Donovan Depatto locks up an opponent at the 2011 U.S. Greco-Roman Nationals. Depatto won a silver medal at 70 kg at the Beach World Championships in Batumi, Georgia. John Sachs photo

BATUMI, Georgia – Donovan Depatto (Camp Lejeune, N.C./U.S. Marine Corps) won a silver medal at 70 kg/154 lbs. at the 2011 Beach World Championships on Sunday.

Depatto won three of his four matches in the round-robin competition at his weight class. He beat American teammate Robert Teet, as well as athletes from Armenia and Norway, all by 2-0 margins. His only loss came by an 0-2 margin to an opponent from host Georgia.

Depatto, who was competing in his first Beach World Championships, becomes the first U.S. wrestler to win a silver medal at the Beach World Championships.

U.S. wrestlers who have won two World bronze medals are Jeff Funicello and Carlos Dolmo. Other men who have won World bronze medals are Ray Downey and Angelo Borzio. 

U.S. women who won Beach World bronze medals were Leigh Jaynes, Bethany Harris and Tanya Miyasaki.

DePatto competes for the U.S. Marine Corps and is one of nation’s top Greco-Roman wrestlers at 60 kg/132 lbs. He placed fourth in the 2011 U.S. World Team Trials.

Four other U.S. wrestlers competed on Sunday but were unable to win medals. They were:
• Robert Teet, Virginia Beach, Va. (Silver Ravens) at 70 kg/154 lbs.
• Ben Johnstone, Rochester, N.Y. (RIT) at 80 kg/176 lbs.
• Jeff Funicello, Mesa, Ariz. (American Pankration) at 90 kg/198 lbs.
• Michael Delaney, Alexandria, Va. (Gunston) at Over 90 kg/Over 198 lbs. 

Funicello placed fourth in the final standings in their weight divisions.

“The tournament was extremely strong, with very good athletes. Donovan wrestled very well. The rest of us didn’t do very well. They did round robin, so we all got lots of matches. We’re having a great time as a team,” said Funicello.

BEACH WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Batumi, Georgia, July 17

U.S. Beach Wrestlers performances

70 kg/154 lbs. - Donovan Depatto, Camp Lejeune, N.C. (U.S. Marine Corps)
WIN Armenia, 2-0
WIN Norway 2-0
LOSS Georgia 0-2
WIN Robert Teet (USA), 2-0

70 kg/154 lbs. - Robert Teet, Virginia Beach, Va. (Silver Ravens), 4th
LOSS Georgia 1-2
LOSS Georgia 1-2
LOSS Donovan Depatto (USA), 0-2

80 kg/176 lbs. - Ben Johnstone, Rochester, N.Y. (RIT)
LOSS Hungary, 0-2
LOSS Georgia 0-2
LOSS Turkey 1-2
LOSS Georgia, 0-2

90 kg/198 lbs. - Jeff Funicello, Mesa, Ariz. (American Pankration), 4th
LOSS Georgia, 0-2
LOSS Norway, 1-2
LOSS Georgia, 0-1
LOSS Georgia, 0-2
LOSS Estonia, 0-1

Over 90 kg/Over 198 lbs. - Michael Delaney, Alexandria, Va. (Gunston)
LOSS Azerbaijan, 0-2
LOSS Georgia, 0-2
LOSS Georgia 0-2
LOSS Sweden, 0-2

Beach World Medalists from the United States
2006 World bronze medal – Ray Downey, Under 85 kg
2006 World bronze medal – Angelo Borzio, Over 85 kg
2006 World bronze medal – Leigh Jaynes, Under 70 kg
2007 World bronze medal – Jeff Funicello, Under 85 kg
2007 World bronze medal – Carlos Dolmo, Over 85 kg
2007 World bronze medal – Bethany Harris, Under 70 kg
2007 World bronze medal – Tanya Miyasaki, Under 70 kg
2008 World bronze medal – Jeff Funicello, Under 85 kg
2010 World bronze medal – Carlos Dolmo, Over 85 kg
2011 World silver medal – Donovan Depatto, 70 kg