Villafane Claims 45 kg Title Over Wax; Tsarni Adds Second U.S. Silver

Baku, Azerbaijan— The United States closed out the 2026 U17 World Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan with two silver medal performances in men’s freestyle, as Rylen Wax and Salah Tsarni both reached the top of the podium before falling just short in their respective finals on Sunday at the National Gymnastics Arena.

At 45 kg, Rylen Wax put together another strong international run, advancing to the gold medal match with wins over India, Kazakhstan, and Iran. In the finals, Wax faced a familiar opponent in Nelson Villafane III of Puerto Rico, a four-time Pan American medalist. Villafane controlled the match and secured a 7-1 decision, denying Wax a rare opportunity to become a two-time U17 World champion in the same year after Wax had already captured Greco-Roman gold earlier in the week.

Villafane’s victory carries a unique storyline. Although he represented Puerto Rico at the World Championships, he is a United States citizen and competes domestically for the Mat Assassins Wrestling Club in Pennsylvania. Due to his Puerto Rican lineage, he is eligible to represent Puerto Rico internationally. While his performance reflects the depth of talent within the USA.

At 92 kg, Salah Tsarni delivered an impressive tournament run, earning dominant victories over Ukraine, Iran, Japan, and India to reach the finals. In the championship bout, Tsarni built a 3-0 lead at the break against Russia’s Abdurazak Shabanov. However, a pivotal six-point sequence in the second period shifted the momentum, and Shabanov went on to secure a 9-4 win, leaving Tsarni with silver.

Camryn Howard also made a push on the final day at 71 kg, battling through repechage with a notable 5-2 win over Uzbekistan’s Jaloliddin Djalalov. His tournament came to an end one match shy of a medal after an 11-2 loss to Kazakhstan’s Adilet Rysbay, placing seventh overall.

As a team, the United States finished seventh in men’s freestyle with 68 points. Russia narrowly claimed the team title with 146 points, edging Iran by a single point, while India placed third with 123 points.

Across all disciplines in Baku, Team USA secured a total of 12 medals, including five gold, four silver, and three bronze, highlighting another strong showing for the nation’s age-group program on the world stage.