Team USA Updates From The Yasar Dogu
Team USA Updates From The Yasar Dogu
Updates on Team USA's results at the Yasar Dogu tournament in Turkey.
Team USA has finished wrestling at the Yasar Dogu tournament in Turkey and is bringing home some hardware. Take a look below at how the men's and women's teams performed at the first ranking series tournament of the year.
Watch Live
Another Gold For Burroughs
Jordan Burroughs added another gold to his trophy case on Sunday and he earned this one. Burroughs started his day with two tech falls to reach the quarterfinals. In the quarters, Burroughs took on Russia’s Gadzhimurad Alikhmaev and won a hard-fought 4-1 match. Then, in the semis, Iran’s Ali Savadkhoui gave Burroughs a battle. Savadkhoui mostly played defense and held solid position throughout the match. Savadkhoui almost had the match in hand until he grabbed Burroughs singlet with less than 30 seconds remaining to give Burroughs a penalty point and the 2-1 win. Burroughs met fellow American Chance Marsteller in the finals and was able to open up his offense a bit to secure an 8-0 victory. You can watch their finals match below.
Burroughs win over Russia's Alikhmaev (things got chippy in this one):
Despite the loss, Chance Marsteller put together an outstanding tournament. He defeated David McFadden in the opening round and then met 2014 World Champion Khetitk Tsabolov. McFadden scored in a variety of ways and used strong defense to take the match, 10-5 over Tsabolov. Marsteller followed up that win by defeating Turkey’s Nuri Temur, 5-2 and #9 Arsalan Budazhapov 6-3. This was the best showing of Marsteller’s young freestyle career and is a great sign of things to come for Chance.
Marsteller's win over Tsabolov:
James Green = Still Got It
James Green has been the best 70kg wrestler in America since 2015 and it doesn’t look like he’s slowing down any time soon. Green put together an outstanding tournament that started with two, 10-0 techs to reach the semi-finals. There, Green met Russia’s #5 Viktor Rassadin who was riding the momentum of his quarterfinal win over 2021 world silver medalist #2 Ernazar Akmataliev. On top of that win, Rassadin won the Yarygin last month in an incredibly deep field that included both James Green and Alec Pantaleo (who both failed to place). Green and Rassadin wrestled a tight match throughout with Rassadin leading 2-1 off a single takedown in the second. Then, with little time on the clock, Green got to a right side single leg and finished for the winning takedown with only 10 seconds left in the match to make the finals. Though Green lost in the finals to Iran’s 2021 world silver medalist Amir Yazdani (at 65kg), the tournament was a great success for Green proving he’s still capable of competing with the best in the world at 70kg.
McKenna and Megaludis Bringing Home Bronze
Prior to the Yasar Dogu, Nico Megaludis hadn’t competed since May of 2019. However, Megaludis’ performance in Turkey showed us he didn't lose a step. Megaludis won his opening match 11-7 over Austrail’s Georgii Okorokov before falling to India’s Olympic Silver medalist Ravi Kumar (10-1) in the quarterfinals. Kumar went on to make the finals giving Megaludis a second chance at a medal. Megaludis took full advantage of that chance winning his final two matches, 4-4 over Shamil Omarov (ITA) and 6-4 over Mohammadbagher Yakhkeshi (IRI), to secure bronze. Take a look at Megaludis’ come from behind victory in the bronze medal match below.
Last month Joey McKenna defeated world bronze medalist Akhmed Chakaev and went on to take 5th at one of the toughest brackets at the Yarygin. McKenna proved that result wasn’t a fluke as he earned bronze at the Yasar Dogu on Sunday. McKenna started his tournament with a 15-4 win over Bekzat Yermekbay (KAZ) and followed it up with a 17-9 victory over fellow American Evan Henderson. McKenna then met 2021 world champion Zagir Shakhiev in the quarterfinals and narrowly fell in a thrilling 11-9 match. Shakhiev went on to make the finals giving McKenna the opportunity to wrestle back for bronze. He proved worthy of the opportunity with a pin in his repechage match over Nikolai Okhlopkov (ROU) and earned the bronze medal after his final opponent forfeited due to injury. Check out McKenna’s repechage win over Okhlopkov below.
Team USA’s Full Results
Overall, Team USA sent 28 wrestlers to Turkey and is bringing home 12 medals - 3 golds, 4 silvers, and 5 bronzes. Take a look at the full results from the men’s and women’s teams below.
Men's Freestyle
- 61kg - Nico Megaludis - Bronze
- 61kg - Daniel Deshazer - 0-1, DNP
- 65kg - Evan Henderson - 0-1, DNP
- 65kg - Joey McKenna - Bronze
- 70kg - James Green - Silver
- 70kg - Jordan Oliver - 0-1, DNP
- 70kg - Anthony Ashnault - 0-1, DNP
- 74kg - Joey Lavallee - 0-1, DNP
- 79kg - Jordan Burroughs - Gold
- 79kg - Chance Marsteller - Silver
- 79kg - David McFadden - 1-2, DNP
- 86kg - Mark Hall - 0-1, DNP
- 97kg - Kollin Moore - Bronze
- 125kg - Nick Gwiazdowski - 1-1, DNP
- 125kg - Hayden Zillmer - 0-1, DNP
Women’s Freestyle
- 50kg - Amy Fearnside - 2-2, 5th
- 50kg - Erin Golston - 0-1, DNP
- 53kg - Dom Parrish - Bronze
- 55kg - Jacarra Winchester - Gold
- 55kg - Sophia Mirabella - 0-1, DNP
- 59kg - Michaela Beck - 0-1, DNP
- 62kg - Macey Kilty - Silver
- 65kg - Emma Bruntil - Bronze
- 65kg - Forrest Molinari - Gold
- 65kg - Mallory Velte - Silver
- 68kg - Sollin Piearcy - 0-1, DNP
- 76kg - Precious Bell - 0-1, DNP
- 76kg - Victoria Francis - 2-2, 5th
To watch every match from the Yasar Dogu, check out the event hub here.
OLDER UPDATES BELOW
Winchester And Molinari Bringing Home GOLD
Jacarra Winchester and Forrest Molinari both put together outstanding tournaments to win gold in Turkey. Winchester started off her day with a dominant 11-0 tech fall but was tested in her final three matches. After a hard fought 9-5 quarterfinal victory over Russia’s Ekaterina Isakova, Winchester met world medalist Vinesh Phogat (IND) in the semi-finals. Winchester fell behind early but fought back to score a quick 5 point flurry late in the second. Then leading 5-3 with under 20 seconds left, Winchester came out on top of a scramble to pin Phogat and move onto the finals. Winchester’s finals match against Katarzyna Krawczyk (POL) was even more of a roller coaster. Jacarra led most of the match but gave up a big 4-point move with less than 30 seconds to trail 4-3. However, she responded with a 4-point move of her own with 7 seconds left in the match to win 7-3. Check out her semifinal and finals matches below.
Winchester's win in the semis over Phogat
Winchester's gold medal match:
Forrest Molinari opened up her tournament with two pins including one over fellow American Emma Bruntil in the quarterfinals. That win over Bruntil avenges a loss from the Yarygin finals in January where Bruntil came out on top, 4-2. After winning a close, 5-3 match in the semi-finals, Molinari met another American, Mallory Velte for gold. In the finals, Velte got out to a 3-0 lead before Molinari closed the gap to 3-2 at the break. Then in the second, Molinari used a takedown and turn to take the lead 6-4. She never surrendered the advantage and added a step-out to win 7-4 over Velte. Check out the back-and-forth finals match below.
Three Bronze Medals For USA
Dom Parrish, Emma Bruntil, and Kollin Moore all added to the medal count for Team USA on Saturday by battling back after tough losses to earn bronze at the Dogu. Parrish put together a great tournament and was a takedown away from making the finals. In her semi-final match, she was up 8-0 against Mongolia’s Bat Ochir (the eventual champion), but was caught in a scramble and pinned. Parrish, however, responded with a pin of her own in the bronze medal match.
Parrish’s bronze medal match:
Though Bruntil lost to Molinari, she won her bronze medal match over Olympian and 2019 world bronze medalist Elis Manolova (AZE), 3-2. Bruntil’s bronze medal marks the third international medal she’s won in the past month - Bruntil won gold at the Yarygin (January) and gold at the Kolov (February). Bruntil has made great strides over the past year and will be one of the top contenders to make the 65kg world team spot this year for the United States.
Bruntil’s bronze medal win over Manolova:
Kollin Moore was the final American to wrestle on Saturday and closed out his tournament with a bronze medal. Moore came up short in the semi-finals against Russia’s Alikhan Zhabrailov - losing 8-2. That loss for Moore is nothing to be ashamed of as Zhabrailov is Russia’s #2 97kg wrestler (behind Sadualaev) and has won Russian Nationals (2020 and 2021), the 2020 Individual World Cup, and the 2021 European Championships. Moore’s bronze medal match was a hard-fought, 3-1 decision over Burak Sahin. The difference in the match came with just over a minute left in the match with the score tied at 1. Moore hit a slick outside-step duck under for the match-winning takedown. Check out the full match below.
Team USA’s Full Results
So far, Team USA has had 16 wrestlers take the mat in Turkey with 7 winning medals. Take a look below at how every wrestler from team USA has fared up to this point. Also, check out the members of Team USA who will compete on Sunday in Men's Freestyle.
Women’s Freestyle
- 50kg - Amy Fearnside - 2-2, 5th
- 50kg - Erin Golston - 0-1, DNP
- 53kg - Dom Parrish - Bronze
- 55kg - Jacarra Winchester - Gold
- 55kg - Sophia Mirabella - 0-1, DNP
- 59kg - Michaela Beck - 0-1, DNP
- 62kg - Macey Kilty - Silver
- 65kg - Emma Bruntil - Bronze
- 65kg - Forrest Molinari - Gold
- 65kg - Mallory Velte - Silver
- 68kg - Sollin Piearcy - 0-1, DNP
- 76kg - Precious Bell - 0-1, DNP
- 76kg - Victoria Francis - 2-2, 5th
Men's Freestyle:
- 97kg - Kollin Moore - Bronze
- 125kg - Nick Gwiazdowski - 1-1, DNP
- 125kg - Hayden Zillmer - 0-1, DNP
Competing on Sunday:
- 61kg - Nico Megaludis
- 61kg - Daniel Deshazer
- 65kg - Evan Henderson
- 65kg - Joey McKenna
- 70kg - James Green
- 70kg - Jordan Oliver
- 70kg - Anthony Ashnault
- 74kg - Joey Lavallee
- 79kg - Jordan Burroughs
- 79kg - Chance Marsteller
- 79kg - David McFadden
- 86kg - Mark Hall
The opening round for the above 12 wrestlers begins on Sunday morning, February 27th at 2:30 am (ET). Medal matches will begin at 10:00 am (ET).
Previous Updates Below
Kilty and Francis Fall Short In Medal Matches
Macey Kilty wrestled 2014 world champion Tserenchimed Sukhee (MGL) in the 62 kg finals of the Yasar Dogu. The two in January in the finals of the Yarygin where Sukhee came out on top, 12-0. In their match at the Dogu, Sukhee got out to a quick 4-0 lead with a takedown and turn within the first 20 seconds of the match. Kilty worked hard to tie up Sukhee but the Mongolian turned Kilty's pressure into a big 4 point throw to extend her lead to 8-0. Just before the end of the first, Sukhee scored another 4 points on a double leg to once again take out Kilty, 12-0. Despite the loss, the silver medal performance is a great showing for Kilty after suffering a serious injury in the finals of the Olympic Trials last April.
Kilty's gold medal match against Sukhee:
Victoria Francis had a battle in the bronze medal match against Kazakhstan's Gulmaral Yerkebayeva. Francis fell behind in the first after giving up a shot-clock point and trailed 1-0 going into the break. In the second period, Francis was successful in moving Yerkebayeva around the mat but was unable to convert on that pressure with any points. In fact, Yerkebayeva almost stepped out twice but was able to turn and earn step-outs of her own to extend her lead to 3-0. Francis continued to pressure forward the entire match but ultimately fell, 5-1 to Yerkebayeva.
Francis' bronze medal match against Yerkebayeva:
Up Next For Team USA
Eleven more Americans are scheduled to take the mat Saturday in Turkey - take a look at the remaining wrestlers for Team USA:
Women's Freestyle:
- 50kg - Amy Fearnside
- 50kg - Erin Golston
- 53kg - Dom Parrish
- 55kg - Jacarra Winchester
- 55kg - Sophia Mirabella
- 59kg - Michaela Beck
- 65kg - Emma Bruntil
- 65kg - Forrest Molinari
- 65kg - Mallory Velte
Men's Freestyle:
Competing Saturday
- 97kg - Kollin Moore
- 125kg - Nick Gwiazdowski
- 125kg - Hayden Zillmer
Competing Sunday
- 61kg - Nico Megaludis
- 61kg - Daniel Deshazer
- 65kg - Evan Henderson
- 65kg - Joey McKenna
- 70kg - James Green
- 70kg - Jordan Oliver
- 70kg - Anthony Ashnault
- 74kg - Joey Lavallee
- 79kg - Jordan Burroughs
- 79kg - Chance Marsteller
- 79kg - David McFadden
- 86kg - Mark Hall
OLDER UPDATES BELOW
Macey Kilty Going For Gold
While most Americans were sleeping, Macey Kilty was rolling through her 62kg bracket at the Yasar Dogu! Kilty started off her morning by pinning Russia's Murtuzalieva in just over a minute. In her quarter-final match against Lipatova (ROU), Kilty got out to a quick, 4-0 lead before giving up a 4-point move. After a lost challenge, Kilty was down 5-4 but responded with 3 takedowns in the second period to move on to the semi-finals with a 10-5 win. In the semi-finals against Ivanova (BLR), Kilty was far more dominant. After surrendering the first takedown, Kilty went on to score 14 straight points to close out the match and make the finals with a 14-2 tech fall. Kilty will face Mongolia's Tserenchimed Sukhee in the finals. Sukhee won the world championships in 2014 and most recently defeated Kilty in the finals of the 2022 Yarygin, 12-0.
Kilty's semi-final win over Ivanova:
Victoria Francis Battles Back After Tough Loss
Victoria Francis started off her morning with a tough, 10-2 loss to Martina Kuenz (AUT). However, because Kuenz made the finals, Francis was pulled back into the tournament. She made the most of her opportunity with two wins in the repechage to make the bronze medal match. In the bronze medal match, Francis will face Kazakhstan's Gulmaral Yerkebayeva.
Francis' win in repechage to make the bronze medal match:
Precious Bell and Sollin Piearcy were also in action at the Yasar Dogu but went 0-1 and were eliminated from medal contention. Kilty's and Francis' medal matches are set to begin at 10:00 am (ET) on Friday.