FLASH: Sigman win big prize at Hargobind International; Howe, Bernard also take golds

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Gary Abbott (USA Wrestling)
11/05/2011


SURREY, B.C., Canada – Les Sigman (State College, Pa./Nittany Lion WC) was the big winner at the Hargobind International on Saturday.

Sigman won gold medal at the 120 kg/264.5 lbs. division, then won additional prize money in the big challenge match to cap the evening.

In the finals at 120 kg, Sigman defeated Sunny Dhinsa of Canada, 1-0, 7-0 to earn $2,000.

In the special challenge match between the champions at 96 kg and 120 kg, Sigman beat Canada’s top 96 kg competitor Khetag Pliev 3-2, 1-0, to claim an additional $5,000 bonus. He was declared grand wrestling champion for the event and given a giant golden scepter.

This is the second time that Sigman has been the grand champion at the Hargobind International, after winning both the 120 kg and Challenge Match in 2009.

Two other U.S. wrestlers won gold medals on Saturday night, Andrew Howe (Cedar Lake, Ind./New York AC) at 74 kg/163 lbs. in men’s freestyle and Ali Bernard (New Ulm, Minn./Gator WC) at 72 kg/158.5 lbs.

Howe won his weight class with a victory over Matt Gentry of Canada in the finals, 1-0, 2-0. It was a battle of past NCAA champions with Howe winning his for Wisconsin and Gentry for Stanford. Howe is taking an Olympic redshirt this year and training in Ann Arbor, Mich.

Howe was defeated in one of the Challenge Matches at the event, losing to 66 kg champion Haislan Garcia of Canada in three periods. Garcia won the first period from the clinch, 1-0. Howe scored a takedown in the second period to win 1-0. The third period went to Garcia on the clinch, 1-0.

The rules were changed in these matches, with no points scored on a pushout, and clinches going the full 30 seconds.

The other U.S. champion at the Hargobind International was 2011 World bronze Ali Bernard (New Ulm, Minn./Gator WC), who pinned Leah Callahan of Canada in the finals at 72 kg/158.5 lbs., in 42 seconds of the first period. 

The women’s finals of the four Olympic weight classes were contested on Saturday. alongside the men’s freestyle finals. The rest of the women’s event was completed on Friday.

The U.S. had three silver medalists on Saturday: 

• Sam Hazewinkel, Norman, Okla. (Sunkist Kids) at 55 kg/121 lbs.
• James Yonushonis, Columbus, Ohio (New York AC) at 84 kg/185 lbs.
• Victoria Anthony, Huntington Beach, Calif. (New York AC) at 48 kg/105.5 lbs.

Hazewinkel, the 2011 U.S. Open champion, was defeated in the gold-medal finals by Vinod Kumar of India, 0-1, 0-4.

Yonushonis was defeated in the finals by Yadav of India, 0-4, 0-3. 

Anthony, a two-time Junior World champion, was beaten in the finals by Ashley McKilligan of Canada, 5-5, 0-1.

Complete results for all U.S. wrestlers will be posted when available.

HARGOBIND INTERNATIONAL
At Surrey, Canada, Nov. 5

55 kg/121 lbs. – Sam Hazewinkel, Norman, Okla. (Sunkist Kids), 2nd

74 kg/163 lbs. – Andrew Howe, Cedar Lake, Ind. (New York AC), 1st

84 kg/185 lbs. – James Yonushonis, Columbus, Ohio (New York AC), 2nd

120 kg/264.5 lbs. – Les Sigman, State College, Pa. (Nittany Lion WC), 1st

48 kg/105.5 lbs. – Victoria Anthony, Huntington Beach, Calif. (New York AC), 2nd

72 kg/158.5 lbs. – Ali Bernard, New Ulm, Minn., (Gator WC), 1st

CHALLENGE MATCHES

120 kg vs. 96 kg – Les Sigman (USA) dec. Khetag Pliev (Canada), 3-2, 1-0

66 kg vs. 74 kg – Haislan Garcia (Canada) dec. Andrew Howe (USA), 1-0, 0-1, 1-0

Note: Special thanks to Kevin Black and Dr. Dave Bennett for sending updates from the competition.