Snyder wins gold, Walz and Jimenez get bronze on final day of Dan Kolov/Nikola Petrov in Bulgaria

Coaches Jake Varner and Bill Zadick work with Kyle Snyder during the break of a match at the Dan Kolov/Nikola Petrov International. Photo courtesy of the Bulgarian Wrestling Federation.


SOFIA, Bulgaria – The United States closed out the final day of the Dan Kolov/Nikola Petrov International on Sunday with three medals, including its first gold medal of the weekend.


2016 Olympic champion and three-time World champion Kyle Snyder finished off a gold-medal performance with a 12-1 technical fall over Juhan Seo of Korea in the finals at 97 kg in men’s freestyle. Snyder won all four of his bouts by technical fall, outscoring the opponents, 37-5. Snyder was named Outstanding Wrestler in the freestyle division.


Claiming a bronze medal in men’s freestyle was Ty Walz, who stopped Rahid Hamidli of Azerbaijan, 3-1 in the bronze-medal bout.


Also claiming a bronze was women’s freestyler Audrey Jimenez at 50 kg. She opened Sunday with a 10-0 technical fall over Emine Cataloglu of Turkey in repechage, then put away Svenja Jungo of Switzerland in a bronze medal bout with a 12-2 technical fall.


Placing fifth in Greco-Roman was Ryder Smith of NMU NTS, who lost his 60 kg bronze-medal bout 8-0 at 60 kg.\


In all, the United States won 11 medals in Sofia, six in women’s freestyle and five in men’s freestyle, with Snyder as the lone gold medalist.

DAN KOLOV/NIKOLA PETROV INTERNATIONAL

At Sofia, Bulgaria, March 5


Group Three U.S. performances

U.S. Men’s Freestyle results


86kg: Andrew Morgan (NYRTC), eliminated

WIN Ivars Samsusonoks (Latvia), 10-4

LOSS Orkhan Abasov (Azerbaijan), tech. fall 13-1


86kg: Quentin Perez (CARTC), eliminated

LOSS Orkhan Abasov (Azerbaijan), 13-5


97kg: Kyle Snyder (TMWC/NLWC), GOLD MEDAL

WIN Daniil Pidlypenets (Ukraine), tech. fall 10-0

WIN Juha Rusila (Denmark), tech fall 10-0

WIN Danyal Sharatinia (Iran), tech. fall 14-4

WIN Juhwan Seo (Korea), tech. fall 12-1


97 kg: George Sikes, eliminated

LOSS Daniil Pidlypenets (Ukraine), eliminated


125kg: Ty Walz (TMWC/SERTC), BRONZE MEDAL

WIN Johannes Ludescher (Austria), 8-0

WIN Giga Shavadze (Georgia), 6-0

LOSS Giorgi Meshvildishvili (Georgia), tech fall 11-0

WIN Rahid Hamidli (Azerbaijan), 3-1

U.S. Women’s Freestyle results


50kg: Audrey Jimenez (Sunkist), BRONZE MEDAL

LOSS Svetlana Ankicheva (Kazakhstan), 10-8

WIN Emine Cataloglu (Turkey), tech. fall 10-0

WIN Svenja Jungo (Switzerland), tech. fall 12-2

U.S. Greco-Roman results


60 kg: Gabe Townsell (NYAC/CARTC), eliminated

LOSS Zholaman Sharshenbekov (Kyrgyzstan), tech fall 9-0

LOSS Medyalko Petrov (Bulgaria), injury


60kg: Ryder Smith (NMU NTS), 5th place

LOSS Michel Tracz (Poland), tech fall 9-0

LOSS Koto Gomi (Japan), tech. fall 8-0


67kg: Charles Welcome (NMU NTS), eliminated

LOSS Slavik Galstyan (Armenia), tech fall 8-0

LOSS Artur Politaiev (Ukraine), tech fall 9-0


67kg: David Stepanian (NYAC/NMW NTS), eliminated

LOSS Morten Thoresen (Norway), 6-0


77kg: Riley Briggs (NMU NTS), eliminated

LOSS Zlatomir Emilov (Bulgaria), 4-4


77kg: Mike Higgins (NMU NTS), eliminated

WIN Akseli Yli Hannuksela (Finland), forfeit

LOSS Elma Nurliiev (Ukraine), tech. fall 9-0