Henson Claims Gold and the U.S. Claims Three Medals at the Yasar Dogu Tournament in Ankara, Turkey,
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Heather Van Peursem (USA Wrestling)
03/06/2001
Henson claims gold and United States claims three medals at the Yasar Dogu Tournament in Ankara, Turkey, March 4 The United States men's freestyle team won three medals and placed six other athletes in the top 10 at the Yasar Dogu Tournament in Ankara, Turkey, March 2. Finals scores are not available at this time, but will be added when they are received. 2000 Olympic silver medalist Sammie Henson (Norman, Okla./Sunkist Kids) won the gold medal at 119 pounds. He defeated Vedat Oztedmur of Turkey in the finals. At 127.75 pounds, U.S. Olympic Training Center resident athlete Kerry Boumans (Colorado Springs, Colo./Dave Schultz WC) won the silver medal. He lost to Tevfik Odabasi of Turkey in the gold-medal match. Boumans placed second at the 2000 Olympic Trials. Aaron Simpson (Tempe, Ariz./Sunkist Kids) won the bronze medal at 187.25 pounds. Simpson was a 2000 Sunkist Kids International Open champion and placed fourth in the 2000 U.S. Nationals. Six other wrestlers placed for the United States in the top 10 of their divisions. U.S. Olympic Training Center resident athlete Dominic Black (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army) lost in the bronze-medal match to Taskin Ozkale of Turkey and finished fourth at 213.75 pounds. Black placed second at the 2000 Olympic Trials and was a 1999 U.S. Nationals champion and 1999 World Team Trials champion. Two wrestlers finished sixth at their weight class: Ramico Blackmon (Colorado Springs, Colo./Team Excel) at 152 pounds and Frank Trigg (Los Angeles, Calif./Sunkist Kids) at 167.5 pounds. Orville Palmer (Norman, Okla./Team Excel) finished seventh at 213.75 pounds. U.S. Olympic Training Center resident athlete Ty Reynolds (Colorado Springs, Colo.) placed ninth at 138.75 pounds and Danny Felix (Norman, Okla./Sunkist Kids) finished in 10th place at 127.75 pounds.