Joel Adams lifts Takaku Suzuki of Japan at the U17 World Championships. Photo by Ringer Spiegal.
ROME, Italy - Joel Adams headlined the first session of the U17 Greco-Roman World Championships with eye-catching throws and three dominating wins to punch his ticket to the semifinals this afternoon.
He will wrestle Petro Shafranskyi of Ukraine who placed tenth at the 2022 Greco-Roman U17 European Championships for a shot at the 65 kg gold medal match tomorrow night.
Adams defeated Takaku Suzuki of Japan 8-0 with a huge five-point throw in his opening bout. In match two, Adams had two four-point throws on his way to a 10-0 victory over Saya Brunner of Switzerland. To earn his spot in the semifinals, Adams used a turn, passivity point, two step outs and a lost challenge for a 6-0 win over Aleksandre Rusitashvili of Georgia.
The Nebraska native won 2021 USMC 16U National titles in both freestyle and Greco-Roman and was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Wrestler.
Koy Hopke won his opening match against Maxim Ukraintsev of Kazakhstan with an 8-0 technical fall in the first period at 110 kg. He lost by technical fall in his second bout to Dmytro Stryzhekozin of Ukraine who placed second at the 2022 U17 European Championships. If Stryzhekozin wins in the semifinals, Hopke will be pulled back into the tournament.
Falling in the opening rounds were Christian Castillo at 48 kg, Nick Treaster at 55 kg and Cole Han Lindmyer at 80 kg.
Castillo lost 4-2 to Azerbaijan's 2021 U17 European Champion Said Khalilov. Treaster fell 7-0 to Halil Cinar of Turkey who took third at the 2022 U17 European Championships and Cole Han Lindmyer fell 4-0 to Japan's Taizo Yoshida.
Castillo and Treaster have a shot to get pulled back into the tournament if their opponents advance to the finals. Han Lindemyer was eliminated after his round one opponent Taizo Yoshida of Japan did not advance.
Semifinals are at noon U.S. EST. Watch live on FloWrestling and follow USA Wrestling's Twitter for live updates.
The remaining five Greco-Roman World Team members will wrestle tomorrow at 5:30 a.m. U.S. EST.
2022 U17 World Championships
at Rome, Italy | July 25-31
U.S. Greco-Roman results:
48 kg: Christian Castillo (Glendale, Ariz./Thorobred Wrestling Club)
LOSS Said Khalilov (Azerbaijan), 4-2
55 kg: Nick Treaster (Newton, Kans./Newton Wrestling Club)
LOSS Halil Cinar (Turkey), 7-0
65 kg: Joel Adams (Omaha, Neb./The Best Wrestler)
WIN Takaku Suzuki (Japan), 8-0
WIN Saya Brunner (Switzerland), 10-0
WIN Aleksandre Rusitashvili (Georgia), 6-0
80 kg: Cole Han-Lindemyer (Farmington, Minn./Pinnacle Wrestling Club)
LOSS Taizo Yoshida (Japan), 8-4
110 kg: Koy Hopke (Amery, Wis./Pinnacle Wrestling Club)
WIN Maxim Ukraintsev (Kazakhstan), 8-0
LOSS Dmytro Stryzhekozin (Ukraine), 8-0
Remaining U.S. Greco-Roman draws:
45 kg: Davis Motyka (Kingston, Pa./XCalibur Athletics)
vs. Ionut Mereuta (Romania), fifth at 2022 U17 European Championships
51 kg: Elyle Francisco (Anchorage, AK./Anchorage Youth Wrestling Academy)
vs. Peter Totok (Hungary), seventh at 2021 U17 World Championships
60 kg: Zan Fugitt (Nixa, Mo.)
vs. Gaspar Terteryan (Armenia), third at 2022 U17 European Championships
71 kg: Arvin Khosravy (Woodland Hills, Calif.)
vs. Marco Begle (Austria), 22nd at 2022 U17 European Championships
92 kg: Cody Merrill (Ontario, Calif./Daniel Cormier Wrestling Club)
vs. Arsen Ruslanov (Kyrgyzstan), no international credentials
Schedule (six hours ahead of U.S. EST)
Monday, July 25
6 p.m. – Semifinals (GR 48, 55, 65, 80, 110 kg)
Tuesday, July 26
11:30 a.m. – Qualification rounds (GR 45, 51, 60, 71, 92 kg), repechage (GR 48, 55, 65, 80, 110 kg)
4:15 a.m. – Opening Ceremony
5 p.m. – Semifinals (GR 45, 51, 60, 71, 92 kg)
6 p.m. – Finals (GR 48, 55, 65, 80, 110 kg)
Wednesday, July 27
11:30 a.m. – Qualification rounds (WFS 43, 49, 57, 65, 73 kg), repechage (GR 45, 51, 60, 71, 92 kg)
5 p.m. – Semifinals (WFS 43, 49, 57, 65, 73 kg)
6 p.m. – Finals (GR 45, 51, 60, 71, 92 kg)
Thursday, July 28
11:30 a.m. – Qualification rounds (WFS 40, 46, 53, 61, 69 kg), repechage (WFS 43, 49, 57, 65, 73 kg)
5: p.m. – Semifinals (WFS 40, 46, 53, 61, 69 kg)
6 p.m. – Finals (WFS 43, 49, 57, 65, 73 kg)
Friday, July 29
11:30 a.m. – Qualification rounds (FS 48, 55, 65, 80, 110 kg), repechage (WFS 40, 46, 53, 61, 69 kg)
5 p.m. – Semifinals (FS 48, 55, 65, 80, 110 kg)
6 p.m. – Finals (WFS 40, 46, 53, 61, 69 kg)
Saturday, July 30
11:30 a.m. – Qualification rounds (FS 45, 51, 60, 71, 92 kg), repechage (GR 48, 55, 65, 80, 110 kg)
5 p.m. – Semifinals (FS 45, 51, 60, 71, 92 kg)
6 p.m. – Finals (FS 48, 55, 65, 80, 110 kg)
Sunday, July 31
4:30 p.m. – Repechage (FS 45, 51, 60, 71, 92 kg)
6 p.m. Finals (FS 45, 51, 60, 71, 92 kg)