USA Team Trials

United States Finalizes Olympic Team, Maroulis Completes Comeback as Steveson Shines

By United World Wrestling Press

FORT WORTH, United States (April 3) – Helen Maroulis, two-time world champion and 2016 Olympic champion, defeated Jenna Burkert in their best-of-three series to make the United States starting squad for Tokyo 2021.

“I’m so blessed that I was able to come back, I honestly didn’t know if there was going to happen,” said Maroulis. “I’m just so grateful they are having the Games still.”

On the men’s side Gable Steveson wowed the audience with a dominating performance at 125kg, defeating two-time world bronze medalist Nick Gwiazdowski in straight matches. Steveson, who did a full back layout after winning, told reporters that he “was coming for the world,” and was prepared to take gold in Tokyo.

Kyle Dake, a two-time world champion at 79kg, secured the starting Olympic spot at 74kg defeating Olympic champion and four-time world champion Jordan Burroughs in straight matches. 

In Greco-Roman a number of top seeds held their position, including 2017 world silver medalist Adam Coon who won his spot on Saturday, but will now focus on preparing to qualify the 130kg for the USA squad in Sofia, Bulgaria.

Interviews can be found, here.

The full list of winners for the 2021 US Olympic Team Trials: 

Men’s Freestyle

57kg: Thomas Gilman

Bout One – Gilman pin Arujau, 5:42
Bout Two – Gilman dec. Arujau, 2-2

*65kg: Jordan Oliver

Bout One – Oliver dec. McKenna, 3-0
Bout Two – Oliver dec. McKenna, 5-2

74kg: Kyle Dake

Bout One – Dake dec. Burroughs, 3-0
Bout Two – Dake dec. Burroughs, 3-2

86kg: David Taylor

Bout One – Taylor dec. Nickal, 4-0
Bout Two – Taylor dec. Nickal, 6-0

97kg: Kyle Snyder

Bout One – Snyder tech. fall Moore, 10-0
Bout Two – Snyder dec. Moore, 5-1

125kg: Gable Steveson

Bout One – Steveson tech. fall Gwiazdowski, 10-0
Bout Two – Steveson dec. Gwiazdowski, 10-4

Women’s Wrestling

50kg: Sarah Hildebrandt

Bout One – Hildebrandt tech. fall Anthony, 12-2
Bout Two – Hildebrandt tech. fall Anthony, 10-0

53kg: Jacarra Winchester

Bout One – Winchester dec. Heaton, 7-4
Bout Two – Winchester tech. fall Heaton, 12-2

57kg: Helen Maroulis

Bout One – Maroulis dec. Burkert, 5-3
Bout Two – Burkert dec. Maroulis, 6-5
Bout Three – Maroulis pin Burkert, 0:24

62kg: Kayla Miracle

Bout One – Miracle dec. Kilty, 8-4
Bout Two – Kilty dec. Miracle, 4-3
Bout Three – Miracle inj. dft. Kilty, 0:32

68kg: Tamyrah Mensah-Stock

Bout One – Mensah-Stock dec. Blades, 12-4
Bout Two – Mensah-Stock dec. Blades, 8-1

76kg: Adeline Gray

Bout One – Gray tech. fall Welker, 10-0
Bout Two – Gray tech. fall Welker, 11-0

Greco-Roman

60kg: Ildar Hafizov

Bout One – Hafizov dec. Mango, 7-0
Bout Two – Hafizov tech. fall Mango, 8-0

67kg: Alejandro Sancho

Bout One – Sancho dec. Coleman, 2-0
Bout Two – Sancho dec. Coleman, 3-1

*77kg: Jesse Porter

Bout One –Porter dec. Walsh, 8-1
Bout Two – Porter dec. Walsh, 7-7

87kg: John Stefanowicz

Bout One – Stefanowicz dec. Rau, 6-5
Bout Two – Stefanowicz dec. Rau. 2-1

97kg: G”Angelo Hancock

Bout One – Hancock tech. fall Amos, 8-0
Bout Two – Hancock tech. fall Amos, 8-0

*130kg: Adam Coon

Bout One –Coon tech. fall Schultz, 10-0
Bout Two – Coon dec. Schultz, 3-3

*Denotes weight categories yet to be qualified by the United States. The United States team trials are an almost certain indicator of the team to be presented in Tokyo, but is not official until the United States submits their entry list to the International Olympic Committee.

 

 

#WrestleAthens

U17 World Wrestling Championships 2025: Day 1 Highlights

By Vinay Siwach

ATHENS, Greece (July 28) -- The World U17 Championships kicks off in Athens, Greece with five Greco-Roman weight classes. Iran, Azerbaijan, Georgia will be in contention to win the team title.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | FULL PREVIEW

READ THE REPORT OF ALL SEMIFINALS HERE

18:00: Welcome back to the World U17 Championships coverage! The semifinals in 48kg, 55kg, 65kg, 80kg and 110kg will begin now!

15:00: The semifinals will begin at 18:00 hours local time! The opening ceremony will be at 17:00 hours. Stay tuned!

14:45: Asian domination at 55kg! Alkham ABDIRASULOV (KGZ) will face Aditya GUPTA (IND) and Makhdi BAROTOV (TJK) will take on Nurali ASKAR (KAZ) in the semifinals.

14:35: Asian champion HARDEEP (IND) beats European bronze medalist Anatolii NOVACHENKO (UKR), 9-0, with turns from par terre and enters the semifinals at 110kg.

14:30: Yazdan DELROUZ (IRI) holds his positions good and gets both par terre points in the match against Hu Anshi NUERLEBIEKE (CHN) and makes it to the 110kg semifinal.

14:20: Aditya GUPTA (IND) with a takedown in the final second of the bout to beat Rakhman GAMIDOV (UKR) 4-2. He was down 2-2 on criteria but manages to wrap his arm around Gamidov to score a takedown. Ukraine challenges for time but it was inside the last second.

14:02: Madness on Mat A! Luka MARTIASHVILI (GEO) was trying to stop a pin from Nijat YEYLAGALIYEV (AZE) and turns it around and manages to pin the Azerbaijan wrestlers for the win at 80kg!

13:50: Makhdi BAROTOV (TJK) continues his good show at 55kg as he pins Osman OZDEMIR (TUR) and advances to the quarterfinals.

13:45: Asian silver medalist Sadriddin TULKINBOEV (UZB) drops his 55kg 1/8 final to Aditya GUPTA (IND), 4-1. Gupta did not get any turn from par terre but Tulkinvoev scored a stepuot in the second period and made it 1-1. But due to a new rule currently being tested by UWW, a 1-1 scoring in Greco-Roman will see the wrestler who scored the first point, win on criteria. Gupta keeps his attacks and there is no par terre for Tulkinboev. Uzbekistan throw a challenge for "nothing", as the review team said. Gupta wins 4-1

13:25: Rakhman GAMIDOV (UKR) digs deep and pulls off a four-pointer later in the match to win 5-2 against Naru SEMBA (JPN) at 55kg. He was down 2-1 with just 30 seconds left.

13:15: Big win for ANUJ (IND) at 65kg as he beats Asian bronze medalist Xusan GIEZIDINOV (UZB) 8-0. High pace match from Anuj to block Geizidinov.

13:05: Janes NAZARYAN (ARM), European silver medalists, reaches the quarterfinal at 65kg, after a technical superiority 9-1 win over Huseyn ISGANDAROV (AZE).

12:50: Nijat YEYLAGALIYEV (AZE) bounces back from 5-0 down by blocking a throw from Mardanbek MAKHKAMBAYEV (KAZ) and gut wrenches his way to a 13-5 win at 80kg.

12:46: Ismail BEREKET (TUR) continues his big-throwing streak as he beats Stepan DANHEL (CZE) 9-0 in a minute 50 seconds at 80kg. The European bronze medalist is looking better with every win.

12:45: How do you win with one second remaining?! Kaisei YAMAMOTO (JPN) hits a four-pointer in the final second after getting thrown by Martin MANJIKYAN (ARM) and wins 6-6. He can't believe it as well

12:40: Zhanarbek SEIITOV (KGZ) uses the gut-wrench to great effect and wins his 48kg bout against Fuhua KANG (CHN) 10-2. He gets Asian bronze medalist Bunyod HASANOV (UZB) in the next round after Hsanov pulled off a late throw against Amirmohammad HAJIVAND (IRI) and win 4-3.

12:35: HARDEEP (IND), Asian champ at 110kg, gets both the par terre points and beats Baktur SOVETKHAN (KAZ), 2-0, in the opening round.

12:30: Quick work from Sayidamir NEMATOV (UZB) at 110kg as he beats European champ Rihad IBRAHIMLI (AZE) 10-0 in the first period.

12:20: Hu Anshi NUERLEBIEKE (CHN) was so calm despite being down 8-1 against Vasileios BOUNTOULIS (GRE) at 110kg. Nuerlebieke locked Bountoulis in bodylocks twice in last 15 seconds and threw him for two four-pointers to win 9-8. He was thrown for two four-pointers in the first period by Bountoulis.

12:15: A 2024 Asian U15 champ Makhdi BAROTOV (TJK) stops European silver medalist Giorgi CHACHUA (GEO) 4-2 in their 55kg bout.

11:50: Alkham ABDIRASULOV (KGZ) pulls off a stunning win over Amirreza  TAHMASBPOUR (IRI) 5-3 at 55kg. Abdirasulov scores a correct throw to lead 3-3 on criteria but Iran challenges for no points. The challenge is won but on review, it's four points for Abdirasulov wins the bout

11:20: Pan-Am champion Arseni KIKINIOU (USA) has a hard time against Janes NAZARYAN (ARM), who is an European silver medalist, as he cannot get a turn but Nazaryan manages to score. Nazaryan wins 4-1

11:05: Big match between Asian champion Abdulaziz KHOLMIRZAEV (UZB) and European silver medalist Benediktas BUBELEVICIUS (LTU). Kholmirzaev and Bubelevicius go back-and-forth but Kholmirzaev manages to hang on for an 11-6 win.

10:45: Luka MARTIASHVILI (GEO), who finished 5th at 92kg at the European Championships, is back at 80kg and finishes with two front headlocks to win 9-0 in just 21 seconds against David VILK (CRO).

10:40: Big throws right from the start in Athens! European bronze medalist Ismail BEREKER (TUR) launches Samarth GOVEKAR (IND) for big throws and wins the opening bout at 80kg 11-0 in just a minute and 28 seconds.

10:30: Welcome to the World U17 Championships in Athens. It is being held at the iconic Ano Liosia Olympic Hall, the venue where wrestling competition during the 2004 Olympics was held.