Aaron Pico (Whittier, Calif./Team USA) has been named TheMat.com Wrestler of the Week.

Each week, TheMat.com will select an Athlete of the Week, based upon performance within wrestling for that week. The selection committee will consider any level of wrestling, from youth programs through the Senior level.

Pico captured a gold medal at the FILA Cadet World Championships on Sunday in Zrenjanin, Serbia.

Pico won a gold medal in men’s freestyle at 63 kg/138.75 lbs. with a spectacular performance on the final day of competition at the Cadet Worlds.

Pico defeated Yuhi Fujinami of Japan in the championship match, 8-6.

Pico, 16, became the only American in any Olympic style to win a gold medal at this year’s Cadet World Championships.

Pico won four matches to qualify for the finals. He opened with a 7-0 technical fall victory over Adilbek Osmonaliev of Kyrgyzstan. His second match was a very close battle with Teymur Mammadov of Azerbaijan, a 2-1 victory for Pico.

In the quarterfinals, Pico dismantled Maxim Carabadjac of Moldova by a 10-2 technical fall. In the semifinals, Pico fell behind Vikas Vikas of India, 4-0 at the break. In the second period, Pico turned on the offense, scoring four straight two-point takedowns for an 8-4 victory.

Pico won three freestyle national titles this year – the FILA Cadet Nationals in Akron, Ohio, the FILA Junior Nationals in Las Vegas and the Junior Nationals in Fargo, N.D.

Note: To nominate a wrestler for TheMat.com Wrestler of the Week, send the athlete's name, accomplishments for the week and career accomplishments to Craig Sesker at csesker@usawrestling.org