NEW YORK, N.Y. - The New York Athletic Club Greco-Roman International Championships will be held on Sunday, Nov. 7.

In addition to many of the top U.S. Greco-Roman athletes, talented wrestlers from foreign nations may compete in this event.

This tournament has a new location. It will be hosted at Martin Luther High School, which is located at 6002 Maspeth Ave, in Maspeth, Queens, N.Y. 11378.

Among the athletes who have preregistered for the event are 2009 U.S. World Team member Chas Betts (Colorado Springs, Colo./Minnesota Storm) at 84 kg/185 lbs. and 2007 U.S. World Team member Joe Betterman (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) at 60 kg/132 lbs.

Other pre-entries include past U.S. Open champions Jermaine Hodge (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army) at 60 kg/132 lbs., Glenn Garrison (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army) at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. and Brandon Rupp (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) at 120 kg/264.5 lbs.

Other athletes may register on site for the competition, including other highly ranked competitors.

The major clubs within U.S. Greco-Roman wrestling will participate, including the U.S. Army, the New York AC, the Sunkist Kids, the Minnesota Storm, the U.S. Marines and others. Athletes from the two major resident programs will also wrestle, including the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. and the U.S. Olympic Education Center in Marquette, Mich.

Three of last year’s champions later qualified for the 2010 U.S. Greco-Roman World Team, Faruk Sahin of the U.S. Army at 66 kg/145.5 lbs., Justin Ruiz of the New York AC at 96 kg/211.5 lbs. and Dremiel Byers of the U.S. Army at 120 kg/264.5 lbs.

The finals of the New York Athletic Club Greco-Roman International Championships will be webcast live on TheMat.com on Sunday, Nov. 7 at approximately 4:00 p.m. This webcast is being done in cooperation with Lighthouse Wrestling, a website which is part of the College Wrestling Network. Noel Thompson and Ellis Coleman will be among the announcers for the show. Please watch TheMat.com for updates on when the broadcast will begin.

For the second straight year, the Greco-Roman competition for the New York Athletic Club International will be held on a different weekend than the competition in men’s and women’s freestyle. The New York Athletic Club Freestyle International Championships will be held at the New York Athletic Club on November 20-21.

NEW YORK ATHLETIC CLUB GRECO-ROMAN INTERNATIONAL
At New York, N.Y., Nov. 6-7

Schedule

Saturday, November 6th
(at the New York Athletic Club basement)
3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. - Greco-Roman registration
3:45 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. – Greco-Roman skin checks
4:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. - Greco-Roman weigh-

Sunday, November 7th
at Martin Luther High School in Maspeth, Queens, N.Y.)
9:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon - Greco-Roman Session I
1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. - Greco-Roman Session II
4:00 p.m. – conclusion – Greco-Roman Finals

2009 New York AC Greco-Roman International champions
55 kg/121 lbs - Hayanobu Shimizu (Japan)
60 kg/132 lbs - Joe Betterman (USA-Sunkist Kids)
66 kg/145.5 lbs - Faruk Sahin (USA-U.S. Army)
74 kg/163 lbs. - Andrew Bisek (USA - Minnesota Storm)
84 kg/185 lbs - Chas Betts (USA - Minnesota Storm)
96 kg/211.5 lbs - Justin Ruiz (USA - New York AC)
120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Dremiel Byers (USA – U.S. Army)