Kyle Dake has already accepted his spot on Team USA for the upcoming World Championships in Norway at 74 kg, but he's not the only Spartan Combat RTC member looking to represent the Red, White, and Blue in Oslo.
Yianni Diakomihalis will be among the favorites in the 65 kg field at the World Team Trials in Lincoln beginning on September 11.
The two-time NCAA champion at Cornell has an extensive freestyle resume, including titles at a plethora of events around the world such as the Yasar Dogu, the Poland Open, the Henri Deglane Grand Prix, the Pan American Championships, and the Ziolkowski Memorial. In order to add another international gold to his trophy case, the two-time Cadet World champ looks to navigate his way through a tough bracket in Nebraska.
Diakomihalis has faced several of the competitors registered for 65 kg at the World Team Trials in recent years. Here are the matches and results (since 2017) with those he may face September 11 (* indicates a folkstyle bout).
Anthony Ashnault
Win 10-0, 2021 Spartan Combat RTC I
Domonick Demas
Win, 5-1, 2019 NCAA Championships*
Jaydin Eierman
Win, 6-5, 2019 NCAA Championships*
Win, 3-1, 2018 Cornell-Missouri Dual*
Win, 6-4, 2018 NCAA Championships*
Loss, 6-9, 2017 Cornell-Missouri Dual*
Dean Heil
Win, 6-5, 2018 NCAA Championships*
Pat Lugo
Win, 7-2, 2021 America's Cup
Joey McKenna
Win, 15-4, 2021 Poland Open
Loss, 5-5, 2019 US Nationals
Win, 6-4, 2019 NCAA Championships*
Win, 7-5, 2019 Cornell-Ohio State Dual*
Others in the Bracket: Luke Pletcher, Evan Henderson (trained with Yianni at the Spartan Combat RTC), and Henry Pohlmeyer.
Action begins 11 a.m. Eastern time on September 11.
---------------
Comments