U.S. finishes third at Greco-Roman World Cup after 18-7 loss to Georgia

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John Fuller (USA Wrestling)
11/07/2004


The U.S. Greco-Roman team placed third after finishing with a 2-2 record at the 2004 Greco-Roman World Cup in Tbilisi, Georgia. The U.S. finished its competition with an 18-7 loss to host Georgia.    The World Cup is the annual international dual meet championship. This competition was held with the old FILA competition rules still in place.    In the dual, the U.S. received wins from Glenn Garrison (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army) at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. and 2004 Olympian Brad Vering (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) at 84 kg/185 lbs.    Garrison downed Akaki Chochua, ninth in the 2004 Olympic Games, by a 9-3 score. Vering defeated Olympian Mukhran Vakhtangadze 3-0.    The win by Vering gave the U.S. some hope heading into the final two matches, as it then trailed 11-7.    But at 96 kg/211.5 lbs., Olympic silver medalist Ramazi Nozadze pinned Adam Wheeler (Marquette, Mich./Gator WC) to seal the win for Georgia. Olympian Miriani Giorgadze then defeated Russ Davis (Cleveland, Ohio/New York AC) 3-0 at 120 kg/264.5 lbs. to end the dual.    Olympian Irakli Chochua started the dual off for Georgia with a narrow 8-6 victory over Lindsey Durlacher (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) at 55 kg/121 lbs.    2004 European Junior silver medalist Lasha Lomadze then pinned Joe Warren (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) to give Georgia a 7-1 lead before Garrison's win.    Badri Khasaia, a 2002 World silver medalist, defeated Darryl Christian (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) at 74 kg/163 lbs.    Vering was the only U.S. wrestler to go undefeated at the event, posting a 4-0 individual record. Davie recorded three individual victories.    2004 U.S. Greco-Roman World Cup Team  at Tbilisi, Georgia, November 5-7  55 kg/121 lbs. - Lindsey Durlacher, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)  60 kg/132 lbs. - Joe Warren, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)  66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Glenn Garrison, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army)  74 kg/163 lbs. - Darryl Christian, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)  84 kg/185 lbs. - Brad Vering, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)  96 kg/211.5 lbs. - Adam Wheeler, Marquette, Mich. (Gator WC)  120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Russ Davie, Cleveland, Ohio (New York AC)  Coaches: Joe DeMeo, Niskayuna, N.Y., Bob Anderson, Chula Vista, Calif., and Momir Petkovic, Colorado Springs, Colo.