Nine champions crowned at the 2001 FILA Junior World Team Trials

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Heather Van Peursem (USA Wrestling)
05/18/2001


Nine new champions were crowned at the 2001 FILA Junior National Wrestling Championships and World Team Trials held at the University of Nebraska Bob Devaney Sports Center Arena, May 18. There were no returning champions this year.    Many of the best high school and college wrestlers in the nation were in Lincoln, Neb. for the tournament.     The Outstanding Wrestler of the Greco-Roman competition was Chris Rodrigues of Marietta, Fa. at 58 kg. Rodrigues decisioned Cam Jones of Sandy, Utah, 9-6 to make the world team.    Starting off for the U.S. at 50 kg will be Daryl Spackman of Sandy, Utah. U.S. Olympic Education Center wrestler Nathan Piasecki of Marquette, Mich. will wrestle at 54 kg.     Representing the U.S. at 63 kg will be Brad Metzler of Stanford, Neb. At 69 kg, Jason Woodall forfeited his finals to his brother James Woodall of Scranton, Pa., however, James deferred the top spot to his brother Jason.    Kenneth Cook of Fremont, Calif. will wrestle at 76 kg for the United States, and Justin Millard of Edinboro, Pa. will wrestle at 8 5 kg.    Michael Christian of Faribault, Minn. will represent the U.S. at 97 kg and LeRoy Gardner of Waverly, Iowa will compete at 130 kg.    The winner at each weight class of the FILA Junior National Championships and World Team Trials in freestyle and Greco-Roman will qualify to compete on the 2001 U.S. FILA Junior World championships team. If an athlete claims titles in both styles, he will be allowed to choose the style in which he wishes to compete in at the World Championships.     The 2001 FILA Junior Greco-Roman World Championships will be held August 9-12 in Tashkent, Uzbekistan and the FILA Junior Freestyle World Championships will be held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan August 22-26.    The freestyle competition will begin on Saturday, May 19 with session times of 10:00 a.m., 3:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m., and continues on Sunday May 20 with a starting time of 9:00 a.m. and concludes with finals later that day.