ISTANBUL, Turkey – The United States crowned two World champions and a total of four medalists on the first day of men’s freestyle finals at the 2023 U17 World Championships on Saturday.

Claiming gold medals for the United States were Paul Kenny of New Jersey (48 kg) and Marcus Blaze of Perrysburg (55 kg).

Winning bronze medals were Brock Mantanona of California at 65 kg and Zack Ryder of New York at 80 kg.

The United States led the team race after the first five weight classes were completed with 80 points, followed by Iran in second with 66 points and Azerbaijan in third with 49 points.

Kenny won a razor-tight 1-1 criteria decision over 2022 Asian U15 champion Yamato Furusawa of Japan in the finals. Neither wrestler scored a point with technique, with both points coming from athletes being unable to score on the shot clock. Kenny was put on the shot clock in the first period, with Furusawa leading 1-0 after the 30-second activity period.

Furusawa was put on the shot clock in the second period, with the point going to Kenny after the activity period. Furusawa could not score late, and Kenny won the tiebreaker by scoring the last point.

Blaze also won a tight match, edging 2023 Asian U17 champion Ankush of India in the finals, 4-3. Blaze opened the scoring with a takedown, but Ankush came back with a step out to make it 2-1.

In the second period, Blaze was the aggressor, getting two more step outs to lead 4-1. Ankush scored a late takedown to lose the gap to one point, but it was not enough.

The USA went four-for-four in its Saturday night medal matches, when Mantanona and Ryder followed with victories in their bronze-medal rounds.

Mantanona came out strong with a 6-0 lead over Khizir Daciev of France on two-points for a takedown, a gut wrench and a crotch life in the first period. Daciev tightened things up with a second-period four-point move, but never scored again, giving Mantanona a 6-4 victory.

Ryder, who was also a 2022 U17 World bronze medalist in men’s freestyle, came out with passion against Ismayil Asadli of Azerbaijan. Ryder scored on a counter exposure to lead 2-0 but Azerbaijan challenged. When the jury reviewed the situation, they gave Ryder an exposure, an additional point for a step out and one point for the failed challenge.

The rest of the match was all Ryder, who added four more points in the first period to lead 8-2. In the second period, Ryder hit a blast double leg, getting four points and putting Asadli directly to his back, where Ryder pinned him.

The other U.S. athlete in Group One, Sampson Stillwell of Missouri, was eliminated when the athlete who defeated him, Henrik Haykyan of Armenia, was defeated in the semifinals. Only losers to finalists can advance to repechage.

The USA is the defending team champion in men’s freestyle at the U17 World Championships.