TOM Article

Pictured: Nick Boykin going for a throw on the edge in 2019. Image courtesy of USA Wrestling’s Twitter Page (@USAWrestling).  As session three at the U23 World Championships got underway early on Tuesday morning in Belgrade, fans of Team USA watched as the second group of Greco-Roman grapplers began their respective tournaments.  Americans Dylan Gregerson (60kg), Alston Nutter (67kg), Nate Moore (72kg), Tommy Brackett (82kg), and Nicholas Boykin (97kg) started their Greco event during session three. Here is all the essential information regarding the three Team USA squads.  Unfortunately, Team USA went 2-5 on the session (including a forfeit for Nate Moore). Many must await semifinal results to see if they’ll advance to repechage tomorrow. 

Inside the Bouts

Nutter got things started for Team USA, but he failed to make it out of the first period before falling 9-0 to Joni Khetsuriani of Georgia. The Georgian has a second-place finish at the 2018 Junior European Championships, plus another runner-up placement at the 2015 Cadet World Championships to his credit.  Two throws put Nutter in an early 8-0 hole. However, a successful challenge for Nutter cut the deficit to 6-0, but that was as close as it would get. The Georgian scored at the edge and won the match, 9-0.  At 97kg, Ohio State Buckeye, Boykin, was able to temporarily right the ship for Team USA with a dominant 8-3 decision in his opening-round bout against Poland’s Gerard Kurniczak, a Cadet World champion (2016) and a Junior World Championships fifth-place finisher (2019). Boykin used a trio of takedowns, including a big four-pointer, to get the job done and advance.  In the Round of 16, Boykin fell via 11-0 technical superiority to 2021 Senior World bronze medalist and 2021 U23 Senior European Championships gold medalist, Russia’s Artur Sargsian. A failed challenge and some push-out points sent Boykin into the break losing, 5-0. Another takedown and some turns by the Russian ended the match in the second frame.  Unfortunately, the momentum from Boykin’s big win didn’t last long. In Team USA’s next bout, at 82kg, Tommy Brackett fell to Ukhammadkodir Rasulov (Uzbekistan). Rasulov placed ninth at the 2021 Junior World Championships earlier this year. Despite a 1-1 tie at the break, Beckett was put down for passivity and turned twice to trail 6-1. Beckett went on to lose 8-3.   At 60kg, Gregerson had no answers for Iran’s Mehdi Mohsen Nejad, who took home bronze at this event in 2018 and 2019. The Iranian used a quick four-pointer, plus a takedown and turn sequence to end the match, 8-0, just 1:03 into the Round of 16 bout.  At 72kg, Nate Moore advanced directly to the quarterfinals after receiving a bye in round one and a forfeit in the Round of 16. However, in the quarters, Moore ran into Idris Ibaev of Germany. Moore had no answer for Ibaev’s relentless offensive attack. He fell 12-2 to the 2021 U23 Senior European Championships bronze medalist at the 4:56 mark.  Looking forward, Taylor LaMont will be going for a bronze medal this afternoon. At the same time, Gregerson, Nutter, Moore, and Boykin will await semifinal results in session four.  Click here to see the updated brackets and match replays.

OTHER 2021 U23 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS COVERAGE 

Session I Recap here Session 2 Recap here

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