Follow along here for the latest happenings from the 2021 Junior World Championships in Ufa, Russia. Day 1 features five wrestlers in the men's freestyle competition, including Richard Figueroa (57 kg), Beau Bartlett (65 kg), Bryce Andonian (70 kg), Donnell Washington, (79 kg), and Braxton Amos (97 kg). 

Competition begins at 1 a.m. Central with prelims and quarterfinals with semifinals beginning at 8 a.m. Central. 

Click here for detailed information about the Junior Men's Freestyle team. 

Round of 16 (57 kg): Ali Abolfazl Gholi Zadegan Koloukhi (IRI) over Richie Figueroa (USA), 15-2

It was a lively first minute for Richie Figueroa. This was the first World competition for the 2018 Cadet World silver medalist since he lost in the first round of the 2019 Cadet Worlds. Figueroa came out on fire and scored a two-point takedown off a low-level attack for a 2-0 lead. Iran fired back with a double leg that resulted in a one-point step out — all within the first minute. 

Figs gave up a takedown near the edge of the mat with under four minutes remaining to fall behind 3-2 at the end of the first period. 

The second period was more of the same. Figueroa gave up two step-outs to fall behind 5-2. It went downhill from therewith Zadegan securing multiple takedowns for a 15-2 technical superiority that was cemented with a four-point takedown at the end of the match. 

Figueroa was knocked out of the tournament when Koloukhi did not advance to the finals. 

Round of 32 (70 kg): Erfan Mohammad Elahi (IRI) over Bryce Andonian (USA), 8-7

Andonian scored within the first minute off a four-point takedown before Ehali fired back with a four-point throw of his own. The American led 7-5 with just over a minute remaining in the match but gave up a takedown to take a 7-7 criteria lead. A one-point step out with 33 seconds remaining gave Elahi an 8-7 lead and that was enough to hang on for the win.

Round of 32 (65 kg): Lachlan McNeil (CAN) over Tugsjargal Erdenebat (MGL), 11-8

McNeil, a North Carolina recruit and former Wyoming Seminary prep, won a shootout that ended in an 11-8 victory after a challenge at the end of the match. Lachlan's father is Calum McNeil, a 68-kilogram freestyle Olympic qualifier for Great Britain in the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games, who hails from Scotland. 

Round of 16: (97 kg): Braxton Amos (USA) over Yunus Gafurov (KAZ), 6-4

Amos walked to the mat with his head wrapped gave up a two-point exposure out of bounds to fall behind 2-0 at the beginning of the match. Amos used a relentless pace to eventually get on the board with a blast double that resulted in four points as they went out of bounds. 

Gafurov was awarded a one-point step out with 3:26 left but the American corner challenged the call. A lost challenge gave Amos a 4-4 criteria lead at the end of the period despite almost giving up a takedown off a shot. 

Amos snagged a late takedown to pull out a 6-4 win despite little action by either wrestler.

Round of 16 (65 kg): Beau Bartlett over Marcell Budak Kovacs (HUN), 12-1

Bartlett kept a high pace from the opening whistle, picking up three takedowns against Budai Kovacs for a 6-1 lead at the end of the first period. 

It was more of the same in the second with Bartlett pouring it on with a barrage of attacks for a 12-1 technical superiority. 

Round of 16 (65 kg): Lachlan McNeil (CAN) over Viljams Lutkevics (LAT), 15-4

It was another dominant performance for the future Tar Heel. McNeil moves to the quarterfinals.

Round of 16 (70 kg): Narek Harutyunyan (ARM) over Victor Voinovich (SRB), 7-5

Incoming Oklahoma State freshman Victor Voinovich dropped a tough 7-5 match against Harutyunyan. 

Voinovich was eliminated from the tournament when Harutyunyan lost in the quarterfinals

Round of 16 (79 kg): Ashghar Nokhodilarimi (IRI) over Donnell Washington, 6-3

Washington picked up the first score of the match with a takedown two minutes into the match. Nokhodilarim scored a takedown of his own for a 2-2 criteria lead heading into the second period. He scored a four-point takedown near the edge of the mat with 1:03 remaining for a 6-3 win following a late step out by Washington. 

Quarterfinals (65 kg): Beau Bartlett (USA) over Davit Margaryan (ARM), 11-0

Bartlett came out strong with a four-point knee tap and a step out for a 5-0 lead after one period. He kept the pace in the second with a barrage of attacks for an 11-0 technical superiority. 

Quarterfinals (97 kg): Braxton Amos (USA) over Milan Andras Korcsog (HUN), 10-0

Amos scored on three takedowns in the first and two in the second — primarily off go-behinds — for a 10-0 win. 

Quarterfinals (65 kg): Shamil Mamedov (RUS) over Lachlan McNeil (CAN), 12-2

It was quite a scrap between McNeil and Mamedov in the first period. Some of the best sequences didn’t result in scores. The Russian scored first but McNeil showed poise by not giving way position. He scored late in the period off of a cradle to take a 2-2 criteria lead.

Mamedov scored in the first 30 seconds of the second and controlled the match from there — picking up another takedown and a turn for an 8-2 lead. He closed out the match with two more takedowns for a 12-2 technical superiority. 

Semifinals (65 kg): Ziraddin Bayramov (AZE) over Beau Bartlett (USA), 6-2

Bayramov struck first with a blast double with under a minute into the match to take a 2-0 lead. A caution and one against Bartlett on the bottom and another blast double gave him a 5-0 lead at the break.

An additional step-out point halfway through the second made it 6-0. A late surge by Bartlett included two step-out points of his own, but Bayramov prevailed, 6-2. 

Semifinals (97 kg): Braxton Amos (USA) over Deepak Deepak (IND), 9-1

Amos came out strong and powered through for a takedown 28 seconds into the match. A step out two minutes in made it 3-0. 

Deepak scored his first point on a caution and one but Amos eventually scored on a two-point tilt to extend his lead to 5-1. Amos locked up a cradle late in the match that resulted in two, two-point exposures for a 9-1 win.