Zain Retherford with his USA Wrestling Junior National trophy. Retherford won a gold medal at the FILA Cadet World Championships today in Azerbaijan. BentonTigerWrestling.com photo

BAKU, Azerbaijan – Zain Retherford of Benton, Pa. won a gold medal at 63 kg/138.75 lbs. in men’s freestyle action at the FILA Cadet World Championships on Wednesday.

Retherford won four matches on the way to his title, including a victory over Supian Burmagomedov of Russia, 0-1, 4-3, 2-1 in the gold-medal finals.

"This means a lot - it is a stepping stone for international events in the future," Retherford said. "Winning this was my goal coming in here, and to reach your goal feels awesome."

He opened with a second period pin over 2012 Asian Cadet silver medalist Hossein Rouzbehmaleh of Iran, dropping the first period but coming back with the fall. In the quarterfinals, he stopped Sapar Kubandykov of Kyrgyzstan, 3-0, 1-6, 2-0. His semifinal win came over 2011 Cadet World bronze medalist Ilyas Zhumay of Kazakhstan, 1-0, 6-0.

"The main key was to keep my style of wrestling going," Retherford said. "The foreign competitors like to slow the pace of things down and score in short bursts. Americans are much more offensive, so keeping my motor running played a major part through the whole tournament."

Retherford won titles at the FILA Cadet Nationals in Akron and the Junior Nationals in Fargo this year.

Two U.S. wrestlers placed fifth in their weight class on Wednesday: Chance Marsteller of New Park, Pa. at 76 kg/167.5 lbs. and Garrett Ryan of Scottsdale, Ariz. at 100 kg/220 lbs.

Marsteller won his first two matches, defeating Erik Bizunovic of Lithuania, 6-0, 6-0 in his opening bout, then defeating Mustafa Turkaya of Turkey, 5-0, 8-6 in the quarterfinals. Marsteller was injured in his semifinal loss to 2012 European Cadet bronze medalist Ruslan Ruchko of Ukraine. He was unable to compete in his bronze-medal match, dropping a default to Mahammadhaji Mukhutov of Azerbaijan.

Ryan opened with a victory over Erwin Imbierski of Poland, 4-0, 4-1. In the second round, he was defeated by Georgy Gogaev of Russia, 0-6, 2-8. When Gogaev reached the finals, Ryan was pulled back into the repechage. He pinned Beka Kachetelidze of Georgia in the second period of his repechage match, putting him in a bronze medal match, where he fell to 2012 European Cadet champion Yunus Dede of Turkey, 4-1, 0-4, 1-2.

Two other U.S. wrestlers fell short of the medal rounds on Wednesday: Mitchell McKee of Kimball, Minn. at 46 kg/101.25 lbs. and Joseph McKenna of Towaco, N.J. at 54 kg/119 lbs. McKee was defeated in his only match. McKenna opened with two victories, stopping Andrius Zekas of Lithuania and Viktor Blashchak of Ukraine. McKenna was injured in the quarterfinals by Zokir Mansurov of Uzbekistan, and when Mansarov lost in the semifinals, McKenna was knocked out of the event.

Retherford’s gold medal was the only U.S. men’s freestyle medal of the tournament, which completed its men’s freestyle competition today. Also placing fifth for the USA was Mitch Sliga, Fishers, Ind. at 85 kg/187.25 lbs., who competed on Tuesday.

The United States placed in a tie for eighth in the men's freestyle team standings with 31 points. Taking the trophies were team champion Russia with 77 points, Azerbaijan in second with 74 points and Iran in third with 60 points.

The women’s freestyle competition will begin on Thursday. First round draws will be posted later today.

FILA CADET WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Baku, Azerbaijan, August 22

Men’s freestyle results

46 kg/101.25 lbs.
Gold – Zavur Uguev (Russia)
Silver – Vasyl Mykhaylov (Ukraine)
Bronze – Saber Khanjani Shahrestani (Iran)
Bronze – Satoshi Fujikawa (Japan)
5th – Irakli Mxeide (Georgia)
5th – Galymzhan Zhaxybek (Kazakhstan)

54 kg/119 lbs.
Gold – Gadzhimurad Rashidov (Russia)
Silver – Mann Abhisek (India)
Bronze – Bauyrzhan Torebek (Kazakhstan)
Bronze – Mahammadhuseyn Hasanov (Azerbaijan)
5th – Dillon Williams (Canada)
5th – Zokir Mansurov (Uzbekistan)

63 kg/138.75 lbs.
Gold – Zain Retherford (USA)
Silver – Supian Nurmagomedov (Russia)
Bronze – Hossein Rouzbehmaleh (Iran)
Bronze – Mehmet Asan (Turkey)
5th – Ilyas Zhumay (Kazakhstan)
5th – Kirin Kinoshita (Japan)

76 kg/167.5 lbs.
Gold – Abdulrashid Sadulaev (Russia)
Silver – Ruslan Ruchko (Ukraine)
Bronze – Shota Shirai (Japan)
Bronze – Mahammadhaji Mukhutov (Azerbaijan)
5th – Turmunkh Ganbold (Mongolia)
5th – Chance Marsteller (USA)

100 kg/220 lbs.
Gold – Georgy Gogaev (Russia)
Silver – Said Gamidov (Azerbaijan)
Bronze – Aliasghar Akbarizarinkolaei (Iran)
Bronze – Yunus Dede (Turkey)
5th – Bilgin Yumerov (Bulgaria)
5th – Garrett Ryan (USA)

U.S. Men’s freestyle results for Wednesday

46 kg/101.25 lbs. – Mitchell McKee, Kimball, Minn.
LOSS Satoshi Fujikawa (Japan), 1-1, 0-1

54 kg/119 lbs. – Joseph McKenna, Towaco, N.J.
WIN Andrius Zekas (Lithuania), 1-0, 6-0
WIN Viktor Blashchak (Ukraine), 2-0, 4-0
LOSS Zokir Mansurov (Uzbekistan), injury default

63 kg/138.75 lbs. – Zain Retherford, Benton, Pa., GOLD MEDAL
WIN Hossein Rouzbehmaleh (Iran), 0-1, pin
WIN Sapar Kubandykov (Kyrgyzstan), 3-0, 1-6, 2-0
WIN Ilyas Zhumay (Kazakhstan), 1-0, 6-0
WIN Supian Burmagomedov (Russia). 0-1, 4-3, 2-1

76 kg/167.5 lbs. – Chance Marsteller, New Park, Pa., 5th
WIN Erik Bizunovic (Lithuania), 6-0, 6-0
WIN Mustafa Turkaya (Turkey), 5-0, 8-6
LOSS Ruslan Ruchko (Ukraine), inj. dft
LOSS Mahammadhaji Mukhutov (Azerbaijan), inj. dft.

100 kg/220 lbs. – Garrett Ryan, Scottsdale, Ariz., 5th
WIN Erwin Imbierski (Poland), 4-0, 4-1
LOSS Georgy Gogaev (Russia), 0-6, 2-8
WIN Beka Kachetelidze (Georgia), 8-2, pin
LOSS Yunus Dede (Turkey), 4-1, 0-4, 1-2

Team Standings

1. Russia, 77
2. Azerbaijan, 74
3. Iran, 60	
4. Ukraine, 56
5. Japan, 39
6. Georgia, 35
7. Turkey, 32
8. (tie) United States, 31
8. (tie) Kazakhstan, 31
10. India, 22
11. Mongolia, 21
12. Bulgaria, 18
13. Belarus, 14
14. Kyrgysztan, 13
15. Germany, 12
16. Canada, 11
17. Uzbekistan, 8
18. Greece, 6
19. (tie) Moldova, 3
19. (tie) South Africa, 3	
21. Hungary, 2
22. (tie) Poland, 1
22. (tie) Slovakia, 1