BUDAPEST, Hungary — Cliff Keen Wrestling Club member Alec Pantaleo posted a 1-1 record at 70kg/154 pounds at the U23 World Championships on (Oct. 28) at the Ludovika Arena. It was Pantaleo’s second freestyle world championship appearance after previously competing at the 2016 junior worlds.
Pantaleo rolled to an 8-0 decision over Moldova’s Stefan Tonu, a 2016 Cadet World silver medalist, in his first match behind four takedowns — two apiece in the first and second periods — but dropped a 9-8 heartbreaker to Azerbaijan’s Daud Ibragimov in his next bout.
He led early on a pair of takedowns but gave up a 6-4 lead on a late takedown and two laces before the break. Pantaleo scored two more takedowns in the second period but was rolled through on the latter. Trailing on criteria he took Ibragimov to the edge and nearly earned a stepout in the final 10 seconds but did not get the call and dropped the subsequent challenge.
Pantaleo was eliminated from the competition when Ibragimov fell to Russia in the quarterfinals. Ibragimov went on to win bronze.
