Oklahoma State University Athletics
David Taylor Wins Bronze at World Championships
October 31, 2024 | Cowboy Wrestling
TIRANA, Albania – Oklahoma State head wrestling coach David Taylor won a 92-kilogram bronze medal at the Senior World Championships on Thursday, improving his career world medal count to six.
One of the most successful American wrestlers in history, Taylor won four world titles throughout his career, including at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, and medaled in each of the last five years. He also racked up an impressive senior freestyle record of 161-22 with victories in 79 of his last 83 matches, a stretch that included a 57-match winning streak from December 2017 to October 2021.
Following Wednesday's defeat to gold medalist Adbulrashid Sadulaev (AIN), Taylor bounced back with a pair of wins over Azerbaijan's Abubakr Abakarov and Lars Schaefle of Germany in Thursday's morning session. Abakarov held a slim 1-0 edge after the first period, but Taylor rebounded in the second to secure the 3-1 win. He then found his offense against Schaefle and ended the match in 5:08 by a score of 11-1.
In the medal match, Taylor squared off against two-time World champion Kamran Ghasempour of Iran, who got an early takedown and led, 2-0, at the break. Taylor stormed back in the second period with three takedowns of his own, however, giving him the 6-2 victory.
With the finish, Oklahoma State has now had 11 wrestlers combine for 14 medals at the World Championships. Daton Fix was the most recent Cowboy to do so as the 61-kilogram silver medalist in 2021.
Taylor and the Cowboys now turn their attention to the 2024-25 season, which begins on November 15 at Utah Valley.
David Taylor, 92 kilograms
Repechage First Round: David Taylor VPO1 Abubakr Abakarov (AZE), 3-1
Repechage Semifinals: David Taylor VSU1 Lars Schaefle (GER), 11-1, 5:08
Bronze Medal Match: David Taylor VPO1 Kamran Ghasempour (IRI), 6-2
One of the most successful American wrestlers in history, Taylor won four world titles throughout his career, including at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, and medaled in each of the last five years. He also racked up an impressive senior freestyle record of 161-22 with victories in 79 of his last 83 matches, a stretch that included a 57-match winning streak from December 2017 to October 2021.
Following Wednesday's defeat to gold medalist Adbulrashid Sadulaev (AIN), Taylor bounced back with a pair of wins over Azerbaijan's Abubakr Abakarov and Lars Schaefle of Germany in Thursday's morning session. Abakarov held a slim 1-0 edge after the first period, but Taylor rebounded in the second to secure the 3-1 win. He then found his offense against Schaefle and ended the match in 5:08 by a score of 11-1.
In the medal match, Taylor squared off against two-time World champion Kamran Ghasempour of Iran, who got an early takedown and led, 2-0, at the break. Taylor stormed back in the second period with three takedowns of his own, however, giving him the 6-2 victory.
With the finish, Oklahoma State has now had 11 wrestlers combine for 14 medals at the World Championships. Daton Fix was the most recent Cowboy to do so as the 61-kilogram silver medalist in 2021.
Taylor and the Cowboys now turn their attention to the 2024-25 season, which begins on November 15 at Utah Valley.
David Taylor, 92 kilograms
Repechage First Round: David Taylor VPO1 Abubakr Abakarov (AZE), 3-1
Repechage Semifinals: David Taylor VSU1 Lars Schaefle (GER), 11-1, 5:08
Bronze Medal Match: David Taylor VPO1 Kamran Ghasempour (IRI), 6-2
Players Mentioned
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