Martin, Fausz, Hemida, Brunner and Smythe receive draws for 2018 U23 World Championships
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by Taylor Miller, USA Wrestling
Photo of Myles Martin by Richard Immel.
BUCHAREST, Romania – The USA has received its final draws for the 2018 U23 World Championships in Bucharest, Romania, as five new men’s freestyle athletes will take the mat on Saturday.
Representing the USA tomorrow is Sean Fausz at 61 kg, Alex Smythe at 74 kg, Myles Martin at 86 kg, Christian Brunner at 92 kg and Youssif Hemida at 125 kg.
Martin, a 2016 NCAA champion and 2018 runner-up for Ohio State, will open his tournament at 86 kg against Javrail Shapiev of Uzbekistan. Shapiev is a 2018 Ali Aliev International silver medalist and 2017 Junior Asian bronze winner.
Making his second-straight appearance on the World level is 2013 Cadet World Team member Sean Fausz, who will compete at 61 kg. Fausz will go head-to-head against 2018 Senior Pan American silver medalist and 2017 Junior Pan Am bronze medalist Joshua Bodnarchuk of Canada.
2018 All-American for Maryland Youssif Hemida will make his World debut, wrestling at 125 kg. He will begin his day, taking on Yasuhiro Yamamoto of Japan, who was a 2016 Junior Asian bronze medalist.
At 92 kg, Christian Brunner, a two-time NCAA qualifier for Purdue, drew Zoltan Gergen of Romania to begin his U23 World Championships. Gergen does not have any international credentials.
Representing the USA at 74 kg is Alex Smythe, a wrestler at the University of Buffalo. Smythe will wrestle 2018 Univeristy World bronze medalist and 2014 Junior Pan American champion Tyler Rowe from Canada in his first match tomorrow.
Action begins Friday at 10:30 a.m. (3:30 a.m. ET) live on Trackwrestling.com.
2018 U23 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
at Bucharest, Romania, Nov. 12-18
U.S. men’s freestyle draws
61 kg: Sean Fausz (Alexandria, Ky./Wolfpack WC)
vs. Joshua Bodnarchuk (Canada), 2018 Senior Pan Am silver, 2016 Junior Pan Am bronze
74 kg: Alex Smythe (Eden, N.Y./Univ. of Buffalo)
vs. Tyler Rowe (Canada), 2018 University World bronze, 2014 Junior Pan Am gold
86 kg: Myles Martin (Penns Grove, N.J./Titan Mercury WC/Ohio RTC)
vs. Javrail Shapiev (Uzbekistan), 2018 Ali Aliev silver, 2017 Junior Asian Championships bronze
92 kg: Christian Brunner (East Dundee, Ill./Boilermaker RTC)
vs. Zoltan Gergen (Romania), no international credentials
125 kg: Youssif Hemida (Mamaroneck, N.Y./Terrapin WC)
vs. Yasuhiro Yamamoto (Japan), 2016 Junior Asian Championships bronze
