Decker and Hannah await repechage fate at 2019 Cadet Worlds

Photo of Parker Decker (60 kg) by Taylor Miller, USA Wrestling.

SOFIA, Bulgaria – Two Americans—Parker Decker and Tyler Hannah—will find out tonight whether they will get pulled into repechage for another shot to wrestle at the 2019 Cadet World Championships in Sofia, Bulgaria.

Decker, wrestling at 60 kg, advanced to the quarterfinals after a dominant first-round win over 2019 Cadet Nordic bronze medalist Arturs Leskens from Latvia, 9-0, but in the quarterfinals, Decker dropped an 11-1 match to Arman Vardanyan of Armenia.

Should Vardanyan win his semifinal match against two-time Cadet European medalist Mert Ilabrs of Turkey, Decker will be pulled back into repechage.

Hoping to be pulled in at 92 kg is Hannah, who lost his opening bout to 2017 Cadet World silver medalist and 2018 Youth Olympic Games bronze medalist Muhammad Evloev of Russia, 10-0.

Should Evloev win his semifinal match against 2019 European bronze medalist Oktay Demir of Turkey, Hannah will be pulled into repechage.

Three Americans were eliminated from competition today, including Mason Gehloff at 45 kg, Jett Strickenberger at 51 kg and Daniel Segura at 71 kg, when all three of their victors failed to make the finals.

Strickenberger won his first round, defeating Ou Deng of China handily, 9-0. In the round of 16, the Colorado native fell to 2018 U15 European bronze medalist Denis Mihai of Romania, 13-4.

Mihai then dropped his quarterfinals to Elmir Aliyev of Azerbaijan, wrapping up Strickenberger’s tournament.

In his first match, Gehloff lost to Gheorghita Scheul of Romania, who was seventh at the Cadet European Championships, 6-2. Schuel later lost to Mahdi Ahadi Zenab of Iran to end Gehloff’s tournament.

Segura lost a 3-2 battle in the first round against Andreas Vasilakopoulos of Greece. Vasilakopoulos then lost in the round of 16 to Rauf Aliyev of Azerbaijan, ending Segura’s 2019 Cadet World Championships.

The semifinals are set for Saturday at 5:30 p.m. local time (10:30 a.m. ET) live on Trackwrestling.com. Follow @USAWrestling on Twitter for live updates.

2019 CADET WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

at Sofia, Bulgaria, July 28-Aug. 4

U.S. Greco-Roman results

45 kg: Mason Gehloff (Waseca, Minn./Sebolt WC)
LOSS Gheorghita Scheul (Romania), 6-2

51 kg: Jett Strickenberger (Monument, Colo./Sons of Thunder Academy)
WIN Ou Deng (China), 9-0
LOSS Denis Mihai (Romania), 13-4

60 kg: Parker Decker (Keller, Texas/ Mile High WC Texas)
WIN Arturs Seskens (Latvia), 9-0
LOSS Arman Vardanyan (Armenia), 11-1

71 kg: Daniel Segura (Columbus, Ohio/Team Miron)
LOSS Andreas Vasilakopoulos (Greece), 3-2

92 kg: Tyler Hannah (Genoa, Wisc./Viroqua WC)
LOSS Muhammad Evloev (Russia), 10-0