Boyle's Gold Gives U20 Men's Freestyle Team Four Champions

Action has wrapped up on the final day of a record-setting U20 World Championships for the US men’s freestyle team. The American squad had three wrestlers in the four remaining gold medal matches and one wrestling for bronze.

Of the three finalists, only Michael Boyle at 97 kg came away with the gold. Boyle and Rodion Sanakoev (Russia) ended the first period with the score knotted at one. Boyle turned up the heat and tallied a step-out followed by five takedowns. After each score, Boyle hustled back to the center of the mat as a tired Sanakoev dragged himself slowly back. Boyle finished things with an extremely quick finish after a high crotch and a 12-2 victory.

Boyle was the fourth American to capture a world title from the men’s freestyle team in 2026. He’s also only 17 years old, so he could get the opportunity to add additional medals.

Jayden James (74 kg) and Dreshaun Ross (125 kg) both made the finals but had to settle for silver medals. James held a late lead in a shootout with Japan’s Ariya Yoshida, but gave up a takedown at the final buzzer to lose, 13-12.

Ross got down to Iran’s Abolfazl Mohammad Nezhad by a 5-0 margin in the second period. He nearly pulled off a miraculous comeback with a takedown in the final :05 seconds, but was unable to get any exposure from a leg lace.

Ross’ Oklahoma State teammate, Landon Robideau, trailed Zalkarbek Tabaldiev (Kyrgyzstan) by a slim 1-0 margin at the break in their bronze-medal match at 70 kg. Robideau took the lead with a step-out point early in the final period. Shortly after, Tabaldiev was hit for a shot clock violation, and Robideau quickly earned another step-out to lead 3-1.

Robideau’s win gave the American team a medal at each of the ten weight classes. The last time that any country earned medals at every available weight class was 1988, when the Soviet Union did so. The American squad finished with a team title and 205 points. They outdistanced second-place Russia by 50 points.