Indiana wrestler Mason Parris suffers early surprise, out of Olympics after one match
PARIS – It was one-and-done for Mason Parris. For someone as young as 24 and a home Olympic Games coming up in Los Angeles 2028, he could get another shot.
Munkhtur Lkhagvagerel of Mongolia beat the No. 3-seeded Lawrenceburg heavyweight 10-5 Friday in freestyle wrestling in the Paris Olympics at Champ-de-Mars Arena.
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Parris was eliminated when No. 6 seed Giorgi Meshvildishvili of Azerbaijan defeated the Mongolian 12-2. Only losers to finalists are eligible for repechage.
Parris was a bronze medalist at the 2023 World Championships after winning an NCAA title in the 285-pound weight class to cap a 33-0 season for Michigan.
He scored a first-period takedown and led 2-1. He extended the lead to 3-1 with a step out point. In a key move, Munkhtur took Parris down on the edge for four points. A U.S. challenge was denied, making the score 6-3.
Munkhtur walked Parris off the mat for a step-out and a caution and one for fleeing to make it 8-3. Another Munkhtur takedown closed it out.
In high school, Parris lost a state quarterfinal as a freshman to the eventual state champion, then never lost again. His record was 206-1. In football, he was an all-state linebacker.
In women’s freestyle, Culver Academy graduate Kayla Miracle, the No. 8 seed, was edged No. 1 seed Aisuluu Tynybekova of Kyrgyzstan in a 6-6 criteria decision.
Miracle, a two-time Olympian, is a two-time world silver medalist and 2021 Olympian.
For Miracle to qualify for Saturday repechage, Tynybekova must win a semifinal match against Iryna Koliadenko of Ukraine. Tynybekova won a 2021 Olympic silver medal and is a three-time world champion.
Miracle opened with 12-2 technical fall over Nesrin Bas of Turkey, a 2022 and 2023 under-23 world champion and 2024 European champion.
Contact IndyStar correspondent David Woods at dwoods1411@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter: @DavidWoods007.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Heavyweight Mason Parris is 1-and-done in wrestling at Paris Olympics
