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.

 

 

#BeachWrestling

African Beach Wrestling Championships 2024: All you need to know

By Vinay Siwach

DAKAR, Senegal (June 21) -- The second edition of the African Beach Wrestling Championships will be held in Dakar, Senegal. The tournament, to be played on June 22 and 23 at the Arène Nationale de Lutte, will see 103 wrestlers competing in four weight classes each in men's and women's categories.

The first African Championships in Beach Wrestling was held in Hammamet, which also hosted the African Beach Games, last year.

The two-day tournament will streamed live on the United World Wrestling Beach Wrestling Series YouTube channel. All the action can be accessed here. On Saturday, the group bouts in all weight classes will begin at 10:00 hours local time till 13:00 hours. After a two-hour break, the competition will resume with more group-stage bouts at 15:00 hours.

On Sunday, the morning session will see the remaining group-stage bouts in all weight classes in both categories beginning at 10:00 hours. The evening session will begin at 15:00 hours with all the elimination and medal bouts. A closing ceremony is scheduled at 19:30 hours.

For regular updates, log on to uww.org or the UWW App and follow United World Wrestling channels on Instagram, Facebook, X, and YouTube.

Here are the wrestlers competing in the weight classes in Dakar on Saturday and Sunday.

Siny SEMBENE (SEN)Siny SEMBENE (SEN) will look to defend his 90kg title in Dakar. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Bayrem Ben Mrad)

Men's Beach Wrestling

70kg
Chamseddine ABDEMEZIEM (ALG)
Reginaldo da SILVA (ANG)
Yves NISHIMWE (BDI)
Baki ISSIAKO (BEN)
Herve KI (BUR)
Guy LAGO (CIV)
Gibriel CHOW (GAM)
Wotna NDOC (GBS)
Rafael NZE OYANA (GEQ)
Thierno DIALLO (GUI)
Kenneth KOECH (KEN)
Faly RANDRIANANTOANDRO (MAD)
Gilbert EMILIE (MRI)
Djamilou BAKOYE BAJINI (NIG)
Adama THIOR (SEN)
Nkosinathi MAKHANYA (SWZ)
Rodgers MUKYEDA (UGA)
Kangwa DAKA (ZAM)

80kg
Chawki DOULACHE (ALG)
Kieto PACHECO (ANG)
Firmin TOSSE (BEN)
Jeffias KULUBE (BOT)
Koni DIALLO (BUR)
Nelson OBROU (CAF)
Dongui AHAMED ABASSE (CAF)
Michel DOLE BONDELE (CGO)
Samluel FALINA DOGOM (CHA)
Anthony WESLEY (CPV)
Modou JOBE (GAM)
Caetano SA (GBS)
Mathayo MAHABILA (KEN)
Mohammed BOUAZOUNI (MAR)
Jesse VAN BAALEN (RSA)
Mbaye DIOP (SEN)
Ya NDONG (SEN)
Foday KARGBO (SLE)
Ibrahim AHMED (SUD)
Joseph KAKIZIBA (TAN)
Khairiddine BEN TLILI (TUN)

90kg
Ayelodjou TCHEDE (BEN)
Karim BAZONGO (BUR)
Cedric ABOSSOLO (CMR)
Matteo MONTEIRO FURTADO TRESSE (CPV)
Ahmed MAHMOUD (EGY)
Adama SARR (GAM)
Emmanuel OSEI SARFO (GHA)
Mohamed CAMARA (GUI)
Mark ONGUYESI (KEN)
Harrison ONOVWIOMOGBOHWO (NGR)
Siny SEMBENE (SEN)

+90kg
Amine BENDJELLOUL (ALG)
Islam INOUSSA (BEN)
Alain GUERET (CAF)
Borcel BOUKAKA (CGO)
Babacarr MBOGE (GAM)
Issah FUSEINI (GHA)
Dan CHEPTAI (KEN)
Pieter UYS (NAM)
Mouhamed BAYO (SEN)
Alaza SAYIBIA (TOG)

Amy YOUIN (CIV)Amy YOUIN (CIV) is entered at +70kg for the African Beach Wrestling Championships. (Photo: United World Wrestling / Bayrem Ben Mrad)

Women's Beach Wrestling

50kg
Cheima CHEBILA (ALG)
Gouleli BATIO (BUR)
Nde YAPI (CIV)
Rose KOMBE (CMR)
Debora TURE (GBS)
Emma WANGILA (KEN)
Nahamie SAMBOU (SEN)

60kg
Lassaleth ANTONIO (ANG)
Julienne UWIMANA (BDI)
Sofiath ADJAI (BEN)
Wendgounda NABI (BUR)
Nogona BAKAYOKO (CIV)
Farah HUSSEIN (EGY)
Rohey CHAM (GAM)
Alberta TETTEH (GHA)
Emily WANYAMA (KEN)
Solo MIORANIRINA (MAD)
Zineb HASSOUNE (MAR)
Vihanshy KANAPETRADU (MRI)
Ester ABRAHAM (NAM)
Hanna IDI ADAM (NIG)
Mama SAMBOU (SEN)
Siphesihle DLAMINI (SWZ)
Harriet AKITE (UGA)

70kg
Kawiyatou ISSIFOU (BEN)
Kelebogile BASUPI (BOT)
Riyanata DIALLO (BUR)
Lec Hej ANDE (CAF)
Clavina ITSAMBO NGALA (CGO)
Aminata IMBALI (GBS)
Freedom MBIYA NGUEMA (GEQ)
Safietou GOUDIABY (SEN)
Vumilia KALINGA (TAN)
Bimamdeou AGNAN (TOG)
Nour JELJELI (TUN)
Abigail MULENGA (ZAM)

+70kg
Salmantou COULIBALY (BUR)
Godah GASSIDA (CHA)
Amy YOUIN (CIV)
Ebi BIOGOS (NGR)
Lillian MBENA (RSA)
Anta SAMBOU (SEN)
Augusta DEIGH (SLE)
Patricia ELNOUR (SUD)