Maroulis wins gold, Kilty silver, Snyder and Nolf advance to Yariguin finals

KRASNOYARSK, Russia – Two Americans earned spots on the podium at the 2022 Ivan Yariguin Grand Prix on Saturday with Helen Maroulis claiming gold and Macey Kilty earning silver.

Women’s freestyle

Helen Maroulis, a 2016 Olympic champion and 2020 Olympic bronze medalist, collected three wins on Friday en route to earning a finals spot at 57 kg. For gold, Maroulis won by forfeit as her opponent, 2019 World bronze medalist Olga Khoroshavtseva of Russia, was sick.

With her victory, Maroulis is now the eighth woman from the U.S. to win a Yariguin, joining Emma Bruntil, who won the 65 kg bracket on Friday. Other American women to achieve the feat include Tela O’Donnell, Iris Smith, Sally Roberts, Marcie VanDusen, Kelsey Campbell and Tamyra Mensah Stock.

Wrestling at 62 kg, Macey Kilty, a five-time age-group World medalist, fell in her finals bout to 2014 World champion Tserenchimed Sukhe of Mongolia, 11-0. This marked Kilty’s first competition since sustaining an injury at the Olympic Trials last April.

Men’s freestyle
Joey McKenna finished his tournament in fifth place at 65 kg. He bounced back from a second-round loss on Friday by winning three matches today. One of those wins included a 12-8 victory over two-time Senior World bronze medalist Akhmed Chakaev of Russia. For bronze, the American fell to Ibrahim Ibragimov, 6-4.

After a semifinal loss on Friday, Alex Dieringer advanced to the bronze match at 79 kg. He took on 2019 Senior World bronze medalist Haji Nabiev of Russia, who bested the American, 5-2, giving Dieringer a fifth-place finish.

Four men’s freestylers began their tournaments today with two advancing to the finals and two alive in the hunt for bronze.

2016 Olympic champion and 2020 Olympic silver medalist Kyle Snyder went 3-0 on Saturday with three wins by technical fall to advance to the finals at 97 kg. On Sunday, Snyder will take on 2017 Junior World champion and 2019 U23 World silver medalist Shamil Musaev of Russia for gold.

Jason Nolf, a 2020 Pan American champion, will wrestle for gold at 74 kg on Sunday after an impressive first day of competition, which saw him go 4-0 with two technical falls, one pin and one dominant decision. In the semifinals, Nolf took down 2021 Senior World bronze medalist Timur Bizhoev with a fall. For gold, he will face 2019 U23 World champion Chermen Valiev from Russia.

Looking to earn bronze are Zahid Valencia at 86 kg and Josh Shields at 74 kg. Valencia wrestled his way to the semifinals before suffering a 5-2 loss, sending him to the bronze match. His bronze-medal opponent will be determined tomorrow after repechage. Shields dropped his tournament opener to U.S. teammate Nolf. Because Nolf advanced to the finals, Shields has been pulled into repechage and will fight for a chance to wrestle for bronze.

Repechage action starts at 9 p.m. ET on Saturday with medal matches beginning at 6:15 a.m. ET on Sunday. Fans can watch live online:

Stream 1 - https://t.co/01e7UmzXQh
Stream 2 - https://t.co/KkI7KTGMMW
Stream 3 - https://t.co/aM6KHAygYI

2022 IVAN YARIGUIN GRAND PRIX

Jan. 27-30, 2022 | Krasnoyarsk, Russia

U.S. men’s freestyle results

65 kg: Joey McKenna (Pennsylvania RTC/Titan Mercury WC) – FIFTH 
WIN Vladislav Koika (Belarus), 12-2
LOSS Ramazan Ferzaliev (Russia), 6-1
WIN Ibragim Abutalimov (Russia), 10-0
WIN Akhmed Chakaev (Russia), 12-8
LOSS Ibrahim Ibragimov (Russia), 6-4

74 kg: Jason Nolf (Nittany Lion WC/Titan Mercury WC) - finalist
WIN Magomed Kardanov (Russia), 12-1
WIN Josh Shields (USA), 9-1
WIN Abdar-Rahman Kumukov (Russia), 10-0
WIN Timur Bizhoev (Russia), fall
vs. Chermen Valiev (Russia)

74 kg: Josh Shields (Sunkist Kids WC) - repechage
LOSS Jason Nolf (USA), 9-1
vs. Magomed Kardanov (Russia)

79 kg: Alex Dieringer (Michigan RTC/Titan Mercury WC) – FIFTH
WIN Alik Badtiev (Russia), fall
WIN Magomed Magomaev (Russia), fall
WIN Dmitry Kuprin (Russia), 9-5
LOSS Radik Valiev (Russia), 5-2
LOSS Haji Nabiyev (Russia), 5-2

86 kg: Zahid Valencia (Sunkist Kids WC) – bronze match
WIN Babuli Tsoloev (Russia), 11-2
WIN Azamat Dauletbekov (Russia), 2-2
LOSS Amanula Rasulov (Russia), 5-2

97 kg: Kyle Snyder (Nittany Lion WC/Titan Mercury WC) – finalist
WIN Devid Dzugaev (Russia), 11-0
WIN Igor Ovsyannikov (Russia), 12-2
WIN Soslan Dzhagaev (Russia), 14-4
vs. Shamil Musaev (Russia)

U.S. women’s freestyle results

57 kg: Helen Maroulis (Sunkist Kids WC) – GOLD 
WIN Veronika Chumikova (Russia), 9-6
WIN Bermet Nuridin Kyzy (Kyrgyzstan), 10-1
WIN Kristina Mikhneva (Russia), 8-0
WIN Olga Khoroshavtseva (Russia), forfeit

62 kg: Macey Kilty (TarHeel WC/Sunkist Kids) – SILVER 
WIN Dilnaz Sazanova (Kyrgyzstan), 10-0
WIN Alina Kasabieva (Russia), 9-6
LOSS Tserenchimed Sukhe (Mongolia), 11-0

Schedule (12 hours ahead of U.S. Eastern Time)

Sunday, Jan. 30
11 a.m. – Repechage (MFS 74, 86, 92, 97 kg, WFS 68, 72, 76 kg)
1 p.m. – Finals (MFS 74, 86, 92, 97 kg, WFS 68, 72, 76 kg)