HILL, POWELL, ROWLANDS WIN SILVERS AND LAWRENCE TAKES BRONZE AT FILA JUNIOR WORLD FREESTYLE CHAMPIONSHIPS IN NANTES, FRANCE, JULY 8Four U.S. freestyle wrestlers won medals at the FILA Junior World Championships in Nantes, France, July 8. The Junior World Championships feature athletes ages 17 to 20 years old (born between 1980-1983).
Three U.S. wrestlers captured silver medals, after winning semifinal matches in the early session then losing in the championship finals: T.J. Hill (Farmington, Mo./Dave Schultz WC) at 110 pounds, Jason Powell (Lincoln, Neb./Husker WC) at 119 pounds and Tommy Rowlands (Columbus, Ohio/Ohio International) at 213.75 pounds.
Capturing a bronze medal was Jared Lawrence (Sandpoint, Idaho/Minnesota Storm) at 152 pounds, after a loss in the semifinals then a victory in the third-place match.
Their efforts led the United States to a fourth-place finish in the championships, behind team champion Russia, runner-up Iran and third-place team Ukraine. These four nations are also recognized as the best freestyle wrestling teams on the Senior level.
Hill, the defending Junior World Champion, defeated Rangraz Hassan of Iran, 4-2 in the semifinals. He was defeated by injury default in the gold medal match by Dilshod Mansurov of Uzbekistan at the 3:30 mark.
It was the third straight year that T.J. Hill has been a finalist at the Junior World Championships. Hill was a 1998 Junior World silver medalist and 1999 Junior World Champion at his weight class. He competed for Cal. State-Fullerton in the 2000 NCAA Tournament and placed fourth.
Powell, who wrestles for the Univ. of Nebraska, won by technical fall over Jose Manuel Viramontes of Mexico, 13-3 in the semifinals. He lost a 5-1 decision to Alexandre Kontoev of Russia in the gold-medal match.
Rowlands, a wrestler for Ohio State, defeated David Otiashvili of Georgia, 6-2, in the semifinals. Rowlands avenged a pair of losses to Otiashvili at the 1999 FILA Junior World Championships. In the gold-medal finals, Rowlands dropped a 6-1 decision to Oleg Kallagov of Russia. Rowlands improved upon his fourth-place finish at the 1999 FILA Junior World Championships.
Lawrence, a student at the Univ. of Minnesota, opened the day with a 7-3 loss to Murat Umarov of Russia in the semifinals. He rebounded strongly, defeating Shalva Kharebava of Georgia, 6-4 in the bronze-medal match. Lawrence also improved upon his fifth-place finish at 1999 FILA Junior World Championships.
Four other U.S. wrestlers placed in the top 10 of their weight classes, scoring team points for the United States. Hector Torres (Tempe, Ariz./Sunkist Kids), placed sixth at 286 pounds. Placing eighth were Zach Roberson (Overland Park, Kan./Cyclone WC) at 127.75 pounds and Damion Hahn (Lakewood, N.J./New York AC) at 187.25 pounds. Matthew Lackey (Moline, Ill./Univ. of Illinois), placed ninth at 167.5 pounds.
The men's U.S Junior World freestyle team was coached by Donnie McPherson of Portland, Ore., a coach for the Peninsula Wrestling Club, and Mike Duroe of Colorado Springs, Colo., the National Freestyle Developmental Coach for USA Wrestling. FILA JUNIOR WORLD FREESTYLE CHAMPIONSHIPS at Nantes, France, July 6-8
U.S. performances on Sunday, July 8
50 kg/110 lbs. - T.J. Hill, Farmington, Mo. (Cal State-Fullerton/Dave Schultz WC) - dec. Rangraz Hassan (Iran), 4-2; lost by inj. dft. to Dilshod Mansurov (Uzbekistan), 3:30
54 kg/119 lbs. - Jason Powell, Lincoln, Neb. (Univ. of Nebraska/Husker WC) - won by tech. fall over Jose Manuel Viramontes (Mexico), 13-3; lost dec. to Alexandre Kontoev (Russia), 5-1
69 kg/152 lbs. - Jared Lawrence, Sandpoint, Idaho (Univ. of Minn./Minnesota Storm) - lost dec. to Murat Umarov (Russia), 7-3; dec. Shalva Kharebava (Georgia), 6-4
97 kg/213.75 lbs. - Tommy Rowlands, Columbus, Ohio (Ohio State/Ohio International WC) - dec. David Otiashvili (Georgia), 6-2; lost dec. to Oleg Kallagov (Russia), 6-1
U.S. team performance for the event
50 kg/110 lbs. - T.J. Hill, Farmington, Mo. (Cal State-Fullerton/Dave Schultz WC),, 2nd place - won by tech. fall over Kumar Maresh (India), 10-0; won by tech. fall over Koji Tobe (Japan), 10-0, 3:10; dec. Rangraz Hassan (Iran), 4-2; lost by inj. dft. to Dilshod Mansurov (Uzbekistan), 3:30
54 kg/119 lbs. - Jason Powell, Lincoln, Neb. (Univ. of Nebraska/Husker WC), 2nd place - won by tech. fall over Peter DeJong (Canada), 14-3, 4:20; dec. Uzun Muhyettin (Turkey), 9-7, ot; dec. Aliaksandr Kaminski (Belarus), 12-3; won by tech. fall over Jose Manuel Viramontes (Mexico), 13-3; lost dec. to Alexandre Kontoev (Russia), 5-1
56 kg/127.75 lbs. - Zach Roberson, Overland Park, Kan. (Iowa State/Cyclone WC), 8th place - lost by tech. fall to Abil Ibragimov (Kazakhstan), 12-2, 5:50; won by tech. fall over Arturs Mihalevics (Latvia), 13-3, 4:30
63 kg/138.7 lbs. - Clark Forward, Ann Arbor, Mich. (Univ. of Michigan/Cliff Keen), dnp - dec. Ronny Manuel Sauter (Germany), 9-5; lost by tech. fall to Iossif Mamtselidze (Kazakhstan), 12-0
69 kg/152 lbs. - Jared Lawrence, Sandpoint, Idaho (Univ. of Minn./Minn. Storm), 3rd place - dec. Lauri Parna (Estonia), 9-0; dec. Krystian Brzozowski (Poland), 4-1; dec. Nicolai Paslar (Bulgaria), 3-0; lost dec. to Murat Umarov (Russia), 7-3; dec. Shalva Kharebava (Georgia), 6-4
76 kg/167.5 lbs. - Matthew Lackey, Moline, Ill. (Univ. of Illinois), 9th place - won by tech. fall over Jose Carrasco (Spain), 13-1, 4:04; lost dec. to Mourad Gaidarov (Russia), 4-1
85 kg/187.25 lbs. - Damion Hahn, Lakewood, N.J. (Univ. of Minnesota/New York AC), 8th place - lost dec. to Taras Danko (Ukraine), 6-0; won by tech. fall over Abrik Mukhammadiyev (Uzbekistan), 10-0, 0:21; won by tech. fall over Oscar Fernandez (Spain), 10-0, 0:58
97 kg/213.75 lbs. - Tommy Rowlands, Columbus, Ohio (Ohio State/Ohio International WC), 2nd place - won by tech. fall over Sven Kiefer (Germany), 12-2; won by tech. fall over Hidetoshi Yoshida (Japan), 11-0; won by tech. fall over Dayan Tejera Garcia (Cuba), 10-0, 3:30; dec. David Otiashvili (Georgia), 6-2; lost dec. to Oleg Kallagov (Russia), 6-1
130 kg/286.5 lbs - Hector Torres, Tempe, Ariz. (Arizona State/Sunkist Kids), 6th place - dec. Hiroki Fukada (Japan), 9-4; dec. Markus Eichin (Germany), 7-0; lost dec. to Bahman Tayebi Valajozi (Iran), 4-0
Top four teams: 1. Russia; 2. Iran; 3. Turkey; 4. United States