U.S. stars Snyder and Taylor reach Yarygin Grand Prix finals in Russia, and Heflin will go for bronze
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by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling
Competition portrait of Kyle Snyder by Tony Rotundo, Wrestlers Are Warriors
KRASNOYARSK, Russia – The United States placed two of its top men’s freestyle stars in Sunday’s finals at the Ivan Yarygin Grand Prix, considered one of the toughest tournaments in the world each year.
2016 Olympic champion and two-time World champion Kyle Snyder, Woodbine, Md. (Titan Mercury WC/Ohio RTC) at 97 kg/213 lbs. and David Taylor (State College, Pa. (Titan Mercury WC/Nittany Lion WC) at 86 kg/189 lbs. will battle for gold medals.
Snyder will attempt to become the first U.S. man to win a second Yarygin gold medal. He was a 2017 Ivan Yarygin Grand Prix champion, as well as a 2016 Yarygin bronze medalist. Only 11 U.S. men have won a title at this event, and none have won more than one.
Snyder faces Rasul Magomedov of Russia in the championship finals. It is a rematch of the 2017 Ivan Yarygin finals, won by Snyder by pin in 5:02.
Snyder needed some last-minute heroics in the semifinals to defeat Vladislav Baitcaev of Russia, 5-1 to reach his second straight Yarygin finals.
Snyder led 1-0 at the break after Baitcaev was placed on the shot clock and could not score. Late in the second period, Snyder was placed on the shot clock and could not score, which tied up the match at 1-1 with 45 second left and Baitcaev holding the tiebreaker. Snyder got behind him, broke down his tripod and scored to make it 3-1 with 20 seconds left. He added a spin behind takedown for the 5-1 win.
It was a much closer match than the last time they met, when Snyder scored an 11-0 technical fall over Baitcaev at the Freestyle World Clubs Cup in Iran in December.
He won his opening bout with a 10-0 technical fall over Shobet Belliyev of Turkmenistan, then controlled Yunus Dede of Turkey, 6-1 in the quarterfinals.
Snyder is a senior at Ohio State, and will return after the Yarygin event to seek his third NCAA heavyweight title for the Buckeyes.
Taylor has drawn Fatih Erdin of Turkey in the finals, who was a 2014 European Junior bronze medalist and was fifth in the 2015 European U23 Championships.
Taylor got stronger each round of the tournament. In his opener, Taylor scored a 4-4 criteria win over two-time Pan American champion Yurieski Torreblanca Queralta of Cuba. In the quarterfinals, Taylor stopped 2016 Olympic silver medalist Selim Yasar of Turkey, 4-1. In the semifinals, he pinned 2017 Junior World champion Artur Naifanov of Russia in 2:27.
Taylor, a two-time NCAA champion and Hodge Trophy winner for Penn State, is competing in his first Ivan Yarygin Grand Prix.
Qualifying for a bronze-medal bout at 92 kg/202 lbs.is former Ohio State star Nick Heflin (Norman, Okla./Titan Mercury WC), who will face Turtogtokh Luvsandorj of Mongolia in the bronze-medal round.
Heflin won his first two bouts against opponents from Kazakhstan. He scored a 10-0 technical fall over Beka Jvaridze, then had an impressive come-from-behind win over Abdimanap Baighenzheyev of Kazakhstan, 14-8 in the quarterfinals.
He was defeated by 2016 Olympic champion and two-time World champion Abdulrashid Sadulaev of Russia by technical fall, 10-0, which Heflin in a bronze-medal bout.
The U.S. had six men’s freestyle athletes competing on Sunday. Winning his opening match at 92 kg/202 lbs. was University of Iowa freshman Jacob Warner (Washington, Ill./Hawkeye WC), with a 6-6 criteria win over Ulziisaikhan Baasantsogt of Mongolia. He was eliminated in the next round by veteran Russian star Yuri Belonovskiy.
The three U.S. wrestlers will battle for their Yarygin medals in the final session, which is set for 6:00 p.m. in Krasnoyarsk, which will be at 6:00 a.m. U.S. Eastern time. Trackwrestling is broadcasting all of the action live and free for U.S. fans to enjoy.
IVAN YARYGIN GRAND PRIX
At Krasnoyarsk, Russia, January 28
U.S. men’s freestyle performances
74 kg/163 lbs. - Joe Tavoso (Ridgewood, N.J./Princeton WC)
LOSS Dovletmyrat Orazgylyjov (Turkmenistan)
86 kg/189 lbs. – David Taylor, State College, Pa. (Titan Mercury WC/Nittany Lion WC)
WIN Yurieski Torreblanca Queralta (Cuba), 4-4
WIN Selim Yasar (Turkey), 4-1
WIN Artur Naifanov (Russia), pin 2:27
Gold bout – vs. Fatih Erdin (Turkey)
86 kg/189 lbs. – Travis Stefanik, Nazareth, Pa. (Princeton, WC)
LOSS Unurbet Purevjav (Mongolia), pin
92 kg/202 lbs. – Jacob Warner, Washington, Ill. (Hawkeye WC)
WIN Ulziisaikhan Baasantsogt (Mongolia), 6-6
LOSS Yuri Belonovskiy (Russia), tech. fall 10-0
92 kg/202 lbs. – Nick Heflin, Norman, Okla. (Titan Mercury WC)
WIN Beka Jvaridze (Kazakhstan), tech. fall 10-0
WIN Abdimanap Baighenzheyev (Kazakhstan), 14-8
LOSS Abdulrashid Sadulaev (Russia), tech. fall 10-0
Bronze bout – Turtogtokh Luvsandorj (Mongolia)
97 kg/213 lbs. – Kyle Snyder, Woodbine, Md. (Titan Mercury WC/Ohio RTC)
WIN Shobet Belliyev (Turkmenistan), tech. fall 10-0
WIN Yunus Dede (Turkey), 6-1
WIN Vladislav Baitcaev (Russia), 5-1
Gold bout - Rasul Magomedov (Russia)
97 kg/213 lbs. – Nathan Burak, Iowa City, Iowa (Titan Mercury WC/Hawkeye WC)
LOSS Rasul Magomedov (Russia), 8-0
LOSS Magomed Ibragimov (Uzbekistan), 4-0
KRASNOYARSK, Russia – The United States placed two of its top men’s freestyle stars in Sunday’s finals at the Ivan Yarygin Grand Prix, considered one of the toughest tournaments in the world each year.
2016 Olympic champion and two-time World champion Kyle Snyder, Woodbine, Md. (Titan Mercury WC/Ohio RTC) at 97 kg/213 lbs. and David Taylor (State College, Pa. (Titan Mercury WC/Nittany Lion WC) at 86 kg/189 lbs. will battle for gold medals.
Snyder will attempt to become the first U.S. man to win a second Yarygin gold medal. He was a 2017 Ivan Yarygin Grand Prix champion, as well as a 2016 Yarygin bronze medalist. Only 11 U.S. men have won a title at this event, and none have won more than one.
Snyder faces Rasul Magomedov of Russia in the championship finals. It is a rematch of the 2017 Ivan Yarygin finals, won by Snyder by pin in 5:02.
Snyder needed some last-minute heroics in the semifinals to defeat Vladislav Baitcaev of Russia, 5-1 to reach his second straight Yarygin finals.
Snyder led 1-0 at the break after Baitcaev was placed on the shot clock and could not score. Late in the second period, Snyder was placed on the shot clock and could not score, which tied up the match at 1-1 with 45 second left and Baitcaev holding the tiebreaker. Snyder got behind him, broke down his tripod and scored to make it 3-1 with 20 seconds left. He added a spin behind takedown for the 5-1 win.
It was a much closer match than the last time they met, when Snyder scored an 11-0 technical fall over Baitcaev at the Freestyle World Clubs Cup in Iran in December.
He won his opening bout with a 10-0 technical fall over Shobet Belliyev of Turkmenistan, then controlled Yunus Dede of Turkey, 6-1 in the quarterfinals.
Snyder is a senior at Ohio State, and will return after the Yarygin event to seek his third NCAA heavyweight title for the Buckeyes.
Taylor has drawn Fatih Erdin of Turkey in the finals, who was a 2014 European Junior bronze medalist and was fifth in the 2015 European U23 Championships.
Taylor got stronger each round of the tournament. In his opener, Taylor scored a 4-4 criteria win over two-time Pan American champion Yurieski Torreblanca Queralta of Cuba. In the quarterfinals, Taylor stopped 2016 Olympic silver medalist Selim Yasar of Turkey, 4-1. In the semifinals, he pinned 2017 Junior World champion Artur Naifanov of Russia in 2:27.
Taylor, a two-time NCAA champion and Hodge Trophy winner for Penn State, is competing in his first Ivan Yarygin Grand Prix.
Qualifying for a bronze-medal bout at 92 kg/202 lbs.is former Ohio State star Nick Heflin (Norman, Okla./Titan Mercury WC), who will face Turtogtokh Luvsandorj of Mongolia in the bronze-medal round.
Heflin won his first two bouts against opponents from Kazakhstan. He scored a 10-0 technical fall over Beka Jvaridze, then had an impressive come-from-behind win over Abdimanap Baighenzheyev of Kazakhstan, 14-8 in the quarterfinals.
He was defeated by 2016 Olympic champion and two-time World champion Abdulrashid Sadulaev of Russia by technical fall, 10-0, which Heflin in a bronze-medal bout.
The U.S. had six men’s freestyle athletes competing on Sunday. Winning his opening match at 92 kg/202 lbs. was University of Iowa freshman Jacob Warner (Washington, Ill./Hawkeye WC), with a 6-6 criteria win over Ulziisaikhan Baasantsogt of Mongolia. He was eliminated in the next round by veteran Russian star Yuri Belonovskiy.
The three U.S. wrestlers will battle for their Yarygin medals in the final session, which is set for 6:00 p.m. in Krasnoyarsk, which will be at 6:00 a.m. U.S. Eastern time. Trackwrestling is broadcasting all of the action live and free for U.S. fans to enjoy.
IVAN YARYGIN GRAND PRIX
At Krasnoyarsk, Russia, January 28
U.S. men’s freestyle performances
74 kg/163 lbs. - Joe Tavoso (Ridgewood, N.J./Princeton WC)
LOSS Dovletmyrat Orazgylyjov (Turkmenistan)
86 kg/189 lbs. – David Taylor, State College, Pa. (Titan Mercury WC/Nittany Lion WC)
WIN Yurieski Torreblanca Queralta (Cuba), 4-4
WIN Selim Yasar (Turkey), 4-1
WIN Artur Naifanov (Russia), pin 2:27
Gold bout – vs. Fatih Erdin (Turkey)
86 kg/189 lbs. – Travis Stefanik, Nazareth, Pa. (Princeton, WC)
LOSS Unurbet Purevjav (Mongolia), pin
92 kg/202 lbs. – Jacob Warner, Washington, Ill. (Hawkeye WC)
WIN Ulziisaikhan Baasantsogt (Mongolia), 6-6
LOSS Yuri Belonovskiy (Russia), tech. fall 10-0
92 kg/202 lbs. – Nick Heflin, Norman, Okla. (Titan Mercury WC)
WIN Beka Jvaridze (Kazakhstan), tech. fall 10-0
WIN Abdimanap Baighenzheyev (Kazakhstan), 14-8
LOSS Abdulrashid Sadulaev (Russia), tech. fall 10-0
Bronze bout – Turtogtokh Luvsandorj (Mongolia)
97 kg/213 lbs. – Kyle Snyder, Woodbine, Md. (Titan Mercury WC/Ohio RTC)
WIN Shobet Belliyev (Turkmenistan), tech. fall 10-0
WIN Yunus Dede (Turkey), 6-1
WIN Vladislav Baitcaev (Russia), 5-1
Gold bout - Rasul Magomedov (Russia)
97 kg/213 lbs. – Nathan Burak, Iowa City, Iowa (Titan Mercury WC/Hawkeye WC)
LOSS Rasul Magomedov (Russia), 8-0
LOSS Magomed Ibragimov (Uzbekistan), 4-0
