PARIS (January 28) – The American trio of Nico MEGALUDIS, James KENNEDY and Chase PAMI secured gold medals in men’s freestyle competition, highlighting the first day of competition at the Paris International.
Megaludis claimed the 57-kg crown with a tight 3-2 decision over Torneo Citta a Sassari champion Givi DAVIDOVI (ITA). This is the second international gold for the upstart U.S. prospect in the past three months as he won the Bill Farrell International held in New York City last November.
A member of the 2014 U.S. World Team, Kennedy notched top-20 wins over fellow American Bernard FUTRELL and Heorhi KALIYEU (BLR) on his path to the finals. He made quick work of Torneo Citta a Sassari bronze medalist Emrach GASANOV (ISR) to claim the gold at 65 kg by 10-0 technical fall.
After scoring two technical falls by a combined 21-0 tally, Pami edged 2014 World University Championships bronze medalist Zsombor GULYAS (HUN) 2-1 in the 70 kg finals.
Three-time World Military Championships medalist Ivan YANKOUSKI (BLR) prevented a U.S. sweep in men’s freestyle by soundly defeating newcomer Nathan BURAK (USA) in the 97-kg gold-medal match, 7-0. Yankouski, currently ranked No. 20 in the World rankings, finished with a silver medal at the European Championships and Alexander Medved International last year.
Two-time Junior World champion Koumba LARROQUE (FRA) gave the hometown fans a thrill by claiming the women’s freestyle gold at 69 kg. Larroque downed 2016 Olympian Signe Marie FIDJE STORE (NOR) by 8-0 decision in the championship match. The young talent outscored her three opponents 31-0 on Saturday.
Also claiming women’s freestyle titles on Saturday were veteran competitors Jessica BLASZKA (NED) at 48 kg and Katarzyna KRAWCZYK (POL) at 53 kg. Both women won by fall in their respective gold medal matches.
Armenian talents Karapet CHALYAN and Maksim MANUKYAN brought home gold medals in Greco-Roman competition with controlling finals performances. Chalyan, a 2016 European bronze medalist, won a gritty 2-1 bout over Arkadiusz KULYNYCZ (POL) at 75 kg, while Manukyan, a 2016 Olympian, edged Erik SZILVASSY (HUN) 4-2 at 85 kg.
2016 Grand Prix of Hungary silver medalist Robert FRITSCH (HUN) won a close 2-0 decision over 2016 World University Championships runner-up Demeu ZHADRAYEV (KAZ) in the 71-kg gold-medal match.
Norway’s Junior World bronze medalist Felix BALDAUF cruised through the 98-kg bracket, cementing the gold medal with a 5-1 victory over 2016 Nordic Championships silver medalist Pontus LUND (SWE).
Action will resume from Paris on Sunday with the remaining weight categories in all three international styles. Complete brackets, results and a live webcast can be found at unitedworldwrestling.org.
Saturday’s medal match results:
Men’s Freestyle 57 kg (7 entries)
Gold – Nico MEGALUDIS (USA) df. Givi DAVIDOVI (ITA), 3-2
Bronze – Zoheir EL OUARRAQE (FRA) df. Shakir ANSARI (MAR) by Injury Default, 0-0
Bronze – Dzimchyk RYNCHYNAU (BLR) df. Youssoup DELIEV (FRA), 12-8
Men’s Freestyle 65 kg (11 entries)
Gold – James KENNEDY (USA) df. Emrach GASANOV (ISR) by TF, 10-0
Bronze – Bernard FUTRELL (USA) df. Heorhi KALIYEU (BLR), 4-0
Bronze – Ilman MUKHTAROV (FRA) df. Marc DIETSCHE (SUI), 9-6
Men’s Freestyle 70 kg (8 entries)
Gold – Chase PAMI (USA) df. Zsombor GULYAS (HUN), 2-1
Bronze – Jere KUNNAS (FIN) df. Massimiliano CHIARA (ITA) by TF, 11-0
Bronze – Jason WELCH (USA) df. Christian JONSSON (SWE) by TF, 13-2
Men’s Freestyle 97 kg (9 entries)
Gold – Ivan YANKOUSKI (BLR) df. Nathan BURAK (USA), 7-0
Bronze – Jordan NOBLET (FRA) df. Simone IANNATTONI (ITA), 5-2
Bronze – Wladimir REMEL (GER) df. Maxime FRANCOIS (FRA), 7-2
Greco-Roman 71 kg (13 entries)
Gold – Robert FRITSCH (HUN) df. Demeu ZHADRAYEV (KAZ), 2-0
Bronze – Evrik NIKOGHOSYAN (FRA) df. Nurzhan NADYROV (KAZ), 3-0
Bronze – Rafayel ALEKSANYAN (ARM) df. Mohamed ZAROURI (FRA) by FALL, 10-4
Greco-Roman 75 kg (16 entries)
Gold – Karapet CHALYAN (ARM) df. Arkadiusz KULYNYCZ (POL), 2-1
Bronze – Zoltan LEVAI (HUN) df. Ciro RUSSO (ITA), 2-0
Bronze – Miras BARSHYLYKOV (KAZ) df. Iwan NYLYPIUK (POL) by TF, 8-0
Greco-Roman 85 kg (8 entries)
Gold – Maksim MANUKYAN (ARM) df. Erik SZILVASSY (HUN), 4-2
Bronze – Fabio PARISI (ITA) df. Sanzhar BAGASHAR (KAZ), 2-0
Bronze – Tadeusz MICHALIK (POL) df. Azamat KUSTUBAYEV (KAZ), 2-0
Greco-Roman 98 kg (10 entries)
Gold – Felix BALDAUF (NOR) df. Pontus LUND (SWE), 5-1
Bronze – Ali Akbar HEIDARI (IRI) df. Mélonin NOUMONVI (FRA) by Injury Default, 0-0
Bronze – Daniel MILLER (USA) df. Robert ERSEK (HUN) by TF, 9-0
Women’s Freestyle 48 kg (14 entries)
Gold – Jessica BLASZKA (NED) df. Julie SABATIE (FRA) by FALL, 10-0
Bronze – Allysa CLEAVES (CAN) df. Dominika SZYNKOWSKA (POL), 4-0
Bronze – Viyaleta CHYRYK (BLR) df. Kseniya STANKEVICH (BLR) by forfeit, 0-0
Women’s Freestyle 53 kg (12 entries)
Gold – Katarzyna KRAWCZYK (POL) df. Samantha STEWART (CAN) by FALL, 4-0
Bronze – Mathilde RIVIERE (FRA) df. Paula KOZLOW (POL), 2-0
Bronze – Vanesa KALADZINSKAYA (BLR) df. Veronica MARANER (ITA) by TF, 11-0
Women’s Freestyle 69 kg (11 entries)
Gold – Koumba LARROQUE (FRA) df. Signe Marie FIDJE STORE (NOR), 8-0
Bronze – Iliana KRATYSH (ISR) df. Martina KUENZ (AUT), 3-2
Bronze – Kendra DACHER (FRA) df. Hedda Haug STRAND (NOR) by FALL, 7-0
