Bommarito wins fourth Beach World title; Hunter-Snyder places fourth at Beach World Series Final
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by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling
Eliana Bommarito's hand is raised at the 2025 Monterrey Beach Wrestling World Series: Day 1
KATERINI, Greece — Eliana Bommarito won the women’s Over 70 kg gold medal at the Beach World Series Final on Sunday along the Aegean Sea. The tournament was the final stop of the 2026 Beach World Series.
Bommarito’s victory in Katerini earned her fourth straight World title in the Over 70 kg weight class, based on points scored in the five Beach World Series events each year. She has earned the World Championship gold in her weight class in 2023, 2024, 2025 and 2026.
Bommarito earned four individual medals during the 2026 Beach World Series season: gold in Croatia, Georgia and Greece, and silver in Azerbaijan. She received 40,000 points for Sunday’s victory and finished the season with 108,000, ahead of Greece’s Stefania Zacheila with 78,000 and Ukraine’s Daria Konstantynova with 76,000.
Bommarito won both of her Group A matches on Saturday, earning a spot in today's semifinals, where she defeated Zacheila, 3-0, in 1:46. In the championship final, Bommarito shut out Konstantynova, 3-0, in 2:17. She avenged her only loss of the season, as Konstantynova had beaten Bommarito, 4-0, at the Beach World Series Baku in Azerbaijan.
Bommarito has now won 11 individual event gold medals at the Beach World Series, earned at different stops over her four years on the circuit. The only other American Beach wrestler to win a Beach World Series event title was Justin Benjamin, who claimed a gold medal in Acapulco, Mexico, in 2024. This is also Bommarito’s 14th career individual medal, with two silver and a bronze on her resume. Benjamin is the only other U.S. Beach wrestler with more than one individual event medal, with two.
Amber Hunter-Snyder just missed a medal, finishing fourth at 70 kg in the women’s division. On Saturday, Hunter-Snyder swept a knockout series, then went 1-1 in Group B. She finished second in Group B after a 3-0 win over Sara Trbulin on Sunday morning and advanced to the semifinals based on points. She lost 3-1 in the semifinals to Romana Vovchak of Ukraine, then was beaten 3-0 in the bronze-medal match by Olena Nikitinska of Ukraine.
Hunter-Snyder, a student-athlete at Frostburg State, had a great weekend, winning a silver medal at the U20 Beach World Championships on Friday. Over the two days, she posted an 8-4 record across the two tournaments. She also finished fourth at the 2025 U20 World Championships.
Bommarito and Hunter-Snyder were the only U.S. wrestlers to reach the semifinals.
In the women’s team standings in Katerini, the U.S. placed second with 51 points, behind champion Ukraine with 95 points. Greece was third with 30 points. In Beach Wrestling team scoring, only one athlete from each team scores points in each weight class. Also scoring points for the U.S. were Kenya Mwehu (fifth at 50 kg) and Brianna Holcomb (ninth at 60 kg).
Other U.S. women who placed in the top 10 in their weight classes were Anastasia Hardin (fifth at 70 kg), Maria Hiles (fifth at Over 70 kg), Molly Root (seventh at 50 kg) and Kasandra Villarreal (seventh at Over 70 kg).
In the men’s division, Owen Uppinghouse won his Group B match at 90 kg on Sunday morning, defeating Mathis Mayrand of France, 4-2. Uppinghouse finished 2-1 in Group B, placing second, but did not score enough points to advance to the semifinals. He finished fifth in the weight class.
Justin Benjamin also won his Group A match on Sunday morning, defeating Valentin Seimetz of Germany, 2-1. He finished 2-1 in his group but did not accumulate enough points to advance to the semifinals. He finished sixth in the final standings.
Another U.S. men’s wrestler won a match on Sunday morning, as Keenan Graef defeated Diego Makharadze of Georgia, 3-1, in Group B at 80 kg. Graef finished 1-2 in his group, placing 11th.
The U.S. men scored 36 points, finishing fourth in the 11-nation men’s field in Katerini. Azerbaijan won the title with 90 points, followed by Georgia with 72 and Ukraine with 44. Uppinghouse and Benjamin scored team points for the USA, as did Wayne LaMont (sixth at 80 kg) and Gabe Rangel (seventh at Over 90 kg). The other U.S. men’s wrestler to finish in the top 10 was Wyatt Abele, who placed seventh at 70 kg.
1. Ukraine, 95 points
2. United States, 51 points
3. Greece, 30 points
4. France, 21 points
5. Romania, 20 points
6. Spain, 15 points
7. Japan, 14 points
8. Argentina, 12 points
9. Bulgaria, 11 points
10. Ivory Coast, 8 points
10. Slovenia, 8 points
12. Serbia, 6 points
13. Germany, 2 points
Gold - Diana Rysova (Ukraine)
Silver - Ana Maria Rotaru (Romania)
Bronze - Viktoriia Slobodeniuk (Ukraine)
4th - Claudia Carrera (Argentina)
5th - Kenya Mwehu (USA)
6th - Reya Stoilova (Bulgaria)
7th - Molly Root (USA)
Gold - Oksana Moskalova (Ukraine)
Silver - Sofiia Kushnir (Ukraine)
Bronze - Lydia Perez Tourino (Spain)
4th - Anastasiya Kravchenko (Ukraine)
5th - Minori Asano (Japan)
6th - Alice Gardy (France)
7th - Nogona Bakayoko (Ivory Coast)
8th - Aikaterini Vekri (Greece)
9th - Brianna Holcomb (USA)
10th - Viviane Herda (Germany)
Gold - Romana Vovchak (Ukraine)
Silver - Halyna Oleksiivska (Ukraine)
Bronze - Olena Nikitinska (Ukraine)
4th - Amber Hunter-Snyder (USA)
5th - Anastasia Hardin (USA)
6th - Konstantina Christodoulou (Greece)
7th - Sara Trbulin (Slovenia)
8th - Masa Perovic (Serbia)
9th - Yu Sato (Japan)
10th - Fatme Shaban (Bulgaria)
Gold - Eliana Bommarito (USA)
Silver - Daria Konstantynova (Ukraine)
Bronze - Stefania Zacheila (Greece)
4th - Angelique Gonzalez (France)
5th - Maria Hiles (USA)
6th - Agoro Papavasileiou (Greece)
7th - Kasandra Villarreal (USA)
50 kg: Kenya Mwehu (Cleveland, Ohio/Beat the Streets Cleveland), 5th place
Group B
WIN Reya Stoilova (Bulgaria), 3-1, 2:32
LOSS Ana Maria Rotaru (Romania), fall, 0:32
LOSS Viktoriia Slobodeniuk (Ukraine), fall, 0:36
50 kg: Molly Root (Dimondale, Mich.), 7th place
Group A
LOSS Claudia Cabrera (Argentina), fall, 1:03
LOSS Diana Rysova (Ukraine), 3-0, 0:35
60 kg: Brianna Holcomb (Owings, Md.), 9th place
Group C
WIN Ava Ebrahimi (USA), 3-0, 2:28
LOSS Sofiia Kushnir (Ukraine), 3-0, 1:20
LOSS Anastasiya Kravchenko (Ukraine), fall, 1:18
60 kg: Ava Ebrahimi (San Diego, Calif./Poway High School), 11th place
Group C
LOSS Brianna Holcomb (USA), 3-0, 2:28
LOSS Anastasiya Kravchenko (Ukraine), 1:16
LOSS Sofiia Kushnir (Ukraine), 3-1, 1:28
60 kg: Olivia Root (Dimondale, Mich.), 13th place
Knockout
LOSS Alice Gardy (France), fall, 1:54
LOSS Alice Gardy (France), 3-0, 1:21
70 kg: Amber Hunter-Snyder (Bear, Del./Western Maryland WC), 4th place
Knockout
WIN Fatme Shaban (Bulgaria), 3-0, 2:30
WIN Fatme Shaban (Bulgaria), 3-1, 2:12
Group B
WIN Konstantina Christodoulou (Greece), 2-1, 3:00
LOSS Halyna Razghonova Oleksiivska (Ukraine), 3-1, 2:40
WIN Sara Trbulin (Slovenia), 3-0, 2:43
Semifinals
LOSS Romana Vovchak (Ukraine), 3-1, 1:30
Bronze medal
LOSS Olena Nikitinska (Ukraine), 3-0, 1:17
70 kg: Anastasia Hardin (Brewster, Kansas), 5th place
Knockout
WIN Christodoula Anastasiadou (Greece), 3-0, 0:46
WIN Christodoula Anastasiadou (Greece), 4-0, 1:12
Group A
LOSS Romana Vovchak (Ukraine), 3-0, 0:26
WIN Masa Perovic (Serbia), fall, 2:39
LOSS Olena Nikitinska (Ukraine), 3-1, 1:13
Over 70 kg: Eliana Bommarito (East Lansing, Mich./Michigan Revolution), Gold Medal
Group A
WIN Angelique Gonzalez (France), 3-0, 1:19
WIN Kasandra Villarreal (USA), fall, 0:08
Semifinals
WIN Stefania Zacheila (Greece), 3-0, 1:46
Gold Medal
WIN Daria Konstantynova (Ukraine), 3-0, 2:17
Over 70 kg: Maria Hiles (Clarksburg, Md.), 5th place
Group B
WIN Agoro Papavasileiou (Greece), 3-2, 1:38
LOSS Daria Konstantynova (Ukraine), fall, 0:08
LOSS Stefania Zacheila (Greece), 2-2, 3:00
Over 70 kg: Kasandra Villarreal (Jurupa Valley, Calif.), 7th place
Group A
LOSS Eliana Bommarito (USA), fall, 0:08
LOSS Angelique Gonzalez (France), fall, 0:28
1. Azerbaijan, 90 points
2. Georgia, 72 points
3. Ukraine, 44 points
4. United States, 36 points
5. Greece, 31 points
6. France, 30 points
7. Japan, 8 points
8. Germany, 0 points
8. Turkiye, 0 points
10. Serbia, 0 points
11. Norway, 0 points
Gold - Oleksii Boruta (Ukraine)
Silver - Ivan Semenov (Ukraine)
Bronze - Rubail Ibrahimli (Azerbaijan)
4th - Davit Partenadze (Georgia)
5th - Quentin Sticker (France)
6th - Justin Benjamin (USA)
7th - Wyatt Abele (USA)
8th - Iosif Nikolaidis (Greece)
9th - Levan Kelekhsashvili (Georgia)
10th - Ilias Karnavas (Greece)
Gold - Vusal Aliyev (Azerbaijan)
Silver - Luka Chkhitunidze (Georgia)
Bronze - Sahib Dadashov (Azerbaijan)
4th - Hugo Cuenot (France)
5th - Zurab Mamuladze (Georgia)
6th - Wayne LaMont (USA)
7th - Yujin Takizawa (Japan)
8th - Diego Makharadze (Georgia)
9th - Ioannis Tsakeropoulos (Greece)
10th - Christos Christoforidis (Greece)
Gold - Ashraf Ashirov (Azerbaijan)
Silver - Iuza Tsertsvadze (Georgia)
Bronze - Tornike Tulashvili (Georgia)
4th - Evsem Shvelidze (Georgia)
5th - Owen Evan Uppinghouse (USA)
6th - Georgios Tsaknakis (Greece)
7th - Mathis Mayrand (France)
8th -Michail Akritidis (Greece)
9th - Vladyslav Zenchenko (Ukraine)
10th - Sofiane Ben Boubaker (France)
Gold - Jamal Feyziyev (Azerbaijan)
Silver - Mamuka Kordzaia (Georgia)
Bronze - Vazha Daiauri (Ukraine)
4th - Apostolos Tsiovolos (Greece)
5th - Tedore Ebanoidze (Georgia)
6th - Oleksandr Veresiuk (Ukraine)
7th - Gabe Rangel (USA)
8th - Kostiantyn Zadoianchuk (Ukraine)
9th - Giorgi Chikhradze (Georgia)
10th - Charisios Savvidis (Greece)
70 kg: Justin Benjamin (St. Charles, Ill./Tar Heel WC), 6th place
Group A
WIN Iosif Nikolaidis (Greece), 3-0, 2:33
LOSS Oleksii Boruta (Ukraine), 3-1, 2:56
WIN Valentin Seimetz (Germany), 2-1, 3:00
70 kg: Bryan Coll (Bayville, N.Y./The Dynamic Wrestling Academy), 12th place
Group C
LOSS Ilias Karnavas (Greece), 3-0, 1:22
LOSS Quentin Sticker (France), fall, 0:57
LOSS Davit Partenadze (Georgia), 3-0, 1:36
70 kg: Wyatt Abele (McConnelsville, Ohio/Southeast Ohio WC), 7th place
Knockout
WIN Noah Johansen (Norway) 3-2, 1:39
LOSS Noah Johansen (Norway), 3-0, 0:24
WIN Noah Johansen (Norway), 3-2, 2:05
Group B
LOSS Rubail Ibrahimli (Azerbaijan), fall, 0:36
LOSS Ivan Semenov (Ukraine), fall, 2:42
LOSS Levan Kelekhsashvili (Georgia), inj. dft.
80 kg - Wayne LaMont (Coram, N.Y.), 6th place
Knockout
WIN Vissarion Fountas (Greece), 3-2, 1:09
WIN Vissarion Fountas (Greece), 3-1, 2:01
Group A
LOSS Christos Christoforidis (Greece), 3-0, 1:44
LOSS Luka Chkhitunidze (Georgia), fall, 0:55
LOSS Vusal Aliyev (Azerbaijan), fall, 0:48
80 kg - Justin Grant (Tallahassee, Fla.), 13th place
Knockout
WIN Zurab Mamuladze (Georgia), 2-1, 3:00
LOSS Zurab Mamuladze (Georgia), 3-2, 2:51
LOSS Zurab Mamuladze (Georgia), 4-2, 2:56
80 kg: Keenan Graef (Overland Park, Kansas), 11th place
Group B
LOSS Zurab Mamuladze (Georgia), 3-0, 1:29
LOSS Sahib Dadashov (Azerbaijan), 3-0, 1:33
WIN Diego Makharadze (Georgia), 3-1, 2:04
90 kg: Owen Uppinghouse (Quincy, Ill.), 5th place
Group B
LOSS Tornike Tulashvili (Georgia), 3-0, 1:47
WIN Sofiane Ben Boubaker (France), 3-2, 1:30
WIN Mathis Mayrand (France), 4-2, 1:23
Over 90 kg: Joel Faglier (Augusta, Ga./The Storm Wrestling Center), 11th place
Group A
LOSS Giorgi Chikhradze (Georgia), 3-2, 1:42
LOSS Jamal Feyziyev (Azerbaijan), 3-0, 0:23
LOSS Mamuka Kordzaia (Georgia), 3-1, 2:12
Over 90 kg: Gabe Rangel (Moline, Ill./Tiger WC), 7th place
Group B
WIN Jax Cromwell (USA), fall 0:46
LOSS Vazha Daiauri (Ukraine), 3-0, 2:28
LOSS Tedore Ebanoidze (Georgia), 3-0, 0:49
Over 90 kg: Jax Cromwell (Lone Jack, Mo.), 12th place
Group B
LOSS Gabe Rangel (USA), fall, 0:46
LOSS Tedore Ebanoidze (Georgia)
LOSS Vazha Daiauri (Ukraine), fall, 0:17
2023 Gold at Over 70 kg, Mugla, Turkey
2023 Gold at Over 70 kg, Constanta, Romania
2024 Gold at Over 70 kg, Saint Laurent du Var, France
2024 Gold at Over 70 kg, Timisoara, Romania
2024 Gold at Over 70 kg, Katerini, Greece
2024 Gold at Over 70 kg, Porec, Croatia
2025 Gold at Over 70 kg, Casablanca, Morocco
2025 Gold at Over 70 kg, Alexandria, Egypt
2026 Gold at Over 70 kg, Porec, Croatia
2026 Gold at Over 70 kg, Batumi, Georgia
2026 Gold at Over 70 kg, Katerini, Greece
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