Aiello wins bronze at 97 kg at 2021 U23 World Championships in Belgrade

Photo of Jay Aiello by Kadir Caliskan/United World Wrestling
BELGRADE, Serbia – Jay Aiello (97 kg) took bronze at the 2021 U23 World Championships after an impressive 13-2 win against Vasil Pauliuchenka of Belarus in Saturday night’s bronze medal match.
In the bout against Pauliuchenka, Aiello gathered momentum heading into the break, scoring a takedown and locking up a tight lace to score a quick six points. After leading 9-2 after three minutes, Aiello settled in for a tough final period to finish the win and bring home bronze for Team USA.
Aiello went 3-1 in his first age-group World Championships appearance. His first day was highlighted by two impressive wins, including a dramatic 3-3 decision against Shamil Ghadzhialiev of Russia. He dropped his semifinal bout to Iran’s Amirali Azarpira, the ultimate gold medalist at the weight, but rallied in the bronze medal bout to collect the medal.
Aiello is a three-time NCAA qualifier at the University of Virginia, where he will compete for head coach Steve Garland during the 2021-22 NCAA wrestling season. Both Garland and UVA assistant coach Trent Paulson were at the event this week in Belgrade.
Men’s freestyle wrestling continues tomorrow with the conclusion of the Group Two action in Belgrade. Chris Cannon (61 kg) will look to wrestle back for bronze starting in the repechage round, while Tony Cassioppi is going for gold at 125 kg.
Cassioppi will look to bring home Team USA’s second overall individual gold medal of the tournament. In women’s freestyle, Emily Shilson earned a gold after winning at 50 kg.
Tomorrow’s repechage round begins at 4:00 p.m. local time in Serbia. Please note that this is a new time. And, due to daylight savings time in the U.S., there will now be a six-hour time difference between Serbian local time and U.S. eastern time. Thus, the repechage round will begin at 10:00 a.m. eastern time.
The medal match round tomorrow begins at 6:00 p.m. local time in Belgrade, 12:00 p.m. eastern time.
All matches can be watched live on FloWrestling.

U23 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

At Belgrade, Serbia, November 6

Men’s freestyle Group One finals results
57 kg
GOLD: Alibbas Rzazade (Azerbaijan) dec. Bekbolot Myrzanazar Uulu (Kyrgystan), 7-6
BRONZE: Ahmad Mohammadnezhadjavan (Iran) dec. Dzmitry Shamela (Belarus), 3-2
BRONZE: Manvel Khndzrtsyan (Armenia) tech Saurabh Igave (India), 10-0
65 kg
GOLD: Georgios Pilidis (Greece) dec. Ibragim Abdurakhmanov (Russia), 4-3
BRONZE: Cavit Acar (Turkey) dec. Hrachya Margaryan (Armenia), 4-2
BRONZE: Ziraddin Bayramov (Azerbaijan) tech Stilyan Iliev (Bulgaria), 10-0
70 kg
GOLD: Ernazar Akmataliev (Kyrgyzstan) dec. Vazgen Tevanyan (Armenia), 10-2
BRONZE: Nicolai Grahmez (Moldova) dec. Cuneyt Budak (Turkey), 5-2
BRONZE: Aliakbar Fazlikhaliti (Iran) dec. Murad Evloev (Azerbaijan), 5-4
79 kg
GOLD: Magomed Magomaev (Russia) dec. Ramazan Sari (Turkey), 4-4
BRONZE: Arman Avagyan (Armenia) dec. Goga Mamiauri (Georgia), 4-4
BRONZE: Ali Savadkouhi (Iran) dec. Ashraf Ashrov (Azerbaijan), 8-2
97 kg
GOLD: Amirali Azarpira (Iran) dec. Radu Lefter (Moldova), 7-3
BRONZE: Jay Aiello (USA) tech Vasil Pauliuchenka (Belarus), 13-2
BRONZE: Danylo Stasiuk (Ukraine) dec. Milan Korcsog (Hungary), 4-2
U.S. men’s freestyle Group One results
57 kg: Pat Glory (Randolph, N.J./New Jersey RTC), dnp/13th
LOSS Ahmad Mohammadnezhadjavan (Iran), 11-11
65 kg: Dom Demas (Columbus, Ohio/Oklahoma RTC), 10th place
WIN Abdelwahad Badri (Morocco), forfeit
LOSS Ziraddin Bayramov (Azerbaijan), 6-3
70 kg: Brock Mauller (Columbia, Mo./Tiger Style WC), dnp/16th
LOSS Cuneyt Budak (Turkey), 10-4
79 kg: Jake Marsh (New Jersey RTC), dnp/13th
LOSS Ramazan Sari (Turkey), 10-0
LOSS Goga Mamiauri (Georgia), 8-4
97 kg: Jay Aiello (Chantilly, Va./Cavalier WC), bronze medal
WIN Feyzullah Akturk (Turkey), 5-3
WIN Shamil Ghadzhialiev (Russia), 3-3
LOSS Amirali Azarpira (Iran), 9-0
WIN Vasil Pauliuchenka (Belarus), 13-2
Men’s freestyle team standings after five weights
1. Iran, 70
2. (tie) Azerbaijan and Armenia, 60
4. Russia, 55
5. Kyrgyzstan, 49
6. Turkey, 47
7. Moldova, 37
8. (tie) Greece and Ukraine, 25
10. (tie) Belarus and India, 20
12. Georgia, 18
13. United States, 17