#WrestleBelgrade

WATCH: 10 freestyle finals from World Championships

By Vinay Siwach

BELGRADE, Serbia (September 29) -- The World Championships in Belgrade concluded with freestyle action. The USA lived up to the expectation of winning the team title, outscoring Iran to claim the trophy. Japan finished third with two gold medals. The USA won four gold, Iran won two while Albania and Turkey shared one each.

Watch all the 10 freestyle gold medal bouts from the World Championships.

GOLD: 57kg - Thomas GILMAN (USA) vs. Zelimkhan ABAKAROV (ALB)

 

GOLD: 61kg - Rei HIGUCHI (JPN) vs. Reza ATRI (IRI)

 

GOLD: 86kg - Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) vs. David TAYLOR (USA)

 

GOLD: 92kg - Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI) vs. Jden COX (USA)

#USAWrestling

Paris Olympic champ Hildebrandt announces retirement

By Vinay Siwach

COLRADO, United States (February 17) -- Olympic champion Sarah HILDEBRANDT (USA) has announced her retirement from wrestling.

The 31-year-old won gold in Women's Wrestling 50kg at the 2024 Paris Olympics and is also a bronze medalist from the Tokyo Olympics. At the World Championships, Hildebrandt won two silver (2018, 2021) and two bronze medals (2022, 2023).

Her decision was accompanied with an announcement from USA Wrestling that Hildebrandt will be joining as the assistant coach for Women's Wrestling with senior women's team.

“I have had a really long career and I’ve gotten the experience of what wrestling has taught me," Hildebrandt said. "It has made me so passionate about what this sport can do for people. If I can bring a passion and energy in support of their journey, kind of a door handle to open up their own adventure, that is exciting to me. Wrestling has given me so much. The sport has taught me everything about myself and helped me grow as a woman."

Hildebrandt made her debut at the U20 World Championships in 2010 at 55kg and remained a 53-55kg wrestler for long. At the 2019 World Championships, Hildebrandt failed to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics at 53kg and made the move to 50kg and qualified.

She went on to have one of most successful careers at 50kg, becoming the fourth Olympic champion for the United States in Women's Wrestling. She is only the second wrestler to win multiple medals at the Olympics for the U.S. after Helen MAROULIS (USA), who has three.

More to follow