USA puts Fausz and Hemida into U23 semifinals in Romania

BUCHAREST, Romania – Sean Fausz and Youssif Hemida compiled winning records in Saturday morning’s session of the 2018 U23 World Championships in Bucharest, Romania, to advance to the World semifinals at 61 kg and 125 kg.

Fausz advanced to the semifinals after a decisive 9-4 win over 2017 Cerro Pelado runner-up Minghu Liu of China. This year, Liu also competed at the Junior World Championships in Slovakia and the Senior World Championships in Hungary.

Liu jumped out to a 4-0 lead, but Fausz scored a takedown at the end of the period to trail only 4-2 at the break. In the second period, Fausz picked up a pair of takedowns as well as two points on exposure for an eventual 9-4 win.

Earlier in the day, the North Carolina State Wolfpack wrestler also claimed a 12-2 win over Josh Bodnarchuk of Canada in the first round.

In the semis, Fausz will face 2014 and 2015 Junior World champion Iman Sadeghikoukandeh of Iran.

University of Maryland’s Youssif Hemida was impressive in his first session of international wrestling, claiming two big wins to move onto the 125 kg semifinals.

In his first bout, he downed 2016 Junior Asian bronze winner Yasuhiro Yamamoto of Japan with a solid 6-1 victory.

In the quarterfinals, the Terp stuck Moldova’s Samhan Jabrailov, who won a Junior World bronze medal this summer in Slovakia.

Hemida led 3-0 at the break, thanks to a passivity point and takedown. Early in the second, Hemida locked up a cradle on Jabrailov and go the fall in 3:24.

In the semifinals, Hemida will take on 2011 Cadet World bronze medalist Rolandi Andriadze of Georgia.

Two athletes, Myles Martin and Christian Brunner, await their fates at 86 kg and 92 kg, respectively.

Martin, a 2016 NCAA champion for Ohio State, picked up a 9-6 decision against 2017 Junior World bronze winner Javrail Shapiev of Uzbekistan before dropping a 6-1 bout to Gankhuyang Gabaantar of Mongolia in the quarterfinals.

Should Gabaantar win his semifinals bout, Martin will wrestle in Sunday’s repechage.

At 92 kg, Brunner put up a dominating 10-0 technical fall over Zoltan Gergen of host country Romania. In the quarterfinals, the Purdue wrestler was pinned by 2016 University World and 2012 Cadet World bronze medalist Bogdan Hrytsay of Ukraine.

Should Hrytsay win his semifinals bout, Brunner will wrestle in Sunday’s repechage.

At 74 kg, Alex Smythe was eliminated from his first international tournament when Tyler Rowe of Canada lost in the quarterfinals to Andranik Gabrielyan of Armenia. Smythe lost a hard-fought 6-2 match to the Canadian in the first round and needed Rowe to advance to the finals in order to give Smythe another chance to wrestle.

The semifinals are set for 5:15 p.m. (10:15 a.m. ET), followed by the medal matches at 6 p.m. (11 a.m. ET) live on Trackwrestling.com.

2018 U23 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
at Bucharest, Romania, Nov. 12-18

U.S. men’s freestyle results
61 kg: Sean Fausz (Alexandria, Ky./Wolfpack WC)
WIN Joshua Bodnarchuk (Canada), 12-2
WIN Minghu Liu (China), 9-4
vs. Iman Sadeghikoukandeh (Iran)

74 kg: Alex Smythe (Eden, N.Y./Univ. of Buffalo)
LOSS Tyler Rowe (Canada), 6-2

86 kg: Myles Martin (Penns Grove, N.J./Titan Mercury WC/Ohio RTC)
WIN Javrail Shapiev (Uzbekistan), 9-6
LOSS Gankhuyang Gabaantar (Mongolia), 6-1

92 kg: Christian Brunner (East Dundee, Ill./Boilermaker RTC)
WIN Zoltan Gergen (Romania), 10-0
LOSS Bogdan Hrytsay (Ukraine), 1:47

125 kg: Youssif Hemida (Mamaroneck, N.Y./Terrapin WC)
WIN Yasuhiro Yamamoto (Japan), 6-1
WIN Samhan Jabrailov (Moldova), fall 3:24
vs. Rolandi Andriadze (Georgia)