Peak Defeats Olympic Champion on Day One at 2024 World Championships

The 2024 World Championships for non-Olympic weights kicked off today from Tirana, Albania with competition in the Greco-Roman discipline. From an American perspective, the day started off on a high note as Benji Peak shook up the 72 kg weight class with an opening round upset. 

Despite giving up the first takedown to Iran’s Mohammadreza Geraei, Peak picked up one of his own after a failed throw attempt from Geraei. Shortly after, Peak used a low gut to throw the 2020 Olympic gold medalist. During that sequence, Geraei was hit for a leg foul which pushed Peak’s lead to 6-2. 

Peak didn’t take his foot off the accelerator in the second period as he pushed the pace and earned a takedown in a similar fashion to his first. Like the first period, Peak was able to add to his lead with a low gut which provided a point for a step out. Late in the second stanza, Peak bulled his way through a desperate Geraei - who was caught off balance while changing levels. That was enough for an 11-3 tech for the American. 

Unfortunately, Peak was beaten by Croatia’s Dominik Etlinger in his next bout. Etlinger fell in the quarterfinals, which eliminated Peak from medal contention. 

Although he was defeated in his only match of the day, Ildar Hafizov remains in the medal hunt after his opponent Nihat Mammadli (Azerbaijan) advanced to the 63 kg finals. Hafizov will have to win three consecutive matches on Tuesday to come home with a bronze medal. His trip through repechage will start with 2024 European bronze medalist Abu Amaev of Bulgaria. 
 

Full American results

55 kg 

Round of 32

Sanjeev (India) over Brady Koontz   5-3

63 kg

Round of 32

Nihat Mammadli (Azerbaijan) over Ildar Hafizov   10-0

Repechage

Ildar Hafizov vs. Abu Amaev (Bulgaria)

72 kg

Round of 32

Benji Peak over Mohammadreza Geraei (Iran)  11-3

Dominik Etlinger (Croatia) over Benji Peak  9-0

82 kg

Per Olofsson (Sweden) over Aliaksandr Kikiniou  5-1