Snyder wins third Yariguin title, Nolf and Valencia secure medals in final day of competition
by Taylor Miller-Gregorio
KRASNOYARK, Russia – On the final day of the 2022 Ivan Yariguin Grand Prix, the USA collected its first three medals in men’s freestyle as Kyle Snyder, Jason Nolf and Zahid Valencia earned spots on the podium on Sunday.
2016 Olympic champion and 2020 Olympic silver medalist Kyle Snyder continued a dominant performance after a 3-0 effort on Saturday. Advancing to the 97 kg finals, Snyder faced 2017 Junior World champion and 2019 U23 World silver medalist Shamil Musaev of Russia, who he defeated with a decisive 8-3 victory to earn his third Yariguin title. With the gold, Snyder adds to his 2017 and 2018 titles, making him the first U.S. men’s freestyler to win the event three times.
Also competing in the finals was Pan American champion Jason Nolf, who impressed on his way to the 74 kg gold match. In the finals, he fell to 2019 U23 World champion Chermen Valiev from Russia, 6-1, to finish with a silver medal, which marks his third international medal in four attempts.
The final medal of the day came at 86 kg, where Zahid Valencia, a 2017 Junior World silver medalist, bounced back from a semifinal loss to claim bronze with a dominant 10-0 technical fall against Oman Ziyavudinov from Russia. This marked Valencia’s first international competition since June 2021.
The final American competing today was Josh Shields, who lost in his first round of competition but wrestled his way back to the bronze match, where he dropped a 4-0 bout to 2021 Senior World bronze medalist Timur Bizhoev to take fifth.
Overall, the U.S. finished the event with seven medals, including four from women’s freestyle athletes (2 gold, 2 silver) and three from men’s freestylers (1 gold, 1 silver, 1 bronze).
2022 IVAN YARIGUIN GRAND PRIX
Jan. 27-30, 2022 | Krasnoyarsk, Russia
U.S. men’s freestyle results
74 kg: Jason Nolf (Nittany Lion WC/Titan Mercury WC) - SILVER
WIN Magomed Kardanov (Russia), 12-1
WIN Josh Shields (USA), 9-1
WIN Abdar-Rahman Kumukov (Russia), 10-0
WIN Timur Bizhoev (Russia), fall
LOSS Chermen Valiev (Russia), 6-1
74 kg: Josh Shields (Sunkist Kids WC) - FIFTH
LOSS Jason Nolf (USA), 9-1
WIN Magomed Kardanov (Russia), 5-4
LOSS Timur Bizhoev (Russia), 4-0
86 kg: Zahid Valencia (Sunkist Kids WC) – BRONZE
WIN Babuli Tsoloev (Russia), 11-2
WIN Azamat Dauletbekov (Russia), 2-2
LOSS Amanula Rasulov (Russia), 5-2
WIN Omar Ziyavudinov (Russia), 10-0
97 kg: Kyle Snyder (Nittany Lion WC/Titan Mercury WC) – GOLD
WIN Devid Dzugaev (Russia), 11-0
WIN Igor Ovsyannikov (Russia), 12-2
WIN Soslan Dzhagaev (Russia), 14-4
WIN Shamil Musaev (Russia), 8-3