Kyle Snyder added another world-level medal to his already impressive collection Sunday, battling back from a disappointing semifinal loss to win bronze at the Senior Men's World Freestyle Championships in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan. The Ohio State alumnus defeated Elizbar Odikadze of Georgia, 3-0, to earn his fifth World or Olympic medal in as many years.
Fans of the 97 kg star held hopes that this year's world championships would feature the third chapter in Snyder's rivalry with Russian phenom Abdulrashid Sadulaev, but the rubber match will have to wait – perhaps until the Olympics Games next summer in Tokyo – after the American dropped a semifinal decision to fellow Olympic champion Sharif Sharifov of Azerbaijan.
Snyder ripped through the field in his early matches with tech falls over Mausam Khatri of India (10-0) and Magomed Idri Ibragimov of Uzbekistan (13-3) before squaring up against the Azerbaijani veteran Saturday.
Sharifov, who won world and Olympic gold medals at 84 kg while Snyder was still a high-school standout, engineered victory early in the second period. From USA Wrestling's recap of the match:
Snyder got a 1-0 lead after Sharifov was put on the shot clock and could not score in 30 seconds. Sharifov took a 2-1 lead on a single leg takedown. He added two points for exposure on a counter to a Snyder attack to lead 4-1. Snyder closed the lead to 4-2 with a stepout. Sharifov was able get another step out point.
The Buckeye was all business in the bronze medal match Sunday, bouncing back from Saturday's disappointment to extend his world-medal streak to five.
Snyder forced a stepout early in the first period versus Odikadze to take the lead, and never looked back. He added a double-leg takedown for the 3-0 score at the break, and his defense held off a late scramble by the Georgian to seal the deal and secure bronze. His win also secured a bronze-medal finish for Team USA.
While Sharifov wrestled Sadulaev for gold Sunday in Captain America's stead, the young Buckeye's accomplishments on the world stage are no less impressive given the career he has yet ahead of him.
Snyder's finish qualified the United States for the 2020 Olympics at 97 kg.
The road ahead for Team USA is interesting, as the Olympics will only contest six of the 10 freestyle weight classes. Reigning 92 kg world champion J'den Cox will be forced to move up to challenge Snyder at 97 kg, or move down to challenge 2018 world champion David Taylor at 86 kg.
Cox won gold in Kazakhstan without giving up a single point to his opponents. While it's unclear which way he'll go on the road to Tokyo, he and Snyder have plenty of history.