U.S. team to attend Veterans World Freestyle Championships in Switzerland, July 30-Aug. 1

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Gary Abbott (USA Wrestling)
07/27/2010


The United States will be sending a large team of athletes to compete in the Veterans World Freestyle Championships, set for Domdidier, Switzerland, July 30 – Aug. 1.

Veterans are athletes who are 35 years old and above. Competition will be in five age categories.

The U.S. team will feature two athletes who won Veterans World gold medals last year, Shirzad Ahmadi of Coventry, Conn. and Brad Swartz of Auburn, Wash. Ahmadi has won five career Veterans World titles, while Swartz has won two career Veterans World titles.

Other team members who were Veterans World bronze medalists last year and return this year include Kenneth Peters of Elmhurst, Ill. and Steve Barkman of Bloomsbury, N.J.

Athletes who won 2010 U.S. Veterans National freestyle titles who will be on the team include Ahmadi, Swartz, Peters along with Kevin Robinson of Melbourne, Hooman Tavakolian of New York, N.Y., Jeremy Hunt-Loveless of Holladay, Utah, Robert Porter of Naperville, Ill., Thomas Mooney of Crystal, Minn., John Matthews of Peoria, Ariz., and Steve Contarino of Palmetto, Fla.

Sam Barber of Colorado Springs, Colo., the assistant coach at the U.S. Air Force Academy, will serve as Team Leader for the tour.

VETERANS WORLD FREESTYLE CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Domdidier, Switzerland, July 30 – August 1

U.S. Veterans freestyle team roster

Div. A
63 kg – Kevin Robinson, Melbourne, Fla.
85 kg – Hooman Tavakolian, New York, N.Y.
97 kg – Octavius Bellamy, River Forest, Ill.

Div. B
76 kg – Martin Kouyoumtjian, Porterville, Calif.
76 kg – Patrick Ratkovich, Wells, Mich.
85 kg – Jeffrey Anderson, Zeeland, Mich.
85 kg – Borys Kulich, Westmont, Ill.
130 kg – Jeremy Hunt-Loveless, Holladay, Utah

Div. C
58 kg – Thomas Mooney, Crystal, Minn.
58 kg – Kenneth Peters, Elmhurst, Ill.
63 kg – Jamey Kasser, Lewis Center, Ohio
63 kg- Robert Porter, Naperville, Ill.
69 kg – Ronald Hughes, Hollister, Calif.
76 kg – Michael Robinson, Lewiston, Pa.
76 kg – Brad Swartz, Auburn, Wash.
120 kg – Andy Siegal, Scooba, Miss.

Div. D
63 kg – Vasili Shoumanov, Chicago, Ill.
69 kg – Craig Johnson, Broomfield, Colo.
76 kg – Warren Howard, Marinette, Wis.

Div. E
63 kg – Shirzad Ahmadi, Coventry, Conn.
63 kg – John Taylor, Powell, Ohio
69 kg – Steve Barkman, Bloomsbury, N.J.
69 kg – John Hughes, Peoria, Ariz.
76 kg – Greg Archer, Terre Haute, Ind.
85 kg – Stephen Contarino, Palmetto, Fla.
85 kg – Gary Price, Mifflintown, Pa.
85 kg – Peter Haag, Chicago, Ill.
97 kg – Ray Lofti, Sugarland, Texas

Team Leader – Sam Barber, Colorado Springs, Colo.

VETERANS FREESTYLE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS SCHEDULE

Friday, July 30
Division B and Division E competition

Saturday, July 31
Division C and Division D competition

Sunday, August 1
Division A competition