Members of the USOEC Greco-Roman team pose after winning the U-18 and J-23 age divisions and the overall team title at the Kolbatn Junior Cup in Norway. Photo courtesy of Nick Alvarez.

OSLO, Norway – Two members of the U.S. Olympic Education Center program from Northern Michigan University won gold medals on Sunday at the Kolbatn Junior Cup.

Claiming titles in the U-18 age division were Sam Jones of Folsom, La. at 58 kg/127.5 lbs. and Patrick Budd of Harrisburg, Pa. at 76 kg/167 lbs.

Jones defeated USOEC teammate Isaiah Verona of Miami, Fla. in the finals, 4-1, 0-4. He rebounded from a third-round loss to claim his pool, then won in the gold-medal match.

Winning the title at 76 kg/167 lbs. was Patrick Budd of Harrisburg, Pa., who defeated Ruben Troftdahl of Sweden, 1-0, 2-0. Budd had an impressive 5-0 record in the tournament and was named Outstanding Wrestler in the tournament.

Joining Verona as a silver medalist was Dillon Cowan of Harvard, Ill. at 69 kg/152 lbs. Cowan won five straight matches to qualify for the championship finals, including a pin in the semifinals over Eigil Reppe of Norway. He was pinned in the finals by Nikolai Toftdahl of Sweden in 1:27.

The USOEC had a tremendous performance during the two-day event. The team won the team title in two different age divisions, the U-18 division which completed on Sunday and the J-23 division with completed on Saturday. In addition, the USOEC was given the overall team title for the tournament based upon multiple divisions.

On Saturday, the USA had five medals in the J-23 division, including two champions. 

Overall, the USOEC won nine medals, including four gold medals, four silver medals and a bronze medal.

KOLBATN JUNIOR CUP
Oslo, Norway, Nov. 20

Greco-Roman U-18 age division

50 kg/110 lbs.
Gold - Espen Holmstrøm (Norway)
Silver - Marius Størseth (Norway)

54 kg/119 lbs.
Gold – Nikita Masjuks (Latvia)
Silver - Max Tommerdal (Norway)
Bronze – Simon Volk (Germany)

58 kg/127.5 lbs.
Gold – Sam Jones (USA)
Silver – Isaiah Verona (USA)
Bronze – Vitaliy Fuglayev (Ukraine)

63 kg/138.75 lbs.
Gold – Arthur Vardanyan (Sweden)
Silver – Karen Harutyunyuan (Sweden)
Bronze – Vladislavs Lebedevs (Latvia)

69 kg/152 lbs.
Gold – Nikolai Tofdahl (Sweden)
Silver – Dillon Cowan (USA)
Bronze – Pelle Soderstrom (Sweden)

76 kg/167 lbs.
Gold – Patrick Budd (USA)
Silver – Ruben Toftdahl (Sweden)
Bronze – Eric Drewes (Sweden)

85 kg/187.5 lbs.
Gold – Nicolai Zubi (Norway)
Silver – Joachim Rusvik (Norway)
Bronze – Anders Malstrom (Norway)

100 kg/220 lbs.
Gold – Samir Volashanin (Ukraine)
Silver – Vladislav Johansson (Sweden)
Bronze – Vsevolods Lapsovs (Latvia)

U.S. Greco-Roman U-18 age division performance
 
58 kg/127.5 lbs. - Isaiah Verona, Miami, Fla., 2nd
LOSS PÃ¥l Eirik Gundersen (Norway), 3-1, 0-1, 0-2
WIN Vitaliy Fuglayev (Ukrain), 0-1, 1-0, 3-0
WIN Zelim Dzeitov (Belgium), 1-0, 2-0
LOSS Sam Jones (USA), 1-4, 0-4

58 kg/127.5 lbs. - Sam Jones, Folsom, La., 1st 
WIN Alex Kessisdis (Sweden), 6-0, Pin 2:17
WIN Donad Paindar (Sweden), pin 0:56
LOSS Aleksanders Jurkjans (Latvia), 0-2, 6-0, 0-2
WIN Simon Andersson (Sweden), 5-0, Inj
WIN Isaiah Verona (USA), 4-1, 4-0

69 kg/152 lbs. - Dillon Cowan, Harvard, Ill., 2nd
WIN Alexander Burger (Norway). 6-0, 0-1, 6-1
WIN Markus Svantesson (Sweden), 6-1, Inj
WIN Sebastian Eriksson (Sweden), 7-0, Pin 3:15
WIN Pelle Søderstrøm (Sweden), 6-0, 2-1
WIN Eigil Reppe (Norway), 7-0, pin 2:40
LOSS Nikolai Toftdahl (Sweden), Pin 1:27

76 kg/167 lbs. - D.P Miller, East Stroudsburg, Pa., 4th
WIN Khaled Cedra (Norway), 7-0, pin 2:47
WIN Hamzat Aldamov (Norway), 7-0, pin 2:07
LOSS Patrick Budd (USA), 0-3, 0-1
WIN Jonas Nilsson (Sweden), 0-1, 5-1, 6-2
LOSS Eric Drewes (Sweden), pin 1:57

76 kg/167 lbs. - Patrick Budd, Harrisburg, Pa., 1st
WIN Jonas Nilsson (Sweden), 1-3, 1-0, 1-0 
WIN Andeas Stenson (Norway), 6-0, 6-0
WIN Max Johansson (Sweden), 3-0, 6-0
WIN D.P. Miller (USA), 3-0, 1-0
WIN Arnt Ivan Bye (Norway), 7-0, 7-0
WIN Ruben Troftdahl (Sweden), 1-0, 2-0

76 kg/167 lbs. - Austin Barton, Phoenix, Ariz., dnp
LOSS Max Johansson (Sweden), 0-3, pin 2:26
WIN Khaled Cedra (Norway), 5-0, 2-1
LOSS Jonas Nillson (Sweden), 1-4, Pin 2:28