Greco-Roman Olympians set for Pytlasinski Tournament in Poland

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John Fuller (USA Wrestling)
07/09/2004


The 2004 U.S. Greco-Roman Olympic Wrestling Team will compete in the Pytlasinski Tournament in Warsaw, Poland, July 15-18.    Three Olympic medalists highlight this year's Greco-Roman Olympic squad: Dennis Hall (Plover, Wis./Sunkist Kids) at 55 kg/121 lbs., Garrett Lowney (Freedom, Wis./Minnesota Storm) at 96 kg/211.5 lbs. and Rulon Gardner (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) at 120 kg/264.5 lbs.    Hall won an Olympic silver medal in 1996, and he is the only U.S. Greco-Roman wrestler to win World-level gold, silver and bronze medals.    Lowney won a bronze medal at the 2000 Olympic Games, before he had even stepped foot onto a college wrestling mat. He was unable to compete in last year's World Championships due to an injury suffered to his vertebrae.    Gardner won a gold medal in 2000, and followed that with a World title in 2001, becoming the only U.S. Greco-Roman wrestler to win a World and Olympic gold medal. Gardner previously won the Pytlasinski Tournament in 1997 and 1999.    2000 Olympian Jim Gruenwald (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) will compete at 60 kg/132 lbs. Gruenwald placed fourth at the 2003 World Championships only after he suffered a dislocated shoulder in the semifinals, forcing him to injury default.    First-time Olympians Oscar Wood (Fountain, Colo./U.S. Army) and Brad Vering (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) will also compete.    Wood shocked many by earning a spot on the Olympic team this year. He had not won a major title of any kind since 1994, when he was a Junior Nationals champion. He will compete at 66 kg/145.5 lbs.    Vering, wrestling at 84 kg/185 lbs., will be the first Nebraska-born wrestler to compete in the Olympic Games. He has been the most consistent U.S. Greco-Roman wrestler over the past two years, placing fifth at the 2002 and 2003 World Championships.    2001 U.S. World Team member Keith Sieracki (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army) will compete at 74 kg/163 lbs. Sieracki won the Olympic Team Trials this year, but the U.S. did not qualify for the Olympic Games in his weight class.    Rounding out the U.S. squad is Justin Ruiz (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) at 96 kg/211.5 lbs. Ruiz won the U.S. Nationals title this year and placed second at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials.    There is a two kilogram weight allowance for this tournament.    Coaching the U.S. squad at the Pytlasinski Tournament will be USA Wrestling National Greco-Roman Coach Steve Fraser (Colorado Springs, Colo.), USA Wrestling Assistant National Greco-Roman Coach Momir Petkovic (Colorado Springs, Colo.) and 2004 U.S. Olympic Coaches Shon Lewis (Colorado Springs, Colo.) and Andy Seras (Sandy Hook, Conn.).    Pytlasinski Tournament  at Warsaw, Poland, July 15-18, 2004  U.S. Roster  55 kg/121 lbs. - Dennis Hall, Plover, Wis. (Sunkist Kids)  60 kg/132 lbs. - Jim Gruenwald, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)  66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Oscar Wood, Fountain, Colo. (U.S. Army)  74 kg/163 lbs. - Keith Sieracki, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army)  84 kg/185 lbs. - Brad Vering, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)  96 kg/211.5 lbs. - Garrett Lowney, Freedom, Wis. (Minnesota Storm)  96 kg/211.5 lbs. - Justin Ruiz, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)  120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Rulon Gardner, Cascade, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)  Coaches: Steve Fraser, Colorado Springs, Colo., Shon Lewis, Colorado Springs, Colo., Momir Petkovic, Colorado Springs, Colo. and Andy Seras, Sandy Hook, Conn.