Seven Members of the U.S. Men's Freestyle Team Still Going Strong at the Yasar Dagu Tournament in An
<< Back to Articles
Heather Van Peursem (USA Wrestling)
03/02/2001
Seven members of the U.S. men's freestyle team still alive after day one of the Yasar Dogu Tournament in Ankara, Turkey, March 2 The United States men's freestyle team is doing well after the first day of competition at the Yasar Dogu Tournament in Ankara, Turkey, March 2. Four members of the U.S. team are undefeated and have advanced out of their pools. 2000 Olympic silver medalist Sammie Henson (Norman, Okla./Sunkist Kids) has advanced out of his pool at 119 pounds without giving up a point. Henson registered two technical falls over his opponents in his pool, first by a 10-0 score over Blidari of Romania, then 12-0 over Amantavev of Kazakhstan. At 127.75 pounds, U.S. Olympic Training Center resident athlete Kerry Boumans (Colorado Springs, Colo./Dave Schultz WC) scored a technical fall, a pin and a decision to advance out of his pool. He first scored a technical fall over Den of Turkey 10-0, then pinned Bicur of Turkey and then won a close decision, 3-2, in overtime over Aker of Turkey. Boumans placed second at the 2000 Olympic Trials. Aaron Simpson (Tempe, Ariz./Sunkist Kids) won his first two matches at 187.25 pounds. He pinned Ezdogan of Turkey, then decisioned Temirbayev of Kazakhstan, 6-0. Simpson was a 2000 Sunkist Kids International Open champion and placed fourth in the 2000 U.S. Nationals. U.S. Olympic Training Center resident athlete Dominic Black (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army) is also undefeated after his first two matches. He won by a technical fall over Cakaroglu of Turkey, 10-0, then won a 7-6 decision over Kumichev of Bulgaria. Black placed second at the 2000 Olympic Trials and was a 1999 U.S. Nationals champion and 1999 World Team Trials champion. Three U.S. wrestlers will start the second day of competition in repecharge. Ty Reynolds (Colorado Springs, Colo.) at 138.75 pounds, Ramico Blackmon (Colorado Springs, Colo./Team Excel) at 152 pounds and Frank Trigg (Los Angeles, Calif./Sunkist Kids) at 167.5 pounds. Reynolds decisioned Manzorov of Kazakhstan, 4-0, then lost to Chamuila of Slovakia, 10-0. Reynolds is a U.S. Olympic Training Center resident athlete. Blackmon won his first match by a technical fall over Csaba of Romania, 10-0, then lost 8-1 to Gulhan of Turkey. He qualified for repecharge when he decisioned Osmanov of Kazakhstan, 9-0. Blackmon placed third at the 2000 Olympic Trials. Trigg first lost a decision to Ozata of Turkey, 4-2, then rebounded with a 8-4 decision over Lucian of Romania to stay alive. Trigg is ranked fifth in the United States after the 2000 Olympic Trials.