Chad Hanke wins silver medal at Outstanding Ukrainian Memorial

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Gary Abbott (USA Wrestling)
02/15/2012


Chad Hanke (left) received a silver medal at 120 kg at the Outstanding Ukrainian Athletes and Coaches Memorial. Andy Hrovat photo

KIEV, Ukraine – Chad Hanke (Dayton, Ore./NWRTC) won a silver medal at 120 kg/264.5 lbs. on the opening day of men’s freestyle at the Outstanding Ukrainian Athletes and Coaches Memorial on Wednesday.

Hanke, who is on an Olympic redshirt year from Oregon State, went 3-1 in the tournament to win his first medal at a major Senior international competition.

He opened with a victory over Gheorge Susumkov of Moldova, 3-0, 1-0 and 2008 Junior World champion Soslan Gagloev of Slovakia, 1-0, 1-0. In the semifinals, Hanke stopped 2011 Junior World bronze medalist Muradin Kushkov of Ukraine, 1-0, 0-1, 1-0.

In the gold-medal finals, Hanke fell to 2011 World bronze medalist Davit Modzmanashvili of Georgia, 0-1, 0-6.

“Chad had a really good tournament,” said U.S. coach Andy Hrovat. “He had a great training camp here in Ukraine. He came into the tournament wrestling great. It doesn’t matter how old you are if you are wrestling smart. He did a great job doing what he is good at. In the finals, he ran into a horse, a big guy who is very skilled.”

Hanke placed second at the 2011 U.S. World Team Trials at 96 kg/211.5 lbs., but has moved up to heavyweight this season.

“Making the finals was a big deal but I was disappointed with the results. I was expecting to win. I fell a little short. Other than that match, I had three good matches leading up to that. I like where I am right now. I have big guys at Oregon State that I train with. I wrestle big men all the time. I am used to wrestling the big guys. I am getting adjusted to a different style of wrestling. This is the first tournament that I have wrestled really well at heavyweight,” said Hanke.

Placing fifth with an impressive 3-2 record at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. was Kevin LeValley (Minneapolis, Minn./Minnesota Storm).

LeValley won his opening match against Khaibula Khaibulaiev of Russia, 1-0, 7-0, then fell to Batzorig Buyanjav of Mongolia in the second round, 0-1, 0-1. When Buyunjav, who was fifth in the 2010 World Championships, reached the finals, LeValley was pulled back into the repechage rounds.

He won two repechage matches to qualify for a bronze-medal match. He started with a victory over two-time World medalist Zalimkhan Huseynov of Azerbaijan, 5-4, 6-0 then stopped Dymytro Malenkov of Ukraine, 0-4, 6-0, 8-2. LeValley was beaten out for the bronze medal by 2009 Junior World bronze medalist Andrii Nagornii of Urkaine, 2-0, 9-5, 1-5.

LeValley was an NCAA All-American at Bucknell, and is now coaching and training at the Univ. of Minnesota. He was a member of the 2010 U.S. University World Team.

A total of 15 U.S. wrestlers competed in the event on Wednesday. The final three weight classes will be contested on Thursday, with six U.S. athletes set to compete. First round pairings for the six Americans are below.

“This is a very tough tournament, with many World medalists in the competition,” said Hrovat.

OUTSTANDING UKRANIAN ATHLETES AND COACHES MEMORIAL
At Kiev, Ukraine, Feb. 15

Men’s freestyle results

55 kg/121 lbs.
Gold – Vladimer Khinchegashvili (Georgia)
Silver – Arsen Kuramagomedov (Russia)
Bronze – Yashar Aliyev (Azerbaijan)
Bronze – Mykola Aivazian (Ukraine)
5th – Asam Popov (Russia)
5th – Rober Okorokov (Russia)

66 kg/145.5 lbs.
Gold – Andriy Stadnik (Ukraine)
Silver – Batzorig Buyanjav (Mongolia)
Bronze – Andrii Nagornii (Ukraine)
Bronze – Andriy Kvyatkovskyy (Ukraine)
5th – Kevin LeValley (USA)
5th – Albert Batirov (Belarus)

84 kg/185 lbs.
Gold – Dato Marsagishvili (Georgia)
Silver – Akhmed Magomedov (Russia)
Bronze – Ilya Khamikoyev (Azerbaijan)
Bronze – David Bichinashvili (Germany)
5th – Semion Semionov (Kazakhstan)
5th – Ibragim Aldatov (Ukraine)

120 kg/264.5 lbs.
Gold – Davit Modzmanashvili (Georgia)
Silver – Chad Hanke (USA)
Bronze – Soslan Gagloev (Slovakia)
Bronze – Oleksandr Khotsyanovskyy (Ukraine)
5th – Muradin Kushkhov (Ukraine)
5th – Oleg Ivanov (Ukraine)

U.S. men’s freestyle results on Wednesday

55 kg/121 lbs. – Nick Simmons, Corvallis, Ore. (Sunkist Kids)
WIN Alexandru Chirtoaca (Moldova), 3-3, 3-2
LOSS Rober Okorokov (Russia), 0-1, 0-2

55 kg/121 lbs. – Obe Blanc, Stillwater, Okla. (Gator WC)
LOSS Vitali Rudenko (Ukraine), 0-3, 0-1

55 kg/121 lbs. – Angel Escobedo, Columbus, Ohio (New York AC)
WIN Igor Khavaldzhi (Ukraine), 1-1, 5-1, 6-0
LOSS Vladimer Khinchegashvili (Georgia), 0-3, 0-2
LOSS Besarion Gochashvili (Georgia), 0-3, 0-1

55 kg/121 lbs. – Ben Kjar, Orem, Utah (Utah Valley)
LOSS Nodar Arabidze (Russia), 0-3, 2-1, 0-2

66 kg/145.5 lbs. – Teyon Ware, State College, Pa. (Nittany Lion WC)
LOSS Dustin Schlatter (USA), 1-0, 0-1, 0-1

66 kg/145.5 lbs. – Dustin Schlatter, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm)
WIN Teyon Ware (USA), 0-1, 1-0, 1-0
LOSS Andrii Nagornii (Ukraine), 3-3, 0-1, 1-1

66 kg/145.5 lbs. – Kevin Levalley, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm), 5th
WIN Khaibula Khaibulaiev (Russia), 1-0, 7-0
LOSS Batzorig Buyanjav (Mongolia), 0-1, 0-1
WIN Zalimkhan Huseynov (Azerbaijan), 5-4, 6-0
WIN Dymytro Malenkov (Ukraine), 0-4, 6-0, 8-2
LOSS Andrii Nagornii (Urkaine), 0-2, 9-5, 1-5

66 kg/145.5 lbs. – Chase Pami, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)
LOSS Andrii Nagornii (Ukraine), 0-1, 1-3

84 kg/185 lbs. – Keith Gavin, Bethlehem, Pa. (Lehigh Valley WC)
LOSS Dato Marsagishvili (Georgia), 0-1, 1-2
LOSS Semion Semionov (Kazakhstan), 0-3, 0-1

84 kg/185 lbs. – Bryce Hasseman, Stillwater, Okla. (New York AC)
WIN Rene Matejov (Slovakia), 1-0, 1-1
WIN Anton Chuyev (Ukraine), 0-1, 3-0, 4-1
LOSS Dato Marsagishvili (Georgia), 0-7, 2-3
LOSS Semion Semionov (Kazakhstan), 0-1, 1-0, 0-1

84 kg/185 lbs. – Tyrel Todd, Ann Arbor, Mich. (New York AC)
LOSS Akhmed Magomedov (Russia), 1-3, 0-3
LOSS David Bichinashvili (Germany), 1-3, 1-2

84 kg/185 lbs – Jon Reader, Ames, Iowa (Sunkist Kids)
WIN Oleksandr Tkach (Ukraine), 4-0, 6-0
WIN Daniel Dancak (Slovakia), 4-0, 7-0
LOSS Akhmed Magomedov (Russia), 0-3, 0-1
LOSS David Bichinashvili (Germany), 0-2, 1-3

120 kg/264.5 lbs – Steve Mocco, Bethlehem, Pa. (Lehigh Valley AC)
LOSS Alan Dzampayev (Russia), 0-4, 1-4

120 kg/264.5 lbs – Les Sigman, State College, Pa. (Nittany Lion WC)
WIN Aleksei Nikolayev (Belarus), 5-3, 2-2
LOSS Okleksandr Khosyanovskyy (Ukraine), 0-3, 1-2

120 kg/264.5 lbs – Chad Hanke, Dayton, Ore. (NWRTC), 2nd
WIN Gheorge Susumkov (Moldova), 3-0, 1-0
WIN Soslan Gagloev (Slovakia), 1-0, 1-0
WIN Muradin Kushkov (Ukraine), 1-0, 0-1, 1-0
LOSS Davit Modzmanashvili (Georgia), 0-1, 0-6

U.S. pairings for Thursday

60 kg/132 lbs. – Shawn Bunch, Columbus, Ohio (Gator WC)
Vs. Vadim Dzboev (Russia)

60 kg/132 lbs. – Matt Valenti, Philadelphia, Pa. (Lehigh Valley AC)
Vs. Vasyl Shuptar (Ukraine)

60 kg/132 lbs. – James Kennedy, Ann Arbor, Mich. (New York AC)
Vs. Pavel Negru (Moldova)

74 kg/163 lbs. – Andrew Howe, Cedar Lake, Ind. (New York AC)
Vs Dmytro Komisar (Ukraine)

96 kg/211.5 lbs. – J.D. Bergman, Columbus, Ohio (New York AC)
Vs. Batradz Gazzaev (Russia)

96 kg/211.5 lbs. – Wynn Michalak, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Gator WC)
Vs. Alen Zaseyev (Ukraine)