Mia Macaluso (USA) squares off with Daria Medvetska of Ukraine at 60 kg in Katerini, Greece.

Mia Macaluso (USA) competes during the 2022 Beach World Series. Photo courtesy of U.S. Beach athletes.

The U.S. delegation has been finalized for the 2022 U17 and U20 Beach World Championships, Sept. 1-2, as well as the Senior Beach World Series Final, Sept. 3-4, both held in Constanta, Romania.

This is the largest U.S. delegation for this event, with American men and women entered in every tournament being hosted on Mamaia Beach during the weekend.

The Beach World Series Final is the fifth stop of the tour this year, with previous events in Turkey, Spain, France and Greece.

The 2022 Senior Beach World Team includes 13 athletes, seven women and six men. Among the team members are 2022 U.S. Senior Beach National men’s champions Jabari Irons (90 kg) and Mark Bonilla (Over 90 kg), plus women’s champions Laura White (50 kg), Mia Macaluso (60 kg) and Isabeau Shalack (Over 70 kg). Jamal Morris (80 kg) was a 2021 U.S. Senior Beach Nationals champion.

There are five U.S. athletes who are registered for the Beach World Series Final in Constanta who are currently in the UWW Beach World Series Rankings:
• Jamal Morris No. 10 at 80 kg
• Mitchell Cook No. 11 at 50 kg
• Laura White No. 12 at 50 kg
• Mia Macaluso No. 14 at 60 kg
• Maren Anderson No. 17 at Over 70 kg

This is the third of five Beach World Series events which will set the field for the 2023 World Beach Games in Bali, Indonesia, next August 5-12. The first two Beach World Series events of 2023 will complete the qualifying process. The top eight athletes per weight category and gender from these five events will earn a quota place for their National Olympic Committee at the World Beach Games.

Of the U.S. athletes competing in Constanta at the Beach World Series finals, Cook, Macaluso, White and Anderson have competed in the previous World Beach Games qualifying events and have scored points in the qualifying process. The Beach World Series Final offers other U.S. Beach wrestlers a chance to get qualifying points, as well.

USA Wrestling will also feature 13 entries in the age-group World Championship events, with seven U20 women, two U20 men, two U17 women and two U17 men.

Winners from the 2022 U.S. Beach National Championships at the age-group levels who are wrestling in Constanta include Junior national champions (grades 9-12) Josie Davis (60 kg), Carmela Castaneda (60 kg), Erin Kremer (Over 70 kg) on the women’s side, as well as Damon Landreth (70 kg) and Lars Michaelson (80 kg) on the men’s side. 2022 Cadet Beach national champion (ages 15-16) Kane Foley (80 kg) is also competing. They are identified by the weights they are competing in at this year’s World Championships.

One member of last year’s U.S. U17 Beach World Team, Bella Hoffman, will compete this year at the U20 World Championships at 60 kg.

Since the beginning of Beach wrestling competition going back to the mid 1990’s, only one U.S. wrestler has won a gold medal at either a Beach World Championships or a Beach World Series event. Amit Elor of California, who qualified for the U.S. Senior World Team this year, won a U17 Beach World title in 2019. USA Wrestling is hopeful that this year’s delegation will bring back some gold medals to add to the legacy.

The Beach World Series and the U17 and U20 Beach World Championships will be broadcast by FloWrestling. Local time in Constanta is seven hours ahead of U.S. Eastern time zone.

U17 AND U20 BEACH WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Constanta, Romania, September 1-2

U.S. U17 women
60 kg – Ciara Riner, Huntington, W.Va.
60 kg – Alessandra Elliott, Staten Island, N.Y. (Tottenville High School)

U.S. U17 men
80 kg – Lars Michaelson, Bremerton, Wash. (NWWC)
80 kg – Kane (Foley) Devall, New Bern, N.C.

U.S. U20 women
60 kg – Mia Macaluso, Otisville, N.Y.
60 kg – Josie Davis, Sidney, Ohio
60 kg – Carmela Castaneda, Defiance, Ohio
60 kg – Bella Hoffman, Tega Cay, S.C. (Fort Mill High School)
70 kg – Alessandra Elliott, Staten Island, N.Y. (Tottenville High School)
Over 70 kg – Maren Anderson, Tinley Park, Ill. (Natural Athlete WC)
Over 70 kg – Erin Kremer, Covington, Wash. (Bombers WC)

U.S. U20 men
70 kg – Damon Landreth, Hendersonville, N.C. (BaynardTrained)
80 kg – Thor Michaelson, Bremerton, Wash. (NWWC)

BEACH WORLD SERIES FINAL
At Constanta, Romania, September 3-4

U.S. Senior women
50 kg – Laura White, Duanesburg, N.Y. (Curby 3 Style WC)
60 kg – Mia Macaluso, Otisville, N.Y.
60 kg – Bella Hoffman, Tega Cay, S.C. (Fort Mill High School)
60 kg – Josephine Wearmouth, St. Charles, Iowa
Over 70 kg – Isabeau Shalack, Oak Lawn, Ill. (Evergreen Park Stallions WC)
Over 70 kg – Maren Anderson, Tinley Park, Ill. (Natural Athlete WC)
Over 70 kg – Erin Kremer, Covington, Wash. (Bombers WC)

U.S. Senior men
70 kg – Mitchell Cook, Orland Park, Ill. (Natural Athlete WC)
70 kg – Mike Clark. Louisville, Ky. (Cardinal WC)
80 kg – Jamal Morris, Miami, Fla. (Cardinal Gibbons High School)
80 kg – Ty Loethen, Columbia, Mo. (Purler Wrestling Academy)
90 kg – Jabari Irons, Fort Myers, Fla. (Irons Elite Wrestling)
Over 90 kg – Mark Bonilla, Marietta, Ga. (Victory Wrestling)

Age-Group Worlds Team Leader – Rusty Davidson, Grants, N.M.
Senior World Series Team Leader – Ed Duncan, Spruce Pine, N.C.
Coach – Britney Carrington, Dayton, Ohio
Coach – Steve Baynard, Naples, N.C.
Coach – Cheryl Baynard, Naples, N.C.
Referee – Jay Watkins, Temecula, Calif.

Complete Event Schedule
seven hours ahead of U.S. Eastern time zone

Thursday, September 1
10:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon – U17 Group Rounds
4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. – U17 Elimination Rounds and Finals

Friday, September 2
10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. – U20 Group Rounds
3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. – U20 Elimination Rounds and Finals

Saturday, September 3
10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. – Beach World Series Group Rounds
3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. – Beach World Series Group Rounds

Sunday, September 4
10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. – Beach World Series Group Rounds
3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. – Beach World Series Elimination Rounds and Finals

USA Wrestling team is set for the age-group Beach Worlds and Beach World Series Final in Romania, Sept. 1-4

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