Team USA medalists from day two at the 2024 Veterans World Championships.

James, Flynn earn freestyle gold on day two of Veterans World Championships

Oct. 9, 2024, 7:08 PM (ET)

by Richard Immel, USA Wrestling

POREC, Croatia – A pair of Team USA athletes—Rudy James and Patrick Flynn—topped the podium at the 2024 Veterans World Championships on Wednesday at Zatika Sport Centre, while four more Americans finished with a medal.

Wrestlers in action on the day were Division C, athletes 46-to-50 years old, and Division D, athletes 51-55 years old.

James, a St. Paul, Minnesota native, brought home the 78 kg title in Division C. He posted a perfect 4-0 record, which included a victory by pin in the championship match over San Diego’s own Shad Olvera. He successfully defended his World title in the same weight class and division from last year.

James and Olvera were the lone medalists for the U.S. in Division C. The U.S. still came away with a third-place finish in the Division C team standings thanks to the collaborative effort of five top 10 finishers.

Moving up to Division D, Matthews, N.C., product Flynn picked up the gold medal at 88 kg with three impressive wins. Flynn didn’t give up a single match point throughout the tournament. He pinned Eduard Hanzelmann of Germany in the championship bout at the 2:33 mark.

Earning bronze medals for the U.S. in Division D were Jon Banko at 78 kg, Thomas Donahue at 78 kg and Alvin Riggs at 100 kg.

The Division D crew compiled 71 team points to come out on top in the team standings, finishing 11 points ahead of runner-up Iran.

The Veterans World Championships continue on Thursday with the Divisions A freestyle tournament. The action begins at 10:30 a.m. local time, with the finals scheduled for 6 p.m. Porec, Croatia, is located six hours ahead of the U.S. Eastern Time Zone.

Complete brackets and match-by-match results are available to browse on UWW Arena. A live stream and archived matches are available to the U.S. market through FloWrestling.

Veterans World Championships | Porec, Croatia, Oct. 8

Men’s Freestyle Results

Division C

Team Standings

1. Kazakhstan, 53

2. Iran, 50

3. United States, 47

4. Germany, 43

5. Sweden, 36

6. Mongolia, 35

7. Bulgaria, 31

8. Greece, 30

9. Romania, 24

10. Netherlands, 20

62 kg

Gold – Aleksandar Yordanov (Bulgaria)

Silver – Martun Arutiunian (Individual Neutral Athlete)

Bronze – Amir Yekpourfard (Sweden)

4^th – Francesco Reale (Italy)

5^th – Seiji Yoshida (Japan)

6^th – Serhii Lovin (Ukraine)

7^th – Christopher Lang (Germany)

Gold – Aleksandar Yordanov (Bulgaria) dec. Martun Arutiunian (Individual Neutral Athlete), 4-0

Bronze – Amir Yekpourfard (Sweden) dec. Francesco Reale (Italy), 10-7

70 kg

Gold – Seyed Shazadeh Safawi (Germany)

Silver – Kanat Shonirakov (Kazakhstan)

Bronze – Pavel Siniavski (Israel)

Bronze – Mukhtar Askhabaliev (Individual Neutral Athlete)

5^th – Reza Akbarpour Bahnamiri (Iran)

5^th – Sabyrzhan Zholdayev (Kazakhstan)

7^th – Dastan Amantayev (Kazakhstan)

8^th – Nikolai Filippovitch Ivanov (Individual Neutral Athlete)

9^th – Ivan Valerianovitsh Zakharov (Individual Neutral Athlete)

10^th – William Anderson (United States)

Gold – Seyed Shazadeh Safawi (Germany) dec. Kanat Shonirakov (Kazakhstan), 4-0

Bronze – Pavel Siniavski (Israel) inj. def. Reza Akbarpour Bahnamiri (Iran), 0:06

Bronze – Mukhtar Askhabaliev (Individual Neutral Athlete) dec. Sabyrzhan Zholdayev (Kazakhstan), 8-5

78 kg

Gold – Rudy James (United States)

Silver – Shad Olvera (United States)

Bronze – Anis Gharbi (France)

Bronze – Goodarz Ali Radmehr (Iran)

5^th – Bayarsaikhan Tserendalai (Mongolia)

5^th – Andreas Kleiousis (Greece)

7^th – Dauletbay Mnajatdinov (Uzbekistan)

8^th – Reza Farkhonde (Sweden)

9^th – Mirash Pali (Albania)

10^th – Taalaibek Dzhanaev (Kyrgyzstan)

Gold – Rudy James (United States) fall Shad Olvera (United States), 1:14

Bronze – Anis Gharbi (France) tech. fall Bayarsaikhan Tserendalai (Mongolia), 11-1

Bronze – Goodarz Ali Radmehr (Iran) dec. Andreas Kleiousis (Greece), 4-2

88 kg

Gold – Yessentay Khapar (Kazakhstan)

Silver – Ion Dascalescu (Romania)

Bronze – Bengt Magnus Strandner (Sweden)

Bronze – Galizhan Katayev (Kazakhstan)

5^th – Dirk Heinrich (Germany)

5^th – Victor Ferrandiz Lagares (Spain)

7^th – Jeremy Black (United States)

8^th – Alyaydin Milyazimov (Bulgaria)

9^th – Jani Juhani Lauttanen (Finland)

10^th – Ivan Mitkov Kalinov (Bulgaria)

Gold – Yessentay Khapar (Kazakhstan) tech. fall Ion Dascalescu (Romania), 12-1

Bronze – Bengt Magnus Strandner (Sweden) dec. Dirk Heinrich (Germany), 9-2

Bronze – Galizhan Katayev (Kazakhstan) dec. Victor Ferrandiz Lagares (Spain), 10-2

100 kg

Gold – Ebrahim Tavakkoli (Iran)

Silver – Alireza Farazmand (Netherlands)

Bronze – Jaroslaw Czerczak (Poland)

Bronze – Krzysztof Mieczyslaw Czerczak (Poland)

5^th – Nazmi Kahveciler (Turkey)

5^th – Ali Darakhshanifara (Finland)

7^th – Serik Amanshiyev (Kazakhstan)

8^th – Zoltan Gangl (Hungary)

9^th – Ionel Iulian Bojoaga (Romania)

10^th – Daniel Bernatek (Slovakia)

Gold – Ebrahim Tavakkoli (Iran) dec. Alireza Farazmand (Netherlands), 5-4

Bronze – Jaroslaw Czerczak (Poland) dec. Nazmi Kahveciler (Turkey), 4-1

Bronze – Krzysztof Mieczyslaw Czerczak (Poland) dec. Ali Darakhshanifara (Finland), 3-1

130 kg

Gold – Altankhuyag Altangerel (Mongolia)

Silver – Apostolos Stamos (Greece)

Bronze – Jalal Abdulov (Azerbaijan)

4^th – Hector Ramirez (United States)

5^th – Pavel Kral (Czech Republic)

6^th – Anton Fetisov (Individual Neutral Athlete)

Gold – Altankhuyag Altangerel (Mongolia) dec. Apostolos Stamos (Greece), 5-0

Bronze – Jalal Abdulov (Azerbaijan) inj. def. Hector Ramirez (United States), 0:02

Division D

Team Standings

1. United States, 71

2. Iran, 60

3. Kazakhstan, 52

4. Germany, 44

5. Mongolia, 40

6. Georgia, 35

T7. Jordan, 20

T7. Kyrgyzstan, 20

9. Japan, 19

10. Hungary, 18

62 kg

Gold – Samat Aitkulov (Kazakhstan)

Silver – Semen Sorkomov (Individual Neutral Athlete)

Bronze – Nobuyuki Kato (Japan)

4^th– Robinson Prebish (United States)

5^th – Abdullah Al Azzani (Yemen)

6^th – Gunnar Sprunk (Germany)

7^th – Feyzullah Zengin (Turkey)

Gold – Samat Aitkulov (Kazakhstan) dec. Semen Sorkomov (Individual Neutral Athlete), 2-1

Bronze – Nobuyuki Kato (Japan) dec. Robinson Prebish (United States), 7-4

70 kg

Gold – Baatar Nyamjav (Mongolia)

Silver – Masoud Abbasalipour (Iran)

Bronze – Stefan Bittmann (Germany)

Bronze – Antonino Calandra (Italy)

5^th – Vladimir Kunz (Germany)

5^th – Ahmad Ahmadii (Austria)

7^th – Amarildo Borici (Italy)

8^th – Mohammad Ahmadi Afshar (Spain)

9^th – Marc Tadelman (United States)

10^th – Dashinima Purbuev (Individual Neutral Athlete)

Gold – Baatar Nyamjav (Mongolia) dec. Masoud Abbasalipour (Iran), 10-2

Bronze – Stefan Bittmann (Germany) inj. def. Vladimir Kunz (Germany), 0:07

Bronze – Antonino Calandra (Italy) dec. Ahmad Ahmadii (Austria), 6-2

78 kg

Gold – Hassan Ali Akbar Jafariyan (Iran)

Silver – Sergei Shaniavskii (Individual Neutral Athlete)

Bronze – Jon Banko (United States)

Bronze – Thomas Donahue (United States)

5^th – Shamshe Tlashadze (Georgia)

5^th – Brett Rainey (United States)

7^th – Levon Asatryan (Armenia)

8^th – Athanasios Gkougkoustamos (Greece)

9^th – Youri Silian (Switzerland)

10^th – Kuan Kutpanbayev (Kazakhstan)

Gold – Hassan Ali Akbar Jafariyan (Iran) dec. Sergei Shaniavskii (Individual Neutral Athlete), 3-0

Bronze – Jon Banko (United States) fall Shamshe Tlashadze (Georgia), 2:59

Bronze – Thomas Donahue (United States) fall Brett Rainey (United States), 2:54

88 kg

Gold – Patrick Flynn (United States)

Silver – Eduard Hanzelmann (Germany)

Bronze – Ibrahim Zengin (France)

Bronze – Daulet Otarbayev (Kazakhstan)

5^th – Peter Jankovics (Hungary)

5^th – Alireza Golnan (Germany)

7^th – Valerian Zabolotnii (Moldova)

8^th – Aaron Flack (United States)

9^th – Tomas Tobola (Czech Republic)

10^th – Attila Szabo (Hungary)

Gold – Patrick Flynn (United States) fall Eduard Hanzelmann (Germany), 2:33

Bronze – Ibrahim Zengin (France) tech. fall Peter Jankovics (Hungary), 10-0

Bronze – Daulet Otarbayev (Kazakhstan) dec. Alireza Golnan (Germany), 6-0

100 kg

Gold – Aleksandr Rumin (Individual Neutral Athlete)

Silver – Chynarbek Izabekov (Kyrgyzstan)

Bronze – Alvin Riggs (United States)

Bronze – Igors Samusonokss (Latvia)

5^th – Pieter Du Preez (South Africa)

5^th – Dmitry Eydelman (Israel)

7^th – Oleg Furdui (Moldova)

8^th – Stefan Ivanov Georgiev (Bulgaria)

9^th – Keizo Sakakibara (Japan)

10^th – Vladimir Kitanov (Bulgaria)

Gold – Aleksandr Rumin (Individual Neutral Athlete) dec. Chynarbek Izabekov (Kyrgyzstan), 2-0

Bronze – Alvin Riggs (United States) tech. fall Pieter Du Preez (South Africa), 10-0

Bronze – Igors Samusonokss (Latvia) tech. fall Dmitry Eydelman (Israel), 11-0

130 kg

Gold – Eldar Kurtanidze (Georgia)

Silver – Saleh Al Zriqat (Jordan)

Bronze – Bayanmunkh Shura (Mongolia)

Bronze – Majid Naghdalipour (Iran)

5^th – Aleksei Nikolaev (Individual Neutral Athlete)

5^th – Ivan Mazur (Kazakhstan)

7^th – Janos Szlavik (Hungary)

8^th – Ruslan Khabibov (Individual Neutral Athlete)

9^th – Ivan Matekovic (Croatia)

Gold – Eldar Kurtanidze (Georgia) dec. Saleh Al Zriqat (Jordan), 3-0

Bronze – Bayanmunkh Shura (Mongolia) dec. Aleksei Nikolaev (Individual Neutral Athlete), 5-1

Bronze – Majid Naghdalipour (Iran) dec. Ivan Mazur (Kazakhstan), 3-0

U.S. Men’s Freestyle Results

Division C

70 kg – William Anderson (Danville, Calif.), 10^th place

LOSS Dastan Amantayev (Kazakhstan), 9-2

70 kg – Jason Cappiello (Georgetown, Calif.), 12^th place

LOSS Pavel Siniavski (Israel), 7-0

78 kg – Shad Olvera (San Diego, Calif.), silver medal

WIN Orhan Tikac (Turkey), tech. fall, 10-0

WIN Goodarz Ali Radmehr (Iran), 8-4

WIN Andreas Kleiousis (Greece), tech. fall, 13-1

LOSS Rudy James (United States), fall, 1:114

78 kg – Rudy James (St. Paul, Minn.), gold medal

WIN Bayarsaikhan Tserendalai (Mongolia), 3-0

WIN Dauletbay Mnajatdinov (Uzbekistan), tech. fall, 10-0

WIN Anis Gharbi (France), 7-4

WIN Shad Olvera (United States), fall, 1:14

88 kg – Jeremy Black (La Jolla, Calif.), 7^th place

WIN Alyaydin Milyazimov (Bulgaria), 6-4

LOSS Bengt Magnus Strandner (Sweden), 1-1

100 kg – Christopher Pierce (LeMont Furnace, Pa.), 11^th place

LOSS Krzysztof Czerczak (Poland), tech. fall, 10-0

130 kg – Hector Ramirez (Norwalk, Calif.), 4^th place

WIN Pavel Kral (Czech Republic), 5-1

LOSS Jalal Abdulov (Azerbaijan), 7-0

LOSS Altankhuyag Altangerel (Mongolia), inj. def., 0:02

LOSS Jalal Abdulov (Azerbaijan), inj. def., 0:02

Division D

62 kg – Robinson Prebish (Richmond, Va.), 4^th place

WIN Feyzullah Zengin (Turkey), tech. fall, 10-0

LOSS Samat Aitkulov (Kazakhstan), 6-2

LOSS Semen Sorkomov (Individual Neutral Athlete), 13-8

LOSS Nobuyuki Kato (Japan), 7-4

70 kg – Marc Tadelman (Glenview, Ill.), 9^th place

LOSS Masoud Abbasalipour (Iran), 10-4

LOSS Ahmad Ahmadii (Austria), 7-4

78 kg – Jon Banko (New Kensington, Pa.), bronze medal

WIN Jakub Krucky (Czech Republic), tech. fall, 10-0

LOSS Hassan Jafariyan (Iran), 5-1

WIN Christophe Bourdassol (France), tech. fall, 10-0

WIN Shamshe Tlashadze (Georgia), fall, 2:59

78 kg – Thomas Donahue (Bethel, Ohio), bronze medal

LOSS Sergei Shaniavskii (Individual Neutral Athlete), 1-1

WIN Youri Silian (Switzerland), inj. def., 1:51

WIN Brett Rainey (United States), fall, 2:54

78 kg – Brett Rainey (Laramie, Wyo.), 5^th place

WIN Levon Asatryan (Armenia), 5-3

LOSS Sergei Shaniavskii (Individual Neutral Athlete), 2-2

LOSS Thomas Donahue (United States), fall, 2:54

88 kg – Aaron Flack (La Pine, Wash.), 8^th place

LOSS Ibrahim Zengin (France), 4-3

88 kg – Patrick Flynn (Matthews, N.C.), gold medal

WIN Alireza Golnan (Germany), 9-0

WIN Daulet Otarbayev (Kazakhstan), 2-0

WIN Eduard Hanzelmann (Germany), fall, 2:33

100 kg – Alvin Riggs (Lowell, Ore.), bronze medal

LOSS Aleksandr Rumin (Individual Neutral Athlete), 7-1

WIN Giuseppe Agnello (Italy), tech. fall, 10-0

WIN Pieter Du Preez (South Africa), tech. fall, 10-0