Kyle Dake, at 35 years old, stands as the oldest U.S. wrestler to ever claim a world title, yet that’s only part of the unbelievable tale unfolding. The U.S. men’s freestyle team has already guaranteed medals in at least nine of ten events at the World Championships, a historic first for the program at a single Worlds.
Dake: The Relentless Champion Who Keeps Making History
You gotta be kidding me with Kyle Dake. This guy, at 35, beat Arsenii Dzhioev of Armenia 3-2 in the 86kg final in Astana, Kazakhstan, to snag his latest world title. But it’s not just that he’s still winning at that age; he’s now the first U.S. wrestler to win a world title in three different weight classes. Seriously, three divisions! He took titles at 79kg in 2018 and 2019, then 74kg in 2021 and 2022. Oh, and let’s not forget he’s a two-time Olympic bronze medalist and back in his Cornell days, he was the first Division I wrestler to win NCAA titles in four different weight classes from 2010-2013. The man simply refuses to slow down.
Team USA Is Already Shattering Records
As if Dake’s individual brilliance wasn’t enough, the entire U.S. men’s freestyle squad is on an absolute tear. We already made history by ensuring a medal in at least nine of ten men’s freestyle events, something we’ve never done at a single World Championships before. It’s also the first time the program has medaled in all but one men’s freestyle weight at a Worlds, not counting 2016 when only two weights were even contested. On Saturday, we added three more bronze medals to the tally, with 19-year-old Marcus Blaze taking one at 61kg, Zain Retherford at 70kg, and Wyatt Hendrickson at 125kg. Blaze and Retherford’s medals came in non-Olympic weights, showing our depth. This comes after Friday, where the U.S. hauled in three gold medals and one silver medal in the four finals contested that day.
One Match Away From Unprecedented Greatness
The job isn’t done yet, but man, the stakes are sky-high for Sunday. We’ve got Spencer Lee, a 2024 Olympic silver medalist, advancing to the 57kg gold-medal match. Levi Haines, a 2025 World silver medalist, is in the 79kg final, and Trent Hidlay, a 2025 World champion, is fighting for gold at 92kg. But here’s the kicker: if James Green can pull off three repechage wins on Sunday to grab a bronze medal at 74kg, the U.S. will have medaled in every single men’s freestyle division this year. All ten of ’em. That would be an absolute first for the program. We’ve had crazy medal runs before, like medaling in all but one men’s freestyle event at the Olympics in 1920, 1984, and 2021, and a clean sweep at the 1904 St. Louis Games when all the entrants were American. But to do it in 2026, against the world’s best, across every weight class? That would be legendary. You absolutely cannot miss Sunday’s action!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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