Strong U.S. Greco-Roman team aims for gold at 2025 U17 World Championships in Athens, Greece

The 2025 U17 World Championships, held at the Ano Liosia Olympic Hall in Athens, Greece, are set to begin on July 28. Team USA’s Greco-Roman team is gearing up for a strong showing, with sights set on gold.

All 10 members of the Greco-Roman team will be competing in their first World Championship tournament. The U17 World Teams for Greco-Roman and men’s freestyle were determined at the 2025 CLAW U.S. Open in Las Vegas, Nevada, in April.

Six of the team members were Greco-Roman champions at the 2024 Junior & 16U Nationals in Fargo, N.D.: Michael (MJ) Rundell of The Wrestling Academy (48 kg), Alexander Pierce of Big Game WC (55 kg), Arseni Kikiniou of Poway Wrestling (65 kg), Dominic Wilson of Ranger 47 WC (71 kg), David Calkins Jr. of Liberty High School Wrestling (92 kg) and Alex Taylor of Beast Mode Wrestling (110 kg).

Kikiniou and Taylor doubled up on titles in Las Vegas, and will also represent the United States in freestyle later that week.

Will Detar of Team Pennsylvania (60 kg) was a 16U Nationals champion in freestyle, placing third in Greco-Roman. Rundell won his title in the Junior division, doubling up with top finishes in both styles.

Many of this year’s World Team members competed in the 2025 U17 Pan American Championships in late June, held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Athletes competed in both Greco-Roman and men’s freestyle on the boys side in Brazil.

Thales Silva of SilvaBack Training Center (45 kg) secured a silver medal in his first international competition in Greco-Roman, and gold in freestyle. Carter Shin of Palm Wrestling Academy (51 kg) and Kikiniou added to the U.S. medal count with golds in Greco-Roman. Kikiniou also earned gold in freestyle.

Isai Fernandez of Titan Mercury WC (80 kg) secured bronze in Greco-Roman and gold in freestyle, adding to his gold medals in both Greco-Roman and freestyle at the 2023 U15 Pan American Championships.

Taylor finished the tournament in Brazil with a silver in Greco-Roman and a gold in freestyle.

The 2025 U17 World Championships begin on Monday, July 28, with the following weight classes in Greco-Roman: 48kg, 55 kg, 65 kg, 80 kg and 110 kg. The full schedule for all three styles is listed below.

For live results and updates from the tournament in Athens, follow along with USA Wrestling’s social channels and article updates on TheMat.com. Results, brackets, and mat assignments from the U17 World Championships will be available on UWW Arena.

A stream of the event will be available on FloWrestling for fans in the United States.

Monday, July 28

10:30 a.m. – Qualification Rounds (GR 48-55-65-80-110 kg)

6:00 p.m. – Semifinals (GR 48-55-65-80-110 kg)

Tuesday, July 29

10:30 a.m. – Repechages (GR 48-55-65-80-110 kg) & Qualification Rounds (GR 45-51-60-71-92 kg)

5:00 p.m. – Semifinals (GR 45-51-60-71-92 kg)

6:00 p.m. – Finals & Medal Matches (GR 48-55-65-80-110 kg)

Wednesday, July 30

10:30 a.m. – Repechages (GR 45-51-60-71-92 kg) & Qualification Rounds (WFS 43-49-57-65-73 kg)

5:00 p.m. – Semifinals (WFS 43-49-57-65-73 kg)

6:00 p.m. – Finals & Medal Matches (GR 45-51-60-71-92 kg)

Thursday, July 31

10:30 a.m. – Repechages (WFS 43-49-57-65-73 kg) & Qualification Rounds (WFS 40-46-53-61-69 kg)

5:00 p.m. – Semifinals (WFS 40-46-53-61-69 kg)

6:00 p.m. – Finals & Medal Matches (WFS 43-49-57-65-73 kg)

Friday, August 1

10:30 a.m. – Repechages (WFS 40-46-53-61-69 kg) & Qualification Rounds (MFS 48-55-65-80-110 kg)

5:00 p.m. – Semifinals (MFS 48-55-65-80-110 kg)

6:00 p.m. – Finals & Medal Matches (WFS 40-46-53-61-69 kg)

Saturday, August 2

10:30 a.m. – Repechages (MFS 48-55-65-80-110 kg) & Qualification Rounds (MFS 45-51-60-71-92 kg)

5:00 p.m. – Semifinals (MFS 45-51-60-71-92 kg)

6:00 p.m. – Finals & Medal Matches (MFS 48-55-65-80-110 kg)

Sunday, August 3

4:30 p.m. – Repechages (MFS 45-51-60-71-92 kg)

6:00 p.m. – Finals & Medal Matches (MFS 45-51-60-71-92 kg)

*All times listed local to Athens, Greece, which is 7 hours ahead of U.S. Eastern time

45 kg: Thales Silva (Clovis, Calif./SilvaBack Training Center)

48 kg: Michael (MJ) Rundell (Oak Park, Ill./The Wrestling Academy)

51 kg: Carter Shin (Fairfax, Va./Palm Wrestling Academy)

55 kg: Alexander Pierce (Iowa City, Iowa/Big Game WC)

60 kg: Will Detar (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Team Pennsylvania)

65 kg: Arseni Kikiniou (Escondido, Calif./Poway Wrestling)

71 kg: Dominic Wilson (Rockwall, Texas/Ranger 47 WC)

80 kg: Isai Fernandez (Sylmar, Calif./Titan Mercury WC)

92 kg: David Calkins Jr. (Brentwood, Calif./Liberty HS Wrestling)

110 kg: Alex Taylor (Howard, Ohio/Beast Mode Wrestling)

Training Partner: Sasha Kikiniou, Escondido, Calif.

Coach: Cheney Haight, Colorado Springs, Colo.

Coach: Jason Christenson, Runnells, Iowa

Coach: Stephen Gee, Concord, Calif.

Personal Coach: Israel Silva, Fresno, Calif.

Personal Coach: Andy Hrovat, Forney, Texas

Personal Coach: Dylan Carew, Tiffin, Iowa

Personal Coach: Matt Lybarger, Mount Vernon, Ohio

Personal Coach: Jordin Humphrey, Crestline, Calif.

Personal Coach: Jacob Rundell, Oak Park, Ill.

Personal Coach: Kyle Shoop, Carlisle, Pa.

Personal Coach: Jihoon Shin, Fairfax, Va.

Personal Coach: Alex Kikiniou, Escondido, Calif.

Medical ATC: Amber Helphenstine, Washington, Pa.

Medical ATC: Bruce Ferratt, Fairfax, Va.

MD: Jesse Shaw, Pullman, Wash.

Official: Andrew Mullet, Metairie, La.

Official: Na Humma, McKinney, Texas

Official: Brock Zollinger, Rexburg, Idaho

NF Secretary General: Rich Bender, Colorado Springs, Colo.

Team Leader: Christina Hargrove, Colorado Springs, Colo.

Greco-Roman Team Leader: James Foster, Clarksville, Md.

Women’s Freestyle Team Leader: Jeff Waters, Short Hills, N.J.

MFS Chaplain: Tim Hess, Beaverton, Ore.

NF Official: Michelle Bender, Colorado Springs, Colo.

NF Media: SJ Asmann, Colorado Springs, Colo.

NF Media: Justin Hoch, Astoria, N.Y.