Kenny & Blaze: American Wrestlers Dominate U17 World Championships, Going for Gold!

Team USA’s Marcus Blaze secures spot for gold.

Photo courtesy of United World Wrestling

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ISTANBUL, Turkey – The inaugural day of the 2023 U17 World Championships in men's freestyle wrestling witnessed impressive performances from American athletes, as two secured berths in the finals for the gold medal, while two others advanced to the bronze-medal matches.

Representing the United States, Paul Kenny from New Jersey (48 kg) and Marcus Blaze from Ohio (55 kg) showcased their exceptional abilities and earned their spots in the gold medal bouts.

Kenny's semifinal clash against Sam Sayar of Iran was a fierce contest, displaying the determination and resilience of both wrestlers. Despite Sayar initially taking the lead, Kenny fought back relentlessly. The match concluded with an 8-8 tie, but Kenny emerged the victor based on the criteria. In the finals, Kenny will face Yamato Furusawa of Japan, the reigning champion of the 2022 Asian U15 tournament. It is worth noting that Joey Bachmann, a citizen of the United States, will compete for the bronze medal at 48 kg, representing Puerto Rico. Bachmann's brother Freddy will commence his pursuit of a gold medal Saturday. They were eligible to represent Puerto Rico due to their maternal lineage.

USA coach James Green in the corner of Athlete

Photo courtesy of United World Wrestling

Blaze's semifinal encounter against Samvel Gevorgyan of Armenia was a dominant display of skill and technique. Blaze secured an impressive 11-0 technical fall in the first period, showcasing his superiority. With a 3-0 lead, Blaze executed flawless takedowns and turns, sealing his victory. In the finals, Blaze will face Ankush of India, the champion of the 2023 Asian U17 competition.

Although Brock Mantanona from California (65 kg) and Zack Ryder from New York (80 kg) suffered defeats in their semifinal matches, they still have the opportunity to compete for bronze medals on Saturday.

Mantanona encountered a powerful opponent in Magomed Alibakharchiev, a Neutral Athlete, who secured a dominant 14-2 technical fall. Despite engaging in numerous active exchanges, Mantanona struggled to accumulate points, ultimately leading to his opponent's victory. In the bronze-medal bout, Mantanona will face one of three wrestlers from his repechage chain: Fares Elsawy of Egypt, Keyvan Gharedhaghi of Japan, or Khizir Daciev of France.

Ryder, a bronze medalist in the 2022 U17 World Championships, faced a tough challenge in his semifinal match against Alexandru Bors of Moldova, resulting in a 4-1 loss. Ryder initially took the lead with a 1-0 advantage after the first period. However, in the second period, Ryder was placed on the shot clock, allowing Bors to secure a takedown and gain an additional point. Despite a late attempt to score, Ryder couldn't overcome the deficit before time expired. In the bronze-medal bout, Ryder will face one of three wrestlers from his repechage chain: Adam Mizsei of Hungary, Daniel Simonian of Israel, or Ismayil Asadli of Azerbaijan.

Sampson Stillwell of Missouri, the other U.S. athlete in Group One, was eliminated from the competition as his opponent, Henrik Haykyan of Armenia, lost in the semifinals. Only wrestlers who lose to finalists have the opportunity to advance to the repechage rounds.

Tune in to the live streaming of the championship gold medal finals on Flo Wrestling, starting at 11am EST Saturday!

Men’s Freestyle Finals pairings

48 kg - Yamato Furusawa (Japan) vs. Paul Kenny (United States)

55 kg - Ankush (India) vs. Marcus Blaze (United States)

65 kg - Magomed Alibakharchiev (Individual Neutral Athlete) vs. Sina Khalili (Iran)

80 kg - Alexandru Bors (Moldova) vs. Magomed Idrisov (Individual Neutral Athlete)

110 kg - Yedige Kassimbek (Kazakhstan) vs. Yusif Dursunov (Azerbaijan)