2025 U20 World Championships thread (RECAP ARTICLE ADDED)

[Tanner Lafever]

My full Iowa-centric preview just went up for this week's ongoing U20 World Championships in Bulgaria:

Iowa wrestling: 2025 U20 World Championships Preview - On3

The US men's freestyle team is already off to a hot start - for those who weren't aware - but action pertaining to the Hawkeyes doesn't get going until later this week.

In Women's Freestyle, Naomi Simon (76kg) will begin her gold medal pursuit early on Wednesday morning (US time). Simon took bronze at this event a year ago.

And in Greco-Roman, Leister Bowling IV (77kg) takes on his first-ever World Championships starting on Saturday morning.

All action will be streaming live on Flo, and I'll continue to post relevant updates here throughout the week (as well a link to my preview article once it's up).

 

[Tanner Lafever]

Here's Simon's draw at 76kg - a bracket that features eight previous age-level World medalists, incl. a pair of champs (both on the bottom half of the bracket):

 

[Cali_Nittany1]

 

[Cali_Nittany1]

 

[Tanner Lafever]

McEnelly reaches the U20 finals with a clutch takedown against Iran - and in so doing only further ratchets up my anticipation for Ferrari/McEnelly Parts 1-??? this season.

That is going to be an awesome battle.

 

[azchief32]

 

[azchief32]

Just randomly watching other matches when I saw this happen:

 

[Tanner Lafever]

Just randomly watching other matches when I saw this happen:

Yeah, I think Flo posted that highlight the other day as well.

Kind of feels akin to getting your arm ripped off and then being beaten to death with it.

Just all-around pain/humiliation.

 

[Scrubby]

Team usa locked up the team title already. This group of young men is incredibly impressive!

 

[Tanner Lafever]

 

[Tanner Lafever]

 

[Tanner Lafever]

 

[jrod65]

Blaze made it look easy, 10-0.

Hoping he and Forrest are at the same weight in college for multiple years. Would make for a fun rivalry.

 

[jrod65]

McEnelly adds another gold for USA.

5 golds
1 silver
2 bronze

 

[azchief32]

Team USA dominates.9 guys went for a medal with only two losses in those matches (Lockett 5th, Henckel 2nd).

 

[dtripp26]

Poor showing from the NLWC.

 

[namenoonechose]

Poor showing from the NLWC.

They definitely have work to do.

 

[Nashville_Hawk]

Just randomly watching other matches when I saw this happen:

Would love to see Spencer add that to his repertoire!

 

[Nashville_Hawk]

They definitely have work to do.

Wish we had that much work to do!

 

[Psalm 1 guy]

Blaze made it look easy, 10-0.

Hoping he and Forrest are at the same weight in college for multiple years. Would make for a fun rivalry.

It will be interesting to see what weight each of them wrestles at as their college careers progress. Based on Forrest's frame, I would not be surprised if at some point he is at a higher weight class than Blaze. This current crop of young US wrestlers is absolutely amazing. Back when I wrestled in high school in the late 70's/early 80's these young wrestlers' success would have been unheard of. The US having five U20 champions is an amazing accomplishment, and had Lilledahl chosen to compete, I think he would have won gold also.

 

[Tanner Lafever]

Leister Bowling IV starts his U20 run 1-1, and now needs a semifinal result to go his way in order to get pulled back into repechage tomorrow morning.

 

[Tanner Lafever]

Bowling gets the help he needs as Putkaradze prevails 5-4 in a semifinal bout between past World champs.

That brings Bowling into tomorrow’s repechage - starting at 8:15am CT - needing two wins to earn a bronze medal.

 

[Fan16801]

A USA Greco wrestler into a bronze match! So far Leister Bowling IV has made it further than any other USA Greco wrestler. He could be joined by Drury. We'll find out shortly. His guaranteed 10 points will help Team USA jump others in the team competition table.

 

[Tanner Lafever]

Here's the key sequence in Bowling's repechage victory:



Next up for bronze, he'll face a reigning U17 World champ.

 

[Fan16801]

Despite broken fingers Drury went out and faced his opponent but did not prevail. So it's official, Leister Bowling IV the most successful USA Greco wrestler.

 

[Tanner Lafever]

 

[el dub]

Why didn’t the Rainey’s compete?

 

[vhsalum1]

Why didn’t the Rainey’s compete?

They weren’t on the team.

 

[Tanner Lafever]

Why didn’t the Rainey’s compete?

Jayden Raney (55kg) made the SR Greco team instead.

Jordyn didn't contest any World Team Trials events this summer.

 

[Tanner Lafever]

Just published my recap for the week that was at U20 Worlds:

Bowling (fifth) paces Iowa wrestlers at U20 World Championships - On3

If you missed any of the action/details this week, everything you need to know can be found right there.