Ohio State has quickly become the home of multiple world freestyle wrestling champions and medalists, including current senior World Team members Kyle Snyder and Logan Stieber, Junior bronze medalist Kollin Moore and 2014 Junior silver medalist Joey McKenna.
McKenna will represent the United States in his third world championship Sunday, wresting for the Under-23 world title at 65 kg. He faces Patryk Olenczyn of Poland, sure to be a favorite of the host-country partisans in attendance, who is entering his fifth world championship tournament.
An offseason transfer from Stanford, McKenna is a former NCAA All-American, in addition to his freestyle accomplishments on the international stage. He earned the right to represent Team USA in Poland by winning the U23 World Team Trials in early October, with two straight championship-round victories over Oklahoma State redshirt sophomore Boo Lewallen.
Thankful for my family and the opportunity to wrestle overseas this Thanksgiving!! Wishing all back in the states a Happy Thanksgiving from Bydgoszcz, Poland!! pic.twitter.com/Sc3upJhOMy
— Joseph McKenna (@Joey_McKenna) November 23, 2017
According to FloWrestling analyst Dan Lobdell, McKenna's biggest challenges are fairly early in the bracket. Olenczyn has considerable freestyle experience, as noted, with two junior and three cadet world tournaments under his belt, including one bronze medal finish.
The real test comes in the second round against Nachyn Kuular (RUS). He has won each of the past two World Military titles, as well as a junior Euro title and runner-up finish at the Yarygin from 2015. The winner of that match should make the semis, setting McKenna up for either a finals run or a great shot at repechage.
USA Wrestling analyst Gary Abbott notes that there are a handful of medal contenders in the field:
- Bajrang (India) – 5th in 2015 Senior Worlds, 9th in 2016 Senior Worlds, 2017 Asian Senior champion, 2016 Commonwealth champion
- Gor Ogannesyan (Ukraine) – 5th in 2017 European Seniors, 5th in 2012 Junior Worlds
- Hoerhi Kaliyeu (Belarus) – 10th in 2016 Senior Worlds, 2nd in 2016 European Seniors
- Nachyn Kuular (Russia) – 2016 and 2016 Military World champion, 2nd in 2015 Yarygin Grand Prix (RUS)
- Haydar Yavuz (Turkey) – 2nd in 2017 European U23s
- Iveriko Julakidze (Georgia) – 3rd in 2017 Junior Worlds, 3rd in 2017 European U23s, 3rd in 2014 Youth Olympic Games
- Dillon Williams (Canada) – 3rd in 2016 and 2017 Pan American Seniors
None of them, however, have the same quality of training partners McKenna has at the Ohio Regional Training Center.
Preparing for U23 Worlds its Saturday morning spar for @Joey_McKenna & @Snyder_man45. pic.twitter.com/rw9KXuxHu7
— Thomas Ryan (@Buckeye158) November 18, 2017
The preliminary rounds begin at 10 a.m. local time in Poland. Bydgoszcz is six hours ahead of the Eastern time zone, so Buckeye fans can catch the action at 4 a.m., with the medal matches beginning at noon Sunday.
Also wrestling Sunday are Richie Lewis of Rutgers, two-time NCAA champion Isaiah Martinez of Illinois, and Cleveland native Ty Walz, the former heavyweight for Virginia Tech.
Live streaming and full brackets are available via Trackwrestling.com. Eleven Warriors will have coverage throughout the day.
