The last World-level tournament of the year to involve American Greco-Roman competitors begins one week from today.
On Monday, October 17, the 2022 U23 World Championships will commence in Pontevedra, Spain. As has been reported, the US roster is sufficiently strong thanks in large part to the presence of three recent Senior World Team members and three others who have attained National Team recognition. This is of course nothing new for the US program. Each year since the advent of the U23 Worlds, the United States has went into battle with formidable entrants in nearly every weight division. Success (aka medals) has thus far eluded Team USA on the U23 front in spite of the considerable talent available within this age range. But this year’s group boasts more overall experience compared to past American U23 rosters pertaining to high-profile domestic concerns and international time-on-target.
Two U20 World Medalists
— Peyton Omania (67 kg, NYAC/CYC) — ’19 bronze
— Cohlton Schultz (130 kg, Sunkist) — ’18 bronze, ’19 silver
Three Senior World Team members
— Omania (’21)
— Benji Peak (72 kg, Sunkist/NTS) — ’22
— Schultz — ’21, ’22
Two recent U23 World Team members
— Nick Boykin (97 kg, Sunkist/Ohio RTC) — ’21
— Schultz — ’18
Six Recent US National Team members
— Mason Hartshorn (63 kg, West Coast Greco RTC) — ’22
— Omania — ’21
— Peak — ’21, ’22
— Britton Holmes (77 kg, Army/WCAP) — ’22
— Boykin — ’21
— Schultz — ’19, ’20, ’21, ’22
There are other meaningful achievements among the delegation, such as Ty Cunningham (82 kg, MWC) and Boykin both having earned Pan-American bronze medals in ’22, or Camden Russell (55 kg, MWC) and Phillip Moomey (60 kg, TMWC/Spartan RTC) owning Fargo Junior titles. Just as importantly, if not more so, half of the roster has at one time or another competed overseas to various degrees of success. A full preview of the ’22 USA U23 roster will be released in the coming days on FLOWrestling.
2022 USA U23 World Team
55 kg: Camden Russell (MWC)
60 kg: Phillip Moomey (TMWC/Spartan RTC)
63 kg: Mason Hartshorn (West Coast Greco RTC)
67 kg: Peyton Omania (NYAC)
72 kg: Benji Peak (Sunkist/NTS)
77 kg: Britton Holmes (Army/WCAP)
82 kg: Ty Cunningham (MWC)
87 kg: Michial Foy (Minnesota Storm)
97 kg: Nick Boykin (Sunkist/Ohio RTC)
130 kg: Cohlton Schultz (Sunkist)
2022 U23 World Championships
FULL SCHEDULE
*All times +6 hours ET
DAY 1 — Monday, October 17
Weight categories: 55, 63, 77, 87, & 130 kg (Russell, Hartshorn, Holmes, Foy, & Schultz)
10:30am-3:00pm — Qualification rounds through quarterfinals
6:00pm-7:30pm – Semifinals
DAY 2 — Tuesday, October 18
Weight categories: 60, 67, 72, 82, & 97 kg (Moomey, Omania, Peak, Cunningham, & Boykin)
10:30am-3:30pm — Qualification rounds
10:30am-3:30pm — Repechage (DAY 1 weight categories)
4:45pm-5:45pm — Semifinals
6:00pm-8:00pm — Finals/bronze-medal matches (DAY 1 weight categories)
DAY 3 — Wednesday, October 19
10:30am-1:30pm — Repechage (DAY 2 weight categories)
6:00pm-8:00pm — Finals/bronze-medal matches (DAY 2 weight categories)
PWL-2 Adds Two Lightweight Stars
The Russian Wrestling Federation, in their ongoing attempt to mitigate exclusion from sanctioned World competition, is holding the second edition of the Poddubny Wrestling League this week (Wednesday and Thursday). Dubbed PWL-2: Ranking Series, the entire card (which does feature an accompanying tournament format) offers numerous match-ups across different wrestling styles, but it is in Greco-Roman where the biggest buzz has been made.
A pair of bouts to be contested at 60 kilograms will serve as the Greco headliners — ’18 World Champion/’20 Olympic bronze Sergey Emelin (RUS) vs. ’20 Olympic Champion Luis Orta Sanchez (CUB), and ’22 World Champion Zholaman Sharshenbekov (KGZ) vs. ’21 U23/’19 Junior World gold Anvar Allakhiarov (RUS). Orta Sanchez returned from a year-long break up at 63 kilograms to finish 7th in Belgrade last month while Sharshenbekov ran the table one weight category lower.
USA to Sweden
For the first time in three years, a gathering of American age-groupers (with some Seniors) are heading overseas to Sweden later this month for training and two competitions (the Malar Cupen and a team dual). The full roster, along with other pertinent details and insights, will be released next week.
Listen to “5PM52: Two-Time Olympian Jim Gruenwald” on Spreaker.
Listen to “5PM51: Lining up with Tanner Farmer” on Spreaker.
Listen to “5PM50: Mr. Fantastic Benji Peak” on Spreaker.
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