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Janiak Earns Silver; Nette and Kilty Pin to Bronze at Zagreb Open
Feb 6, 2026, 2:27 PM EST
by David Gerhart, USA Wrestling
Alexis Janiak competes for Team USA at 2025 U23 World Championships in Novi Sad, Serbia
ZAGREB, Croatia – Team USA collected three more medals at the Zagreb Open on Friday. Three-time age-group World medalist Alexis Janiak collected silver at 59 kg. 2022 World Team member Abigail Nette (59 kg) and two-time World medalist Macey Kilty (62 kg) each won their bronze medal matches at Arena Zagreb. Nette and Kilty both pinned their opponents to win their first medals of 2026.
Following a pair of wins in the morning, Janiak was unable to keep the momentum going in the evening session as she lost a 10-0 technical fall to two-time age-group World medalist Japan’s Sena Nagamoto. Nagamoto advanced after beating Nette in the semifinals.
Janiak’s silver medal in Zagreb is her second in senior-level international competition following a silver medal at last year’s Poland Open.
In the 59 kg bronze medal match, Nette battled Iris Slatka from the host country, Croatia. Nette stormed out of the gate with two early takedowns and a turn in the first minute. Nette then secured a four-point toss leading into her pin just 1:24 into the contest to secure the bronze medal.
This is Nette’s second-straight bronze medal in international competition and third-straight medal. She collected a bronze medal at the 2025 Polyak Imre & Varga Janos Memorial in Hungary and silver at last year’s Pan American Championships.
Kilty rebounded from her semifinal setback with her third pin of the tournament against two-time age group World champion Eniko Elekes of Hungary. Kilty scored a takedown in the first 45 seconds of action. Then, just before the end of the opening period, Kilty scored a four-point throw that started a flurry of scoring. After trading takedowns after the throw, Kilty pinned Elekes at 2:42.
In her last three Ranking Series events, Kilty has collected medals in each of her appearances. Last season, she finished with bronze at the Polyak Imre & Varga Janos Memorial, and she won silver at the 2022 Yasar Dogu in Türkiye.
Like Nette’s semifinal opponent, Nagamato, Kilty’s semifinal opponents went on to win gold. 2024 Olympic bronze medalist Nonoka Ozaki of Japan won an 8-0 decision in the final.
Kennedy Blades was the final American to move into a bronze medal match. However, following her 2-1 start to the tournament, she withdrew from her final match and finished fifth at 68 kg.
The Zagreb Open continues tomorrow at 10:30 a.m. local time / 4:30 a.m. (ET) with the final women’s freestyle group (53-57-72-76 kg) and Greco-Roman group two (77-87 kg) prelims.
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U.S. Greco-Roman Squad Learns Opening Draws for Zagreb Open
Feb 5, 2026, 6:01 PM EST
by David Gerhart, USA Wrestling
Payton Jacobson competes at 2025 U23 World Championships in Novi Sad, Serbia
ZAGREB, Croatia – A quartet of Olympians lead Team USA’s 19-man Greco-Roman side into the Zagreb Open. This weekend’s action in Croatia is United World Wrestling’s first Ranking Series event of the season.
2024 Olympians Kamal Bey and Payton Jacobson start their international seasons on Saturday. At 77 kg, 2017 Junior World champion Bey takes on Iran’s Ali Oskou in the first round. 2025 U23 World bronze medalist Jacobson highlights the 87 kg bracket for the Americans with an opening round match against 2020 Olympic bronze medalist Ivan Huklek of Croatia.
Two-time Olympian Ildar Hafizov begins competition on Friday at 63 kg against two-time age-group Asian Championships medalist Khusniddin Olimoev of Uzbekistan.
The final Olympian in action for the U.S. is 2020 representative Alejandro Sancho in the 72 kg weight class. Sancho’s first match on Sunday comes against Hungary’s Krisztofer Klanyi, who is an age-group European Championships medalist.
Along with Jacobson’s match against an Olympian, two additional members of the U.S. take on Olympians at the Zagreb Open. Rhett Peak takes on 2024 Olympian and World bronze medalist Islomjon Bakhramov of Uzbekistan at 63 kg. In the 130 kg division, Aden Atto takes on seven-time World champion and 2020 Olympian Riza Kayaalp from Türkiye.
Two reigning World silver medalists are also on the docket for the Americans. Zane Richards opens the 60 kg weight class against Uzbekistan’s Alisher Ganiev. At 130 kg, 2025 World Team member Cohlton Schultz faces Hungary’s Darius Vitek.
In the Greco-Roman field, the U.S. is fielding eight of its 10 2025 World Team members at the Zagreb Open.
Team USA also has a trio of age-group World medalists in action this weekend. Two-time age-group medalist Otto Black and 2019 Junior World bronze medalist Alston Nutter are both in action at 67 kg. 2024 U23 World silver medalist Beka Melelashvili is competing at 82 kg.
USA Wrestling 2026 Events
02/04/2026
2026 1st Ranking Series Zagreb Open - CRO
Senior Men Freestyle, Senior Men Greco-Roman, Senior Women Freestyle
Freestyle, Greco-Roman
Colorado Springs, CO
Cody Bickley
cbickley@usawrestling.org
02/25/2026
2026 2nd Ranking Series Muhamet Malo - AlB
Senior Men Freestyle, Senior Men Greco-Roman, Senior Women Freestyle
Freestyle, Greco-Roman
Colorado Springs, CO
Cody Bickley
cbickley@usawrestling.org
03/05/2026
2026 USA Wrestling Women's Collegiate Club Nationals
Female
Senior Women Freestyle, U20 Freestyle, U23 Freestyle
Freestyle
North Liberty, IA
Pete Isais
pisais@usawrestling.org
03/06/2026
Male, Female
U17
Freestyle, Greco-Roman
North Liberty, IA
Pete Isais
pisais@usawrestling.org
03/06/2026
2026 USA Wrestling Folkstyle Tour of America - Badger Brawl
Male, Female
10U, 12U, 14U, 16U, 8U, USA Junior
Folkstyle
La Crosse, WI
Jack McCarty
jmccarty@usawrestling.org
03/12/2026
2026 USA Wrestling 16U & Junior Folkstyle National Championship
Male, Female
16U, Masters A, Masters B, Masters C, Masters D, Masters E, Masters F, USA Junior
Folkstyle
West Des Moines, IA
Jack McCarty
jmccarty@usawrestling.org
03/27/2026
2026 Northwest Regional Championships 16U and Junior
Male, Female
16U, USA Junior
Freestyle, Greco-Roman
Centralia, WA
Justin Newby
jnewbyusa@gmail.com
04/09/2026
2026 USA Wrestling Women's National Championships
Female
10U, 12U, 14U, U15, U17, U20 Freestyle, U23 Freestyle
Freestyle
Spokane, WA
Christina Hargrove
chargrove@usawrestling.org
04/21/2026
2026 U.S. Open Events: Senior, U20, U17, U15, Girls HS Showcase & Masters Nationals
Male, Female
High School: 9th-12th grade, Masters A, Masters B, Masters C, Masters D, Masters E, Masters F, Senior Men Freestyle, Senior Men Greco-Roman, Senior Women Freestyle, U15, U17, U20 Freestyle, U20 Greco-Roman, UWW Futures
Freestyle, Greco-Roman
Las Vegas, NV
Christina Hargrove
chargrove@usawrestling.org
05/07/2026
2026 Western Regional Championships
Male, Female
10U, 12U, 14U, 16U, 8U, USA Junior
Freestyle, Greco-Roman
Farmington, UT
Jeffrey Newby
jeffreynewby@hotmail.com
05/08/2026
2026 Phil Portuese Northeast Regional Championship
Male, Female
10U, 12U, 14U, 16U, 8U, U23 Freestyle, USA Junior
Freestyle, Greco-Roman
Pocono Manor, PA
Joe Stabilito Sr.
joe.stab@gmail.com
05/08/2026
2026 Northern Plains Regional Championships
Male, Female
10U, 12U, 14U, 16U, 8U, USA Junior
Freestyle, Greco-Roman
Wisconsin Dells, WI
Thomas Kuisle
tkuisle@mnusawrestling.org
05/08/2026
2026 Carolina Beach Nationals and World Team Qualifier
Male, Female
10U, 12U, 14U, 16U, 8U, Masters A, Masters B, Masters C, Masters D, Masters E, Senior Men Beach, Senior Women Beach, U17 Mens Beach, U17 Womens Beach, U20 Mens Beach, U20 Womens Beach, USA Junior
Beach
Carolina Beach, NC
Ed Duncan
edduncan160@gmail.com
05/14/2026
2026 Senior World Team Trials Challenge
Senior Men Freestyle, Senior Women Freestyle
Freestyle
Louisville, KY
Pete Isais
pisais@usawrestling.org
05/15/2026
2026 Frank E. Rader Southeast Regional Championships
Male, Female
10U, 12U, 14U, 16U, 8U, USA Junior
Freestyle, Greco-Roman
Duluth, GA
Jason Griner
jlgriner@gmail.com
05/15/2026
2026 Southern Plains Regional Championship
Male, Female
10U, 12U, 14U, 16U, 8U, USA Junior
Freestyle, Greco-Roman
Oklahoma City, OK
Zachory Randall
zrandall@teampathways.com
05/15/2026
2026 Central Regional Championship
Male, Female
10U, 12U, 14U, 16U, 8U, USA Junior
Freestyle, Greco-Roman
Louisville, KY
Christina Hargrove
chargrove@usawrestling.org
05/28/2026
2026 U23 Nationals & U20 World Team Trials (Men's)
Male
U20 Freestyle, U23 Freestyle, U23 Greco-Roman
Freestyle, Greco-Roman
Geneva, OH
Christina Hargrove
chargrove@usawrestling.org
06/08/2026
Male
14U
Freestyle, Greco-Roman
Wesley Chapel, FL
Christina Hargrove
chargrove@usawrestling.org
06/09/2026
Male
16U
Freestyle, Greco-Roman
Farmington, UT
Jeffrey Newby
jeffreynewby@hotmail.com
06/16/2026
Male
USA Junior
Freestyle, Greco-Roman
Milwaukee, WI
Todd Schaaf
tjschaaf@yahoo.com
06/16/2026
Female
14U, 16U, USA Junior
Freestyle, Greco-Roman
Westfield, IN
Pat Culp
patculp@hotmail.com
06/25/2026
2026 USA Wrestling Kids Freestyle & Greco-Roman Nationals
Male, Female
10U, 12U, 14U, 8U
Freestyle, Greco-Roman
Cedar Rapids, IA
Pete Isais
pisais@usawrestling.org
07/09/2026
2026 U.S. Marine Corps Junior Nationals
16U, USA Junior
Freestyle, Greco-Roman
Fargo, ND
Christina Hargrove
chargrove@usawrestling.org
08/07/2026
10U, 12U, 14U, 8U, Masters A, Masters B, Masters C, Masters D, Masters E, Senior Men Beach, Senior Women Beach, U17 Mens Beach, U17 Womens Beach, U20 Mens Beach, U20 Womens Beach
Beach
Huntington Beach, CA
Nicholas Kindred
cortezs99@gmail.com
UWW 2026 Events
January 2026
08 - 11 Turkiye • AntalyaYasar Dogu, Vehbi Emre & Hamit KaplanInternational TournamentSeniorFS, GR, WW
16 - 18 France • NiceGrand Prix de France Henri DeglaneInternational TournamentSeniorFS, GR, WW
February 2026
04 - 08 Croatia • ZagrebZagreb OpenRanking SeriesSeniorFS, GR, WW
06 - 08 Austria • WolfurtFlatz Austria OpenInternational TournamentU17, U20FS, WW
13 - 15 Sweden • KlippanKlippan Lady OpenInternational TournamentSenior, U17WW
25 - 01 Albania • TiranaMuhamet MaloRanking SeriesSeniorFS, GR, WW
26 - 28 Bulgaria • SofiaPetko Sirakov - Ivan IlievInternational TournamentU23FS, GR, WW
March 2026
07 Croatia • ZagrebCroatia OpenInternational TournamentU17GR, WW
09 - 15 Serbia • ZrenjaninU23 European ChampionshipsContinental ChampionshipsU23FS, GR, WW
16 - 20 Cuba • VaraderoGranma y Cerro PeladoInternational TournamentSeniorFS, GR, WW
20 - 21 Denmark • Nykobing FalsterThor MastersInternational TournamentSeniorGR
20 - 22 Samoa • ApiaU17, U20, Senior Oceania ChampionshipsContinental ChampionshipsSenior, U20, U17FS, GR, WW, BW
26 - 29 Bulgaria • PlovdivDan Kolov - Nikola PetrovInternational TournamentSeniorFS, GR, WW
27 - 29 Samoa • ApiaOceania OpenInternational TournamentSenior, U20, U17FS, GR, WW, BW
April 2026
02 - 04 Panama • Panama CityU17 Pan-American ChampionshipsContinental ChampionshipsU17FS, GR, WW
05 Panama • Panama CityU17 Pan-American Beach Wrestling ChampionshipsContinental ChampionshipsU17BW
06 - 12 Kyrgyzstan • BishkekSenior Asian ChampionshipsContinental ChampionshipsSeniorFS, GR, WW
11 - 12 Denmark • Nykobing FalsterNordic ChampionshipInternational TournamentU17, U20FS, GR, WW
12 - 14 Turkiye • AntalyaVictory CupInternational TournamentU17FS, GR, WW
13 - 14 Kyrgyzstan • BishkekSenior Asian Belt Wrestling ChampionshipsContinental ChampionshipsSeniorAL
13 - 15 Panama • Panama CitySouth American Youth GamesGamesU17FS, GR, WW
16 - 19 Romania • BucharestConstantin Alexandru & Ioan W. PopoviciInternational TournamentU17FS, GR, WW
17 - 19 Turkiye • AntalyaChampionsInternational TournamentU20FS, GR, WW
18 - 19 Greece • LarissaAchilleiaInternational TournamentU15FS, GR, WW
20 - 26 Albania • TiranaSenior European ChampionshipsContinental ChampionshipsSeniorFS, GR, WW
24 - 26 Serbia • SuboticaRefik Memisevic BraleInternational TournamentU17GR, WW
27 - 02 Egypt • AlexandriaU17, U20, Senior African ChampionshipsContinental ChampionshipsSenior, U20, U17FS, GR, WW
28 - 29 China • Sanya6th Asian Beach GamesGamesSeniorBW
Май 2026
03 - 04 Egypt • AlexandriaU17 & Senior African Beach Wrestling ChampionshipsContinental ChampionshipsSenior, U17BW
07 - 10 United States • CoralvilleSenior Pan-American ChampionshipsContinental ChampionshipsSeniorFS, GR, WW
11 - 17 Bulgaria • SamokovU17 European ChampionshipsContinental ChampionshipsU17FS, GR, WW
20 - 24 Bulgaria • SamokovU15 European ChampionshipsChampionshipsU15FS, GR, WW
23 - 31 Vietnam • Da NangU23 & U17 Asian ChampionshipsContinental ChampionshipsU23, U17FS, GR, WW
29 - 30 North Macedonia • SkopjeMacedonian PearlInternational TournamentSeniorFS
29 - 30 Croatia • PorecAdriatic TrophyInternational TournamentU20GR, WW
June 2026
01 Vietnam • Da NangU17 Asian Beach Wrestling ChampionshipsContinental ChampionshipsU17BW
04 - 07 Romania • BucharestDumitru Pirvulescu & Vasile IorgaInternational TournamentU20FS, GR, WW
04 - 07 Mongolia • UlaanbaatarUlaanbaatar OpenRanking SeriesSeniorFS, GR, WW
05 - 06 Guatemala • Guatemala CityPat Shaw MemorialInternational TournamentSenior, U15, U17, U20FS, GR, WW
08 - 13 Brazil • BraziliaFISU World University Championship Combat SportsGamesSeniorFS, GR, WW
11 - 13 Peru • LimaU23 Pan-American ChampionshipsContinental ChampionshipsU23FS, GR, WW
13 Italy • SassariSassari City Matteo Pellicone MemorialInternational TournamentSeniorFS, GR, WW
14 Italy • StintinoSardinia Beach WrestlingInternational TournamentSenior, U17, U20BW
14 Peru • LimaSenior Beach Wrestling Pan-American ChampionshipsContinental ChampionshipsSeniorBW
18 - 21 Romania • Cluj NapocaIoan Muresan & Valeriu BularcaInternational TournamentU15FS, GR, WW
27 Serbia • MladenovacLjubomir Ivanovic Gedza MemorialInternational TournamentSeniorGR
27 - 05 Thailand • PattayaU15 & U20 Asian ChampionshipsContinental ChampionshipsU15, U20FS, GR, WW
July 2026
06 - 12 North Macedonia • SkopjeU20 European ChampionshipsContinental ChampionshipsU20FS, GR, WW
09 - 11 Brazil • NiteroiU20 Pan-American ChampionshipsContinental ChampionshipsU20FS, GR, WW
10 - 12 Spain • MadridGrand Prix of SpainInternational TournamentSeniorFS, GR, WW
12 Brazil • NiteroiU20 Pan-American Beach Wrestling ChampionshipsContinental ChampionshipsU20BW
15 - 19 Hungary • BudapestPolyák Imre, Varga János & Kozma István MemorialRanking SeriesSeniorFS, GR, WW
23 - 25 Mexico • Mexico CityU15 Pan-American ChampionshipsChampionshipsU15FS, GR, WW
26 Mexico • Mexico CityU15 Beach Wrestling Pan-American ChampionshipsChampionshipsU15BW
27 - 02 Azerbaijan • BakuU17 World ChampionshipsWorld ChampionshipsU17FS, GR, WW
31 - 02 Dominican Republic • Santo DomingoCentral American and Caribbean GamesGamesSeniorFS, GR, WW
August 2026
01 - 02 Lithuania • DruskininkaiDruskininkai CupInternational TournamentSeniorGR
06 - 09 Romania • BucharestIon Cornianu & Ladislau SimonInternational TournamentSeniorFS, GR, WW
07 - 09 Cote d'Ivoire • AbidjanCoupe du Président de la RépubliqueInternational TournamentSenior, U17BW
14 - 16 Germany • DortmundGrand Prix of GermanyInternational TournamentSeniorGR
17 - 23 Slovakia • BratislavaU20 World ChampionshipsWorld ChampionshipsU20FS, GR, WW
21 - 03 Italy • TarantoMediterranean GamesGamesSeniorFS, GR, WW
26 - 30 Poland • WarsawZiolkowski, Pytlasinski, Poland OpenInternational TournamentSeniorFS, GR, WW
September 2026
17 - 22 Portugal • Figueira da FozFISU World University Championship Beach SportsGamesSeniorBW
18 - 20 Croatia • PorecValamar CupInternational TournamentSeniorGR, WW
19 - 21 Argentina • Santa FeSouth American GamesGamesSeniorFS, GR, WW
28 - 05 Croatia • KoprivnicaBalkan ChampionshipsInternational TournamentU15, U17, U20FS, GR, WW
30 - 03 Japan • NagoyaAsian GamesGamesSeniorFS, GR, WW
October 2026
06 - 11 Jordan • AmmanVeteran World ChampionshipsWorld ChampionshipsVeteranFS, GR
12 - 18 United States • Las VegasU23 World ChampionshipsWorld ChampionshipsU23FS, GR, WW
24 - 01 Bahrain • ManamaSenior World ChampionshipsWorld ChampionshipsSeniorFS, GR, WW
November 2026
07 - 08 Senegal • DakarYouth Olympic GamesGamesU17BW
11 Egypt • CairoIbrahim MoustafaInternational TournamentU15FS, GR
12 - 15 Egypt • CairoIbrahim MoustafaInternational TournamentSenior, U17, U20FS, GR
13 - 14 United States • New YorkBill Farrell MemorialInternational TournamentSeniorFS, GR, WW
18 - 22 Thailand • SrirachaThailand OpenInternational TournamentSenior, U20, U17FS, GR, WW
21 - 23 Venezuela • CaracasBolivarian Youth GamesGamesU17FS, GR, WW
28 Sweden • HaparandaHaparanda CupInternational TournamentSeniorGR
December 2026
04 - 06 South Africa • Cape TownCommonwealth Wrestling ChampionshipsInternational TournamentSenior, U20, U17FS, GR, WW, BW
05 Finland • IlmajokiArvo HaavistoInternational TournamentSeniorGR