Greco-Roman wraps up 2017 Junior World Championships for USA

VIDEO: Junior World Championships interviews

TAMPERE, Finland – The U.S. Greco-Roman Junior World Team wrapped up its 2017 Junior World Championships on Sunday afternoon in Tampere, Finland.

Overall the U.S. Greco team had one of its best performances in recent memory, sending two wrestlers to the finals for the first time since 1993 and capturing its first Junior World title since 1999.

“I think a day like yesterday shows us that it’s possible and that we can do,” Greco Junior World Team coach Gary Mayabb said. “I think it acts as an igniter for where we want to be as a program and as a nation. I’m confident that we’ll redouble our efforts and we’ll come back with that.”

Team USA as a whole earned a Junior World champion in all three styles for the first time in history, with men’s freestylers Daton Fix, Mark Hall and Gable Steveson, women’s wrestler Maya Nelson and Greco’s Kamal Bey all winning gold. The Red, White and Blue also picked up four silver medals and two bronze throughout the week.

In day two of Greco action, the U.S. was unable to qualify for a medal.

Returning Junior World Team member Randon Miranda (Palmdale, Calif./New York AC) swallowed a tough loss in the first round at 55 kg/121 lbs., losing to 2015 Cadet World champion Turabek Tirkashev of Uzbekistan.

Miranda trailed 6-0 at the break, with the Uzbek scoring a takedown and later an arm throw. The American drew a point for passivity and eventually picked up a four-pointer on the edge late in the match, but Miranda’s comeback bid came up short, 6-5.

Tirkashev eventually lost in the semifinals to 2016 Cadet World silver medalist Kerem Kamal of Turkey.

At 66 kg/145 lbs., Dominick Demas (Columbus, Ohio/Columbus WC) fell in the opening round to 2016 Junior Pan Am champion Joilson de Brito Ramos Junior of Brazil, 10-2.

Wyatt Koelling (Columbia, Mo./Missouri Wrestling Foundation) went 0-1 at 84 kg/185 lbs. in the 2017 Junior World Championships, falling to 2017 Nordic champion Aleksandr Stjepnetic of Sweden, 3-1.

16-year-old Cohlton Schultz (Parker, Colo./New York AC) was knocked out of the tournament, losing a tight 4-3 match to 2016 Nordic champion Artur Vititin of Estonia at 120 kg/264 lbs.

“I thought I wrestled an OK match. I tried to catch him on an arm throw and he got his feet back under him. That’s all he really did. I just really want to get that back. This is just extra fuel for Athens,” Schultz said.

Schultz will return to the World stage for the 2017 Cadet World Championships in Athens, Greece, Sept. 4-10.

The medal matches are set for 6 p.m. local time (11 a.m. ET) Tuesday evening. Live stream and brackets can be found on trackwrestling.com. Viewers must pay to watch the live stream.

JUNIOR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

Aug. 1-6, 2017

Finals matchups
55 kg/121 lbs.
Gold – Kerem Kamal (Turkey) vs. Zholaman Sharshenbekov (Kyrgyzstan)
Bronze - Turabek Tirkashev (Uzbekistan) vs. Serghei Jepan (Moldova)
Bronze - Tigran Minasyan (Armenia) vs. Emin Narim Sefershaev (Russia)

66 kg/145 lbs.
Gold - Amin Yavar Kaviyaninejad (Iran) vs. Malkhas Amoyan (Armenia)
Bronze - Miakhdi Ab Iakhiaev (Russia) vs. Mikko Pett Peltokangas (Finland)
Bronze - Murat Firat (Turkey) vs. Namaz Rustamov (Azerbaijan)

84 kg/185 lbs.
Gold - Aleksandr Komarov (Russia) vs. Arman Yava Alizadeh Abdeva (Iran)
Bronze - Salih Aydin (Turkey) vs. Nicu Samue Ojog (Romania)
Bronze - Mikita Klimovich (Belarus) vs. Toni Heikk Metsomaeki (Finland)

120 kg/264 lbs.
Gold - Roman Kim (Kyrgyzstan) vs. Zviadi Pataridze (Georgia)
Bronze - Patryk Jan Kaminski (Poland) vs. Konsta Joh Maeenpaeae (Finland)
Bronze - Georgii Gadzhinov (Russia) vs. Amin Moham Mirzazadeh (Iran)

U.S. Greco-Roman results
55 kg/121 lbs. – Randon Miranda, (Palmdale, Calif./New York AC) 
LOSS Turabek Tirkashev (Uzbekistan), 6-5

66 kg/145 lbs. – Dominick Demas, (Columbus, Ohio/Columbus WC)
LOSS Joilson de Brito Ramos Junior (Brazil), 10-2

84 kg/185 lbs. – Wyatt Koelling, (Columbia, Mo./Missouri Wrestling Foundation)
LOSS Aleksandar Stjepanetic (Sweden), 3-1

120 kg/264 lbs. – Cohlton Schultz, (Parker, Colo./New York AC)
LOSS Artur Vititin (Estonia), 4-3