Bo Nickal wins U23 World gold medal at 92 kg in Budapest
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by Taylor Miller, USA Wrestling
Photo by Kadir Caliskan, United World Wrestling.
BUDAPEST, Hungary – Bo Nickal cruised his way to a U23 World title at 92 kg in men’s freestyle on Wednesday at the 2019 U23 World Championships in Budapest, Hungary.
Facing Russia Nationals champion Batyrbek Tsakulov of Russia in the gold-medal match, Nickal used his single-leg takedown to help him to a World medal.
Nickal took a 3-0 lead into the break, scoring a step out and then a takedown. Points were flying in the final two minutes of the match as the American netted back-to-back takedowns before Tsakulov responded with a takedown of his own.
Moments later, the two were tied up near the edge and Nickal sent Tsakulov to his back for a four-point feet-to-back takedown. The Russian corner challenged, but it failed, resulting in a point for Nickal to close out a 12-2 technical fall.
With the win, the three-time NCAA champion for Penn State became only the second U23 World gold medalist in any style in U.S. history.
At 125 kg, Daniel Greg Kerkvliet lost in a controversial ending of the bronze-medal bout against Lkhagvagerel Munkhtur of Mongolia.
Kerkvliet had the advantage, 3-3, at the break. In the final frame of action, Munkhtur was dinged with a caution-and-one for fleeing the mat to give Kerkvliet an outright 4-3 lead. With less than 10 seconds left, Munkhtur was awarded a step out point to make it 4-4. Time ran out and it was Kerkvliet who was declared the winner by criteria, due to the caution against the Mongolian.
Munkhtur’s corner challenged the step out call from moments before, asking for a caution and one for Kerkvliet fleeing. The referees eventually ruled it in favor of the Mongolina, giving Munkhtur the win on criteria and leaving Kerkvliet without a medal for a fifth-place finish.
Earlier in the day, Brady Berge was eliminated from the tournament, falling in the first repechage round at 74 kg by injury default.
In the team race, the USA finished with 57 points to take 10th place. Winning the team race was Russia with 145 points, followed by Iran with 139 points and Azerbaijan with 111 points.
The tournament continues Wednesday with women’s freestyle competition beginning at 10:30 a.m. local time (4:30 a.m. ET) live on Trackwrestling. Follow @USAWrestling on Twitter for live updates.
2019 U23 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
at Budapest, Hungary (Oct. 28-Nov. 3)
Team standings
1. Russia – 145
2. Iran – 139
3. Azerbaijan – 111
4. Georgia – 109
5. Mongolia – 70
6. Japan – 65
7. Kazakhstan – 65
8. Turkey – 60
9. Ukraine – 58
10. USA – 57
Finals results
61 kg
GOLD - Ulukbek ZHOLDOSHBEKOV (KGZ) df. Ravinder RAVINDER (IND), 5-3
BRONZE - Dinislam TAKHTAROV (RUS) df. Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM), fall
BRONZE - Ryutaro HAYAMA (JPN) df. Daulet TAZHIBAY (KAZ), 1-0
74 kg
GOLD - Razambek ZHAMALOV (RUS) vs. Mohammed NOKHODILARIMI (IRI), 8-1
BRONZE - Byambadorj BAT ERDENE (MGL) df. Murad KURAMAGOMEDOV (HUN), 5-3
BRONZE - Giorgi SULAVA (GEO) df. Fazli ERYILMAZ (TUR), fall
86 kg
GOLD - Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI) df. Gadzhimurad MAGOMEDSAIDOV (AZE), 9-3
BRONZE - Hayato ISHIGURO (JPN) df. Ivan NEDEALCO (MDA), 11-0
BRONZE - Osman GOCEN (TUR) df. Gankhuyag GANBAATAR (MGL), 3-0
92 kg
GOLD - Bo NICKAL (USA) df. Batyrbek TSAKULOV (RUS), 12-2
BRONZE - Yonger Pauli BASTIDA POMARES (CUB) df. Demur MEGENEISHVILI (GEO), 6-2
BRONZE - Hossein Lotfali SHAHBAZIGAZVAR (IRI) df. Shamil ZUBAIROV (AZE), 5-1
125 kg
GOLD - Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI) df. Vitali GOLOEV (RUS), 10-0
BRONZE - Yusup BATIRMURZAEV (KAZ) df. Zuriko URTASHVILI (GEO), 13-2
BRONZE - Lkhagvagerel MUNKHTUR (MGL) df. Daniel Gregory KERKVLIET (USA), 4-4
U.S. men’s freestyle results
57 kg: Gabriel Townsell (Oak Park, Ill./California RTC) – 13th
LOSS Robert Dingashvili (Georgia), 7-5
61 kg: Chas Tucker (Worcester, Mass./Finger Lakes WC/ Titan Mercury WC) – 15th
LOSS Mohammadbagher Yakhkeshi (Iran), 6-4
65 kg: Jaydin Eierman (Columbia, Mo./Titan Mercury WC) – 8th
WIN Abolfazl Hajipouramiji (Iran), fall 2:51
LOSS Ernazar Akmataliev (Kyrgyzstan), 13-13
70 kg: Alec Pantaleo (Canton, Mich./Titan Mercury WC) – 9th
WIN Stefan Tonu (Moldova), 8-0
LOSS Daud Ibragimov (Azerbaijan), 9-8
74 kg: Brady Berge (Mantorville, Minn./Nittany Lion WC) – 19th
LOSS Razambek Zhamalov (Russia), 5-1
LOSS Baliyan Gourav (IND), injury default
79 kg: Muhamed McBryde (Buffalo, N.Y./Buffalo Wrestling Club RTC) – 5th
WIN Erik Reinbok (Estonia), 5-0
LOSS Tariel Gaphrindashvili (Georgia), 4-2
WIN Mostafa Sayed (Egypt), 4-0
LOSS Ramazan Sari (Turkey), 8-3
86 kg: Max Dean (Lowell, Mich./Finger Lakes WC/ Titan Mercury WC) – 19th
LOSS Hayato Ishiguro (Japan), 12-2
92 kg: Bo Nickal (State College, Pa./Nittany Lion WC) - GOLD
WIN Hossein Shahbazigazvar (Iran), 12-2
WIN Takumi Tanizaki (Japan), fall 1:13
WIN Shamil Zubairov (Azerbaijan), 9-1
WIN Batyrbek Tsakulov (Russia), 12-2
97 kg: Chase Singletary (Naples, Fla./Ohio RTC/ Titan Mercury WC) – 10th
LOSS Dzianis Khramiankou (Belarus), 16-6
125 kg: Daniel Greg Kerkvliet (Inver Grove Heights, Minn./Ohio RTC/ Titan Mercury WC) – 5th
WIN Lior Altshuler (Israel), 10-0
WIN Salim Ercan (Turkey), fall 2:34
LOSS Vitali Goloev (Russia), 10-0
LOSS Lkhagvagerel Munkhtur (Mongolia), 4-4
BUDAPEST, Hungary – Bo Nickal cruised his way to a U23 World title at 92 kg in men’s freestyle on Wednesday at the 2019 U23 World Championships in Budapest, Hungary.
Facing Russia Nationals champion Batyrbek Tsakulov of Russia in the gold-medal match, Nickal used his single-leg takedown to help him to a World medal.
Nickal took a 3-0 lead into the break, scoring a step out and then a takedown. Points were flying in the final two minutes of the match as the American netted back-to-back takedowns before Tsakulov responded with a takedown of his own.
Moments later, the two were tied up near the edge and Nickal sent Tsakulov to his back for a four-point feet-to-back takedown. The Russian corner challenged, but it failed, resulting in a point for Nickal to close out a 12-2 technical fall.
With the win, the three-time NCAA champion for Penn State became only the second U23 World gold medalist in any style in U.S. history.
At 125 kg, Daniel Greg Kerkvliet lost in a controversial ending of the bronze-medal bout against Lkhagvagerel Munkhtur of Mongolia.
Kerkvliet had the advantage, 3-3, at the break. In the final frame of action, Munkhtur was dinged with a caution-and-one for fleeing the mat to give Kerkvliet an outright 4-3 lead. With less than 10 seconds left, Munkhtur was awarded a step out point to make it 4-4. Time ran out and it was Kerkvliet who was declared the winner by criteria, due to the caution against the Mongolian.
Munkhtur’s corner challenged the step out call from moments before, asking for a caution and one for Kerkvliet fleeing. The referees eventually ruled it in favor of the Mongolina, giving Munkhtur the win on criteria and leaving Kerkvliet without a medal for a fifth-place finish.
Earlier in the day, Brady Berge was eliminated from the tournament, falling in the first repechage round at 74 kg by injury default.
In the team race, the USA finished with 57 points to take 10th place. Winning the team race was Russia with 145 points, followed by Iran with 139 points and Azerbaijan with 111 points.
The tournament continues Wednesday with women’s freestyle competition beginning at 10:30 a.m. local time (4:30 a.m. ET) live on Trackwrestling. Follow @USAWrestling on Twitter for live updates.
2019 U23 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
at Budapest, Hungary (Oct. 28-Nov. 3)
Team standings
1. Russia – 145
2. Iran – 139
3. Azerbaijan – 111
4. Georgia – 109
5. Mongolia – 70
6. Japan – 65
7. Kazakhstan – 65
8. Turkey – 60
9. Ukraine – 58
10. USA – 57
Finals results
61 kg
GOLD - Ulukbek ZHOLDOSHBEKOV (KGZ) df. Ravinder RAVINDER (IND), 5-3
BRONZE - Dinislam TAKHTAROV (RUS) df. Arsen HARUTYUNYAN (ARM), fall
BRONZE - Ryutaro HAYAMA (JPN) df. Daulet TAZHIBAY (KAZ), 1-0
74 kg
GOLD - Razambek ZHAMALOV (RUS) vs. Mohammed NOKHODILARIMI (IRI), 8-1
BRONZE - Byambadorj BAT ERDENE (MGL) df. Murad KURAMAGOMEDOV (HUN), 5-3
BRONZE - Giorgi SULAVA (GEO) df. Fazli ERYILMAZ (TUR), fall
86 kg
GOLD - Kamran GHASEMPOUR (IRI) df. Gadzhimurad MAGOMEDSAIDOV (AZE), 9-3
BRONZE - Hayato ISHIGURO (JPN) df. Ivan NEDEALCO (MDA), 11-0
BRONZE - Osman GOCEN (TUR) df. Gankhuyag GANBAATAR (MGL), 3-0
92 kg
GOLD - Bo NICKAL (USA) df. Batyrbek TSAKULOV (RUS), 12-2
BRONZE - Yonger Pauli BASTIDA POMARES (CUB) df. Demur MEGENEISHVILI (GEO), 6-2
BRONZE - Hossein Lotfali SHAHBAZIGAZVAR (IRI) df. Shamil ZUBAIROV (AZE), 5-1
125 kg
GOLD - Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI) df. Vitali GOLOEV (RUS), 10-0
BRONZE - Yusup BATIRMURZAEV (KAZ) df. Zuriko URTASHVILI (GEO), 13-2
BRONZE - Lkhagvagerel MUNKHTUR (MGL) df. Daniel Gregory KERKVLIET (USA), 4-4
U.S. men’s freestyle results
57 kg: Gabriel Townsell (Oak Park, Ill./California RTC) – 13th
LOSS Robert Dingashvili (Georgia), 7-5
61 kg: Chas Tucker (Worcester, Mass./Finger Lakes WC/ Titan Mercury WC) – 15th
LOSS Mohammadbagher Yakhkeshi (Iran), 6-4
65 kg: Jaydin Eierman (Columbia, Mo./Titan Mercury WC) – 8th
WIN Abolfazl Hajipouramiji (Iran), fall 2:51
LOSS Ernazar Akmataliev (Kyrgyzstan), 13-13
70 kg: Alec Pantaleo (Canton, Mich./Titan Mercury WC) – 9th
WIN Stefan Tonu (Moldova), 8-0
LOSS Daud Ibragimov (Azerbaijan), 9-8
74 kg: Brady Berge (Mantorville, Minn./Nittany Lion WC) – 19th
LOSS Razambek Zhamalov (Russia), 5-1
LOSS Baliyan Gourav (IND), injury default
79 kg: Muhamed McBryde (Buffalo, N.Y./Buffalo Wrestling Club RTC) – 5th
WIN Erik Reinbok (Estonia), 5-0
LOSS Tariel Gaphrindashvili (Georgia), 4-2
WIN Mostafa Sayed (Egypt), 4-0
LOSS Ramazan Sari (Turkey), 8-3
86 kg: Max Dean (Lowell, Mich./Finger Lakes WC/ Titan Mercury WC) – 19th
LOSS Hayato Ishiguro (Japan), 12-2
92 kg: Bo Nickal (State College, Pa./Nittany Lion WC) - GOLD
WIN Hossein Shahbazigazvar (Iran), 12-2
WIN Takumi Tanizaki (Japan), fall 1:13
WIN Shamil Zubairov (Azerbaijan), 9-1
WIN Batyrbek Tsakulov (Russia), 12-2
97 kg: Chase Singletary (Naples, Fla./Ohio RTC/ Titan Mercury WC) – 10th
LOSS Dzianis Khramiankou (Belarus), 16-6
125 kg: Daniel Greg Kerkvliet (Inver Grove Heights, Minn./Ohio RTC/ Titan Mercury WC) – 5th
WIN Lior Altshuler (Israel), 10-0
WIN Salim Ercan (Turkey), fall 2:34
LOSS Vitali Goloev (Russia), 10-0
LOSS Lkhagvagerel Munkhtur (Mongolia), 4-4
