Paris 2024 silver medallist Spencer Lee of the United States entered competition at the 2025 Wrestling World Championships in Zagreb, Croatia, as a favourite for gold.
Instead, he leaves empty-handed, having missed the final in the men’s 57kg weight class. Lee fell to eventual bronze medallist Arsen Harutyunyan, 14-3, in the quarter-final on Sunday (14 September).
On Monday (15 September), the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s Han Chong-song saw off Kyrgyzstan’s Bekzat Almaz Uulu for the 57kg title in a closely contested final where the score was 12-9. Armenia and Uzbekistan shared the bronze with Harutyunyan and Gulomjon Abdullaev, respectively.
Japan’s Takahashi Kota won the 74kg world title, defeating Albania’s Chermen Valiev, who retired in the final. The bronze medallists were Zaurbek Sidakov, representing United World Wrestling, and Slovakia’s Tajmuraz Salkazanov.
In the 79kg division, Greece’s Georgios Kougioumtsidis beat American Levi Haines, 3-2, for the gold medal. Mohammad Nokhodi of the Islamic Republic of Iran and Bahrain’s Khidir Saipudinov finished with the bronze medals.
The final gold medal of the day went to American Trent Hidlay in the 92kg weight class. He defeated Amanula Gadzhimagomedov, 13-10, for his first world title. Azerbaijan’s Osman Nurmagomedov and Iran’s Amir Hossein Firouzpour rounded out the podium in third.
Finals competition continues Tuesday (16 September) with the 65 and 97kg men’s freestyle and the women’s 55 and 59kg competitions.