Bratislava U20 Worlds: Ukraine's Greco-Roman Squad Grabs Gold and Bronze

Ukrainian Greco-Roman Stars Shine at U20 Worlds in Bratislava

According to НОК: Bratislava, Slovakia, hosted the 2024 U20 World Wrestling Championships from 16 to 23 August, drawing around 700 young athletes, including 30 from Ukraine. The event featured competitions in three styles: Greco-Roman, women's wrestling, and freestyle wrestling.

Gold and Bronze for Ukraine's Greco-Roman Team

Ukraine earned two medals in the Greco-Roman discipline. Yegor Yakushenko, competing in the 97 kg category, captured gold by defeating an opponent from the aggressor nation in the final. This victory gave him his third U20 world title, adding to his U23 world and European championships and two U20 European titles.

Ivan Yankovskyi took bronze in the 130 kg category, beating Turkey's Cemal Yusuf Bakir in the bronze-medal match. Yankovskyi had previously won U17 world and European championships and had also medaled at U20 worlds and European championships.

The remaining Ukrainian competitors will take part in the women's and freestyle tournaments, which are scheduled later in the event.

The U20 World Wrestling Championships are a key platform for rising talent in the sport. These strong results highlight the depth of Ukraine's young wrestling program and the symbolic weight of Yakushenko's victory, while also offering inspiration for the next generation of wrestlers in the country.

While Ukraine's Greco-Roman team achieved remarkable success at the U20 Worlds, the performance of the junior team at the recent Eugene World Championships also deserves attention, as they secured a commendable 22nd place, showcasing the growing prowess of Ukrainian wrestlers on the global stage.