Six soldiers from the U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program will compete in the 2026 United World Wrestling Championships in Astana, Kazakhstan, from Oct. 24 through Nov. 1, according to the Army. The athletes represent 20 percent of the 30-person Team USA roster.
The group includes four Greco-Roman wrestlers and two women's freestyle wrestlers: Army Sgt. Kamal Bey (82 kg), Army Sgt. Dalton Roberts (60 kg), Army Staff Sgt. Xavier Johnson (63 kg), Army Spc. Timothy Young (97 kg), Army Spc. Abby Nette (59 kg), and Army Spc. Aduago Nwachukwu (62 kg).
Some athletes bring considerable competition experience. Bey competes in his fifth world championship after placing 10th at 77 kg in Zagreb, Croatia, last year and competing in the 2024 Olympics. Nwachukwu earned a silver medal at the 2026 Under-23 World Championships in Las Vegas on Oct. 16 and placed seventh at last year's senior world championships.
Young competes in his first world championships after qualifying through the U.S. Open in Las Vegas in April. Johnson returns to the competition after his senior-level debut in Belgrade, Serbia, in 2023. Nette returns for the first time since placing 10th in 2022.