Snyder, Burroughs, Green, Retherford receive draws for final day of World Championships
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by Richard Immel, USA Wrestling
Photo: Olympic champion and three-time World champion Jordan Burroughs returns to the World stage on Saturday in Paris. Photo by Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com.
Video: U.S. coach Bill Zadick gives thoughts on second day of freestyle at Worlds
PARIS – The final four U.S. men have weighed in and received their draws for Saturday’s freestyle finale the World Championships being held at AccorHotels Arena in Paris, France.
Olympic champions Kyle Snyder (Woodbine, Md./Titan Mercury WC/Ohio RTC) and Jordan Burroughs (Lincoln, Neb./Sunkist Kids/Nebraska RTC), World bronze medalist James Green (Lincoln, Neb./Titan Mercury WC/Nebraska RTC) and newcomer Zain Retherford (Benton, Pa./Nittany Lion WC) take the mat tomorrow for Team USA.
“I feel no different than I felt yesterday, really. I have four guys. They’re all chasing a gold medal, and if they pay attention to the details, and go out and execute, then we’re going to be in good shape…Let them take care of business and the team race takes care of itself,” said U.S. national freestyle coach Bill Zadick.
Snyder, the reigning World and Olympic champion at 97 kg/213 lbs., begins his quest for gold number three against Rio Olympian and 2014 Asian Games bronze medalist Mamed Ibragimov of Kazakhstan. Snyder is ranked No. 1 in the World and holds the top seed for the event.
Burroughs returns to the World Championships for the fifth time as an Olympic champion, three-time World champion and one-time World bronze medalist. He begins his day at 74 kg/163 lbs. against two-time World medalist Ali Shabanau of Belarus, who he beat in the 2013 World semifinals.
Making his third appearance at the World Championships, Green will face Colombia’s Pan American silver Nestor Taffur in the first round at 70 kg/154 lbs. Taffur competed collegiately for Boston University, where he was an EIWA champion and NCAA qualifier.
First-time World Team member Retherford, a 2012 Cadet World champion, opens against European bronze medalist David Habat of Slovenia at 65 kg/143 lbs. Habat was a NCAA finalist and two-time NCAA All-American for Edinboro.
The second day of men’s freestyle competition will begin at 10 a.m. local time (4 a.m. ET) on Friday. Medal matches are scheduled for 7 p.m. local time (1 p.m. ET).
Complete brackets for the World Championships, as well as a live stream of the event, are available to U.S. residents at Trackwrestling.com.
U.S. men’s freestyle draws for Saturday
65 kg/143 lbs. - Zain Retherford, Benton, Pa. (Nittany Lion WC)
Vs. David Habat (Slovenia), 2017 European bronze medalist
70 kg/154 lbs. - James Green, Lincoln, Neb. (Titan Mercury WC/Nebraska RTC)
Vs. Nestor Taffur (Colombia), 2017 Pan American silver medalist
74 kg/163 lbs. - Jordan Burroughs, Lincoln, Neb. (Sunkist Kids/Nebraska RTC)
Vs. Ali Shabanau (Belarus), Two-time World bronze medalist
97 kg/213 lbs. - Kyle Snyder, Woodbine, Md. (Titan Mercury WC/Ohio RTC)
Vs. Mamed Ibragimov (Kazakhstan), 2016 Olympian, 2014 Asian Games bronze medalist
Video: U.S. coach Bill Zadick gives thoughts on second day of freestyle at Worlds
PARIS – The final four U.S. men have weighed in and received their draws for Saturday’s freestyle finale the World Championships being held at AccorHotels Arena in Paris, France.
Olympic champions Kyle Snyder (Woodbine, Md./Titan Mercury WC/Ohio RTC) and Jordan Burroughs (Lincoln, Neb./Sunkist Kids/Nebraska RTC), World bronze medalist James Green (Lincoln, Neb./Titan Mercury WC/Nebraska RTC) and newcomer Zain Retherford (Benton, Pa./Nittany Lion WC) take the mat tomorrow for Team USA.
“I feel no different than I felt yesterday, really. I have four guys. They’re all chasing a gold medal, and if they pay attention to the details, and go out and execute, then we’re going to be in good shape…Let them take care of business and the team race takes care of itself,” said U.S. national freestyle coach Bill Zadick.
Snyder, the reigning World and Olympic champion at 97 kg/213 lbs., begins his quest for gold number three against Rio Olympian and 2014 Asian Games bronze medalist Mamed Ibragimov of Kazakhstan. Snyder is ranked No. 1 in the World and holds the top seed for the event.
Burroughs returns to the World Championships for the fifth time as an Olympic champion, three-time World champion and one-time World bronze medalist. He begins his day at 74 kg/163 lbs. against two-time World medalist Ali Shabanau of Belarus, who he beat in the 2013 World semifinals.
Making his third appearance at the World Championships, Green will face Colombia’s Pan American silver Nestor Taffur in the first round at 70 kg/154 lbs. Taffur competed collegiately for Boston University, where he was an EIWA champion and NCAA qualifier.
First-time World Team member Retherford, a 2012 Cadet World champion, opens against European bronze medalist David Habat of Slovenia at 65 kg/143 lbs. Habat was a NCAA finalist and two-time NCAA All-American for Edinboro.
The second day of men’s freestyle competition will begin at 10 a.m. local time (4 a.m. ET) on Friday. Medal matches are scheduled for 7 p.m. local time (1 p.m. ET).
Complete brackets for the World Championships, as well as a live stream of the event, are available to U.S. residents at Trackwrestling.com.
U.S. men’s freestyle draws for Saturday
65 kg/143 lbs. - Zain Retherford, Benton, Pa. (Nittany Lion WC)
Vs. David Habat (Slovenia), 2017 European bronze medalist
70 kg/154 lbs. - James Green, Lincoln, Neb. (Titan Mercury WC/Nebraska RTC)
Vs. Nestor Taffur (Colombia), 2017 Pan American silver medalist
74 kg/163 lbs. - Jordan Burroughs, Lincoln, Neb. (Sunkist Kids/Nebraska RTC)
Vs. Ali Shabanau (Belarus), Two-time World bronze medalist
97 kg/213 lbs. - Kyle Snyder, Woodbine, Md. (Titan Mercury WC/Ohio RTC)
Vs. Mamed Ibragimov (Kazakhstan), 2016 Olympian, 2014 Asian Games bronze medalist
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