UPDATE: Spencer Lee wins freestyle gold medal at UWW Junior Worlds in Brazil

Spencer Lee poses with his gold medal, champion belt, watch, diploma and flowers after getting down from the top of the podium at the UWW Junior World Championships.


SALVADOR, Brazil – 2014 UWW Cadet World champion Spencer Lee (Murraysville, Pa./Young Guns) added a new title to his expanding trophy case, UWW Junior World champion.


Lee tore up the field on the way to the title at 50 kg/110 lbs., including an impressive 10-0 technical fall in the gold medal finals over another 2014 Cadet World champion Ali Reza Goodarzi of Iran at the UWW Junior Worlds on Saturday night.


Lee scored an early takedown then locked up his feared ankle lace, turning Goodarzi at least four times for two points, to get his 10 points and stop the match early in the first period.


“I was surprised I had a leg lace. They told me to cinch it up, and I cinched it up and started rolling. I didn’t stop until I heard the whistle,” said Lee.


In the course of the tournament, Lee outscored his rivals, 55-4, and earned technical falls in all five of his matches.


His march to the finals was dominant, with technical falls over Roman Gutsalyak of Ukraine, Darkhan Kalkenov of Kazakhstan, Roberti Dingashvili of Georgia and Bhart Datil of India. He beat a pair of past Cadet World champions, Goodarzi, plus Kalkenov, who was a 2013 Cadet World champion.


Lee showed more emotion than normal, raising both arms in victory,and then giving a big hug on the mat to Assistant National Freestyle Coach Brandon Slay.


“I don’t really celebrate that much. Usually I just get my hand raised. But I did that (raised both arms). Of course (I hugged Coach Slay). If it wasn’t for Coach Slay, I wouldn’t have gotten that leg lace. We did that work the whole camp. We worked on cinching it tight, driving off our feet and rolling,” said Lee.


Coach Slay was pleased and impressed with Lee’s amazing efforts.


“We just saw to be a World champion, it is really important to go from takedowns to turns. Lee has done it a lot in the past, but he specifically did it today in every one of his matches. That is what separates him from the other guys. He took people down, then went right into his lace or his gut and teched them. He kept the same focus in the finals,” said Slay.


2014 UWW Cadet World champion Mark Hall (Apple Valley, Minn./Minnesota Storm) was eliminated at 74 kg/163 lbs. with a 2-1 record and finished ninth.


Hall opened with a 6-2 win over 2014 Youth Olympic Games champion Yayuro Yamasaki of Japan. Hall next defeated European Junior bronze medalist Murad Suleymanov of Azerbaijan with a pin in 5:34.


In the quarterfinals Hall lost to Peter Nagy of Hungary, an athlete who had lived in Iowa and Florida and won a gold medal at the Cadet Nationals in Greco-Roman. Hall was leading 2-1 as time was running out, when Nagy scored a spin behind takedown with one second to go for a 3-2 lead. A U.S. protest was denied, with the final score 4-2.


Nagy lost in the semifinals, knocking Hall out of the tournament. Nagy ended up with a bronze medal.


Penn State wrestler Anthony Cassar (Bridgewater, N.J./Nittany Lion WC) finished with a 1-1 record at 96 kg/211.5 lbs. and finished eighth in the standings.


He opened with a 10-0 technical fall over Kristoff Wittmann of Hungary. In his second round match against Roubel Singh of India, led 4-0 lead. Singh scored a takedown and put Cassar right to his back, earning a pin. Cassar was injured during the exchange. When Singh failed to make the finals, Cassar was eliminated.


Four more U.S. wrestlers go on Sunday: Stevan Micic (55 kg), Aaron Pico (66 kg), Zahid Valencia (84 kg) and Nathan Butler (120 kg)

UWW JUNIOR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Salvador, Brazil

Men’s Freestyle performance


50 kg/110 lbs. – Spencer Lee, Murraysville, Pa. (Young Guns), gold medal

WIN Roman Gutsalyak (Ukraine), tech. fall 10-0

WIN Darkhan Kalkenov (Kazakhstan), tech. fall 12-2

WIN Roberti Dingashvili (Georgia), tech. fall 10-0

WIN Bhart Datil (India), tech. fall 12-2

WIN Ali Reza Goodarzi (Iran), tech fall 10-0


74 kg163 lbs. – Mark Hall, Apple Valley, Minn. (Minnesota Storm), 9th

WIN Yayuro Yamasaki (Japan), 6-2

WIN Murad Suleymanov (Azerbaijan), pin 5:34

LOSS Peter Nagy (Hungary), 4-2


96 kg/211.5 lbs. – Anthony Cassar, Bridgewater, N.J. (Nittany Lion WC), 8th

WIN Kristoff Wittmann (Hungary), tech. fall 10-0

LOSS Roubel Singh (India), pin 1:33

Freestyle Medalists


50 kg/110 lbs.

Gold – Spencer Lee (USA)

Silver – Alireza Goodarzi (Iran)

Bronze – Arif Huseynov (Azerbaijan)

Bronze – Roman Gutsulyak (Ukraine)

5th – Ramzik Misakyan (Armenia)

5th – Bhart Datil (India)

7th – Darkhan Kalkenov (Kazakhstan)

8th – Marco Azzarello (Italy)

9th – Kubanychbek Tashtanbekov (Kyrgyzstan)

10th – Hakhbanov Abdulagav (Russia)


60 kg/132 lbs.

Gold – Imam Sadeghikoukandeh (Iran)

Silver – Ibrahim Abdelhamid (Egypt)

Bronze – Dimitar Ivanov (Bulgaria)

Bronze – Rashidov Gadzimurad (Russia)

5th – Amit (India)

6th – Jahid Hasan-Zada (Azerbaijan)

7th – Dzianis Maksimau (Belarus)

8th – Albaro Ru Desindo (Dominican Republic)

9th – Julian Carvalho (Brazil)

10th – Ivan Bileichuk (Ukraine)


74 kg/163 lbs.

Gold – Nabiev Gadizhi (Russia)

Silver – Reza Mozaffarijouybari (Iran)

Bronze – Tarzan Maisuradze (Georgia)

Bronze – Peter Nagy (Hungary)

5th – Albert Yurchenko (Latvia)

5th – Raman Chytadze (Belarus)

7th – Carlos Izquierdo (Colombia)

8th – Saiakbai Usupov (Kyrgyzstan)

9th – Mark Hall (USA)

10th – Byambadorj Bat-Erdene (Mongolia)


96 kg/211.5 lbs.

Gold – Nurmagomed Gadzhiyev (Azerbaijan)

Silver – Sayed Hossini (Iran)

Bronze – Nishanpreet Randhawa (Canada)

Bronze – Bakdaulet Almentay (Kazakhstan)

5th – Rouble Singh (India)

5th – Taponi Heino Jere (Finland)

7th – Jonas Silva (Brazil)

8th – Anthony Cassar (USA)

9th – Erik Thiele (Germany)

10th – Kristof Wittman (Hungary)