It started on Monday and concluded earlier this afternoon as Payton Jacobson (87 kg, NYAC/NTS) became only the second American athlete to earn a U23 World medal.
The medal round on Day 2 at the 2025 U23 World Championships began at 6:00pm local time from Novi Sad, Serbia (12:00pm ET) and streamed live on FLOWrestling.
Following a first day of action which saw Jacobson win three matches — one of which required a clutch four-point lift — and subsequently fall short in the semifinal against reigning Senior World gold Gholamreza Farokhisenjani (IRI), he walked into Tuesday already sitting in the bronze-medal round. His opponent, Lachin Valiyev, had emerged from the repechage bracket and was expected to provide a stiff test, but certainly one that Jacobson could pass if clicking on all cylinders.
And from whistle to whistle, those cylinders weren’t just “clicking”, they were pulsating with purpose.
Jacobson pursued Valiyev as soon as contact was permitted. Early hand-fighting eventually gave way to psuedo-static positions with both wrestlers searching for handles, though it was the American who exhibited clearer intent, as evidenced by a fleeting try at an arm spin. Passivity then rang out on Valiyev, but Jacobson could not muster a turn from top par terre.
Later in the period, Jacobson struck by managing to lock his hands for a correct-throw bodylock at the edge. That made the score 3-0 for Team USA and it stayed that way heading into Period 2.
Conventional thinking suggested, due to the typical nature in which matches are governed, that Valiyev would be the beneficiary of the next passivity call — which he was. From top, he achieved his lock to score two points from a gutwrench and assume a 3-3 criteria lead. Following the points update, time was called to address ketchup on the Azer (there were numerous blood time-outs during the match). Nevertheless, the directive was simple to understand: Jacobson had to score, in whichever way possible. And he didn’t have a lot of time to do it — for the more the clock ticked away, the more tolerant officials might be should Valiyev go on skates.
So Jacobson took matters into his own hands and, after a reset, bulldozed inside on Valiyev to compel an off-balance that resulted in his darting behind, and on top, for a takedown as well as an outright 5-3 lead. Valiyev did not have much left in the aftermath of the action. Jacobson’s pace likewise did not cease nor cede, and he chugged along deflecting any and all of his opponent’s overtures to secure his first World medal.
With the win, Jacobson becomes the second United States wrestler to earn a U23 World medal after Beka Melelashvili (82 kg, NYAC) came away with silver last year (Melelashvili will attempt to add to his collection starting tomorrow morning). The ’24 Olympian also holds the distinction of being Northern Michigan University’s first World medalist since Alston Nutter (67 kg, Army/WCAP) captured bronze on the U20 level in ’19.
2025 U23 World Championships
October 20-23 — Novi Sad, SRB
TEAM USA DAY 2 RESULTS
87 kg: Payton Jacobson (NYAC/NTS) — BRONZE
WON Rohit Bura (IND) 8-0, TF
WON Gabriel Lupasco (MDA) 7-1
WON Zaur Shangereev (UWW) 5-3
LOSS Gholamreza Farokhisenjani (IRI) 9-0, TF
WON Lachin Valiyev (AZE) 5-3
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