• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

American Gold Sports Alliance

  • Home
  • About Us
    • Media
    • Featured News
    • Diversity and Inclusion Committee
    • Youth Advisory Committee
    • Wrestling for Gold Initiative
  • Raffles
  • Radiosport
  • Try Cricket
  • Athlete of the Month
  • Camps
  • Join Our Team
    • Richard Montgomery Wrestling
    • Richard Montgomery Girls Lacrosse
  • Donate
    • Giving Tuesday
  • Contact Us

amit elor

Amit Elor, 18, becomes youngest American to win world wrestling title

November 17, 2022 by Tara S

By: Cody Goodwin | USA Today

Amit Elor, at just 18 years old, became the youngest American wrestler ever to win a Senior world title this week.

Elor won gold at the 2022 Senior women’s freestyle world championships in Belgrade, Serbia. She went 4-0 and took first at 72 kilograms (158 pounds), securing a 10-0 technical fall win in Thursday’s final over Kazakhstan’s Zhamila Bakbergenova.

“I’m still in shock,” Elor told USA Wrestling afterward. “It’s unbelievable. It’s setting the new standard for girls younger than me. It’s about being an inspiration for others.”

The California native and New York resident turned 18 on Jan. 1 of this year, and she supplants Kyle Snyder as the youngest American wrestler, man or woman, to become a world champion. Snyder was previously the youngest when he won in 2015.

Japan's Masako Furuichi, left, and Amit Elor, of the United States, compete in their women's freestyle 72 kg wrestling match during the Wrestling World Championships in Belgrade, Serbia.

Elor was dominant this week. She outscored her four opponents 27-2, and registered wins over three past world medalists:

  • 3-2 over Japan’s Masako Furuichi, the 2021 world champ;
  • a 39-second pin over Turkey’s Buse Tosun, a 2021 world bronze medalist;
  • and her 10-0 win over Bakbergenova, the 2021 world silver medalist.

“All the training I’m doing, it’s good and it’s working,” Elor told USA Wrestling. “This has been my dream since I was a little girl. This is what I want more than anything in the whole world. I think about it every single day.”

“I just stuck to my style and what I believe in. If I do that, I can beat anybody in the world. I still have so much to work on. But I believe in my style and I believe in my coaches, and it worked out.”

Elor’s gold-medal finish was the lead highlight for the U.S. women’s freestyle world team this week in Serbia.

The American women took second in the team race for the second straight year, totaling 157 points behind seven medalists. They finished behind Japan, who scored 190 thanks to nine total medalists, including five individual champs. China took third with 84 points.

Elor was one of three American women to win gold, tying the 2019 team for the most by a U.S. women’s freestyle team. The seven medalists also ties a USA Wrestling record, matching the totals from 2003 in New York City and 2021 in Oslo, Norway.

Dominique Parrish won gold at 53 kilos (116) in her first trip to the world championships. At 68 kilos (150), Tamyra Mensah-Stock, the 2020 Olympic gold medalist, won her second world title, outscoring her four opponents 34-0. She recorded a first-period pin in her finals match on Thursday, and is now a five-time world and Olympic medalist.

Behind them:

  • Helen Maroulis finished second at 57 kilos (125), and is now an eight-time world and Olympic medalist;
  • Kayla Miracle also took second, at 62 kilos (136), for the second consecutive year;
  • Sarah Hildebrandt won bronze at 50 kilos (110) to become a four-time world and Olympic medalist;
  • and Mallory Velte secured her second Senior-level world medal with a bronze-medal finish at 65 kilos (143).

Get the Chasing Gold newsletter in your inbox.

Everything you will need to follow Team USA’s quest for gold in Beijing.

Delivery: VariesYour Email

In the last 14 months, Elor has won a 2021 Cadet world title, a 2021 Junior world title, a 2022 Junior world title, and now 2022 Senior world gold. Across all four competitions, she’s 14-0 and has outscored her opponents 131-3.

And, again, she’s just 18. She said she plans to stick around for a long, long time.

“There’s still so much more to accomplish,” she continued. “My number one dream is to be an Olympic champion, but there’s world championships every single year, and each year is a new year and a chance to prove that you’re number one. I love that.

“There were a lot of nerves, but every time I felt nerves, I just reminded myself why I’m wrestling, and that I love this sport. So just go out there and enjoy it. If you don’t enjoy the moment, it’s not worth it.”

Cody Goodwin covers wrestling and high school sports for the Des Moines Register. Follow him on Twitter at @codygoodwin.

Filed Under: AOTM, Athlete Spotlight, Women's Wrestling, Wrestling Tagged With: amit elor

Primary Sidebar

Donate Here!

Categories

Featured Posts

Introducing the Vulcan Pickleball Line in Support of the AGSA!

… [Read More...] about Introducing the Vulcan Pickleball Line in Support of the AGSA!

Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Names WNBA Trio to Class of 2025

… [Read More...] about Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Names WNBA Trio to Class of 2025

2026 Expansion Team Denver Breaks NWSL Ticket Sales Record

… [Read More...] about 2026 Expansion Team Denver Breaks NWSL Ticket Sales Record

Archives

  • April 2025
  • March 2025
  • February 2025
  • January 2025
  • December 2024
  • November 2024
  • October 2024
  • September 2024
  • August 2024
  • July 2024
  • June 2024
  • May 2024
  • April 2024
  • March 2024
  • February 2024
  • January 2024
  • December 2023
  • November 2023
  • October 2023
  • September 2023
  • August 2023
  • June 2023
  • May 2023
  • February 2023
  • November 2022
  • September 2022
  • August 2022
  • June 2022
  • April 2022
  • March 2022
  • February 2022
  • January 2022
  • December 2021
  • November 2021
  • October 2021
  • September 2021
  • August 2021
  • July 2021
  • June 2021
  • May 2021
  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Raffles
  • Radiosport
  • Try Cricket
  • Athlete of the Month
  • Camps
  • Join Our Team
  • Donate
  • Contact Us

Copyright © 2025 American Gold Sports Alliance Inc.

Terms and Conditions - Privacy Policy