TIRANA, Albania -- University of Michigan graduate student Jacob Cardenas captured this 92kg silver medal at the 2024 U23 World Championships on Saturday (Oct. 26) at the Feti Borova Sports Hall. It was Cardenas' third medal in consecutive world appearances, adding to silver in 2022 and bronze in 2023.

Cardenas fell to Iran's Amir Hossein Firouzpour, 11-4, in the gold-medal final. Cardenas led 4-4 at the break after scoring a takedown and gut wrench off a bodylock but could not stop Firouzpour's underhooks in the second period. The Iranian scored three stepouts and a takedown from the position to pull away. Firouzpour previously captured the 92kg U23 world title in 2022 and is a two-time senior-level Asian champion.

Cardenas posted a 4-1 record over the two-day competition. His biggest win came in his first bout against Russian Mustafagadzhi Malachdibirov -- the junior world champion at 92kg earlier this fall -- rolling to a 10-0 technical superiority in just 4:01. Cardenas scored first on a low single and gut midway through the first period then countered out of a scramble and ended it with two more guts.

He also earned a pin in the quarterfinals against Georgia's Andro Margishvili. Cardenas rallied from an initial deficit, and with a 4-2 lead late, went feet to back with a double leg for four points then the fall at the 5:12 mark.

Cardenas joined the Wolverines this season after graduating last spring from Cornell, where he was a two-time All-American at 197 pounds, most recently claiming fourth place at the 2024 NCAA Championships.

The Wolverines will kick off the 2024-25 season next Sunday (Nov. 3) at the Clarion Open in Clarion, Pa. Michigan will send the bulk of its starters to the open tournament, slated for a 9 a.m. start at Waldo S. Tippin Gymnasium.