Riehunkangas (Finland), 5-0

WIN Algot Gamelius (Sweden) tech fall 11-0

WIN Niko Tervonen (Finland), tech fall 11-2