Marcus Blaze wins U20 gold as Penn State wrestlers take five medals at latest World Championships: Full results

Penn State freshman Marcus Blaze is a U20 World Champ. The new Nittany Lion capped off his domination of the 61-kilogram (134.4 pounds) men’s freestyle division by winning the gold medal match by technical fall, 10-0, over Iran’s Ahora Khateri. A Perrysburg, Ohio native, Blaze scored first and then built a 5-0 lead by the end of the first period. He then quickly netted five points in the second period to stop the match and earn his second world title. His first came a year ago at U17 Worlds, where he won gold before taking bronze at last year’s U20 tournament.

Blaze is the final of five Penn State wrestlers to hit the medal stand at this year’s U20s in Bulgaria. Teammate PJ Duke won 70-kilogram gold. Their classmate, William Henckel, took silver at 74 kilograms. And, redshirt freshman Connor and Cole Mirasola took bronze at 92 and 125 kilograms, respectively.

It all equals another remarkably successful international tournament for head coach Cael Sanderson’s program. More of his wrestlers will have a chance to medal at either U23 Worlds and/or the Senior World Championships later this year. And, Class of 2026 commit Jayden James’ future continues to look bright after he won U17 Worlds at 71 kilograms in early August.

The five Nittany Lions also helped lift Team USA to the team title at this year’s U20s. Per Jason Bryant of Mat Talk Online, the Mirasolas are the first U.S. brothers to both medal in the same U20 tournament since Jimmy Carr won gold and Joe Carr silver in 1973. Team USA also set a program record with five gold medals at a single U20 tournament.

Full Penn State wrestling results from the U20 World Championships

Results are courtesy of USA Wrestling.

61 kilograms (134.4 pounds) – Penn State freshman Marcus Blaze:

WIN Sandro Hungerbuehler (Switzerland), tech. fall, 10-0.

WIN Sargis Begoyan (Armenia), disq., 3 cautions

W Askat Toktomatov (Kyrgyzstan), tech. fall, 11-1

WIN Magomedkhan Magamedkhanov (UWW), tech. fall, 15-4

WIN Ahora Khateri (Iran), tech fall, 11-0

Results: GOLD

70 kilograms (154.3 pounds) – Penn State freshman PJ Duke

WIN Umut Uslu (Turkiye), tech. fall 11-0

WIN Gabriel Alejandro Sanchez Zepeda (Mexico), fall, 0:43.

W Abdoullah Nakaev (France), tech fall, 14-4

WIN Ebrahim Elahi Chouran (Iran), dec. 2-2, criteria

WIN Aleksandr Gaidarli (Moldova), dec. 7-5

Result: GOLD

79 kilograms (174.1 pounds) – PSU freshman William Henckel

WIN Maksat Tabyldyev (Kyrgyzstan), dec. 8-5.

WIN Bohdan Oleksiienko (Ukraine), tech. fall, 10-0

W Davit Tchetchelashvili (Georgia), dec. 11-5

WIN Amit (India), dec. 5-4

LOSS Mahdi Yousefi Hajivar (Iran) 8-6

Result: SILVER

92 kilograms (202.8 pounds) – PSU redshirt freshman Connor Mirasola

WIN Zixu Yuan (China), tech. fall, 10-0

LOSS Kamil Kurugliyev (Kazakhstan), dec. 7-5.

WIN Teimuraz Kochkiani (Georgia), tech. fall, 12-2

WIN Anar Jafarli (Azerbaijan) 10-0

Result: BRONZE

125 kilograms (275.5 pounds) – Penn State redshirt freshman Cole Mirasola

WIN Sertac Aksoy (Turkiye), tech fall, 10-0.

WIN Inal Gagloev (UWW), dec. 3-0

LOSS Yedige Kassimbek (Kazakhstan), tech. fall, 11-0.

WIN Narantulga Darmaabazar (Mongolia), tech. fall, 12-0

Result: BRONZE