TIRANA, Albania – The United States had two individual champion and all 11 athletes competing on Friday won a medal during the first day of the Veterans Freestyle World Championships on Friday.

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.

Capturing his seventh career Veterans World title was Shirzad Ahmadi of Coventry, Conn. at 63 kg in Div. D. Ahmadi defeated U.S. teammate Jack Hornbuckle of Poteau, Okla. in the finals, 2-0, 5-0. He also scored a big win over Shoparov of Russia, 5-0, 1-0.

“Shirzad had another outstanding meet,” said U.S. coach Dan Chaid.

Anthony Piva of Meridian, Idaho won his first Veterans World freestyle title, capturing the title at 58 kg in Div. B. He pinned Bataev of Russia in the gold-medal finals at 1:16 of the first period.

“He also looked very strong against Akpnar of Turkey in the semifinals, winning by a 6-0, 6-0 technical fall,” said Chaid.

Joining Hornbuckle as silver medalists for the United States were Steve Barkman, of Bloombury, N.J. at 63 kg in Div. E. and Rex Febus of Lubbock, Texas at 97 kg in Div. F

Barkman scored a pin over Koch of Germany in the second period at 1:40. Febus had a victory over Roosnum of Estonia, 4-0, 2-0, and lost to Sammet of Germany.

Team USA featured six individual bronze medalists:
• Bob Jackson of Asheville, N.C. at 58 kg in Div. B
• Mike Tuck of Smithville, Mo. at 58 kg in Div. B
• John Taylor of Virginia Beach, Va. at 63 kg in Div. E
• Craig Johnson of Broomfield, Colo. at 69 kg in Div. E
• Peter Haag of Chicago, Ill. at 85 kg in Div. E
• Kenneth Peters of Elmhurst, Ill., at 76 kg in Div. F

In Div. B, Jackson beat Fontana of Italy in the bronze bout, 6-0, 6-0. Tuck stopped Simonyan of Russia for the bronze by fall.

In Div. E Taylor had a pin of Koch of Germany. Johnson pinned Evloev of Russia in the bronze-medal bout. Haag had a win over Presl of the Czech Republic, in the third period, 1-0, 0-1, 0:59.

Haag competed last week at the Veterans Greco-Roman World Championships and placed fifth.

In Div. F, Peters had a loss to Yaroshenko of Russia, 0-1, 2-2. 

“Overall, it was a very good day of wrestling for our first eleven,” said Chaid.

Tomorrow, competition will be held in Division C and Division D.

VETERANS FREESTYLE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Tirana, Albania, October 14

U.S. Veterans freestyle placements on Friday

Division B (41-45 years)
58 kg – Bob Jackson, Asheville, N.C., 3rd
58 kg – Mike Tuck, Smithville, Mo.. 3rd
58 kg – Anthony Piva, Meridian, Idaho. 1st

Division E (56-60 years)
63 kg – Steve Barkman, Bloombury, N.J., 2nd
63 kg – John Taylor, Virginia Beach, Va., 3rd
69 kg – Craig Johnson, Broomfield, Colo., 3rd
85 kg – Peter Haag, Chicago, Ill., 3rd

Division F (61-65 years)
63 kg – Shirzad Ahmadi, Coventry, Conn., 1st
63 kg – Jack Hornbuckle, Poteau, Okla., 2nd
76 kg – Kenneth Peters, Elmhurst, Ill., 3rd
97 kg – Rex Febus, Lubbock, Texas, 3rd