Justin Ruiz battles Yuri Meier of Argentina at the 2012 Pan American Olympic Qualifier. Larry Slater photo

Justin Ruiz (Orem, Utah/New York AC) weighed in at 96 kg/211.5 lbs. in Greco-Roman at the World Olympic Games Qualifying Tourmament in Helsinki, Finland on Saturday. He has received his draw for the tournament, which will be contested on Sunday, May 6 in his weight class.

At this event, an athlete must place in the top two of their weight class to qualify their nation for the London Games. Only athletes whose weights are not yet qualified for the Olympics may enter.

Ruiz opens against 2009 World Champion Balasz Kiss of Hungary in the first round. Kiss was a 2010 World Cup champion and placed second in the 2008 World University Championships.

Should Ruiz win the first match, he will face the winner of Alin Alexuc-Ciurariu of Romania and Davi Jose Albino of Brazil. Alexuc-Ciurariu was a 2010 Junior World silver medalist. Albino was fifth at the 2012 Pan American Olympic Qualification Tournament in Florida.

There are 23 athletes in Ruiz’s weight class, and only eight in his half-bracket. He will need to win three matches in his half-bracket to qualify for the finals, which would guarantee that the weight is qualified for the United States. If he loses in his half-bracket and does not make the finals, the USA will not qualify to compete in London at this weight.

The other athletes in Ruiz’s half-bracket are:
• Mindaugus Ezerskis of Lithuania, 2007 World silver medalist
• Alkhazur Ozdiyev of Kazakhstan, 2008 Junior World silver medalist
• Timo Kallio of Finland, ninth in 2010 University World Championships
• Anil Kumar of India, 2010 Commonwealth Games champion

Ruiz was a 2005 World bronze medalist, and has competed in the World Championships for the United States six times. He was also a 2007 Pan American Games champion. Originally from Salt Lake City, Utah, he was an NCAA All-American for the Univ. of Nebraska.

The U.S. has 17 of the 18 weight classes qualified for the London Games. This is the only weight class left to be qualified. 

The U.S. determined the members of the U.S. Olympic Team in 16 qualified weights during the U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Wrestling in Iowa City, Iowa, April 21-22. A Special Wrestle-off will be held for the 60 kg/132 lbs. weight class in men’s freestyle.

If the USA does qualify at 96 kg in Greco-Roman on Sunday, a Secondary Olympic Trials will be held at a date and location to be determined, which will decide what athlete will represent the nation at the London Games at that weight class. Ruiz would wrestle 2012 U.S. Olympic Team Trials champion R.C. Johnson (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) in a best-of-three series to determine this spot. 

Website for the World Olympic Games Qualifying Tourmament in Helsinki, Finland
http://www.fila-official.com/sites/ultimate/

WORLD OLYMPIC GAMES QUALIFYING TOURNAMENT
At Helsinki, Finland, May 6

U.S. first round draw

96 kg/211.5 lbs. – Justin Ruiz, Orem, Utah (New York AC)
vs. Balasz Kiss (Hungary)

96 kg/211.5 lbs. Greco-Roman draw

Top half of bracket
1. Alin Alexuc-Ciurariu (Romania)
2. Davi Jose Albino (Brazil)
3. Balazs Kiss (Hungary)
4. Justin Ruiz (USA)
5. Alkhazur Ozdiyev (Kazakhstan)
6. Mindaugas Ezerskis (Lithuania)
7. Timo Kallio (Finland)
8. Anil Kumar (India)

Bottom half of bracket
9. Robert Avanesyan (Israel)
10. Chan-Gun An (Korea)
11. Kakhoma Bella-Lufu (South Africa)
12. David Saldadze (Uzbekistan)
13. Mirko Englich (Germany)
14. Marin Cazac (Moldova)
15. David Vala (Czech Republic)
16. Marius Hamlet Nielsen (Norway)
17. Georgios Koutsioumpas (Greece)
18. Sergii Rutenko (Ukraine)
19. Radoslaw Grzybicki (Poland)
20. Dejan Franjkovic (Serbia)
21. Randy Lambert (Honduras)
22. Di Ziao (China)
23. Arslan Saparmammedov (Turkemenistan)