Gardner wins 2000 Senior Greco-Roman Championship Belt Series

<< Back to Articles
Gary Abbott (USA Wrestling)
01/31/2001


Olympic Greco-Roman champion Rulon Gardner (Afton, Wyo./Sunkist Kids) has won the 2000 Championship Belt Series on the Senior level in Greco-Roman wrestling.    The series is sponsored by USA Wrestling and honors the top point scorers among U.S. wrestlers, based upon actual success in competition during the year. The point system is based upon results from events on the regional, national and international levels and gives greater credit for success in the major competitions. The top point scorer in the series for each style receives a handsome plaque.  On the Senior level, a separate award is presented in men's freestyle, men's Greco-Roman and women's freestyle wrestling.    Greco-Roman champion - Rulon Gardner, Afton, Wyo. (Sunkist Kids)    Gardner, who won the Olympic gold medal at 286 pounds, scored 453 points, defeating runner-up Matt Lindland (Oregon City, Ore./Sunkist Kids), an Olympic silver medalist at 167.5 pounds, by 50 points. It is the third time in his career that Gardner has won the Championship Belt Series title.    Gardner provided one of the most memorable moments of the Olympic Games, when he defeated previously unbeaten superstar Alexandre Kareline of Russia in the gold-medal match. He also won gold medals at the Granma Cup in Cuba, the Pan American Championships, the Dave Schultz Memorial International, the U.S. Nationals and the U.S. Olympic Team Trials. He captured a silver medal at the world famous Podubbny Tournament in Russia.    Lindland's silver medal at the Olympic Games was the top performance of his career. He won gold medals at the Pan American Championships, the Olympic Qualifier in Egypt, the U.S. Nationals and the Olympic Trials process. He was third at the Olympic Qualifier in Uzbekistan, and was second in the West Olympic Regional competing up one weight class.    2000 Greco-Roman Championship Belt Series Top Ten  1. Rulon Gardner, Afton, Wyo., Sunkist Kids, 286 pounds, 453 pts.  2. Matt Lindland, Oregon City, Ore., Sunkist Kids, 167.5 pounds, 413 pts.  3. Garrett Lowney, Appleton, Wis., Minnesota Storm, 213.75 pounds, 369 pts.  4. Heath Sims, Huntington Beach, Calif., Dave Schultz WC, 152 pounds, 366 pts.  5. Jim Gruenwald, Colorado Springs, Colo., Sunkist Kids, 127.75 pounds, 346 pts.  6. Kevin Bracken, Chicago, Ill., New York AC, 138.75 pounds, 316 pts.  7. Ethan Bosch, Colorado Springs, Colo., New York AC, 187.25 pounds, 298 pts.  8. Glenn Nieradka, Colorado Springs, Colo., U.S. Army, 138.75 pounds, 279 pts.  9. Dan Hicks, Quantico, Va., U.S. Marines, 213.75 pounds, 248 pts.  10. Duaine Martin, Quantico, Va., U.S. Marines, 127.75 pounds, 230 pts.    CHAMPIONSHIP BELT SERIES HISTORY  Greco-Roman  1990 - Matt Ghaffari, Chandler, Ariz., Sunkist Kids, 286 pounds  1991 - Matt Ghaffari, Chandler, Ariz., Sunkist Kids, 286 pounds  1992 - Matt Ghaffari, Chandler, Ariz., Sunkist Kids, 286 pounds  1993 - Shawn Sheldon, Albany, N.Y., New York AC, 114.5 pounds  1994 - Matt Ghaffari, Colorado Springs, Colo., Sunkist Kids, 286 pounds  1995 - Shawn Sheldon, Colorado Springs, Colo., New York AC, 114.5 pounds  1996 - Matt Ghaffari, Avon Lake, Ohio, Sunkist Kids, 286 pounds  1997 - Rulon Gardner, Mesa, Ariz., Sunkist Kids, 286 pounds  1998 - Rulon Gardner, Colorado Springs, Colo., Sunkist Kids, 286 pounds  1999 - Dremiel Byers, Colorado Springs, Colo., U.S. Army, 286 pounds  2000 - Rulon Gardner, Afton, Wyo., Sunkist Kids, 286 pounds