Attao will go for bronze, two eligible for repechage in Greco-Roman at U20 World Championships

PONTEVEDRA, Spain – The second day of Greco-Roman action in Pontevedra, Spain, at the U20 World Championships saw one athlete advance to a medal match, while two others will wait to see if they are pulled back into repechage.

Aden Attao will wrestle for bronze later today after winning two straight matches in repechage. Attao began his day with an 8-0 technical fall win over Ethan Vergara of Puerto Rico. Attao hit an arm spin for four points, then locked up Vergara and turned him twice on the edge for the win just one minute into the match. In his second round of repechage, Attao led early after his opponent Cemal Bakir of Turkey was called for passivity. Bakir countered with a takedown, gaining a 4-3 lead with a trapped arm gut. Bakir then jumped ahead to 5-3 after Attao was hit with a passivity call. As the seconds were winding down, the match became more aggressive, and Attao secured a decisive two points following a U.S. challenge to win on criteria.

Attao will wrestle Aleksandr Melekhov later today in hopes of securing bronze. Melekhov placed fifth at last year’s U20 World Championships, narrowly missing out on a World medal.

Also from group one, Aydin Rix McElhinney was pulled back into repechage on the second day of action after his first round opponent, Alireza Abdevali of Iran, reached the finals. Rix McElhinney defeated Jixin Yu of China in his first match of the repechage round. The score was close throughout, but Yu attempted a high-flying takedown as time expired and Rix McElhinney pushed Yu to his back, sealing the 8-3 win.

In his second round of repechage, Rix McElhinney fell to Karl Baff of Sweden. Baff picked up an early 5-0 lead after Rix McElhinney was hit with a passivity call and Baff threw him for four on the edge. A pair of takedowns gave Baff the win, ending Rix McElhinney’s tournament.

Cory Land, competing at 60 kg, opened his tournament with a good performance. In his opening match, Land defeated Ilias Zairakis of Greece, 8-0. Zairakis was hit with a passivity call early, allowing Land to capitalize with two turns for a 5-0 lead. Land then added points through two step outs to secure the win. In the next round, Land faced a tough opponent in Papik Dzhavadian (AIN). After initially leading 4-2 thanks to an arm spin at the start, Land’s lead slipped away as Dzhavadian executed a step out and a go-behind, ultimately winning 6-4. Land awaits his repechage fate as he needs Dzhavadian to reach the finals in the next session.

Arian Khosravy secured a 3-0 victory against Jesper Haerkaenen of Finland in his opening match at 82 kg. He maintained control throughout the bout, scoring points after Haerkaenen was called for passivity and forced a series of step outs. In the second round, Khosravy struggled against Japan's Taizo Yoshida in Yoshida creatively built his lead with step outs, a takedown, and more step outs, ultimately claiming the 8-1 decision.

At 67 kg, Joel Adams battled Imed Khudzhadze of Ukraine in the qualification round. Khudzhadze took a 5-0 lead after scoring off a passivity call and executing a throw for four. Adams managed to score two points—one from a throw attempt and another from a step out—but it wasn't enough, and he lost the match 5-2.

Patrick Brackett had a challenging bout at 72 kg against Hubert Sidoruk of Poland. Brackett was put to his back by a throw from Sidoruk that resulted in four points and was pinned 55 seconds into the match.

Competing at 97 kg, Soren Herzog faced a tough opponent in Bekzhan Zhumabekov of Kyrgyzstan in the first round. Zhumabekov quickly took control by getting Herzog to his back and followed up with two gut wrenches to win 8-0.

Adams, Herzog, and Brackett were eliminated from medal contention after their opponents did not advance to the semifinals.

The next session begins at 10:45 a.m. ET. The medal matches follow at 12 p.m. ET, with Isaiah Cortez (55 kg) and Otto Black (63 kg) going for gold while Attao (130 kg) goes for bronze.

A full set of brackets and match-by-match results is available on UWW Arena. A live broadcast of the event is available for the U.S. market at FloWrestling.com.

Stay tuned to TheMat.com and USA Wrestling’s social media platforms for complete coverage of the U20 World Championships.

At Pontevedra, Spain, Sept. 2-8, 2024

60 kg

Mohammadmehdi Gholampour (Iran) vs. Papik Dzhavadian (AIN)

Servet Angi (Turkey) vs. Ongdassyn Khamitov (Kazakhstan)

67 kg

Grair Oganesian (AIN) vs. Yussuf Ashrapov (Kazakhstan)

Ahmadreza Mohsen Nezhad (Iran) vs. Kojiro Hasegawa (Japan)

72 kg

Ruslan Nurullayev (Azerbaijan) vs. Ashot Khachatryan (Armenia)

Muhammed Gocmen (Turkey) vs. Zaur Beslekoev (AIN)

82 kg

Alperen Berber (Turkey) vs. Taizo Yoshida (Japan)

Abdurakhman Abdulkadyrov (AIN) vs. Islam Yevloyev (Kazakhstan)

97 kg

Darius Kiefer (Germany) vs. Ahmet Eremekter (Turkey)

Yehor Yakushenko (Ukraine) vs. Anatolii Averin (AIN)

55 kg

Gold medal match – Isaiah Cortez (United States) vs. Ali Ahmadi Vafa (Iran)

Bronze medal match – Maxim Sarmanov (Moldova) vs. Aibek Aitbekov (Kazakhstan)

Bronze medal match – Rahim Hasanov (Azerbaijan) vs. Alibek Amirov (AIN)

63 kg

Gold medal match - Erzu Zakriev (Individual Neutral Athlete) vs. Otto Black (United States)

Bronze medal match – Erfan Jarkani (Iran) vs. Anri Khozrevanidze (Georgia)

Bronze medal match – Enes Ulku (Turkey) vs. Yurik Hoveyan (Armenia)

77 kg

Gold medal match - Magomed Iarbilov (Individual Neutral Athlete) vs. Alireza Abdevali (Iran)

Bronze medal match – Levente Levai (Hungary) vs. Irfan Mirzoiev (Ukraine)

Bronze medal match – Karl Baff (Sweden) vs. Tornike Mikeladze (Georgia)

87 kg

Gold medal match - Asan Zhanyshov (Kyrgyzstan) vs. Joju Samadov (Azerbaijan)

Bronze medal match – Achiko Bolkvadze (Georgia) vs. Patrik Gordan (Romania)

Bronze medal match – Ruben Gevorgyan (Armenia) vs. Temirlan Turdakyn (Kazakhstan)

130 kg

Gold medal match - Laszlo Darabos (Hungary) vs. Abolfazl Fathitazangi (Iran)

Bronze medal match – Aden Attao (United States) vs. Aleksandr Melekhov (AIN)

Bronze medal match – Samagan Ormonov (Kyrgyzstan) vs. Aramayis Harutyunyan (Armenia)

60 kg – Cory Land (Moody, Ala./Ironclad WC), awaiting repechage

WIN Ilias Zairakis (Greece), 8-0

LOSS Papik Dzhavadian (AIN), 6-4

67 kg – Joel Adams (Omaha, Neb./The Best Wrestler), eliminated

LOSS Imed Khudzhadze (Ukraine), 5-2

72 kg – Patrick Brackett (Superior, Colo./Mile High WC), eliminated

LOSS Hubert Sidoruk (Poland), pin 0:55

82 kg – Arian Khosravy (Woodland Hills, Calif./LAWC/Chaminade), awaiting repechage

WIN Jesper Haerkaenen (Finland), 3-0

LOSS Taizo Yoshida (Japan), 8-1

97 kg – Soren Herzog (Colorado Springs, Colo./Air Force RTC), eliminated

LOSS Bekzhan Zhumabekov (Kyrgyzstan), 8-0

55 kg – Isaiah Cortez (Los Banos, Calif./Gilroy), in gold medal match

WIN Anil Mor (India), 9-8

WIN Peter Totok (Hungary), 7-4

WIN Maxim Sarmanov (Moldova), 9-6

WIN Aibek Aitbekov (Kazakhstan), tech. fall, 9-0

VS Ali Ahmadi Vafa (Iran)

63 kg – Otto Black (Parker, Colo./Colorado Top Team WC), in gold medal match

WIN Dejan Berkec (Serbia), 5-1

WIN Enes Ulku (Turkey), 7-6

VS Yurik Hoveyan (Armenia)

77 kg – Aydin Rix McElhinney (South Berwick, Maine/Northern Colorado WC), eliminated

LOSS Alireza Abdevali (Iran), 7-3

WIN Jixin Yu (China), 8-3

LOSS Karl Baff (Sweden), 9-0

87 kg – Ryder Rogotzke (Lakeland, Minn./Ohio RTC), eliminated

LOSS Patrik Gordan (Romania), 8-0

130 kg – Aden Attao (Boise, Idaho/Beaver Dam RTC/New York AC), in bronze medal match

LOSS Laszlo Darabos (Hungary), 9-0

WIN Ethan Vergara (Puerto Rico)

WIN Cemal Bakir (Turkey), 5-3VS Aleksandr Melekhov (AIN)