@MizzouWrestling’s Zach Elam Claims Silver Medal at World Junior Championships
9/23/2018 10:07:00 AM | Wrestling
Incoming freshman advanced to the finals in his first international competition abroad
TRNAVA, Slovakia – Mizzou Wrestling freshman Zach Elam (Kansas City, Mo.) earned a silver medal at the 2018 Junior World Wrestling Championships Saturday (Sept. 22). A late alternate substitute for Team USA, Elam found out that he would compete at the junior championships just two weeks ago and advanced all the way to the 97 kg finals where he lost to Magomedkhan Magomedov of Russia.
In the semifinals, Elam faced junior Asian silver medalist Serik Bakytkhanov of Kazakhstan. The Tiger freshman dominated the match from start to finish, only giving up one point on a step out. Elam collected multiple takedowns for an eventual 14-1 technical fall.
Elam opened the tournament by defeating Kunai Nurdavletov of Kyrgyzstan in his international debut. Nurdavletov won bronze at the 2018 Junior Asian Championships. Elam then defeated Korea's H. Han in the quarterfinals before his 14-1 technical fall performance in the semis.
Watch Zach Elam go for junior world gold tomorrow! Finals are scheduled to start at 12 pm ET and can be watched exclusively https://t.co/2cg68aJptt .@ELAMinator88 @MizzouWrestling pic.twitter.com/dZQDcki480
— Trackwrestling (@trackwrestling) September 21, 2018
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