SOFIA, Bulgaria - Hayden Tuma (Boise, Idaho/Suples WC) was defeated in the quarterfinals at 60 kg/132 lbs. on the opening day of the Junior World Championships in Greco-Roman

After two wins, Tuma drew Karen Aslanyan of Armenia, a 2011 Cadet World bronze medalist and the reigning European Junior champion. Aslanyan hit an early arm throw for three points to take the lead, but Tuma battled back in the second period to tie the match at 6-6 with a three-point lift and an additional back point.

As time was running out, Aslanyan attacked Tuma’s head in desperation and was able to score a two-point takedown with just three seconds left on the clock for a dramatic 8-6 victory. Tuma would have won the criteria if the bout ended 6-6.

Tuma opened with a strong 10-3 technical fall victory over Pal Eirik Gunderson of Norway in the first period. There were a number of throws in the match, with Tuma coming out on top at key times. 

In his second match, Tuma had two turns early in the first period to jump to a 5-1 lead over Asian Junior bronze medalist Dastan Uskenbekov of Kazakhstan. The Kazak came back strong in the second period, closing the lead, but Tuma showed some strong par terre defense to win the bout 5-4.

Tuma is a past U.S. Cadet World Team member, and won the Junior Nationals Greco-Roman title in Fargo, N.D. earlier this summer.

The semifinals will be held in the second session, and the results from those matches will determine if any U.S. wrestlers will be drawn into the repechage, for a chance at a bronze medal.

Three U.S. wrestlers fell in their opening bouts.

In his first match, two-time Junior World Team member Geordan Speiller (Oviedo, Fla./Florida Jets) could not get his offense going in a 0-5 loss to Lasha Gobadze of Georgia, the European Junior bronze medalist. Gobadze got the only takedown in the first period to lead 2-0, then padded his lead in the second period.

The other two U.S. athletes lost by 7-0 technical falls in their opener, Tirso Lara (Poway, Calif./Ultimate Warrior) at 50 kg/110 lbs. and Kevin Beazley (Howell, Mich./HRWA/VBRTC) at 96 kg/211.5 lbs.  Lara lost to Bence Juhasz of Hungary, and Beazley fell to Fatih Baskoy of Turkey.

The other four U.S. Greco-Roman wrestlers will weigh in later today, for competition on Wednesday.

JUNIOR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Sofia, Bulgaria, August 13

U.S. Greco-Roman performances 

50 kg/110 lbs. – Tirso Lara, Poway, Calif. (Ultimate Warrior)
LOSS Bence Juhasz (Hungary), tech. fall 0-7 (0:44)

60 kg/132 lbs. – Hayden Tuma, Boise, Idaho (Suples WC)
WIN Pal Eirik Gunderson (Norway), tech. fall 10-3 (2:23)
WIN Dastan Uskenbekov (Kazakhstan), 5-4
LOSS Karen Aslanyan (Armenia), 6-8

74 kg/163 lbs. – Geordan Speiller, Oviedo, Fla. (Florida Jets)
LOSS Lasha Gobadze (Georgia), 0-5

96 kg/211.5 lbs. – Kevin Beazley, Howell, Mich. (HRWA/VBRTC/Old Dominion University)
LOSS Fatih Baskoy (Turkey), tech. fall 0-7 (4:00)