After two days of wrestling at the 2024 CISM Military World Championships in Yerevan, Armenia, the United States has achieved a significant milestone by having multiple medalists from a CISM event for a second consecutive year. And they have Kamal Bey (82 kg, Army/WCAP) to thank for it.
Bey was defeated by 2024 World champion Burhan Akbudak (TUR) in the qualification round but rebounded with a breezy victory over Rahul Rahul (IND) to advance to the bronze round. Once there, the popular American star got past Shahin Bodaghi of Iran to secure a spot on the podium.
(As noted on Wednesday, official scores from this running of the CISM Military World Championships are not [yet] available on a front-facing platform; the event is available to watch on YouTube but only one mat is featured on the stream.)
Bey’s triumph against Bodaghi provided to the US their second medalist of the tournament following Ildar Hafizov‘s (63 kg, Army/WCAP) run to silver on Wednesday. Last year, Dalton Roberts (60 kg, Army/WCAP), Alex Sancho (Army/WCAP), and John Stefanowicz (Navy WC) each earned bronze at the CISM World tournament in Baku, Azerbaijan.
Sullivan & Sancho
’21 U20/’24 U23 World Team member Billy Sullivan (55 kg, Army/WCAP) fell in the opening round to Shamshiri Kiyanoush (IRI). Kiyanoush did not make the final, which therefore eliminated Sullivan from re-entry into the event via repechage.
’20 Olympian Sancho, operating at 72 kg, did come away with a win on Thursday. He downed Jose Ortiz Carrasquilla (COL) in the round-of-16. But in his following contest, Sancho was defeated by well-decorated Shant Khachatryan of host country Armenia. Sancho was dinged for passivity in the first period, which allowed Khachatryan a chance from par terre top. The American did all he could to defend against the lock, but Khachatryan was able to rotate four gutwrenches and end the match prematurely. Khachatryan lost in the semifinal to put an end to Sancho’s appearance in the tournament.
Friday
The CISM Military World Championships concludes on Friday with three more medal opportunities for the Americans. Going for Team USA are two-time World Teamer Spencer Woods (87 kg, Army/WCAP), Timothy Young (97 kg, Army/WCAP), and Jeremiah Imonode (97 kg, Army/WCAP). The event can be streamed live on YouTube at this link.
2024 CISM Military World Championships
November 20-22 — Yerevan, ARM
TEAM USA DAY 2 RESULTS
55 kg: Billy Sullivan (Army/WCAP) — 10th
LOSS Shamshiri Kiyanoush (IRI)
72 kg: Alex Sancho (Army/WCAP) — 8th
WON Jose Ortiz Carrasquilla (COL)
LOSS Shant Khachatryan (ARM)
82 kg: Kamal Bey (Army/WCAP) — BRONZE
LOSS Burhan Akbudak (TUR)
WON Rahul Rahul (IND)
WON Shahin Bodaghi (IRI)
TEAM USA DAY 1 RESULTS
60 kg: Dalton Roberts (Army/WCAP) — 9th
LOSS Aidos Sultangali (KAZ)
63 kg: Ildar Hafizov (Army/WCAP) — SILVER
WON Rayan Hawsawi (KSA)
WON Hrachya Poghosyan (ARM) 5-5 (criteria)
WON Oscar Ramirez Lazzo (COL)
LOSS Kerim Kamal (TUR) 4-0
67 kg: Xavier Johnson (Army/WCAP) — 7th
WON Faisal Aldossory (KSA)
LOSS Maksim Skuratov (RUS) 4-2
77 kg: Justus Scott (Army/WCAP) — 10th
LOSS Yunus Basar (TUR)
