World Champion Spencer Lee Dominates Junior World Championships

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It wasn’t exactly where Spencer Lee (Franklin Regional) expected to be in August of 2015 but I think he will be satisfied with the end result. The 2x PIAA State Champion and National star travelled to Salvador, Brazil this week to compete in the United World Wrestling Junior World Championships.

“The Kid” had intended to compete in the UWW Cadet World Championships in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina at the end of August. In 2014 Lee was a 2014 UWW Cadet World Champion at 50 kg./110 lbs.

That plan hit a road block when Lee moved up to 54 kg./119 lbs. in 2015 and competed in the U.S. Cadet World Team Trials. There Lee faced fellow 2014 Cadet World Team member Daton Fix and fell in the Championship best-of-three finals. Spencer Lee would be unable to defend his Cadet World Championship in 2015.

Spencer is one of the best wrestlers in the United States for a reason. Faced with adversity he made the decision to bump up a division and drop a weight. Although his age places him within the UWW Cadet Division Lee obtained a doctors note saying he was healthy enough to compete in the older age division. I am not a doctor but I think it is safe to say Spencer is more than capable of hanging with the Juniors.

Moving down to his 2014 weight, 50 kg/110 lbs., Spencer secured a spot on the United State’s Junior World Team with ease. At the 2015 UWW Junior World Championships Lee continued his dominance against International competition. In the qualifying round Lee stormed out to a (10-0) victory in just (1:02). The 1/8 final match took a minute longer to earn a tech-fall winning (14-2) in (2:28). The two wins placed Lee in the World quarterfinals against Roberti Dingashvili of Georgia. Again Spencer had no issues winning by tech-fall (10-0) in only (1:06).

In the semifinals Spencer Lee had a much tougher opponent despite the final score. Lee took on Bhart Datil of India and ended the first period ahead (6-2). At the end of the first period Datil hit a slick low single to get on the board. In the second period Lee fired on all cylinders picking up six unanswered points with a series of leg laces to win (12-2) in (4:31).

Advancing into the Junior World Championship finals Spencer Lee took on fellow Cadet World Champion Alireza Goodarzi of Iran. In 2014 Goodarzi was the Cadet World Champion in Freestyle at 42 kg/92.5 lbs. Like Spencer Alireza moved up to the Junior Division in 2015 were he earned a hard fought semifinals win over Arif Huseynov (Azerbaijan) to advance into the Junior World Finals (6-5).

In the Finals Spencer saved the best for last. Spencer Lee won his second straight UWW World Championship and made it look like just another day at the office. After tying up and countering a Goodarzi shot attempt Spencer hit an ankle pick, switched off to a double leg, and laced the legs. Lee never looked back as he leg laced his way to the 2015 UWW World Junior Championship at 50 kg.

In just 48 seconds Lee, who continued his leg lace exposures across the mat, was crowned World Champion with a (10-0) technical-fall. It was a truly remarkable performance for the 16-year-old wrestler competing in the Junior Division.

UWW Junior World Championship Website[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]