The United States will send a large and talented group of athletes to compete in the Veterans World Freestyle Championships in Tirana, Albania, October 14-16.

Veterans are athletes who are 35 years old and above. FILA has changed the age divisions this year, offering competition will be in seven different age categories.

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

Ahmadi will be competing at 63 kg in Div. D, while Swartz will be competing in Div. D at 76 kg.

Another Veterans World champion from last year who returns this year will be Jamey Kasser of Lewis Center, Ohio, who will wrestle this year at 63 kg in Division C.

Athletes who won 2011 U.S. Veterans National Freestyle titles who will be on the team include Ahmadi, plus Alvin Riggs of Lowell, Ore. (Div. A, 85 kg), Mike Tuck of Smithville, Mo. (Div. B, 58 kg) and Anthony Piva of Meridian, Idaho (Div. B, 58 kg).

Serving as Team Leader is Dan Chaid of San Jose, Calif. Chaid was a U.S. Open freestyle wrestling champion and national team member for many years as an Olympic-caliber athlete. He also won a Veterans World freestyle title in 2000.

VETERANS FREESTYLE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Tirana, Albania, October 14-16

Division A (35-40 years)
85 kg – Alvin Riggs, Lowell, Ore.
97 kg – Octavius Bellamy, River Forest, Ill.

Division B (41-45 years)
58 kg – Bob Jackson, Asheville, N.C.
58 kg – Mike Tuck, Smithville, Mo.
58 kg – Anthony Piva, Meridian, Idaho

Division C (46-50 years)
58 kg – Rodger Horton, Winfield, Kan.
63 kg – Jamey Kasser, Lewis Center, Ohio
69 kg – Ronald Hughes, Hollister, Calif.
76 kg – Jon Tush, Maplewood, N.J.

Division D (51-55 years)
69 kg – Edward Mittlestead, San Jose, Calif.
76 kg – Brad Swartz, Auburn, Wash.
97 kg – Jeff Henry, Los Angeles, Calif.

Division E (56-60 years)
63 kg – Steve Barkman, Bloombury, N.J.
63 kg – John Taylor, Virginia Beach, Va.
69 kg – Craig Johnson, Broomfield, Colo.
85 kg – Peter Haag, Chicago, Ill.

Division F (61-65 years)
63 kg – Shirzad Ahmadi, Coventry, Conn.
63 kg – Jack Hornbuckle, Poteau, Okla.
76 kg – Kenneth Peters, Elmhurst, Ill.
97 kg – Rex Febus, Lubbock, Texas
97 kg – Ray Lotfi, Houston, Texas

Division G (66-70 years)
76 kg – Terrell Harris, Chicago, Ill.

Team Leader - Dan Chaid, San Jose, Calif. Team Leader

VETERANS FREESTYLE WORLDS SCHEDULE

Friday, October 14
Competition in Division B, Division E, Division F

Saturday, October 15
Competition in Division C, Division D

Sunday, October 16
Competition in Division A, Division G