Northwestern University Athletics
Deakin Set to Wrestle World's Best in Finland
8/1/2017 8:42:00 AM | Wrestling
TAMPERE, Finland — Redshirt freshman Ryan Deakin is off to prove he is the best in the world.
The second-year student-athlete owns one of only eight spots on the American team competing at the United World Wrestling Junior World Championships at the Tampere Exhibition and Sports Center, August 1-2.
Deakin qualified for the team after a pair of dominating victories this offseason.
In April, he won the Junior Freestyle National Championship in Las Vegas, coming from behind and defeating two-time Cadet World Champion Yianni Diakomihalis in the semifinals and then beating Kanen Storr of Iowa State in the championship match, 8-6.
With that win, he received an automatic bye to the best-of-three finals at the World Team Trials in June. He beat Patricio Lugo of Edinboro in two-straight bouts, outscoring him 19-2 in all.
Deakin, wrestling at 66 kg, will begin his competition on Wednesday, August 2. Qualification rounds begin at 10 a.m. local time (2 a.m. CT). The finals and award ceremonies will take place from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. CT.
The bracket winner will own the bragging rights of being the top 17- to 20-year-old men's freestyle wrestler in the world. Historically, UWW Junior stars have proceeded to win World and Olympic medals in senior level competitions.
Joining Deakin on the eight-member USA Wrestling team are Minnesota's Mitchell McKee (60 kg/132 lbs.), Penn State's Mark Hall (74 kg/163 lbs.), Arizona State's Zahid Valencia (84 kg/185 lbs.) and Ohio State's Kollin Moore (96 kg/211 lbs.) as well as Malik Heinselman (50 kg/110 lbs.), Daton Fix (55 kg/121 lbs.), and Gable Steveson (120 kg/264 lbs.).
The second-year student-athlete owns one of only eight spots on the American team competing at the United World Wrestling Junior World Championships at the Tampere Exhibition and Sports Center, August 1-2.
Deakin qualified for the team after a pair of dominating victories this offseason.
In April, he won the Junior Freestyle National Championship in Las Vegas, coming from behind and defeating two-time Cadet World Champion Yianni Diakomihalis in the semifinals and then beating Kanen Storr of Iowa State in the championship match, 8-6.
With that win, he received an automatic bye to the best-of-three finals at the World Team Trials in June. He beat Patricio Lugo of Edinboro in two-straight bouts, outscoring him 19-2 in all.
Deakin, wrestling at 66 kg, will begin his competition on Wednesday, August 2. Qualification rounds begin at 10 a.m. local time (2 a.m. CT). The finals and award ceremonies will take place from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. CT.
The bracket winner will own the bragging rights of being the top 17- to 20-year-old men's freestyle wrestler in the world. Historically, UWW Junior stars have proceeded to win World and Olympic medals in senior level competitions.
Joining Deakin on the eight-member USA Wrestling team are Minnesota's Mitchell McKee (60 kg/132 lbs.), Penn State's Mark Hall (74 kg/163 lbs.), Arizona State's Zahid Valencia (84 kg/185 lbs.) and Ohio State's Kollin Moore (96 kg/211 lbs.) as well as Malik Heinselman (50 kg/110 lbs.), Daton Fix (55 kg/121 lbs.), and Gable Steveson (120 kg/264 lbs.).
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