Rundell, Pierce, Kikiniou pulled into Greco-Roman repechage at U17 World Championships; Group 2 set to begin Tuesday

ATHENS, Greece — Three U.S. Greco-Roman athletes from Monday’s Group 1 session remain alive in repechage 2025 U17 World Championships and will aim to wrestle back for bronze.

At 48 kg, Michael (MJ) Rundell needs one victory to secure a spot in the bronze medal match. He will battle 2024 European U17 bronze medalist Gurban Majnunov of Azerbaijan in repechage on Tuesday morning. Rundell won his first match by technical fall, then was beaten by Nurdaulet Kumaruly of Kazakhstan, who advanced to the finals, pulling Rundell back into repechage

At 55 kg, Alexander Pierce will need to win three consecutive repechage bouts to reach the podium. He was defeated 8-4 in his opening match by Nurali Askar of Kazakhstan, who powered to the finals. Pierce will start repechage action against 2025 Pan American U17 silver medalist Lavozier Wadik Maruso of Brazil.

At 65 kg, Arseni Kikiniou also faces a three-match path to a bronze medal. After a 4-1 loss to eventual finalist James Nazarian of Armenia, Kikiniou will face Huseyn Isgandarov of Azerbaijan in the first round of repechage.

This is a critical opportunity for these young wrestlers to battle back for a medal, contribute points in the team race and gain valuable international experience against elite global opponents.

Two U.S. wrestlers were eliminated on Monday, after the opponent who defeated them did not qualify for the gold-medal finals, Isai Fernandez (80 kg) and Alex Taylor (110 kg.)

Team USA will send its second group of Greco-Roman athletes into action Tuesday morning at the as they continue their pursuit of capturing world medals on the biggest stage.

Group 2 – Greco-Roman Opening Matches

45 kg – Thales SILVA (USA) vs. Abdurrahman HUSEYNLI (AZE)
Silva, the 2024 Junior National Champion, will begin his tournament in the round of 16 against the reigning U17 European Champion from Azerbaijan.

51 kg – Carter SHIN (USA) vs. Pavlos TSENTIDIS (GRE)
Shin, the 2024 U17 Pan-American Champion, opens with a tough draw against a U15 Balkans medalist from Greece in front of his home crowd.

60 kg – Will DETAR (USA) vs. Vlad DUMINICA (MDA)
Detar, a Pennsylvania standout and rising Greco-Roman prospect, lengthening his international resume’ with a U17 debut against Moldova's Duminica.

71 kg – Dominic WILSON (USA) vs. VINIT (IND)
Wilson, the 2025 16U National Champion, enters the tournament with momentum and will face India’s Vinit in the opening round.

92 kg – David CALKINS Jr. (USA) vs. Zong Han WU (TPE)
Calkins Jr., another 2025 16U National Champion, looks to showcase his power and control in his first match against Wu of TAIPEI CHINESE.

Competition resumes at 10:30 a.m. local time with repechage bouts for athletes still in medal contention from Group 1, followed immediately by Group 2 qualification matches in the 45 kg, 51 kg, 60 kg, 71 kg, and 92 kg weight classes. Athens is six hours ahead of U.S. Eastern time zone

Updated brackets and match-by-match results are available on UWW Arena, with live streaming coverage for viewers in the U.S at FloWrestling.com.  Continue to check our social media for coverage throughout with live updates posted on Instagram Threads and X.

U17 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

At Athens, Greece, July 28, 2025

Greco-Roman Group One Finals pairings

48 kg - Nudaulet Kumaruly (Kazakhstan) vs. Bunyod Hasanov (Uzbekistan)

55 kg - Alkham Adbirasulov (Kyrgyzstan) vs. Nurali Askar (Kazakhstan)

65 kg - Erekle Tavberidze (Georgia) vs. Janes Nazaryan (Armenia)

80 kg - Luka Martiashvili (Georgia) vs. Abdulaziz Kholmirzaev (Uzbekistan)

110 kg - Yazdan Reza Delrouz (Iran) vs. Hardeep (India)

Greco-Roman Group One semifinals results

48 kg

Nudaulet Kumaruly (Kazakhstan) dec. Kasei Yamamoto (Japan), 8-4

Bunyod Hasanov (Uzbekistan) tech fall Baris Soylu (Turkey), 12-3, 4:00

55 kg

Alkham Adbirasulov (Kyrgyzstan) dec. Aditya Gupta (India), 6-5

Nurali Askar (Kazakhstan) dec. Makhi Barotov (Tajikistan), 4-2

65 kg

Erekle Tavberidze (Georgia) tech fall Anuj (India), 9-1, 3:00

Janes Nazaryan (Armenia) dec. Yehor Tarasenko (Ukraine), 3-1

80 kg

Luka Martiashvili (Georgia) dec. Ismail Bereket (Turkey), 2-1

Abdulaziz Kholmirzaev (Uzbekistan) pin Nurislam Oskonbaev (Kyrgyzstan), 1:05

110 kg

Yazdan Reza Delrouz (Iran) dec. Temuri Simsive (Georgia)

Hardeep (India) dec. Emrulla Capkan (Turkey)

U.S. Greco-Roman Group One Results

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

WIN - Artem Kolos (Ukraine), 10-0

LOSS - Nurdaulet Kumaruly (Kazakhstan), 8-0

Repechage – Vs. Gurban Majnunov (Azerbaijan)

55 kg – Alexander Pierce (Iowa City, Iowa/Big Game WC), in Repechage

LOSS - Nurali Askar (Kazakhtstan), 8-4

Repechage – Vs. Lavozier Wadik Maruso (Brazil)

65 kg – Arseni Kikiniou (Escondido, Calif./Poway Wrestling), in Repechage

LOSS - Janes Nazarian (Armenia), 4-1

Repechage – Vs. Huseyn Isgandarov (Azerbaijan)

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

WIN - Valentin Biserov Valentinov (Bulgaria), 10-0

LOSS - Nurislam Oskonbaev (Kyrgyzstan), 8-0

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

WIN - Essam Ibrahim Ramadan Anwar Hussein (Egypt), 10-1

LOSS - Denis Svetlozar Lazarov (Bulgaria), 3-3