U.S. teams to compete in World Wrestling Games in Antalya, Turkey, Sept. 7-9

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Gary Abbott (USA Wrestling)
09/03/2007



World Wrestling Games Special Section USA Wrestling will be sending three teams of athletes to compete at the World Wrestling Games in Antalya, Turkey, September 7-9. Included will be athletes in the international wrestling styles of Sombo, Beach Wrestling and Grappling. This will be the first time FILA has ever hosted a World Championships in Grappling, a style of wrestling which was recognized as an international wrestling style this spring. It will be the second straight year that there are World Championships in Sombo and Beach Wrestling in Antalya. The competition begins on Friday, September 7, with the men's Sombo competition. Medals will be awarded in the seven international weight classes. The U.S. team will feature five athletes who won U.S. Sombo national titles in April: Eric Albarracin (Colorado Springs, Colo./EA Kombat - Modern Army Combatives) at 55 kg/121 lbs., Jake Bohn (Kentwood, Mich./unattached) at 66 kg/145.5 lbs., Scott Garcia (Mesa, Ariz./American Pankration) at 84 kg/185 lbs., Douglas Fournet (Denham Springs, La./Gladiators Academy at 96 kg/211.5 lbs. and Carlos Dolmo (Bronx, N.Y./Blast Double NY) at 120 kg/264.5 lbs. The United States placed second at the 2006 World Sombo Championships in the men's division with seven medalists, including World champion Jeff Zastrow at 96 kg/211.5 lbs. Originally, FILA also organized a women's Sombo tournament as well, which was cancelled last week. Some of the members of the USA Wrestling's women's Sombo team will accompany the American team to Turkey, train with the men athletes, and will enter the Beach wrestling and Grappling competitions for women. Next up is the Beach Wrestling competition, set for Saturday, September 8. The U.S. will enter athletes in both the men's and women's division. The U.S. men's team will feature one member of the 2006 U.S. Beach World Team, Carlos Dolmo (Bronx, N.Y./Blast Double NY) who was fifth in the World at Men Over 85 kg/187.5 lbs. last year. Dolmo won the U.S. Beach Nationals this year. Also on the team is 2007 U.S. Beach World Team Trials champion Rawle Shewprashad (New York, N.Y./Blast Double NY), who qualified at the highest division but is expected to wrestle at the under 85 kg/187.5 lbs. weight class. The United States placed second in the team standings at the 2007 World Beach Wrestling Championships in the men's division with two medalists, and was third in the women's division with one medalist. The historic first FILA World Grappling Championships will conclude on Sunday, September 9. The United States has a large delegation of athletes in both the men's and women's divisions, with high expectations in the team race. All nine of the champions from the 2007 USA Wrestling Grappling World Team Trials will compete at the World Championships. The World Team Trials champions on the men's team include Darren Uyenoyama (South San Francisco, Calif./Fogtown Jiu Jitsu) at 62 kg/136.5 lbs., Ricky Lundell (Orem, Utah/Pedro Sauer Team) at 70 kg/154 lbs., Don Ortega (Albuquerque, N.M./No Limits) at 80 kg/176 lbs., Malcolm Havens (Parker, Colo./Grapplers Edge) at 92 kg/202.5 lbs. and Jeff Monson (Coconut Creek, Fla./Victory Athletics) at 125 kg/275 lbs. The World Team Trials champions on the women's team include Lisa Ward (Lacey, Wash./United Fight Team) at 48 kg/105.5 lbs., Felicia Oh (Tarzana, Calif./JJ Machado/BJMUTA) at 55 kg/121 lbs., Tara LaRosa (Woodstown, N.J./unattached) at 63 kg/138.75 lbs. and Valerie Worthington (Whittier, Calif./New Breed/Hollywood Brazilian Jiu Jitsu) at 72 kg/158.5 lbs. A number of other Grappling athletes who were medalists at the World Team Trials will attend the World Championships on Team USA. A training camp for the World Team Trials champions is being hosted at the USA Wrestling National Training Center for Grappling and Sombo, which is located at the No Limits Mixed Martial Arts facility in Irvine, Calif. No Limits Mixed Martial Arts is the Official Sponsor for the U.S. World Teams for Grappling and Sombo. In addition, there will be a Pankration competition held as part of the World Wrestling Games. USA Wrestling is not sending a team for this event. Updated coverage of the World Wrestling Games will be posted on TheMat.com U.S. GRAPPLING WORLD TEAM Men 62 kg/136.5 lbs. - Darren Uyenoyama, South San Francisco, Calif. (Fogtown Jiu Jitsu) 62 kg/136.5 lbs. - Matthew Sanchez, Sacramento, Calif. (Ultimate Fitness) 70 kg/154 lbs. - Ricky Lundell, Orem, Utah (Pedro Sauer Team) 70 kg/154 lbs. - Jeff Glover, Las Vegas, Nev. (Cobra Kai Jiu Jitsu) 80 kg/176 lbs. - Don Ortega, Albuquerque, N.M. (No Limits) 80 kg/176 lbs. - Bill Cooper, Santa Barbara, Calif. (Paragon BJJ Academy) 80 kg/176 lbs. -Michael Kelly, Hebron, Ill. (Gilbert Grappling) 92 kg/202.5 lbs. - Malcolm Havens, Parker, Colo. (Grapplers Edge) 92 kg/202.5 lbs. - Matt Horwich, Eagle Creek, Ore. (Team Quest) 92 kg/202.5 lbs. - Ryan Gillespie, San Diego, Calif. (The Boxing Club) 125 kg/275 lbs. - Jeff Monson, Coconut Creek, Fla. (Victory Athletics) Women 48 kg/105.5 lbs.- Lisa Ward, Lacey, Wash. (United Fight Team) 55 kg/121 lbs. - Felicia Oh, Tarzana, Calif. (JJ Machado/BJMUTA) 55 kg/121 lbs. - Bahar Shahidi, Denver, Colo. (Grapplers Edge) 55 kg/121 lbs. - Cristina Rodriguez, Tampa, Fla. (Gracie Tampa) 63 kg/138.75 lbs.- Tara LaRosa, Woodstown, N.J. (unattached) 63 kg/138.75 lbs.- Crystina Coats, San Diego, Calif. (The Boxing Club) 72 kg/158.5 lbs. - Valerie Worthington, Whittier, Calif. (New Breed/Hollywood Brazilian Jiu Jitsu) Coaches - Bob Anderson, Redondo Beach, Calif. and Jason Townsend, Las Vegas, Nev. Team Leaders - Jim and Karen Santianello, Irvine, Calif., Gogi Parseghian, Los Angeles, Calif. Additional Coaches - Juliano Prado, Irvine, Calif.; Sheldon Marr, Aurora, Colo., Ramon Diaz, Irvine, Calif.; Brandon Guzzo, Salt Lake City, Utah U.S. SOMBO WORLD TEAM Men 55 kg/121 lbs. - Eric Albarracin, Colorado Springs, Colo. (EA Kombat - Modern Army Combatives) 60 kg/132 lbs. - Phil Rizzo, St. Petersburg, Fla.(Team Pursuit) 66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Jake Bohn, Kentwood, Mich. (unattached) 74 kg/163 lbs. - BJ Adams, Daytona Beach, Fla. (Embry Riddle WC) 84 kg/185 lbs. - Scott Garcia, Mesa, Ariz. (American Pankration) 84 kg/185 lbs. - Jeff Funicello. Mesa, Ariz. (American Pankration) 96 kg/211.5 lbs. - Douglas Fournet, Denham Springs, La. (Gladiators Academy) 120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Carlos Dolmo, Bronx, N.Y. (Blast Double NY) 120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Rawle Shewprashad, New York, N.Y. (Blast Double NY) Women 48 kg/105.5 lbs. - Tanya Miyasaki, Kaneohe, Hawaii (Missouri Valley College) 48 kg/105.5 lbs. - Elizabeth Osborne, Villa Hills, Ky. 51 kg/112.25 lbs. - Jessica Ortiz, Vallejo, Calif. (Spartan WC) 51 kg/112.25 lbs. - Tracy Osborne, Villa Hills, Ky. 55 kg/121 lbs. - Courtney Martell, New Haven, Vermont (Missouri Valley College) 67 kg/147.5 lbs. - Bethany Harris, Valley Center, Calif. (No Limits) Coaches - Floyd Winter, Ft. Dix, N.J.; Bob Anderson, Redondo Beach, Calif.; Bill Maxey, Madison, Wis.; Robert Redman, Boulder Creek, Calif. Additional Coaches - Tarek Monier, Roanoke, Va. U.S. BEACH WRESTLING WORLD TEAM Men Under 85 kg/187.25 lbs. J.P. Reese, Lauderdale by the Sea, Fla. (Parkland Destructors) Jeff Funicello, Mesa, Ariz. (American Pankration) Rawle Shewprashad, New York, N.Y. (Blast Double NY) Men Over 85 kg/187.5 lbs. Carlos Dolmo, Bronx, N.Y. (Blast Double NY) Women Under 65 kg/145.5 lbs. Tanya Miyasaki, Kaneohe, Hawaii (Missouri Valley College) Jessica Ortiz, Vallejo, Calif. (Spartan WC) Courtney Martell, New Haven, Vermont (Missouri Valley College) Bethany Harris, Valley Center, Calif. (No Limits) Coaches - Victor Kupchynsky, Brooklyn, N.Y., Floyd Winter, Ft. Dix, N.J