Tervel Dlagnev wins the 2009 World Team Trials in Council Bluffs. Larry Slater photo.

YEREVAN, Armenia – 2009 World bronze medalist Tervel Dlagnev (Columbus, Ohio/Sunkist Kids) captured a gold medal at 120 kg/264.5 lbs. at the Stepan Sarkissian International on Saturday. 

In the finals, Dlagnev defeated 2006 World bronze medalist Ruslan Basiev of Armenia, 1-0, 1-0.

“Tervel wrestled really smart,” said U.S. coach John Stutzman. “In the first period, he won in the offensive leg clinch by lifting his opponent. In the second period, he won the leg clinch in a defensive position. He earned a hard fought victory.”

Dlagnev won his first two matches to qualify for the finals, pinning Kunalem of Kazakhstan by pin in the quarterfinals, then stopping Levan Seturidze of Georgia, 1-0, 1-0.

“Tervel found a way to win his first two matches. He has been battling back spasms all week, but he found a way,” said Stutzman.

At 55 kg/121 lbs., Daniel Dennis (Iowa City, Iowa/Hawkeye WC) finished with a 1-1 record.

Dennis opened with an impressive victory over 2009 European silver medalist Besarion Gochashvili of Georgia, 0-1, 1-1, 1-1. Gochashvili was eighth at the 2008 Olympic Games. 

He was defeated and eliminated in the next round, losing to Geghan Babakhanyan of Armenia, 0-1, 0-3. Babakhanyan represented Armenia at the 2010 World Championships.

“Overall, I thought the guys did pretty well. We wrestled hard. Dennis wrestled a great first match with a little more experience he will be tough to beat,” said Stutzman.

On Sunday, the U.S. will have two more athletes competing, both who were members of the 2009 U.S. Senior World Team, Trent Paulson (Ames, Iowa (Sunkist Kids) at 74 kg/163 lbs. and Jake Varner (State College, Pa./Nittany Lion WC) at 96 kg/211.5 lbs. 

STEPAN SARKISSIAN INTERNATIONAL
at Yerevan, Armenia, October 23

U.S. performances

55 kg/121 lbs. - Daniel Dennis, Iowa City, Iowa (Hawkeye WC), dnp
WIN Besarion Gochashvili (Georgia), 0-1, 1-1, 1-1
LOSS Geghan Babakhanyan (Armenia), 0-1, 0-3

120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Tervel Dlagnev, Columbus, Ohio (Sunkist Kids), 1st
WIN Kunalem (Kazakhstan), pin
WIN Levan Seturidze (Georgia), 1-0, 1-0
WIN Ruslan Basiev (Armenia), 1-0, 1-0