U.S. wins women's Gi team title at Grappling Worlds; Oh, LaRosa take titles, and Adams wins No-Gi Open

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Gary Abbott (USA Wrestling)
12/13/2009


Felicia Oh won World gold medals in Gi and No-Gi Grappling this weekend at the FILA Grappling World Championships.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - The United States won the team title in the women's Gi division at the FILA World Grappling Championships at the Fort Lauderdale/Broward Convention Center on Sunday morning.

Capturing World titles were Felicia Oh (Valencia, Calif. (Big John McCarthy's UTA) at 50 kg/110 lbs. and Tara LaRosa, Woodstown, N.J. (Philadelphia Fight Factory) at 59 kg/130 lbs. 

It was Oh's second title of the weekend, after capturing the gold medal in the No-Gi division on Saturday.

Oh won two matches to capture her round-robin division, beating a pair of American athletes. Claiming the silver was Tammi Musumeci, Wellington, Fla. (American Top Team) and the bronze was Veronica Prado, Coral Springs, Fla. (USA Judo National Training Site at North Miami).

LaRosa also captured a three-athlete roundrobin, with a key victory over silver medalist Angelica Delgado (Miami, Fla./USA Judo National Training Site at North Miami). LaRosa won a silver medal in the No-Gi division on Saturday.

Overall, the U.S. won eight medals in the Gi competition, including two golds, four silvers and two bronzes.

In a first-round battle between No-Gi World champions in the women's 55 kg/121 lbs. division, Laurence Fouillat of France edged Jessica Aguilar (Coconut Creek, Fla./American Top Team), 2-1. Aguilar scored first, but Fouillat came back with a two-point move to win late in the bout. Fouillat was the No-Gi champion at 55 kg, while Aguilar won her title up at 59 kg. Fouillat went on to capture the gold medal in the division.

Also completed in the morning session was the women's No-Gi Open division, which is open to any athlete from any weight class. Capturing the gold medal was Tori Adams (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids), who defeated Alison Trembley of Canada in the finals. Also capturing a bronze medal for the USA in the Open No-Gi division was LaRosa, who competed in both disciplines on Sunday.

The men's Gi competition went through the semifinal rounds on Sunday morning. The United States placed five athletes in the finals:
- Brian Peterson, Valencia, Calif. (Big John McCarthy's UTA) at 60 kg/132 lbs.
- Bruce Guevera, Naperville, Ill. (Overtime MMA) at 60 kg/132 lbs.
- Din Thomas, Coconut Creek, Fla. (American Top Team) at 66 kg/145.5 lbs.
- Cole Miller, Coconut Creek, Fla. (American Top Team) at 74 kg/163 lbs.
- Jarod Lawton, Wellington, Fla. (American Top Team) at 120 kg/264.5 lbs.

Also advancing through the semifinals was the men's No-Gi Open division, which will be a battle between two Americans: Mario Rinaldi, Port St. Lucia, Fla. (American Top Team) and Kelly Anundson, Columbia, S.C. (Black Knight WC). Anundson was a No-Gi champion on Saturday.

The tournament completes later Sunday afternoon.

FILA GRAPPLING WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Dec. 13, 2009

Women's Gi Grappling

50 kg/110 lbs.
Gold - Felicia Oh (USA)
Silver - Tammi Musumeci (USA)
Bronze -Veronica Prado (USA)

55 kg/121 lbs.
Gold - Laurence Fouillat (France)
Silver - Jeannette Rodriguez (USA)
Bronze - Jessica Aguilar (USA)

59 kg/130 lbs. 
Gold - Tara LaRosa (USA)
Silver - Angelica Delgado (USA)
Bronze - Sonja Raeber (Switzerland)

63 kg/138.75 lbs.
Gold - Sheila Bird (Canada)
Silver - Shayna Baszler (USA)

67 kg/147 lbs.
Gold - Karolina Zawonik (Poland)
Silver - Romy Ruyssen (France)
Bronze - Alison Trembley (Canada)
4th - Alaina Hardie (Canada)

Team standings
1. United States
2. France
3. Canada

Women's No-Gi Grappling
Open
Gold - Tori Adams (USA)
Silver - Alison Trembley (Canada)
Bronze - Shiela Bird (Canada)
Bronze - Tara LaRosa (USA)

Men's Gi Grappling Gold Medal Finals

60 kg/132 lbs.
Brian Peterson, Valencia, Calif. (Big John McCarthy's UTA) vs. Bruce Guevera, Naperville, Ill. (Overtime MMA)

66 kg/145.5 lbs.
Din Thomas, Coconut Creek, Fla. (American Top Team) vs. Renato Tavarez (Brazil)

74 kg/163 lbs.
Cole Miller, Coconut Creek, Fla. (American Top Team) vs. Peter Mettler (Switzerland)

84 kg/185 lbs.
David Pierre Louis (France) vs. Gabriel Kitober (Brazil)

96 kg/211.5 lbs.
Johan Romming (France) vs. Rodrigo Medeiros (Brazil)

120 kg/264.5 lbs.
Jarod Lawton, Wellington, Fla. (American Top Team) vs. Marcos Oliveira (Brazil)

Men's No-Gi Grappling Gold-Medal Finals

Open 
Mario Rinaldi, Port St. Lucia, Fla. (American Top Team) vs. Kelly Anundson, Columbia, S.C. (Black Knight WC)