By Gary Abbott
USA Wrestling
PARIS, France – Two more U.S. wrestlers have powered into the semifinals at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 during Saturday’s first session, 2016 Olympic champion and 2020 Olympic silver medalist Kyle Snyder at 97 kg in men’s freestyle and 2021 U20 World champion Kennedy Blades at 76 kg in women’s freestyle.

Snyder, who is seeded No. 3, opened with a 9-5 win over 2023 Asian silver medalist Awusayiman Habila of China. The first big action saw the wrestlers fly off the mat, with Snyder getting a four-pointer from the officials. China challenged and upon review, the jury gave four points to Habila. In the second period, Snyder wore Habila down, getting a takedown, step out, takedown, step out and takedown in order for in 8-4 lead. Habila got a stepout, but China challenged for a fleeing call, which was denied, making it a 9-5 win for Snyder.

Snyder followed with an impressive pin of 2021 Pan American Games champion Arturo Silot Torres of Cuba in 3:36. Snyder led 1-0 at the break after Silot was put on the shot clock and did not score. Quickly, in the second period, Snyder nailed a hip toss and pinned Silot.

In the semifinals, Snyder will face No. 2 seed Akhmed Tazhudinov of Bahrain, the 2023 World champion. Tazhudinov defeated Snyder at the 2023 World Championships.

Snyder was a three-time NCAA champion and four-time finalist for Ohio State.

Blades, who is unseeded, opened with a powerful 11-0 technical fall over 2020 European bronze medalist and No. 4 seed Catalina Axente of Romania. Blades scored a two-point takedown and a four-point takedown to lead 6-0 at the break. In the second period, Blades hit a back souplesse for five points to end the match.

In the quarterfinals, Blades edged 2019 U23 World champion and No. 5 seed Milaimys Marin Portillo of Cuba, 4-3. Blades led 1-0 at the break after Marin did not score on the shot clock. Marin tied it up at 1-1 on a step out. Blades took the lead on a step out, then got a clutch counter exposure for a 4-1 lead. A late Marin takedown was not enough.

In the semifinals, Blades will battle No. 1 seed Aiperi Medet Kyzy of Kyrgyzstan, a 2023 World silver medalist and 2021 World bronze medalist. Medey Kyzy was fifth in the 2020 Olympics.

Blades, who attended Arizona State and trained with the Sunkist Kids, has signed with the University of Iowa.

In an opening round battle of World champions at 65 kg, No. 2 seed and 2022 World champion Rahman Amouzadkhali of Iran defeated.2023 World champion and 2022 World silver medalist Zain Retherford, 8-0. Amouzadkhali led 3-0 at the break, with a takedown and a shot clock point. In the second period, an Amouzadkhali takedown, with a caution and one, made it 6-0. Amouzadkhali added two more step outs to close out the win.

Amouzadkhali won his quarterfinal match. He will need to beat 2023 World champion Ismail Musukaev of Hungary in the semifinals to pull Retherford back into Sunday’s repechage.

Retherford was a three-time NCAA champion for Penn State.

The next session begins at 6:15 p.m. local time, with the Group 6 semifinals, featuring Snyder and Blades. At 7:30 p.m., the Group 5 medal matches will be held, with Kyle Dake going for a bronze medal at 74 kg in men’s freestyle. Paris is six hours ahead of U.S. Eastern time zone. All of the action is live on Peacock.

OLYMPIC GAMES PARIS 2024

At Paris, France

Group 6 semifinal pairings

Men’s Freestyle 65 kg

Tulga Tumur-Ochir (Mongolia) vs. Kotaro Kiyooka (Japan)

Ismail Musukaev (Hungary) vs. Rahman Amouzadkhalili (Iran)

Men’s Freestyle 97 kg

Magomedkhan Magomedov (Azerbaijan) vs.Givi Matcharashvili (Georgia)

Kyle Snyder (United States) vs. Akhmed Tazhudinov (Bahrain)

Women’s Freestyle 76 kg

Aiperi Medet Kyzy (Kyrgyzstan) vs. Kennedy Blades (United States)

Tatiana Renteria (Colombia) vs. Yuka Kagami (Japan)

Group 6 quarterfinal results

Men’s Freestyle 65 kg

Tulga Tumur-Ochir (Mongolia) dec. Vazgen Tevanyan (Armenia) 7-6

Kotaro Kiyooka (Japan) dec. Sebastian Rivera (Puerto Rico), 8-6

Ismail Musukaev (Hungary) dec. Haji Aliyev (Azerbaijan), 10-3

Rahman Amouzadkhalili (Iran) tech fall Islam Dudaev (Albania), 11-0

Men’s Freestyle 97 kg

Magomedkhan Magomedov (Azerbaijan) dec. Zbigniew Baranowski (Poland), 7-2

Givi Matcharashvili (Georgia) tech fall Murazi Mchedlidze (Ukraine), 11-0

Kyle Snyder (United States) pin Arturo Silot (Cuba), 3:26

Akhmed Tazhudinov (Bahrain) tech. fall Alisher Yergali (Kazakhstan), 14-2

Women’s Freestyle 76 kg

Aiperi Medet Kyzy (Kyrgyzstan) dec. Reetika (India), 1-1

Kennedy Blades (United States) dec. Milaimys Marin (Cuba), 4-3

Tatiana Renteria (Colombia) dec. Davaanasan Enkh Amar (Mongolia), 6-3

Yuka Kagami (Japan) dec. Yasemin Adar Yigit (Turkey), 3-0

Group 6 U.S. men’s freestyle results

65 kg – Zain Retherford, State College, Pa. (Titan Mercury WC/Nittany Lion WC)

LOSS Rahman Amouzadkhali (Iran), 8-0

97 kg – Kyle Snyder, State College, Pa. (Titan Mercury WC/Nittany Lion WC)

WIN Awusayiman Habila (China), 9-5

Vs. Arturo Silot Torres (Cuba), pin 3:26

Semifinals – Vs. Akhmed Tazhudinov (Bahrain)

Group 6 U.S. women’s freestyle results

76 kg – Kennedy Blades, Chicago, Ill. (Sunkist Kids)

WIN Catalina Axente (Romania), tech fall 11-0

WIN Milaimys Marin Portillo (Cuba), 4-3

Semifinals – Vs. Aiperi Medet Kyzy (Kyrgyzstan)

Group 5 finals pairings

Men's Freestyle 74 kg

Gold - Daichi Takatani (Japan) vs. Razambek Jamalov (Uzbekistan)

Bronze – Kyle Dake (United States) vs. Hetik Cabalov (Serbia)

Bronze - Viktor Rassadin (Tajikistan) vs. Cherman Valiev (Albania)

Men's Freestyle 125 kg

Gold - Amir Zare (Iran) vs. Geno Petriashvili (Georgia)

Bronze – Taha Akgul (Turkey) vs. Aiaii Lazarev (Kyrgyzstan)

Bronze - Giorgi Meshvildshvili (Azerbaijan) vs. Robert Baran (Poland)

Women's Freestyle 62 kg

Gold - Iryna Koliadenko (Ukraine) vs. Sakura Motoki (Japan)

Bronze – Aisuluu Tynybekova (Kyrgyzstan) vs. Orkhon Purevdorj (Mongolia)

Bronze - Grace Bullen (Norway) vs. Ana Godinez Gonzalez (Canada)

Group 5 U.S. men’s freestyle results

74 kg – Kyle Dake, State College, Pa. (Titan Mercury WC/Nittany Lion WC), in bronze medal match

WIN Anthony Montero Chirinos (Venezuela), tech fall, 10-0

WIN Yones Emamichoghaei (Iran), pin 5:37

LOSS Daichi Takatani (Japan), 20-12

Bronze Bout – vs. Hetik Cabalov (Serbia)

125 kg – Mason Parris, Ann Arbor, Mich. (Titan Mercury WC/Cliff Keen WC), eliminated

LOSS Lkhagvagerel Munkhtur (Mongolia), 10-5

Group 5 U.S. women’s freestyle results

62 kg – Kayla Miracle, Tempe, Ariz. (Sunkist Kids), eliminated

WIN Nesrin Bas (Turkey), tech. fall 12-2

LOSS Aisuluu Tynybekova (Kyrgyzstan), 6-6