Hancock bronze medal helped Greco be part of USA’s record-setting Worlds

Photo: G’Angelo Hancock celebrated after winning three of four bouts at the 2021 World Championships in Greco-Roman wrestling, including a bronze medal victory. (Photo by Justin Hoch)

G’Angelo Hancock helped America’s Greco-Roman team become part of the United States’ record-setting 2021 UWW World Championships performance when the native of Colorado Springs, Colo., claimed a bronze medal at 97 kilos last Saturday in Oslo, Norway.

Click here or call 888-305-0606 to subscribe to WIN Magazine and view in the next issue of WIN, printed Oct. 21, a comprehensive look at the United States’ performances that took place at the World Championships.

Hancock’s 3-1 performance at this year’s Worlds, which included an injury default over Germany’s Peter Oehler in the bronze medal match, was the 15^th overall medal performance among USA’s 30 wrestlers who competed in three different styles. Earlier in the week, both the men’s and women’s freestyle teams each won seven medals.

Hancock became the 33^nd all-time American to win a World Championship medal and the first since 2018 when Adam Coon earned a silver medal. He also just missed qualifying for the finals when he led Hungary’s Alex Szoke 4-1 with about a minute left before Szoke rallied to win 4-4 with a stepout and later a par-terre turn after Hancock was called for passivity.

Overall, the 10 Americans competing in Greco went 5-11, including two other wrestlers — Max Nowry (55k) and Ben Provisor (82k) — who also won a match but failed to place.

Click here to view how USA’s men’s and women’s freestyle teams fared at the 2021 World Championships.

2021 UWW World Championships

Oslo, Norway • Oct. 2-10

Greco-Roman Results

Top 5 Countries + USA

American Results

55k/121lb — Max Nowry, 9^th Place

1^st round – won by TF over Saijad Abbaspourragani (Iran), 10-1 (3:00)

Quarters – lost by TF to Norayr Hakhoyan (Armenia), 9-0 (2:05)

(eliminated when Hakhoyan lost in semis to Emin Sefershaev, Russia)

60k/132lb — Dalton Roberts

1^st round — lost to Gevorg Gharibyan (Armenia), 8-4

(eliminated when Gharibyan lost in semis to Victor Ciobanu, Moldova)

63k/138.5lb — Sean Jones, Did Not Place

Prelim – lost by fall to Deniz Meneksea (Germany), 3-3 (4:14)

(eliminated when Meneksea lost next match to Meysam Dalkhani, Iran)

67k/147.5lb — Peyton Omania, Did Not Place

Prelim – lost by TF to Hasrat Jafarova (Azerbaijan), 10-0 (1:47)

(eliminated when Jafarova lost in semis to Mohammadreza Geraei, Iran)

72k/158.5lb – Pat Smith, Did Not Place

Prelim – lost to Valentin Petic (Moldova), 4-3

(eliminated when Petic lost next match to Sergei Kutuzova, Russia)

77k/169.5lb — Jessie Porter, Did Not Place

Prelim – lost to Bogdan Kourinnol (Sweden), 3-1

(eliminated when Kourinnol lost in next round to Kodai Sakuraba, Japan)

82k/180.5lb — Ben Provisor, Did Not Place

1^st round – def. Satoki Mukai (Japan), 2-1

Quarters – lost by TF to Burhan Akbudak (Turkey), 10-0 (2:21)

Repechage – lost to Laszlo Szabo (Hungary), 2-1

87k/191.5 — Alan Vera, Did Not Place

Prelim – lost by TF to Turpan Bisultanov (Denmark), 8-0 (2:10)

(eliminated when Bisultanov lost in semis to Zurabi Datunashvili, Serbia)

97k/213lb — G’Angelo Hancock, Bronze Medalist

1^st round – def. Ibrahim Tigci (Turkey), 5-0

Quarters – def. Kiril Milov (Bulgaria), 6-0

Semis – lost to Alex Szoke (Hungary), 4-4 criteria

Bronze – won by injury default over Peter Oehler (Germany)

130k/286lb — Cohlton Schultz, Did Not Place

1^st round – lost to Iakobi Kajaia (Georgia), 5-3

(eliminated when Kajaia lost in semis to Zurabi Gedekhauria, Russia)