Bellis, Thielke, Betts take gold medals as USA wins Austrian Junior Greco-Roman Open

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Gary Abbott (USA Wrestling)
03/11/2012


GOTZIS, Austria – The United States had three individual champions and won the team title at the Austrian Junior Greco-Roman Open this weekend.

Team USA 1, which consisted of eight wrestlers, put together a strong performance, to beat runner-up Norway, third-place Czech Republic and fourth place host Austria in the 12-team tournament.

Winning gold medals for USA 1 were Jake Bellis (Bloomington, Ill.) at 50 kg/110 lbs., Jesse Thielke (Germantown, Wis./New York AC) at 60 kg/132 lbs. and Parker Betts (St. Michael, Minn./USOEC) at 120 kg/264.5 lbs.

Thielke, a three-time Junior World Team member, won all five of his matches, with three technical falls, a pin and an injury default in a very competitive weight class.

Both Bellis and Betts had two-athlete weight classes, and won their finals bout. Bellis pinned Hamsat Asuchanov of Austria in the finals and Betts pinned Johnnnes Marte of Austria in the second period of their finals match.

Winning a silver medal for the USA were at 84 kg/185 lbs. was Devin Peterson (Wisconsin Rapids, Wis.) and Marcus Finau (Ewa Beach, Hawaii/USOEC) at 96 kg/211.5 lbs.

Peterson who lost his first match in a five-athlete roundrobin, but came back with three straight falls.

Finau opened with a pair of victories, then fell to champion Felix Baldauf of Norway in his final match in three periods.

A total of 15 U.S. athletes entered. The team will travel to Bulgaria for another major Junior Greco-Roman event next weekend. National Greco-Roman Developmental Coach Ike Anderson is coaching on the tour.

AUSTRIAN JUNIOR GRECO-ROMAN OPEN
At Gotzis, Austria, March 10

Greco-Roman Medalists

50 kg/110 lbs.
Gold – Jake Bellis (USA)
Silver - Hamsat Asuchanov (Austria)

55 kg/121 lbs.
Gold – Pal Eirik Gunderson (Norway)
Silver – Iliya Tsaryuk (Israel)
Bronze – Enio Kerusha (Italy)

60 kg/132 lbs.
Gold - Jesse Thielke (USA)
Silver - Jakub Korista (Czech Republic)
Bronze - Petter Karlsen (Norway)

66 kg/145.5 lbs.
Gold - Alexander Burger (Norway)
Silver - Matous Morbitzer (Czech Republic)
Bronze - Dillon Cowan (USA)

74 kg/163 lbs.
Gold – Ahmed Iskandarani (THE)
Silver – Damian Dietsche (Switzerland)
Bronze – Michael Wagner (Austria)

84 kg/185 lbs.
Gold - Daniel Gastl (Austria)
Silver - Devin Peterson (USA)
Bronze - Andres Malmstrom (Norway)

96 kg/211.5 lbs.
Gold - Felix Baldauf (Norway)
Silver - Marcus Finau –(USA)
Bronze - Michael Marnette (Germany)

120 kg/264.5 lbs.
Gold - Parker Betts (USA)
Silver - Johannes Marte (Austria)

U.S. Greco-Roman performances

50 kg/110 lbs. – Jake Bellis, Bloomington, Ill., 1st
WIN Hamsat Asuchanov (Austria), 4-0, Fall

55 kg/121 lbs. – Isaiah Verona, Miami, Fla., dnp
WIN Thomas Felder (Austria), 1-0 ,0-1 ,1-0
LOSS Andriy Tsaryuk (Israel), 0-2, 1-0, 0-1
LOSS Pal Eirik Gundersen (Norway), 1-2, 0-3m Fall

55 kg/121 lbs. – Jake Bellis, Bloomington, Ill., dnp
LOSS Petr Zacharias (Czech Republic), 3-0, 0-3, 1-5 -L
WIN Simone Solfato (Italy), 1-0, 2-0
LOSS Max Tommerdal (Norway), Fall

60 kg/132 lbs. – Jesse Thielke, Germantown, Wis. (New York AC), 1st
WIN Kevin Norstrem (USA), 6-0 8-0
WIN Christoph Burger (Austria), Fall 1.40
WIN Lhioui Khaled (Italy), 6-0, 7-0
WIN Joey DeNova (USA), 6-0, 6-0
WIN Jakub Korista (Czech Republic), inj. dft.

60 kg/132 lbs. – Joey Denova, Fortston, Ga. (USOEC), 4th
WIN Lhioui Khaled (Italy), 3-0, 6-0
WIN Christoph Burger (Austria),4-0, 4-0
WIN Kevin Norstrem (USA), 0-1, 3-0, 1-1
LOSS Jesse Thielke (USA), 0-6, 0-6
LOSS Petter Karlsen (Norway), 0-3, 0-4

60 kg/132 lbs. – Ian Havens, Colorado Springs, Colo., dnp
WIN Lukas Staudacher (Austria), 1-0 , 0-1, 1-0 
LOSS Jason Chudzinski (USA), 0-6, 0-6
LOSS Petter Karlsen (Norway), 0-4, 0-6 

60 kg/132 lbs. – Kevin Norstrem, Valrico, Fla., 5th
WIN Christoph Burger (Austria), 6-0 Fall
LOSS Jesse Thielke (USA), 0-6, 0-8
LOSS Joey DeNova (USA) 0-1, 3-0, 1-1
WIN Jason Chudzinski (USA), 5-0, 6-0

60 kg/132 lbs. – Jason Chudzinski, Colonie, N.Y. (USOEC), 6th
LOSS Jakub Korista (Czech Republic), 0-3 3-2 0-6 
WIN Ian Havens (USA), 6-0 6-0 
WIN Lukas Staudacher (Austria), 6-0 ,6-0 
LOSS Petter Karlsen (Norway), 0-3, 0-6 
LOSS Kevin Norstrem (USA), 0-5, 0-6

66 kg/145.5 lbs. – John Bozarth, El Paso, Ill. (USOEC), dnp/injury
WIN Avadia Babizaev (Norway), 4-0, 5-0 
WIN Guiseppe Endrizzi (Italy), 6-0, 7-0 
LOSS Matus Morbitzer (Czech Republic), 0-6, 0-6

66 kg/145.5 lbs. – Dillon Cowan, Harvard, Ill. (USOEC), 3rd
WIN Dillion Cowen (Czech Republic), 3-4, 8-4, 6-0 
WIN Camilo Daza (Columbia), Fall 1.30
WIN Davide Cascavilla (Italy), 2-0, Fall 
LOSS Alexander Burger (Norway), 0-6, 0-6
WIN Roger Heiniger (Switzerland), 6-0 Fall

66 kg/145.5 lbs. – Nick Alvarez, Miami, Fla. (USOEC), dnp
Nick Alvarez USA vs Davide Cascavilla ITA - 3-0, 0-3, 0-3 
Alvarez vs Alexander Burger NOR - 0-3 , 2-3

74 kg/163 lbs. –Austin Barton, Phoenix, Ariz. (USOEC), 6th
LOSS Philipp Hausle (Austria), Fall - L
WIN Kim Svebakken (Norway), 1-1 -2-1, 2-1
WIN Elias Pajantschitsch (Austria), 1-1, 1-1
LOSS Damian Dietsche (Switzerland), 0-3, 0-4

74 kg/163 lbs. – Caleb Smith, Pakota, Ind., dnp
LOSS Michael Wagner (Austria), 0-2 3-0 Fall
LOSS Pavel Powada (Czech Republic), Fall 

84 kg/185 lbs. – Devin Peterson, Wisconsin Rapids, Wis., 2nd
LOSS Daniel Gastl (Austria), 6-0, 3-6 ,1-5
WIN Nicolay Zubi (Norway), Fall
WIN Tommaso Zenere (Italy), Fall
WIN Andres Malmstrom (Norway), Fall

96 kg/211.5 lbs. – Marcus Finau, Ewa Beach, Hawaii (USOEC), 2nd
WIN Martin Gajdik (Czech Republic), 3-0, 3-0
WIN Michael Marnette (Germany), 6-0, 6-0
LOSS Felix Baldauf (Norway), 1-0, 0-2, 0-2 

120 kg/264.5 lbs. – Parker Betts, St. Michael, Minn. (USOEC), 1st
WIN Johnnnes Marte (Austria), 9-3, Fall

Team Standings
1. United States, 32
2. Norway, 31
3. Czech Republic, 19
4. Austria, 12
5. Switzerland, 8
6. Denmark, 7
7. Israel, 7
8. United States II, 7
9. Austria II, 5
10. Italy, 4