2021 Cadet World Championships

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Yankeefan33

Well-known member
We are finally back! For the first time in two years we will have a Cadet World Championships. Letting young high school athletes travel the world and compete against some of the best from other countries is a great experience and overwhelmingly has shown to lead to success at the next level. Olympians Gable Steveson and Thomas Gilman both competed at Cadet Worlds, as well as 6/10 NCAA champs (Spencer Lee, RBY, David Carr, Aaron Brooks, AJ Ferrari, and Gable). The names you will see the next couple days are the same names you will see in five years on the NCAA podium for schools like Penn State, Iowa, Ohio State, and Okie State.

Normally, I would do some research on potential opponents and give some predictions based on qualify of competition and the level of success of the US guys. However, Covid eliminated all events last year and some this year, and 90% of the Cadet wrestlers don't have results of any kind. Therefore, I really have no idea what to expect this week. Guessing the power countries like Russia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, etc will be strong. No Japan this week (more important for the women's competition, but they are traditionally strong at Cadet freestyle as well). The US Cadet team has had their most success at the upperweights: in the last five years, Team USA has eight medals in the loweweights and 18 in the upperweights. Therefore, keep an eye on guys like James Rowley (80kg) and Jim Mullen (110kg) to compete for gold. Additionally, I really like Pennsylvania's Bo Bassett at 45kg, the lowest weight and one the US has one twice in recent years (Marc-Anthony McGowan and Kurt McHenry).

Wrestling will be at 5:30 am eastern both Monday and Tuesday, with semis at 12:45pm and finals Tuesday/Wednesday at 2pm.

Monday's competitors:
48 kg: Luke Lilledahl (St. Charles, Mo.) vs. Akhmad Musakhadzhiev, Russia
55 kg: Spencer Moore (Crittenden, Kan.) vs. Andranik Avetisyan, Armenia
65 kg: Meyer Shapiro (Woobine, Md.) vs. Timur Yusov, Ukraine
80 kg: James Rowley (Corvallis, Ore.) vs. Mustafagadzhi Malachdibirov, Russia
110 kg: James Mullen (Harrington Park, N.J.) vs. Sahil Sahil, India

Tuesday's competitors:
45 kg: Bo Bassett (Windber, Pa.) vs. Malkhazi Khelaia, Georgia
51 kg: Nathanael Jesuroga (Pleasant Hill, Iowa) vs. Nodirbek Jumanazarov, Uzbekistan
60 kg: Beau Mantanona (Bermuda Dunes, Calif.) vs. Abdulrahman Ibrahimov, Azerbaijan
71 kg: Levi Haines (Arendtsville, Pa.) vs. Asadbek Karimov, Uzbekistan
92 kg: Gavin Nelson (Inner Grove, Minn.) vs. Khaleifah Alhefeiti, UAE
 
 
I just witnessed something I've never seen before- UWW referees go back and reverse a bad decision they made to HELP a USA wrestler and HURT a Russian wrestler. 2021 is truly a brave new world. FYI match was Luke Lilledahl 1st round against Russia, I would check out the ending if you get a chance. Great comeback by USA
 
A very successful morning for Team USA, with four of the five wrestlers competing making the semifinals. Three US wrestlers defeated Russia on their way to the semis, an extremely impressive showing for kids who have zero international experience.

48kg- Luke Lilledahl beat Russia (wild match with a scoring error and a late comeback) 9-9 and Kgyryzstan 9-1, will face Kazakhstan in semis.
55kg- Spencer Moore lost to the Cadet Euro champ from Armenia 6-0, who was then cradled and pinned while up 6-0, so Moore will end his tourney 0-1.
65kg- Meyer Shapiro pinned Ukraine in a cradle then held off Russia 8-6 in the quarters, will face Azerbaijan in semis.
80kg- James Rowley came back from down 6-0 to beat Russia in R1 then beat Ukraine 8-6 in the quarters. He will face Italy in the semis and is the best shot at gold I think.
110kg- Jim Mullen barely held off India in R1 8-8 then beat Hungary 6-1 to make the semis against Kazakhstan or Ukraine. Both Russia and Iran are on the bottom, so Mullen has the easier path to the finals.

Semis today at noon. Tune in if you're free!
 
Four in the finals!

48 Aman Aman (India) VSU Rezo Marsagishvili (Georgia), 10-0 1:05
48 Luke joseph Lilledahl (United States) VPO1 Nurdanat Aitanov (Kazakhstan), 4-3

55 Magomed Baitukaev (Russia) VPO1 Abdullah Toprak (Turkey), 10-6
55 Abdinur Nurlanbek (Kazakhstan) VPO1 Vaibhav narayan Patil (India), 6-3

65 Giorgi Gogritchiani (Georgia) VPO1 Ali abbas Rezaeiaghouzgeleh (Iran), 6-6
65 Meyer Shapiro Woodbine, MD (United States) VSU Aghanazar Novruzov (Azerbaijan), 10-0 1:57

80 Sagar Jaglan (India) VFA Tornike Samkharadze (Georgia), 6-6 4:00
80 James mockler Rowley (United States) VSU1 Gabriele Niccolini (Italy), 12-2 3:47

110 Amirreza fardin Masoumi valadi (Iran) VPO1 Ilia Zhibalov (Russia), 5-1
110 Jim Mullen Kearny, NJ (United States) VPO1 Alikhan Kussainov (Kazakhstan), 7-1

 
Honestly an amazing day for the Cadets. Four finalists (guaranteed silver) means the team has already doubled their medal total from 2019 with half the team yet to compete. Three wrestlers with wins over Russia, first in the team title race, really like the chances for both Rowley and Shapiro tomorrow (would be surprised to see Lilledahl and/or Mullen win.

Also, it should be said that Jim Mullen skipped his high school state tournament to attend Cadet trials and now he is in the world finals. I wish more of our youth wrestlers had the world ambitions of guys like Mullen instead of being content to win a state title. Every men's freestyle wrestler this year made a Junior world team (Dake in Greco). Sancho and Hancock did in Greco, while Hafizov competed at Worlds while still junior eligible.
 
'Big Jim Mullen' (The Third)
Ours guys were 'nails' today.
The production quality has been great. I knocked the Fargo production, credit where credit is due.

Tomorrow's wrestlers.
45 kg: Bo Bassett vs. Georgia
51 kg: Nathanael Jesuroga vs. Turkey
60 kg: Beau Mantanona vs. Azerbaijan
71 kg: Levi Haines vs. Uzbekistan
92 kg: Gavin Nelson vs. United Arab Emirates
 
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This is good stuff.

Cadet - 5:30 AM ET
45kg - Bo Bassett vs. (GEO) - 3rd Match on Mat C
51kg - Nate Jesuroga vs. (TUR) - 14th Match on Mat A
60kg - Beau Mantanona vs. (AZE) - 8th Match on Mat A
71kg - Levin Haines vs. (UZB) - 7th Match on Mat C
92kg - Gavin Nelson vs. (UAE) - 21st Match on Mat A

Guaranteed Points (Current)

1 USA - 80
2 IND - 56
3 GEO - 46
3 RUS - 46
5 KAZ - 40
6 IRI - 36
7 AZE - 20
8 HUN - 12
9 TUR - 10
9 BUL - 10
 
Basset wins two.
Jesuroga wins two .
Mantanona loses first.
Haines wins first, loses next.
Nelson wins first two.

Three in the semis.
 
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MPhillips said:
Basset wins two.
Jesuroga wins two .
Mantanona loses first.
Haines wins first, loses next.
Nelson wins first two.

Three in the semis.
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Two in the semis- Jesuroga needed three wins to make the semis, only got the first two. He and Mantanona will need wins from others to be pulled into repechage. Jesuroga's loss was to Uzbekistan, who looked impressive (and also massive- huge for a 51kg guy). Mantanona lost to Azerbaijan, who will face India in the semis. India has been incredible this week, and has a good shot at the team title, which would be honestly shocking and amazing.

Bo Bassett is an absolute non-stop machine who has gassed out his two opponents after only three minutes of wrestling and then pinned them. Gavin Nelson also looked very good, getting a quick pin and then shutting out his quarters opponent. Those two wrestle at noon, with the four guys from yesterday competing in the finals around 2:30. Team USA is fighting India and Russia for the team title right now it looks like.

Also, Levi Haines got screwed over. Should have scored a push out/fleeing the mat point with about 10 seconds left and didn't get the call. It was tied at the time and he was losing on criteria, challenged and still lost. That's the only really bad call I've seen watching matches.
 
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Jesuroga gets pulled back into repechage tomorrow, will face Belarus and Armenia with a win.

Azerbaijan loses to India, meaning Mantanona will not be pulled back in.
 
Rowley drops his finals bout to India 4-0 and will end up with silver. Tough defense from India and got four push-outs. I expect Rowley to be back on the international scene sooner rather than later, that one has to leave a bitter taste.
 
Mullen is teched 10-0 by an absolute beast of an Iranian. That's a kid to watch out for the next 10 years. Glad Mullen picked up a silver medal, was fun watching him let it fly a bit.
 
Overall, an excellent day for Team USA, bringing home four medals including a gold medalist in Meyer Shapiro.

- Shapiro is the first gold medalist at 65kg for Team USA since Yianni in 2016, and the first from Maryland since Aaron Brooks a year later.
- Rowley is the first medalist from Oregon since Travis Wittlake at the same weight five years ago
- Lilledahl is the first medalist from Missouri and repeats the silver medal performance at 48kg of Richie Figueroa three years ago.
- Mullen is the first New Jersey medalist since Mason Manville in 2014 and, like Kerkvliet in 2018, loses in the finals to an Iranian wrestler. That Iranian (Amir Zare) will be wrestling next week in the Olympics.

I haven't heard otherwise, so I'd think Mullen will compete later this week in Greco as well, trying to become the first Cadet wrestler to double medal. Adam Coon won gold in 2011, but finished 11th in Greco before the double bronze at the Junior level in 2014.
 
Yankeefan33 said:
Overall, an excellent day for Team USA, bringing home four medals including a gold medalist in Meyer Shapiro.

- Shapiro is the first gold medalist at 65kg for Team USA since Yianni in 2016, and the first from Maryland since Aaron Brooks a year later.
- Rowley is the first medalist from Oregon since Travis Wittlake at the same weight five years ago
- Lilledahl is the first medalist from Missouri and repeats the silver medal performance at 48kg of Richie Figueroa three years ago.
- Mullen is the first New Jersey medalist since Mason Manville in 2014 and, like Kerkvliet in 2018, loses in the finals to an Iranian wrestler. That Iranian (Amir Zare) will be wrestling next week in the Olympics.

I haven't heard otherwise, so I'd think Mullen will compete later this week in Greco as well, trying to become the first Cadet wrestler to double medal. Adam Coon won gold in 2011, but finished 11th in Greco before the double bronze at the Junior level in 2014.
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Bassett is going GR as well I believe...
 
Bassett may be my new favorite to watch. When you want to teach a kid to bring on intensity and go 100% whistle to whistle, show them a film of this kid. He'll go far IMO.
 
Yankeefan33 said:
- Mullen is the first New Jersey medalist since Mason Manville in 2014 and, like Kerkvliet in 2018, loses in the finals to an Iranian wrestler. That Iranian (Amir Zare) will be wrestling next week in the Olympics.
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It has to be another wrestler that just happens to have the same name, because the Amir Zare that is in the Olympics wrestled UWW Juniors in 2019 (lost to Mason Parris in finals). That Amir Zare is 20 years old.
 
UsedToBe103 said:
It has to be another wrestler that just happens to have the same name, because the Amir Zare that is in the Olympics wrestled UWW Juniors in 2019 (lost to Mason Parris in finals). That Amir Zare is 20 years old.
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Sorry I wasn't clear. I meant it's another USA v Iran battle in the 110kg finals, not that Zare had returned to Cadets. Although I would put nothing past the Iranians ?
 
Bo Bassett is a Cadet World Champ! Once again gives up the first takedown, but storms back with six points and gets the pin in under two minutes! My Most Outstanding Wrestler this week, kid has unreal pace and won three matches by pin and another by tech. Unreal for a 14 year old, the future is extremely bright for him.
 
Nate Jesuroga is a Cadet bronze medalist! Beats Armenia 6-2 and wins the first bronze for to Team USA. Thought he had a great trials and was primed to medal here, glad he put together an impressive two days.
 
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