World champions Bommarito, Snow headline U.S. U17 and U20 Beach World Teams in Greece, Sept. 19-20

The United States will send its largest and most accomplished team in history to the UWW Age-Group Beach World Championships, which will be held at the Aloha Beach Bar in Katerini-Pierria, Greece, September 19-20.

The U17 Beach World Championships for both men and women will be hosted on Thursday, September 19, while the U20 Beach World Championships for both men and women will be hosted on Friday, September 20

The United States will be led by a pair of past age-group Beach World champions, 2023 U20 Beach World champion  Eliana Bommarito of Michigan at Over 70 kg and 2023 U17 Beach World champion Kennedie Snow of North Carolina at 60 kg.

Bommarito is the most successful U.S. athlete in history in Beach wrestling. In 2023, she also became the first U.S. Senior Beach World champion, based upon her success in the 2023 Beach World Series events. During her career, Bommarito has won four Senior Beach World Series gold medals. Only one other U.S. Senior athlete, Justin Benjamin, has won a single Beach World Series gold medal.

Bommarito is among four wrestlers on the United States U20 World Team who are also competing in the Senior Beach World Series event in Katerini-Pierria, which follows on September 20-21. Also going both U20 and Senior are Maura White of New Jersey (women’s 60 kg), Kaylee Anderson of Virginia (women’s 70 kg) and Dominic Porter of Nevada (men’s Over 90 kg).

Snow became the first U.S. athlete to win a U17 Beach World title last year. She is among six U.S. athletes who will compete in both the U17 and the U20 Beach World Championships this year in Greece. Others going both age groups are Terrell McFarland of Pennsylvania (men’s 80 kg), Jayden Keller of Missouri (women’s 50 kg), Sarina Gunn of Virginia (women’s 50 kg), Piper Zatechka of Nebraska (women’s 70 kg) and Sadie Evans of Washington (women’s 70 kg).

There are three other past age-group Beach World medalists who will compete in the sand at this year’s U20 Beach World Championships in Greece, Thor Michaelson of Washington (men’s 80 kg), Lars Michaelson of Washington (men’s 90 kg) and Ciara Riner of West Virginia (women’s 60 kg).

Thor Michaelson won a 2022 U20 Beach World bronze medal at 80 kg. Lars Michaelson won a 2022 U17 Beach World bronze medal at 80 kg. Riner won a 2022 U17 Beach World bronze medal at 60 kg.

In June, McFarland won a gold medal and Zatechka claimed a bronze medal at the U17 Pan American Beach Championships in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

The United States won its first two age-group Beach World Championships trophies in 2023, as the U.S. U17 Women’s Beach Team and the U.S. U20 Beach World Teams brought home third place team honors. The USA is aiming to bring home some more team hardware from Greece this year.

The qualifying event for the U17 and U20 Beach World Championships was the Carolina Beach Nationals, held in Carolina Beach. N.C. in May.

Champions from the U17 division at the Carolina Beach Nationals who will compete at the World Championships include Benjamin Graham of Illinois (men’s 70 kg), Xavier Smith of Indiana (men’s 80 kg), Jayden Keller of Missouri (women’s 50 kg), Jaida Macaluso of New York (women’s 60 kg) and Piper Zatechka of Nebraska (women’s 70 kg).

Champions from the U20 division at the Carolina Beach Nationals who will compete at the World Championships include David Coptsias of North Carolina (men’s 70 kg), Terrell McFarland of Pennsylvania (men’s 80 kg), Dominic Porter of Nevada (men’s Over 90 kg), Jayden Keller of Missouri (women ‘s 50 kg), Ciara Riner of West Virginia (women’s 60 kg), Piper Zatechka of Nebraska (women’s 70 kg) and Eliana Bommarito of Michigan (women’s Over 70 kg).

U17 AND U20 BEACH WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

At Katerini-Pierria, Greece, September 19-20

U.S. U17 Men's Beach Wrestling roster

50 kg: Jackie Hutchins, Jacksonville, Ark.

60 kg: Benjamin Graham, New Lenox, Ill.

80 kg: Xavier Smith, Noblesville, Ind.

80 kg: Terrell McFarland, Pottsville, Pa.

U.S. U17 Women's Beach Wrestling roster

50 kg: Jayden Keller, Saint Catharine, Mo.

50 kg: Alicia Reyes, Hendersonville, N.C.

50 kg: Sarina Gunn, Woodbridge, Va.  

60 kg: Sara Pauls, Middletown, N.Y.

60 kg: Kennedie Snow, Havelock, N.C.

70 kg: Piper Zatechka, Omaha, Neb.

70 kg: Jaida Macaluso, Otisville, N.Y.

70 kg: Cameron Millsapps, Arlington, Va.

70 kg: Sadie Evans, Belfair, Wash.

U.S. U20 Men's Beach Wrestling roster

70 kg: David Coptsias, Fayetteville, N.C.

70 kg: Kane Foley, New Bern, N.C.

80 kg: Terrell McFarland, Pottsville, Pa.

80 kg: Troy Shannon, Fayetteville, N.C.

80 kg: Thor Michaelson, Bremerton, Wash.

90 kg: Lars Michaelson, Bremerton, Wash.

+90 kg: Dominic Porter, Carson City, Nev.

U.S. U20 Women's Beach Wrestling roster

50 kg: Jayden Keller, Saint Catharine, Mo.

50 kg: Sarina Gunn, Woodbridge, Va.  

60 kg: Maura White, Jefferson, N.J.

60 kg: Kennedie Snow, Havelock, N.C.

60 kg: Ciara Riner, Huntington, W.Va.

70 kg: Piper Zatechka, Omaha, Neb.

70 kg: Kaylee Anderson, Berryville, Va.

70 kg: Sadie Evans, Belfair, Wash.

+70 kg: Eliana Bommarito, Brighton, Mich.

U.S. Beach World Team Coach: Tim Box, Oceanside, Calif.

Coach: Randall Baynard, Naples, N.C.

Coach: Cheryl Baynard, Naples, N.C.

Coach: Brad Leonard, Pottsville, Pa.

Coach: Andy Hrovat, Forney, Texas

Team Leader: Ed Duncan, Spruce Pine, N.C.

NF Delegate: Rusty Davidson, Grants, N.M.

Official: Scott Cutbirth, Blue Springs, Mo.

Official: Tod Blank, Brentwood, Calif.

Official: Paul Kruggel, Columbus, Ohio

Medical: Taryn Pennington, Colorado Springs, Colo.

Event Schedule

(local time is seven hours ahead of U.S. Eastern time zone)

Thursday, September 19

10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. - U17 Worlds Group rounds (all weight divisions)

4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. - U17 Worlds elimination rounds and finals (all weight divisions)

Friday, September 20

10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. – U20 Worlds Group rounds (all weight divisions)

4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. – U20 Worlds elimination rounds and finals (all weight divisions)