The 2023 iteration of the World Wrestling Championship yielded another medal winner for America at Belgrade. The 26-year-old, Zahid Valencia, fought hard to earn a spectacular win against his Japanese counterpart while scoring double takedowns on him.

Zahid Valencia claimed his first world championship medal after a successful Grand Prix campaign. A social media post showcasing his stunning victory is going viral online. Interestingly, the young wrestler claimed the bronze medal without conceding a single point.

Zahid Valencia clinches a flawless win

Zahid Valencia is indeed a versatile wrestler. Valencia typically fights in the 86kg weight class. However, he decided to move up a notch and compete in the 92kg category to train for the Olympics. While Valencia decided to enter heavyweight wrestling, he also chose not to immediately bulk up. The 26-year-old currently weighs 88kg and entered the prestigious tournament with a 4kg disadvantage. However, what the wrestling genius lacked in weight, he compensated for it with his wrestling technique. In fact, he also emerged victorious at the 2023 Budapest Grand Prix.

Despite his superior technique, his skill reached the limit as he failed to open the doors to the finals. But, Valencia made his bronze match count as he scored two takedowns against his Japanese opponent to take the win.

Valencia held his composure and made use of every opportunity he got without exposing himself to much danger. He quickly converted his minute lead of 3-0 into an insurmountable score of 11-0.

Valencia’s clean victory was celebrated on X by the official handle of USA Wrestling. The 4x Grand Prix gold medalist spoke to reporters after his perfect match. A video by FloWrestling captured the wrestler’s words when he shared his World Wrestling Championship experience.

Bronze medalist opens up about wrestling against the best men in the world

Zahid Valencia has been competing internationally for a long time now. In fact, his first Grand Prix gold medal win came in 2015 in Madrid. However, the 2023 World Wrestling Championship yielded him his first world title.

Valencia spoke about his match and said, “Coming back with a bronze, it shows I have room to improve. But I’m right there with the best wrestlers in the world.” The ecstatic wrestling star was also asked about his experience on the mat, despite being at a weight disadvantage.

alencia answered the query and said, “I never shied away, as soon as I realized I could go 92, I’m like, let’s do it. I’m gonna go, compete as much as I can for the ultimate goal in 2024.” 

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While Valencia exited Belgrade with a bronze, his golden resolve for Paris is clearly visible in his words. Will Zahid Valencia overcome all odds at the grand stage and win the 92kg gold at the upcoming Olympics? 

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