U.S. Wins Four Golds at Zagreb Open; World Champ Valencia Stunned

Wednesday, February 4, 2026 - 22:40 By Vinay Siwach

ZAGREB, Croatia (February 4) -- Four months ago, Zahid VALENCIA (USA) seemed untouchable.

He had stunned Arena Zagreb with a victory over Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI), eventually cruising to 86kg gold at the 2025 World Championships without conceding a single point.

On Wednesday, Valencia returned to Arena Zagreb, but the script flipped. Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO), a former world silver medalist at 79kg, blanked the world champion 11-0 at the season-opening Zagreb Open Ranking Series.

While Valencia recovered to claim bronze, it was international debutant Parker KECKEISEN (USA) who rose to the occasion, taking gold after defeating Gamkrelidze.

Zahid VALENCIA (USA), red, tries to fight a gut-wrench against Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO). (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Valencia wasn't the only giant to fall during a chaotic Wednesday. Olympic bronze medalist AMAN (IND) was pinned, and Asian champion Takara SUDA (JPN) left without a medal. Meanwhile, world champion Yoshinosuke AOYAGI (JPN) missed the top spot, and Georgios KOUGIOUMSTIDIS (GRE) saw his 86kg debut end in the opening round.

Despite the upsets, the United States dominated, winning four of the six available gold medals. Spencer LEE (USA), David CARR (USA), and Austin DESANTO (USA) joined Keckeisen atop the podium.

At 65kg, U23 world champion SUJEET (IND) continued his rise and captured the gold medal in a dominant fashion.

For Iran, the only gold medal came through Sina KHALILI (IRI) who outscored his opponents 42-3 in four bouts.

Parker KECKEISEN (USA) won gold medal at Zagreb Open, his debut international tournament. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Keckeisen's golden debut

While Zahid Valencia was the heavy favorite at 86kg, it was Keckeisen who stole the spotlight. Keckeisen flew under the radar to reach the final after a gritty 9-5 victory over Ali Savadkouhi (IRI).

In the final, Keckeisen entered as the underdog against Gamkrelidze. He maintained a 3-1 lead with under a minute remaining. The match defining moment came when Gamkrelidze scored a stepout and challenged the call, seeking two points instead of one. The lost challenge awarded Keckeisen an extra point, extending his lead to 4-2.

Despite a late stepout from Gamkrelidze with ten seconds left, Keckeisen held on to secure the gold.

With Gamkrelidze making it to the final, Valencia found his form in repechage and won bronze after pinning U17 world champion Abofazl SHAMSIPOUR (IRI).

Spencer LEE (USA) scores a takedown before Roman BRAVO YOUNG forfeited the 57kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Lee repeats, Carr shines

Lee repeated as the Zagreb Open champion with a strong performance, just like last year. After dominant wins over Azamat TSUKAEV (SRB) and Fuga SASAKI (JPN), Lee met Roman BRAVO YOUNG (MEX) in the final.

The Olympic bronze medalist opened strong with a takedown and turn, but the match ended prematurely when Bravo-Young forfeited due to injury, handing Lee his second consecutive gold.

Bravo Young was clutching his tapped knee when he got up after the gut-wrench from Lee who helped the Mexican off the mat after enquiring about the injury.

At 74kg, Carr navigated a tactical final against 70kg world champion Aoyagi, who now wrestles at 74kg. Aoyagi led 1-1 on criteria after the two wrestlers exchanged activity points when he was placed on the 30-second activity clock for a second time.

His failure to score put Carr ahead 2-1 with 30 seconds remaining. A desperate late attack by Aoyagi allowed Carr to score a counter takedown, sealing a 4-1 victory.

In September, Carr missed out on a bronze medal bout at the World Championships after losing to Zaurbek SIDAKOV (UWW) in the final five seconds, while Lee was eliminated after losing to Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM).

Austin DESANTO (USA) won the gold medal at 61kg in Zagreb. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Jake Kirkman)

Desanto recovers

At 61kg, Desanto recovered after a heartbreaking 11-11 loss to Reza MOMENI (IRI) in the opening bout of the Nordic bracket to win gold. Needing a big win against Aman, Desanto delivered a pin, earning five crucial classification points.

His total of 15 points placed him safely ahead of Momeni, who was mathematically eliminated from gold regardless of his final result against Giorgi GHONIASHVILI (GEO).

Ultimately, DeSanto secured the gold, while Aman took silver, despite being tied with Momeni at 13 points. Aman held the tiebreaker thanks to his head-to-head victory over the Iranian.

SUJEET (IND) tries to finish a takedown on Peyman NEMATI (IRI) in the 65kg final. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Amirreza Aliasgari)

Sujeet wins gold

U23 World Champion Sujeet continues to demonstrate his growth on the international stage, capturing his second career Ranking Series gold medal.

Sujeet, who took gold in Budapest last year, secured two technical superiority wins over Khamzat ARSAMERZOUEV (FRA) and Joseph MCKENNA (USA) to reach the final. There, he shut out Peyman NEMATI (IRI) with a disciplined 3-0 victory.

In the final, he was put on the activity clock in the first period but responded quickly with a takedown to take a 2-0 lead. When Nemati was placed on the activity clock in the second period, Sujeet extended his lead to 3-0.

Following a series of scoreless scrambles, Sujeet successfully defended his lead until the whistle.

At 70kg, U23 World silver medalist Khalili put on a dominant display in his gold-medal match. Khalili overwhelmed Akaki KEMERTELIDZE (GEO), using a series of gut wrenches to secure a 10-0 technical superiority victory.

RESULTS

57kg
GOLD: Spencer LEE (USA) df. Roman BRAVO YOUNG (MEX), via inj. def. (4-0)

BRONZE: Milad VALIZADEH (IRI) df. Atish TODKAR (IND), 10-0
BRONZE: Fuga SASAKI (JPN) df. Azamat TUSKAEV (SRB), 4-1

61kg
GOLD: Austin DESANTO (USA)
SILVER: AMAN (IND)
BRONZE: Reza MOMENI (IRI)

65kg
GOLD: SUJEET (IND) df. Peyman NEMATI (IRI), 3-0

BRONZE: Nika ZAKASHVILI (GEO) df. Gamzatgadzhi KHALIDOV (HUN), 11-6
BRONZE: Joseph MC KENNA (USA) df. Khamzat ARSAMERZOUEV (FRA), 4-1

70kg
GOLD: Sina KHALILI (IRI) df. Akaki KEMERTELIDZE (GEO), 10-0

BRONZE: ABHIMANYOU (IND) df. Ian PARKER (USA), 6-3
BRONZE: Caleb HENSON (USA) df. Iszmail MUSZUKAJEV (HUN), 5-4

74kg
GOLD: David CARR (USA) df. Yoshinosuke AOYAGI (JPN), 4-1

BRONZE: Seyfulla ITAEV (FRA) df. James GREEN (USA), via fall
BRONZE: Aliakbar FAZLI (IRI) df. Giorgi ELBAKIDZE (GEO), 10-0

86kg
GOLD: Parker KECKEISEN (USA) df. Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO), 4-3

BRONZE: Zahid VALENCIA (USA) df. Abolfazl SHAMSIPOUR (IRI), via fall
BRONZE: Ali SAVADKOUHI (IRI) df. Mukul DAHIYA (IND), 6-5

2026 U17 World Championships

U17 World Championships 2026 Women's Wrestling Day 3 Results

Wednesday, July 29, 2026 - 06:54 By Vinay Siwach

BAKU, Azerbaijan (July 29) -- The U17 World Wrestling Championships 2026 enters day three with five Women's Wrestling weight classes - 43kg, 49kg, 57kg, 65kg and 73kg.

Use code BUNDLE20 to get 20 percent off when subscribing to UWW+. Click here.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | WOMEN'S WRESTLING WATCH | DAY 2 RESULTS

14:27: U17 Asian champion GARIMA (IND) was a little surprised when Karina MUZALEVSKAIA (RUS) managed a takedown on her but she manages to dominate her quarterfinals and win 9-2. She will face Kaili MANUEL (USA) for a spot in the final.

14:25: Bianka BARANY (HUN) gave no chance to Lyra LEDERER (GER) and wins the quarterfinal at 73kg. She sets up a rematch of U17 European Championships against Solomiia PETRIV (UKR) which the Ukrainian won.

14:11: Solomiia PETRIV (UKR), the returning bronze medalist from 69kg, is bullying her opponents. She beats Aisha WILLIAMS (PAN), 11-0, in the quarterfinals at 73kg. She attacks with lot of force which unsettles her opponents. Into the semis now

14:08: Saika UCHIDA (JPN), trying to match her sister world bronze medalist Sowaka, is into the semifinals at 49kg after yet another 10-0 win. She beats Irina TSYDEEVA (RUS) in 3:19

Wrestling Epenesa ELISON (USA) Epenesa ELISON (USA) is chasing the world title at 57kg after finishing with a silver medal at 53kg last year. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Kostadin Andonov)

14:00: Epenesa ELISON (USA) uses the lace to beat Mia KOVAC (CRO), 10-0, in the 57kg quarterfinals and she moves into the semifinals, where she will face Gurleen DHILLON (CAN). The other semifinals will see Nikita SEHRAWAT (IND) and Mariia POLTORAK (UKR) clash

13:55: U17 European champion at 57kg Janka SILLEI (HUN) falls in the quarterfinals against Gurleen DHILLON (CAN). The match began with Dhillon hitting a four but Sillei worked her way to 4-4 but criteria remained with Dhillon for her bigger move. Dhillon once again took a clear 6-4 lead with a takedown. Sillei managed to pancake Dhillon for two points and tried pinning her. For 20 seconds she continued to work on it but Dhillon survived, making her a 6-6 criteria winner.

13:40: Solomiia PETRIV (UKR), the U17 European champion, uses a mix of takedowns and stepouts to beat Kaillany MELO (BRA) and advances to the qaurterfinals at 73kg.

13:30: Sera FURUICHI (JPN) thought she nailed a 1-1 win but Mukhlisa MASHARIPOVA (UZB) with a big throw to win 5-1 barely seconds before the match finished. Masharipova moves into the semifinals.

13:15: Bianka BARANY (HUN), the U17 European silver medalist, gets a fall over Chamangul MUKHAMMATSALIEVA (UZB) and moves into the quarterfinals at 73kg.

13:08: U17 Asian champion GARIMA (IND) has no trouble seeing off Rodina SOLIMAN (EGY), 11-0, at 73kg and she moves into the quarterfinals.

12:55: Saika UCHIDA (JPN), sister of Asian champion Sowaka, finishes her opening bout at 49kg against Isabelle CHEN (CAN), 11-0. Uchida won the U17 Asian gold last year.

12:45: Janka SILLEI (HUN) clearly has a better gameplan against European style wrestlers. She beats Sofiia BELOVA (RUS), 9-5, in her second bout at 57kg and enter the quarterfinals

We had an internet interruption but everything seems to be back on track. The matches were stopped.

12:15: Epenesa ELISON (USA) was off to work straight off the whistle in her 57kg bout against Nadiia ZHOLTIKOVA (ESP). She scored five different takedowns and one turn to beat Zholtikova 12-2 in the first period

12:05: Sera FURUICHI (JPN) with a final-second front headlock exposure to beat DIKSHA (IND), 7-7, on last-point criteria at 43kg. Furuichi was the one dictating the match but Diksha scored two cradle exposure to lead 6-3 at one point before Furuichi made a comeback in the second period

11:27: U17 Asian champion GARIMA (IND) with her relentless forward wrestling and Diana TURGUNBEKOVA (KGZ) has no answers to it. Garima sweeps the 73kg bout 10-0 and advances to the 1/8 finals

11:15: Another battle at 57kg as Epenesa ELISON (USA), who won silver at 53kg last year, was up against Rion SUZUKI (JPN) in opening bout. She races to a 4-0 lead before Suzuki cuts it to 4-2 with a takedown. That was all Suzuki would score in the bout as Elison managed two assertive takedowns to win 8-2 and advance

11:00: Returning silver medalist from 49kg, Janka SILLEI (HUN), who won U17 European gold, has a tough time against Arina KUANYSHOVA (KAZ) in the opening bout at 57kg. Kuanyshova takes a 2-2 criteria lead before scoring another takedown to double it. Sillei manages a reversal to make it 4-3 before hitting a leg attack to score the match-winning takedown and win 5-4. But her conditioning doesn't seem par here

10:30: Women's Wrestling day in Baku with five weight classes and keep an eye on 57kg and 73kg, among the best.

U.S. Wins Four Golds at Zagreb Open; World Champ Valencia Stunned

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U17 World Championships 2026 Women's Wrestling Day 3 Results