Olympic medalist Lee, World Teamer Marsteller spearhead U.S. lineup for Henri Deglane Grand Prix of France

A talented group of men’s and women’s freestyle wrestlers will represent Team USA at the 51st annual Henri Deglane Grand Prix of France next week in Nice, France, headlined by 2024 Olympic silver medalist Spencer Lee.

This event will mark Lee’s first appearance on the competition scene since his 57 kg medal run in Paris last August. In addition to his Olympic silver, Lee won gold at the Pan American Championships and the World Olympic Games Qualifier in 2024.

2023 U.S. World Team member and reigning Pan American champion Chance Marsteller looks to build off a solid 2024 campaign that resulted in three international medals and a runner-up finish at the U.S. World Team Trials. Marsteller is registered at 86 kg, up from his preferred weight during the Paris Olympics quad of 79 kg.

Experienced competitor Michael Macchiavello returns to Nice at 92 kg after winning 97 kg gold at the event last year. He is fresh off a silver medal run at the Bill Farrell Memorial International. Macchiavello was a Pan American champion and Final X runner-up at 92 kg in 2023.

Other credentialled men’s freestyle athletes entered are 2023 Pan American Games silver medalist Nahshon Garrett at 61 kg and two-time age-group World Team member Jordan Wood at 125 kg, plus a trio of 2024 Grand Prix of Spain champions from New Jersey RTC—Yahya Thomas at 70 kg, Quincy Monday at 74 kg and Kennedy Monday at 79 kg.

New York City RTC is sending 2024 Bill Farrell Memorial International runner-up Jack Wehmeyer at 92 kg and Conner Decker at 86 kg, rounding out the U.S. men’s freestyle lineup.

Past U17 World medalists Skylar Hattendorf and Tiare Ikei, plus returning Henri Deglane champion Kaylynn Albrecht will carry the banner for the U.S. women in Nice.

Hattendorf recently picked up silver at the Bill Farrell Memorial International. She was a silver medalist at last year’s U20 Pan American Championships and was the No. 2 U20 athlete domestically at 62 kg.

Ikei starts a comeback bid for the 2028 Olympic quad in Nice after a promising start to her international career at the age-group levels was derailed by injury. Ikei has only competed at one international event since 2019.

Albrecht competed sparingly in 2024. After her gold medal run last winter in Nice, she competed at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials as well as the Bill Farrell Memorial International, falling just outside of podium placement at both events.

The action from France begins on January 17 with the women’s freestyle competition. The men’s freestyle tournament follows on January 18. A Greco-Roman division will be contested on January 19, but the U.S. does not have an athlete entered. Each day of the event has a scheduled start time of 10:30 a.m. local time/4:30 a.m. (ET) and will run straight through to completion.

A live stream of the Henri Deglane Grand Prix of France is available online through France Lutte. Brackets and updated results will post to Smoothcomp.

More information on the Henri Deglane Grand Prix of France can be found at fflutte.com.