Blades and Snyder into the Olympic Semifinals

Friday wasn’t the best from an American perspective, but Saturday was a new day and it saw the final three members of the Olympic wrestling squad hit the mat. Two of them have advanced to the semifinals later today. 

First-time Olympian Kennedy Blades was the first American to take the mat on Saturday and she made sure her debut at 76 kg in women’s freestyle was memorable. Blades opened up the floodgates early in the opening period as she gained a takedown with a low single. Later in the first, Blades landed a massive double leg, taking her opponent Catalina Axente (Romania) from feet to back for a 6-0 lead at the break. 

In the second period, Blades abruptly ended the bout with a beautiful five-point backarch suplex. The move forced Axente to land on her neck and she was down on the mat being attended to by medical personnel for a lengthy time before leaving the wrestling area on a stretcher. 

The quarterfinals saw Blades in a rematch against Cuba’s Milaimys Marin Potrille. The two met a few months ago at the Grand Prix of Spain and Marin Potrille took that bout. 

The only scoring that took place in the opening period was a shot clock violation on Marin Potrille which put Blades up 1-0. The second period saw the Cuban knot up the score at one with an early step-out point. Undeterred, Blades shot Marin Potrille off the mat for a step out of her own and a 2-1 lead. Blades would extend that lead as she hipped into a double leg attempt from Marin Potrille sending the Cuban to her back for another pair of points. 

Later in the second period, Blades took a half shot which was countered by Marin Potrille bringing the match score to 4-3. Blades was able to stay out of danger for the rest of the period and took the 4-3 decision and she’ll move into the semifinals. 

In the semifinals, Blades will have top-seeded Aiperi Medet Kyzy of Kyrgyzstan. Medet Kyzy is a two-time world medalist who was second in the world in 2023. 

Kyle Snyder’s quest for a second Olympic title and third Olympic medal started in a shaky manner as he gave up a four-point throw to China’s Awusayiman Habila to start off his tournament. Snyder would enter the second period facing a 4-0 deficit. 

In the second period, Snyder would methodically battle back and chipped away at Habila’s lead. He got on the board early with a snapdown and spin for a takedown, quickly followed by a single leg run out of bounds, which made the score 4-3. Snyder added two more takedowns and surrendered a step-out point which made the final score, 9-5. 

In a second US vs Cuba quarterfinal Snyder took on Arturo Silot Torres with a spot in the semifinals hanging in the balance. There was little in the way of action in the opening period which led to a shot clock violation on Silot Torres and a point for Snyder. 

Action picked up in the second period as Silot Torres took a half-hearted shot in Snyder’s direction. The American promptly threw Silot Torres to his back and quickly picked up a fall. 

The semifinals have a massive matchup in store for Snyder. He’ll have 2023 world champion Akhmed Tazhudinov of Bahrain. The pair met in the 2023 world quarterfinals and Tazhudinov shocked Snyder with an 11-0 tech. 

The lone American not to advance in the session was Zain Retherford at 65 kg. Retherford drew the #2 seed Rahman Amouzad (Iran) in a battle of past world champions. Retherford was never able to get past the long arms of Amouzad to get a significant offensive attempt. The Iranian took the match 8-0 and continued into this afternoon’s semifinals. 

Amouzad will face 2023 world champion Iszmail Musukaev (Hungary). Should Amouzad win, Retherford will be pulled back into repechage.