Final four U.S. men’s freestylers weigh in and receive draws at UWW Junior Worlds
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by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling
SALVADOR, Brazil – The final four U.S. men’s freestyle wrestlers weighed-in and received their draws for the final day of the UWW Junior World Championships on Sunday.
2014 UWW Junior World silver medalist Aaron Pico (Whittier, Calif./Titan Mercury WC) returns at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. Pico was also a UWW Cadet World champion in 2013.
Pico opens with K. Balasz of Hungary in his first match.
“Aaron Pico is coming here with unfinished business. He not only wants to win this tournament, but he also wants to dominate. He wants to show that he’s the best Junior wrestler in the world at 65 kg,” said U.S. National
Competing on his first U.S. World team is 2015 ASICS High School Wrestler of the Year, Zahid Valencia (Pico Rivera, Calif./Sunkist Kids) at 84 kg/185 lbs.
Valencia will wrestle the winner of Benjamin Optiz of Germany and Artur Barbarosh of Ukraine.
“Zahid Valencia went to Turkey in May and won a very tough Junior tournament there. He beat a Russian in the finals. He is poised to do some damage,” said Slay.
Valencia begins his college career at Arizona State this fall. Valencia won a silver medal in his first Senior-level international event this summer at the Grand Prix of Spain.
Past Cadet World team member Stevan Micic (Cedar Lake, Ind./Chicago RTC) opens his tournament at 55 kg/121 lbs. against 2015 Asian Junior champion Ravi Kumar of India.
Micic, who attended Northwestern last year, is reportedly going to Michigan.
“Stevan Micic has been on a Cadet World Team before. I took him to Turkey this year and he got a bronze medal in a very tough Junior tournament. He has continued to progress all summer. I am excited about his opportunity,” said Slay.
Stanford heavyweight Nathan Butler (Leavenworth, Kan./California RTC) will compete at 120 kg/264.5 lbs., opening against 2014 Europeam Junior champion Beka Kandelaki of Georgia, who was fifth at Junior Worlds last year.
“Nathan Butler does not have a ton of freestyle experience, but he had a great Vegas Open and a great Trials at the Junior level. He has progressed all summer, and had great coaches around him,” said Slay.
The USA has one athlete in the medal rounds on day one, finalist Spenser Lee at 50 kg. Coach Slay is hoping the second group will have a big day on Sunday.
“We have a great group tomorrow. I am excited about day two. I hope that the team has picked up from today that this is a game of inches. That .1 is the difference between wrestling and not wrestling, that one second is the difference between making the finals being a World champion and not. I hope they realize that they have to stay focused, keep wrestling the entire time and stay on their attacks and finishing their matches. If they do that, we will win a lot of medals tomorrow,” said Slay.
UWW JUNIOR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Salvador, Brazil
55 kg/121 lbs. – Stevan Micic, Cedar Lake, Ind. (Chicago RTC)
Vs. Ravi Kumar (India), 2015 Asian Junior champion, 8th in 2013 Cadet Worlds
66 kg/145.5 lbs. – Aaron Pico, Whittier, Calif. (Titan Mercury WC)
Vs. K. Balasz (Hungary)
84 kg/185 lbs. – Zahid Valencia, Pico Rivera, Calif. (Sunkist Kids)
Vs. winner of Benjamin Optiz (Germany) and Artur Barbarosh (Ukraine)
Optiz – 5th in European Juniors
Barbarosh 7th in 2012 European Cadets
120 kg/264.5 lbs. – Nathan Butler, Leavenworth, Kan. (California RTC)
Vs. Beka Kandelaki (Georgia), 5th in 2014 Junior World Championships, 2014 European Junior champion
2014 UWW Junior World silver medalist Aaron Pico (Whittier, Calif./Titan Mercury WC) returns at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. Pico was also a UWW Cadet World champion in 2013.
Pico opens with K. Balasz of Hungary in his first match.
“Aaron Pico is coming here with unfinished business. He not only wants to win this tournament, but he also wants to dominate. He wants to show that he’s the best Junior wrestler in the world at 65 kg,” said U.S. National
Competing on his first U.S. World team is 2015 ASICS High School Wrestler of the Year, Zahid Valencia (Pico Rivera, Calif./Sunkist Kids) at 84 kg/185 lbs.
Valencia will wrestle the winner of Benjamin Optiz of Germany and Artur Barbarosh of Ukraine.
“Zahid Valencia went to Turkey in May and won a very tough Junior tournament there. He beat a Russian in the finals. He is poised to do some damage,” said Slay.
Valencia begins his college career at Arizona State this fall. Valencia won a silver medal in his first Senior-level international event this summer at the Grand Prix of Spain.
Past Cadet World team member Stevan Micic (Cedar Lake, Ind./Chicago RTC) opens his tournament at 55 kg/121 lbs. against 2015 Asian Junior champion Ravi Kumar of India.
Micic, who attended Northwestern last year, is reportedly going to Michigan.
“Stevan Micic has been on a Cadet World Team before. I took him to Turkey this year and he got a bronze medal in a very tough Junior tournament. He has continued to progress all summer. I am excited about his opportunity,” said Slay.
Stanford heavyweight Nathan Butler (Leavenworth, Kan./California RTC) will compete at 120 kg/264.5 lbs., opening against 2014 Europeam Junior champion Beka Kandelaki of Georgia, who was fifth at Junior Worlds last year.
“Nathan Butler does not have a ton of freestyle experience, but he had a great Vegas Open and a great Trials at the Junior level. He has progressed all summer, and had great coaches around him,” said Slay.
The USA has one athlete in the medal rounds on day one, finalist Spenser Lee at 50 kg. Coach Slay is hoping the second group will have a big day on Sunday.
“We have a great group tomorrow. I am excited about day two. I hope that the team has picked up from today that this is a game of inches. That .1 is the difference between wrestling and not wrestling, that one second is the difference between making the finals being a World champion and not. I hope they realize that they have to stay focused, keep wrestling the entire time and stay on their attacks and finishing their matches. If they do that, we will win a lot of medals tomorrow,” said Slay.
UWW JUNIOR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Salvador, Brazil
55 kg/121 lbs. – Stevan Micic, Cedar Lake, Ind. (Chicago RTC)
Vs. Ravi Kumar (India), 2015 Asian Junior champion, 8th in 2013 Cadet Worlds
66 kg/145.5 lbs. – Aaron Pico, Whittier, Calif. (Titan Mercury WC)
Vs. K. Balasz (Hungary)
84 kg/185 lbs. – Zahid Valencia, Pico Rivera, Calif. (Sunkist Kids)
Vs. winner of Benjamin Optiz (Germany) and Artur Barbarosh (Ukraine)
Optiz – 5th in European Juniors
Barbarosh 7th in 2012 European Cadets
120 kg/264.5 lbs. – Nathan Butler, Leavenworth, Kan. (California RTC)
Vs. Beka Kandelaki (Georgia), 5th in 2014 Junior World Championships, 2014 European Junior champion
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