2021 Junior World Championships

LIVE From Russia: Day 2 Junior Worlds Updates

LIVE From Russia: Day 2 Junior Worlds Updates

Get updates live updates from the Junior Worlds in Ufa, Russia.

Aug 17, 2021 by Kyle Klingman
LIVE From Russia: Day 2 Junior Worlds Updates

Follow along here for the latest happenings from the 2021 Junior World Championships in Ufa, Russia. Day 2 features the final five wrestlers in the men's freestyle competition, including Jesse Mendez (61 kg), Keegan O'Toole (74 kg), Colton Hawks (86 kg), Rocky Elam (92 kg), and Wyatt Hendrickson (125 kg). 

Four of five wrestlers from Day 1 action are still in contention for medals. Braxton Amos will compete for a gold medal at 97 kg while Beau Bartlett will wrestle for 65-kg bronze. Bryce Andonian (70 kg) and Donnell Washington (79 kg) were pulled into repechage after losing their opening matches. 

Competition begins at 1 a.m. Central with prelims and quarterfinals with semifinals and finals beginning at 6:45 a.m. Central. 

Click here for detailed information about the Junior Men's Freestyle team

Click here for Day 1 Updates


Repechage (70 kg): Bryce Andonian over Josley Tutu Dibo (COD), FALL :59

Andonian came out with double overhooks, tossed Dibo for four, and eventually secured the fall in 59 seconds.

Repechage (79 kg):  Richard Schroeder (GER) over Donnell Washington, 7-6

Washington scored the first points with a two-point takedown just over a minute into the match. He extended his lead with a four-point front headlock but gives up a step out on the exchange to go up 6-1 at the break.

Schroeder scored on six consecutive step-outs in the second for a 7-6 win.

Washington has been eliminated from the tournament. 

Round of 16 (86 kg): Colton Hawks over Ilya Khamtsou (BLR), 12-1

Hawks used double underhooks near the edge of the mat for a one-point step out then follows that up with a powerful four-point throw for a 5-0 lead. Khamtsou scored a one-point step out to cut into the lead but Hawks gets one back with a caution and one to go up 6-1. Hawks ended the match with a four-point counter and a turn for a 12-1 technical superiority in the first period.

Repechage #2 (70 kg): Bryce Andonian over Asset Bauzhanov (KAZ), 9-6

Andonian wasted little time getting on the board with a two-point takedown seven seconds into the match. He tried for a cowcatcher to end it but it resulted in another two-point takedown and a 4-0 lead.

Officials discussed an exchange on the edge of the mat that resulted in a four-point throw for Bauzhanov. Andonian got right back in the match with a two-point takedown off the whistle for a 6-4 lead. He eventually scored another two points off a whizzer position to extend his lead to 8-4 after an action-packed first period. 

The pace slowed considerably in the second period with neither wrestler taking much risk in the first minute before Baurzhanov scored a two-point takedown to cut the lead to 8-6. 

Andonian was awarded a two-point turn on the edge of the mat. Kazakstan threw the challenge brick, Andonian threw it back to their corner, then the coach threw it back. The challenge was won by Kazakstan, which resulted in a step out and not a turn. That exchange gave Andonian a 9-6 lead and the eventual win. Andonian gave a flex as a bonus. 

Andonian will wrestle for bronze.

Repechage: Bekzat Yermekbay (KAZ) over Laclan McNeil (CAN), 12-7

Yermekbay won a wild one over North Carolina recruit McNeil, who was eliminated from the tournament. 

Round of 16 (74 kg): Keegan O'Toole over Balint Balazs (HUN), 10-0

O’Toole scored a two-point takedown on the edge of the mat for a 2-0 lead early in the period. Another two-point takedown on a go-behind and a gut wrench extended his lead to 6-0. O’Toole countered a shot and scored on another gut wrench for a 10-0 technical superiority.

Round of 16 (92 kg): Rocky Elam vs. Mukhammadrasul Rakhimov (UZB), 8-3

Elam scored a takedown out of bounds off a head to the outside single for a 2-0 lead to start the match. He scored a second takedown off a head to the inside single and a gut wrench to take a 6-0 lead into the break. 

Rakhimov cut the lead in half midway through the second period off a takedown and a caution and one. Elam got two points back following a takedown with 25 seconds remaining for an 8-3 win.

Quarterfinal (125 kg): Wyatt Hendrickson over Jakub Czeczak (POL), 10-0

Hendrickson opened with a takedown and two turns for a 6-0 lead 29 seconds into the match. It didn’t take him long to score another takedown and another turn for a 10-0 technical superiority.

Round of 16 (61 kg): Jesse Mendez over Aktan Doorobekov (KGZ), 9-6

Mendez scored the first point of the match on a step out. Zopali scored on a two-point exposure during a scramble at the end of the period to take a 2-1 lead into the break.

Mendez fired off a couple of shots to start the period but got overaggressive and gave up a two-point takedown and a turn to fall behind 6-1. He kept the pace high and scored a takedown and turn to cut the lead to 6-5 with a minute to go.

Mendez scored on step out but was still behind 6-6 on criteria. He got in deep on a shot in the closing seconds but a takedown was not awarded. The Americans challenged the call and it was overturned. Mendez wins, 9-6, with a late takedown and Turkey's lost challenge. 

Quarterfinals (86 kg): Daviti Koguashvili (GEO) over Colton Hawks, 11-9

Hawks trailed 1-0 early after giving up a step out. Koguashvili scored a takedown with 30 seconds remaining followed by two turns to take a 7-0 lead at the end of the period.

Hawks finally got on the board in the second period with a takedown and turn to slice the lead to 7-4. A body lock for a step out made it 7-5. Koguashvili scored two points on an exposure but the Georgian corner challenged that it should have been four points but the challenge was lost. Hawks was still behind 9-6.

Another takedown by Koguashvili extended his lead to 11-6 but Hawks came right back with a two-point score out of bounds. A caution and one against Koguashvili made the score 11-9 as he holds on for a wild win.

Hawks was eliminated when Koguashvili fell in the next round. 

Quarterfinals (92 kg): Rocky Elam over Pruthviraj Patil (IND), 12-2

Elam scored three takedowns in the first period for a 6-0 lead at the break.

Patil scored a takedown off a scramble to start the second period but Elam retaliated with a takedown and turn to extend his lead to 10-2. He ended it with another takedown for a 12-2 technical superiority.

Quarterfinals (74 kg): Keegan O'Toole over Turan Bayramov (AZE), FALL

Bayramov scored the first takedown but O’Toole stepped over for a reversal to cut the lead in half. O’Toole got caught in a cradle and gave up two more points, trailing 5-1 after the first period. 

O’Toole locked up a cradle in the second period for a fall and a spot in the semis.

Quarterfinals (61 kg): Fedor Baltuev (RUS) over Jesse Mendez, 10-0

Mendez was taken down and turned four times, falling 10-0.

Mendez has been eliminated from the tournament following Baltuev's loss in the semis. 

Semifinals: Keegan O'Toole over Idar Khatanov (RUS), FALL

With a minute to go, O’Toole was lifted for two off his own show but scored on a reversal. He was taken down and cradled two times but came out of the position an exposure for a wild first period. Khatanov led 8-3 at the break.

O’Toole scored to start the second period to cut the lead to 8-5 went down 10-5 after he gave up another takedown. 

O’Toole kept the pressure, scored a takedown on the edge, then pulled out a cradle for the fall and a spot in the 74-kg finals. 

Semifinals: Rocky Elam over Ivan Kirillov (RUS), 5-3

An uneventful first period ended with Elam scoring the first point on an activity shot violation and Kirillov taking the lead on a step out.

Elam strikes in the second with a pair of two-point takedowns for a 5-3 win after two caution and ones. 

Semifinals: Ali Mohammadebrahim Akbarpourkhoddouni (IRI) over Wyatt Hendrickson, 8-5

Hendrickson gave up two points on a throw attempt but came back with back-to-back takedowns for a 4-2 lead at the break.

Akbarpourkho scored first but Hendrickson secured a reversal for a 5-4 lead midway through the period. Hendrickson gave up a step out to fall behind 5-5 but shot in immediately after the whistle but no takedown was awarded. The American corner challenged the call but the challenge was lost. Akbarpourkho won 8-5.  

Bronze medal match: Beau Bartlett over Mustafo Akhmedov (TJK), 7-4

Akhmedov scored a takedown then laced up the ankles for a 4-0 lead at the break. 

Bartlett got on the board when Akhmedov was hit with an activity clock violation then followed that up with a four-point throw out of bounds. A takedown in the closing seconds gave Bartlett a 7-4 win and a bronze medal. 

Bronze medal match: Bryce Andonian over Stanicslav Novac (MDA), 18-8

Novac hit a lace leg throw for four to get on the board first. A pair of step-outs made the score 6-0 but Andonian fired back with a late takedown. Novac took a 6-2 lead into the break.

Andonian came out with a fast pace in the second and nearly scored a takedown but got out of position and gave up two points. He fired back with a quartet of takedowns to take lead to 10-8.

Andonian took his pace to another level, scoring a takedown and two turns as Novac tried to keep his composure. Andonian scored a late takedown for an 18-8 technical superiority after being down 8-2 early in the second period. 

Gold medal match: Braxton Amos over Polat POLATCI (TUR), 11-4

Amos scored on five consecutive step-outs for a 5-0 lead. Amos had the position on a body lock but gave up a four-point throw out of bounds but still took a 5-4 lead into the break.

Amos scored a monster five-point throw from a body extend his lead to 10-4. Amos eventually won 11-4, becoming the first Junior World champion for the United States at this tournament.