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USA Earns Three Medals in Greco-Roman Wrestling at 2008 Military World Wrestling Championships |
Story by Mr. Van Stokes, Fort Campbell, KY, USA CISM Wrestling Team Captain |
![2008 Wrestling Team](images/2008wrestlingteam.jpg) |
Greco-Roman wrestling was completed at the 26th Military World Wrestling Championships in Split, Croatia Friday. The Islamic Republic of Iran won three gold medals and a silver, while USA wrestlers garnered one silver and two bronze medals.
Organized by the Conseil Internationale du Sport Militare, known as CISM, over 20 sports are conducted annually with the motto of "Friendship Through Sports." The wrestling compeition featured the top military wrestlers from 24 countries.
In 66 Kg., SPC Faruk Sahin, of the Army's World World Class Athlete Program at Fort Carson, Colorado, took the silver medal after losing the championship bout to Afshin Biabanger, of the Islamic Republic of Iran, 0-5, 0-5. Both periods were scoreless after the first minute. Sahin was in the down position first in each period, and Biabanger took full advantage of Sahin with a lift and throw in each period for the margin of victory.
Sahin gained the championship bout by beating Mykola Savchenko, Ukraine, 1-1, 2-1 in the qualification round. Later, Sahin needed all three periods to defeat Hyouk Eom, Korea, 3-4, 5-2, 3-0.
At 55Kg., SPC Jermaine Hodge won the bronze medal by defeating Song Buer, China, 0-2, 4-2, 3-0. Hodge lost his opening bout to Gyu-Jin Choi, Korea, 1-3, 0-3. Choi, the gold medalist in the competition, pulled Hodge into the Repechage bout for the bronze against Buer, who lost to Choi in the semi-final bout.
Against Buer, the first minute of each period was scoreless. Hodge lost the draw in each of the three periods but seemed undaunted in the down position. Buer gained an exposure with a gut wrench and went on to win the first period. In the second period, Hodge lost two points when he was unable to execute the start, but quickly gained them back by turning Buer for two, and then hitting a high gut wrench for the margin.
The final period belonged to Hodge who was placed down first, and then kept Choi from scoring. Hodge picked up two more points when Buer was penalized for the start.
The other bronze medal was earned at 74 Kg. by SGT James Shillow, USMC, who beat Ju Bo of China, 7-0 in the first period. Bo was knocked out of the bout by a separated shoulde after Shillow stuck two gut wrenches and a tilt in the first period.
SPC Aaron Sieracki, Army, lost his bronze medal match at 84 Kg. to Jan Fischer, Germany, 1-1, 0-4, 1-2. Sieracki beat Antti Hakala, Finland, 1-1, 2-1, to gain the medal match
At 96 Kg., SSG Deon Hicks of the Army was eliminated from medal contention in his first match, when he lost to Yasin Deliktas, Turkey, 2-2, 1-3.
At 60 Kg. SGT Donovan Depatto, USMC, defeated Alijaksandr Ruchko, Belarus, 3-0, 0-3, 1-1, before losing his quarterfinal bout to Artem Kudyk of Ukraine, 0-4, 0-6. Depatto was tossed in each period, and finished the competition out of medal contention.
At 120 Kg., SGT David Arendt, USMC, lost his opening bout to Hay Devender of India, 6-0, 1-2, 2-3, who subsequently lost in the semi-finals to the eventual gold medalist, Oleksandr Chernetskyi of Ukraine.
SSG Shon Lewis, of the Army, and the Head Coach of the Armed Forces Team, had high praise for the quality of the competition. "As I watched the guys warm up, I am looking at four or five European or World Medalists," said Lewis. "This is an international first class tournament. I can't stress enough how tough it is."
When looking at the USA wrestlers, Lewis noted, "This is big for them because this is at such a high level. They need these international matches." Lewis said, "This is huge."
Click on “Wrestling” Section for Freestyle Re-Cap
Greco-Roman results
55 kg/121 lbs.
Gold – Mohsen Hajipoor (Iran)
Silver – Gyu-Jin Choi (Korea)
Bronze - SPC Jermaine Hodge (USA)
Bronze – Vugar Ragymov (Ukraine)
5th – Song Buer (China)
5th – Maksim Zaharski (Belarus)
60 kg/132 lbs.
Gold – Mohammad Mohseni (Iran)
Silver – Suresh Kumar (India)
Bronze – Seung-Jae Wo (Korea)
Bronze – Ismail Goze (Turkey)
5th – Svajunas Asomaitis (Lithuania)
7th - SGT Donovan Depatto (USA)
66 kg/145.5. lbs.
Gold – Afshin Biabangard (Iran)
Silver - SPC Faruk Sahin (USA)
Bronze – Heinz Marnette (Germany)
Bronze – Viasheslav Silivonchyk (Belarus)
5th – Bhauso Patil (India)
5th – Mykola Savchenko (Ukraine)
74 kg/163 lbs.
Gold – Neven Zugaj (Croatia)
Silver – Yauheni Silivonchyk (Belarus)
Bronze – Dmytro Pyshkov (Ukraine)
Bronze - SGT James Shillow (USA)
5th – Kim-Jussi Nurmela (Finland)
5th – Bo Ju (China)
84 kg/185 lbs.
Gold – Artur Michalkiewicz (Poland)
Silver – Andrei Baranovski (Belarus)
Bronze – Nenad Zugaj (Croatia)
Bronze – Jan Fischer (Germany)
5th – Bolat Abdulayev (Ukraine)
5th - SPC Aaron Sieracki (USA)
96 kg/211.5 lbs.
Gold – Andrzej Deberny (Poland)
Silver – Sergiy Yeroshkin (Ukraine)
Bronze – Reza Farzizadeh (Iran)
Bronze – Mindaugas Ezerskis (Lithuania)
5th – Han Zengfeng (China)
5th – Yasin Deliktas (Turkey)
10th - SSG Deon Hicks (USA)
120 kg/264.5 lbs.
Gold – Oleksandr Chernetskyi (Ukraine)
Silver – Bashir Babajanzadeh (Iran)
Bronze – Mindaugas Mizgaitis (Lithuania)
Bronze – Ioseb Chugoshvili (Belarus)
5th – Marek Mikulski (Poland)
5th – Hay Devender (India)
8th - SGT David Arendt (USA)
U.S. performances
55 kg/121 lbs. - SPC Jermaine Hodge (U.S. Army), 3rd
LOSS Gyu-Jin Choi (Korea), 1-3, 0-3.
WIN Song Buer (China), 0-2, 4-2, 3-0
60 kg/132 lbs. - SGT Donovan Depatto (U.S. Marine Corps), 7th
WIN Alijaksandr Ruchko (Belarus), 3-0, 0-3, 1-1
LOSS Artem Kudyk (Ukraine), 0-4, 0-6.
66 kg/145.5. lbs. - SPC Faruk Sahin (U.S. Army), 2nd
WIN Mykola Savchenko (Ukraine), 1-1, 2-1
WIN Hyouk Eom (Korea), 3-4, 5-2, 3-0
WIN Viacheslav Silivonchyk (Belarus), 4-0, 3-3
LOSS Afshin Biabangard (Iran), 0-5, 0-5
74 kg/163 lbs. - SGT James Shillow (U.S. Marine Corps), 3rd
WIN Kumare Suranga (Sri Lanka), 7-0, 4-0
LOSS Yauheni Silivonchyk (Belarus), 1-2, 1-2
WIN Bakhit Sharif Badr (Qatar), 6-0, 4-0
WIN Ju Bo (China), 7-0, inj.
84 kg/185 lbs. - SPC Aaron Sieracki (U.S. Army), 5th
LOSS Andrei Baranovski (Belarus), 0-3, 0-2
WIN Antti Hakala (Finland), 1-1, 2-1
LOSS Jan Fischer, Germany, 1-1, 0-4, 1-2.
96 kg/211.5 lbs. - SSG Deon Hicks (U.S. Army), 10th
LOSS Yasin Deliktas (Turkey), 2-2, 1-3.
120 kg/264.5 lbs. - SGT David Arendt (U.S. Marine Corps), 8th
LOSS Hay Devender (India), 6-0, 1-2, 2-3
Greco-Roman Team Standings
1. Ukraine, 53 pts.
2. Iran, 50 pts.
3. Belarus, 45 pts.
4. United States, 39 pts.
5. Poland, 33 pts.
6. Korea, 25 pts.
7. India, 24 pts.
8. Lithuania, 23 pts.
9. Turkey, 23 pts.
10. China, 20 pts.
of 20 nations |
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2008 World Military Wrestling Championships
Close with Freestyle in Split, Croatia |
Story by Mr. Van Stokes, Fort Campbell, KY, USA CISM Wrestling Team Captain |
The 26th World Military Wrestling Championships came to a close Sunday in Split, Croatia with seven military world champions crowned in Freestyle wrestling. Belarus won the team title in Freestyle to go along with its third place finish in Greco-Roman.
The Islamic Republic of Iran and Korea each won two gold medals, while Armed Forces wrestlers from the United States were unable to mount the medal platform. Jafar Daliri and Fardin Masomi Valadi of Iran won the 96Kg and 120Kg weight classes respectively. In the lower weights, Hyun-Jin of Korea won the 60 Kg. title, while his teammate, Young-Ho Jung won gold at 66 Kg.
CPT Phillip Simpson of the Army's World Class Athlete Progam and Fort Carson, Colorado, was the highest place finisher for the USA. Simpson lost the Bronze Medal Match at 74 Kg. to Celal Dal of Turkey, 4-3, 2-5, 0-3. After winning the first period with an early takedown and a turn off of a counter, he initiated two front headlocks, only to be countered himself. In the third period, all of the scoring came within the last 30 seconds, as Simpson was taken down before being turned for the final two points.
Simpson lost his first bout of the day to the eventual gold medalist, Oleg Bilotserkivskyi, Ukraine, 3-6, 0-6, and was taken to his back once in each of the two periods. In the repechage, Simpson beat Wu Zijian, China, 2-0, 3-2.
It was a tough day for U.S. Armed Forces Freestyle wrestlers throughout the competition. At 55 Kg., LCPL Miguel Pena, USMC, lost his first bout to eventual silver medalist Sandeep of India, 2-4, 0-3. In the repechage, Pena was defeated by G Tian Zhenguan, China, 0-1, 0-3. The young Pena placed eighth in the weight class that was won by Adhamjon Achilov of Uzbekistan.
At 60 Kg., SPC Alfredo Varela, Army, fell from medal contention early with a qualification round loss to Mahamed Kamil Magomedov, Belarus, 0-3, 0-3.
At 66 Kg., SGT Glenn Garrison, Army, defeated Adam Sobieraj, Poland, 1-1, 7-0, 6-1, before losing in the quarterfinals to Pavel Hrybailau, Belarus, 0-3, 1-4. Garrison was taken down to his back in the first period, and taken down again and turned in the second period.
At 84 Kg., Jeremy Pederson, USMC, lost to Peter Weisenber, Germany, 0-5, 0-6. Weisenber had his way in the bout scoring off of strong ankle laces following takedowns in each period. Pederson was pinned in his repechage bout to Radoslaw Horbik, Poland, at 1:17 of the second period.
At 96 Kg., PFC Willie Parks, Army, won his qualification round bout over Onur Balci, Turkey, 3-0, 4-0. Parks won the first period off of the single-leg clinch after both wrestlers were unable to score in the first two minutes. Parks lost the next bout to Mateusz, Poland, 0-1, 0-3, before losing the repechage against Alsn Bzikov, Belarus, 1-3, 0-1. Bzikov scored off of two takedowns and a controlling leg lace.
The U.S. Armed Forces team did not have a competitor in the 120 Kg., weight class.
COL Steve Hunte served as the Chief of Mission for the United States. Hunte, a former University of Iowa wrestler, and former All Army Wrestler in the 1980's, spoke highly of the competition. "We have Soldiers coming together to watch other Soldiers, who can't speak the same language, but can appreciate the skill and techniques of good wrestling," said Hunte. "They can see who has the heart of a champion and who can come back from being down to win. That is a great moment." Hunte continued, "CISM is a great venue with lots of countries coming together, where everyone has an appreciation of good wrestling skills."
The Conseil Internationale du Sport Militaire, known as CISM, realized its goal of promoting "Friendship Through Sports" in the competition. Now, over 200 competitiors from 24 countries will return to home with a deeper appreciation for their military friends in Olympic-style wrestling. |
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Army Wins 2008 Armed Forces
Wrestling Championships |
The Army won the Greco-Roman and Freestyle competitions at Armed Forces Wrestling Championships conducted March 15-16 in New Orleans. Following the two days of Olympic style wrestling, Army wrestlers won ten of the fourteen gold medals handed out at the competition. The Marines placed second in the Greco-Roman competition, while the Navy took silver in the Freestyle.
In the 120 Kg. weight class of the Greco-Roman competition, Dremiel Byers, Army, was stunned by David Arendt, Marines, who pinned Byers in 1:32 of the first period. Byers, who was caught in a reverse and thrown to his back fully extended, was unable to escape the grip of Arendt. As the match continued in the pinning situation, Arendt was able to gain the fall over the Army’s two-time world medalist.
Shon Lewis, Army Coach, was axiomatic with the bout. “”We are going to try to make this a blessing in disguise. This lets us know we have some work to do,” said Lewis. “To make good out of it, it has to happen here. It could have happened at the Olympic Trials. It lets us know we need to put the medals in the drawer and go and get another one.”
Arendt, along with the other gold medalists, has qualified to represent the United States Armed Forces at the World Military Wrestling Championships, September 1-8, in Split, Croatia. Arendt also won placed second in Freestyle behind Mark Simmonds of the Navy.
The only double gold winner was Jermaine Hodge, Army, in 55 Kg. Lewis was high on his young wrestler. “I am pleased with Hodge, especially for him to fight through an eye injury in his first match. You have to be impressed with anybody going out there and winning in both styles,” said Lewis. Hodge defeated Anthony Brooker, Air Force, for the gold in Greco-Roman, and beat Miquel Pena, Marines, for first place in Freestyle.
The winners of the Greco-Roman competition qualified for the Olympic Trials, June 13-15 in Las Vegas. While the Freestyle competition was not used as a qualifier for the Olympic Trials, many of the military wrestlers are now headed for USA Wrestling’s National Championship, April 24-26 in the Las Vegas Convention Center. |
2007 Armed Forces Wrestling Championship
03/24/07
Army Wins Fifth Straight Armed Forces Wrestling Title.
03/25/2006
Byers Takes Greco Gold at CISM - Glen Garrison Gets a Bronze.
08/21/2005
All-Army Wrestling Team Dominates Armed Forces Championships.
2005
Antonelli, Estrella and Oliver Named by USA Wrestling to Coach 2005 U.S. World Greco-Roman Team.
01/19/2005
Army Wins Armed Forces Championships.
03/10/2004
2004 Armed Forces Championship Results.
03/09/2004
Secretary Rumsfeld Poses For a Photo with Military Wrestlers Training at the U.S. Olympic Complex.
10/07/2003
Armed Forces Wrestlers Capture Laurels at Nationals.
05/10/2003
Armed Forces Wrestling Tournament 2003.
04/16/2003
2003 Armed Forces Championship Results.
04/16/2003
Army Edges out Marines.
04/01/2002
Russia Dominates 20th CISM Wrestling Championship in Croatia. 10/15/2001
Soldiers Pace Military Wrestlers in World Team Bids.
06/29/2001
Armed Forces Wrestlers Grapple At National Wrestling Championships.
04/16/2001
Marine Corps takes Armed Forces Championships.
04/13/2001
Marine Wrestlers Defeat Army in Close Combat.
03/10/2001
LINKS:
United States Marine Corps Wrestling
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