NewsUSA WrestlingInternationalCollegeWomenUSAW

Olympic champions Taylor, Maroulis, Burroughs win first match as 14 wrestlers take 1-0 series lead at Final X New York

by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling

Ildar Hafizov throws Dalton Roberts in match one of Final X New York. Photo by Robbert Wijtman


NEW YORK, N.Y. – The first session is in the books at Final X Stillwater, with 14 athletes taking a one-match-to-none lead in their best of three championship series on Friday afternoon, Final X New York. presented by Tezos, at Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City.


Among those winning their first matches were 2012 Olympic champion Jordan Burroughs (74 kg men’s freestyle), 2016 Olympic champion Helen Maroulis (57 kg women’s freestyle) and 2020 Olympic champion David Taylor (86 kg men’s freestyle).


Burroughs scored a 4-0 decision over Chance Marsteller in his bout, with a double leg takedown and two points on the shot clock. Maroulis scored a 10-0 technical fall over Alexandra Hedrick, with two takedowns and a four-point throw. Taylor edged Zahid Valencia, breaking a 2-2 tie with a takedown to win the match.


Final X New York. presented by Tezos, is the 12th Beat the Streets Annual Benefit. These unique and electrifying annual events help Beat the Streets New York raise millions of dollars to support local youth wrestling programs which empower young people in New York City.


Three-time World champion Kyle Dake (74 kg men’s freestyle) was also among the winners of bout one of his series, defeating Jason Nolf, 4-2. Dake broke a 2-2 tie with a caution and one against Nolf, then added a stepout.


2020 Olympic bronze medalist Sarah Hildebrandt (50 kg women’s freestyle) also opened with a technical fall win, beating two-time World medalist Alyssa Lampe, 10-0, with four ankle lace turns.


Two-time World bronze medalist Nick Gwiazdowski (125 kg men’s freestyle) and 2021 World bronze medalist G’Angelo Hancock (97 kg Greco-Roman).also were winners in their first bout. Gwiazdowski shut out Hayden Zillmer, led by a pair of takedowns.


Two-time Olympian Ildar Hafizov (60 kg Greco-Roman) and 2020 Olympian Alejandro Sancho (67 kg Greco-Roman) added first session wins. Hafizov won a wide-open 11-7 match over Army teammate Dalton Roberts, including a four-point throw in the second period.


Another men’s freestylers taking first bout victories was Yianni Diakomihalis (65 kg), who beat Evan Henderson is a crazy, back-and-forth 11-9 match with a big lift at the end to secure the win with a few seconds to go.


Other women winning first matches were Amit Elor (72 kg) and Dominique Parrish (53 kg). Elor, a two-time age-group World medalist, had a dominant 10-0 technical fall over Skylar Grote. Parrish controlled Felicity Taylor, 7-2, scoring three takedowns.


Other Greco-Roman winners of their first bout were Kamal Bey (77 kg) and Alan Vera (NYAC), both past World Team members. Bey tossed and pinned his Army teammate Britton Holmes in 5:12, in what was a high-scoring match. Vera scored a takedown and quickly pinned Timothy Young in 1:00.


Session 2 of the Final X New York begins in 6:00 p.m. ET. The action will be covered live by FloWrestling.

https://flosports.link/3vIAdm4


Athletes qualified for Final X New York either by winning a 2021 World medal, or based upon their placement at the World Team Trials Challenge Tournament in Coralville, Iowa, May 20-21.


The winner of each Final X Championship Series will represent the Team USA at the Senior World Championships in Belgrade, Serbia, Sept. 10-18.

BEAT THE STREETS NEW YORK

At New York, N.Y., June 8



77 kg GR - Kamal Bey (Army WCAP) vs. Britton Holmes (Army WCAP)

Bout One – Bey pin Holmes, 5:12

Bout Two – at 6:00 p.m. CT session

Bout Three (if necessary) in 6:00 p.m. session


72 kg WFS - Amit Elor (NYC RTC/TMWC) vs. Skylar Grote (Beaver Dam RTC/NYAC)

Bout One – Elor tech. fall Grote, 10-0, 5:17

Bout Two – at 6:00 p.m. CT session

Bout Three (if necessary) in 6:00 p.m. session


65 kg MFS - Yianni Diakomihalis (Spartan Combat/TMWC) vs. Evan Henderson (Ohio RTC/TMWC)

Bout One – Diakomihalis dec. Henderson, 11-9

Bout Two – at 6:00 p.m. CT session

Bout Three (if necessary) in 6:00 p.m. session


Bout 4 – 87 kg GR - Alan Vera (NYAC) vs. Timothy Young (Illinois)

Bout One – Vera pin Young, 1:00

Bout Two – at 6:00 p.m. CT session

Bout Three (if necessary) in 6:00 p.m. session


Bout 5 – 125 kg MFS - Nick Gwiazdowski (Spartan Combat RTC/TMWC) vs. Hayden Zillmer (Gopher WC - RTC)

Bout One – Gwiazdowski dec. Zillmer, 5-0

Bout Two – at 6:00 p.m. CT session

Bout Three (if necessary) in 6:00 p.m. session


Bout 6 - 67 kg GR - Alejandro Sancho (Army WCAP) vs. Alston Nutter (Sunkist Kids)

Bout One – Sancho dec. Nutter, 10-9

Bout Two – at 6:00 p.m. CT session

Bout Three (if necessary) in 6:00 p.m. session


53 kg W - Dominique Parrish (Sunkist Kids) dec. Felicity Taylor (Bearcat RTC/TMWC)

Bout One – Parrish dec. Taylor, 7-2

Bout Two – at 6:00 p.m. CT session

Bout Three (if necessary) in 6:00 p.m. session


60 kg GR - Ildar Hafizov (Army WCAP) va. Dalton Roberts (Army WCAP)

Bout One – Hafizov dec. Roberts, 11-7

Bout Two – at 6:00 p.m. CT session

Bout Three (if necessary) in 6:00 p.m. session


Bout 10 - 97 kg GR – G’Angelo Hancock (Sunkist Kids) vs. Braxton Amos (Wisconain RTC/Sunkist Kids)

Bout One – Hancock tech. fall Amos, 8-0, 2:06

Bout Two – at 6:00 p.m. CT session

Bout Three (if necessary) in 6:00 p.m. session


Bout 11 - 50 kg WFS – Sarah Hildebrandt (USOPTC/NYAC) vs. Alyssa Lampe (Sunkist Kids)

Bout One – Hildebrandt tech fall Lampe, 10-0, 1:31

Bout Two – at 6:00 p.m. CT session

Bout Three (if necessary) in 6:00 p.m. session


Bout 12 - 74 kg MFS – Kyle Dake (Spartan Combat RTC/TMWC) vs. Jason Nolf (NLWC/TMWC)

Bout One – Dale dec. Nolf, 4-2

Bout Two – at 6:00 p.m. CT session

Bout Three (if necessary) in 6:00 p.m. session


Bout 13 - 57 kg WFS – Helen Maroulis (Sunkist Kids) vs. Alexandra Hedrick (USOPTC/TMWC)

Bout One – Maroulis tech. fall Hedrick, 10-0, 2:59

Bout Two – at 6:00 p.m. CT session

Bout Three (if necessary) in 6:00 p.m. session


Bout 14 – 79 kg MFS – Jordan Burroughs (Pennsylvania RTC/Sunkist Kids) vs. Chance Marsteller (TMWC)

Bout One – Burroughs dec. Marsteller, 4-0

Bout Two – at 6:00 p.m. CT session

Bout Three (if necessary) in 6:00 p.m. session


Bout 15 – 86 kg MFS – David Taylor (NLWC/TMWC) vs. Zahid Valencia (Sunkist Kids)

Bout One – Taylor dec. Valencia, 4-2

Bout Two – at 6:00 p.m. CT session

Bout Three (if necessary) in 6:00 p.m. session