Photo: Tony Rotundo
Team USA could not have scripted Thursday morning in Astana any better. Ten matches, ten wins. The men's freestyle team opened its World Championships with Bo Bassett and Kyle Snyder both reaching the semifinals, the women added two more semifinalists and a bronze-medal shot, and the Americans head into the evening session with four wrestlers two wins from gold.
Bo Bassett Rallies From 10-3 Down
At his first Senior World Championships, the reigning U20 World Champion and Virginia Tech true freshman looked right at home from the opening whistle. Bassett pinned Canada's Peiman Biabani, the No. 3 seed, in 1:13, then teched France's Quentin Sticker 12-0 in 1:32.
The quarterfinal was a different story. Russia's Abasgadzhi Magomedov led 10-3 at the break, and Bassett did what Bassett does: he stormed back to win 14-13 and punch his ticket to the semifinals.
Next: Semifinal vs. Abdulmazhid Kudiev (Tajikistan), about 7:46 AM ET on Mat C. Kudiev upset No. 2 seed Sujeet (India) 3-3 in his quarterfinal.
Kyle Snyder Takes Out Sadulaev
Snyder teched Turkey's Alperen Tokgoz 10-0 in the Round of 16, which set up a quarterfinal with the rival who has defined his career. Snyder beat Abdulrashid Sadulaev 4-4 on criteria, evening their World Championships series at 2-2 after the 2017, 2018 and 2021 World finals.
Next: Semifinal vs. Zbigniew Baranowski (Poland), the No. 5 seed, about 7:54 AM ET on Mat B.
Leydecker and Nette Into the Women's Semis
- Everest Leydecker (55kg): beat Karla Godinez Gonzalez (Canada) 2-1, then pinned Anastasia Blayvas (Germany) in 3:55. Semifinal vs. Nagisa Harada (Japan), about 7:30 AM ET on Mat C.
- Abigail Nette (59kg): pinned Gloria Niyonkuru (Burundi) in 42 seconds, then edged Russia's Svetlana Lipatova 7-6. Semifinal vs. Mariia Vynnyk (Ukraine), about 7:38 AM ET on Mat B.
Blades Wrestles for Bronze
Kennedy Blades (68kg) opened the morning by teching India's Srishti 12-1 in repechage, which puts her in a bronze-medal match vs. Delgermaa Enkhsaikhan (Mongolia), about 9:34 AM ET.
Four More Medal Matches This Morning (ET)
Team USA already has two bronze medals in Astana, from Helen Maroulis (57kg) and Dymond Guilford (76kg). Four more Americans wrestle for medals today, all on Mat B:
- ~9:00 AM: Precious Wieser (72kg) vs. Tanu Sharma (India) for bronze
- ~9:20 AM: Cristelle Rodriguez-Dobler (53kg) vs. Andreea Ana (Romania) for bronze
- ~9:34 AM: Kennedy Blades (68kg) vs. Delgermaa Enkhsaikhan (Mongolia) for bronze
- ~10:03 AM: Adaugo Nwachukwu (62kg) vs. Nonoka Ozaki (Japan) for GOLD
Times are UWW projections and tend to drift once a session gets going. Every session streams live on FloWrestling.
Follow every Team USA bout live on our World Championships tracker, with brackets, the full mat order and team scores.