All wrestling tournaments are fun, but the 2017 Senior World Championships should be especially fun. Buckeyes Logan Stieber and Kyle Snyder punched their tickets a few months ago with victories at the US Team Trials. Both wrestlers have performed very well as of late, but Snyder and particular was dominant. From our very own Curt Heinrichs:
Kyle Snyder wasted little time in avenging his last collegiate loss when he met Kyven Gadson in the Championship Finals. Snyder outscored Gadson 10-0 and 13-2 to earn his second straight World Team spot at 97 kg.
What can be said about Snyder that hasn't already been said? He's an Olympic gold medalist, a two-time NCAA champ, an Academic All-American, and he's not even old enough to rent a car in most states. I would not be surprised if he can bowl a 300 game after whipping up a batch of his world-famous chili or something ridiculous because that kid is a natural.
Snyder and Stieber lifted off last night for Paris, and Logan in particular seemed to be having a pretty great time on the plane (possibly related to him getting a business class upgrade).
Kyle Snyder chatting with some local media members during tonight's Senior World Championships 'Send-Off' event. #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/9zuetSIstx
— Ohio State Wrestling (@wrestlingbucks) August 10, 2017
Created for moments like this... https://t.co/x3afyDxdaH
— Kyle Snyder (@Snyder_man45) August 11, 2017
Currently flying over Quebec, Watching The Martian, and eating fruit & salad. @snyderman45 in view pic.twitter.com/q7KuvYQ5YO
— Logan Stieber (@_LogieBear_) August 13, 2017
Snyder in particular should be excited; he's on a collision course with Russian wrestler Abdulrashid Sadulaev, who is currently seen as the best pound-for-pound wrestler in the world by most observers (Snyder is generally put just a few spots below him). Sadulaev and Snyder have never wrestled each other because until now, Sadulaev wrestled in a lower weight class. He's moved up to Snyder's class for the Worlds, and Snyder is pretty excited about the prospect of taking him on:
“One guy I want to wrestle the most out of anybody is a Russian, (Abdulrashid) Sadulaev,” Snyder said. “He’s a three-time world champion (two world gold medals and one Olympic gold medal) at the weight class below me and we’re the same age (21). He came up to my weight class (97kg) so he’s the guy I’m most excited to compete against.”
The championships start on the 21st, and Ohio State will be cheering on two of the best wrestlers in the world, both Buckeyes.
