Burkert, Clodgo win silvers and Conder a bronze at Hari Ram Grand Prix in India

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Gary Abbott (USA Wrestling)
05/26/2012


Erin Clodgo, shown at the 2010 World Team Trials, won a silver at the Hari Ram Grand Prix in India Saturday. Larry Slater photo

NEW DELHI, India – Three U.S. women’s wrestlers claimed medals on the second day of the Hari Ram Grand Prix on Saturday.

Winning silver medals were Jenna Burkert (Rocky Point, N.Y./New York AC) at 59 kg/130 lbs. and Erin Clodgo (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) at 67 kg/147.5 lbs.

Burkert, a two-time Junior World Team member, won her first two bouts by pin, putting away Giguashvili of Georgia and Kamlesh of India. She was defeated in the finals by Chihiro Kumabe of Japan, 1-0, 0-2, 0-6. Kumabe was third in the 2009 Asian Junior Championships.

Clodgo, a past U.S. Open champion, also won two matches to reach the finals, stopping Zakharova of Azerbaijan and Tsedendorj of Mongolia. She was defeated in the finals by Oksana Vashchuk of Ukraine, 0-1, 0-1. Vashchuk was a 2010 World University bronze and fifth in 2009 Junior World Championships.

2010 World Team member Whitney Conder (Colorado Springs, Colo./Gator WC) won a bronze medal at 51 kg/112.25 lbs. She defeated Zulfia Yakhyarova of Kazakhstan, 1-0, 4-0 in the bronze-medal bout. Conder was a 2007 Junior World champion. Yakhayarova was second in the 2009 Junior World Championships.

Conder opened with pins over Nashima Akhatar of Bangladesh and Muangpor of Thailand. Her only loss came in the semifinals to Neha of India, 2-2, 2-3. Neha is a three-time Asian Championships bronze medalist.

Two U.S. men’s freestyle wrestlers competed on Saturday, but did not advance to medal rounds: Wynn Michalak (Colorado Springs, Colo./Gator WC) who was seventh at 96 kg/211.5 lbs. and Daniel Dennis, Iowa City, Iowa (New York AC), who was eighth at 60 kg/132 lbs.

The tournament concludes on Sunday, with two Americans in action, two-time World champion Kristie Davis (Mustang, Okla./Gator WC/OCU) at 72 kg/158.5 lbs. and past NCAA champion Jon Reader (Ames, Iowa/Sunkist Kids) at 84 kg/185 lbs.

HARI RAM GRAND PRIX
At New Delhi, India, May 26

Women’s freestyle results

51 kg/112.25 lbs.
Gold – Hitomi Sakurai (Japan)
Silver – Neha (India)
Bronze – Whitney Conder (USA)
Bronze – Narepekha (Ukraine)
5th – Zulfia Yakhayarova (Kazakhstan)
5th – Nguyen (Vietnam)

59 kg/130 lbs.
Gold – Chihiro Kumabe (Japan)
Silver – Jenna Burkert (USA)
Bronze – Kamlesh (India)
Bronze – Sukhee (Mongolia)
5th – Giguashvili (Georgia)
5th – Gargi Yadav (India)

67 kg/147.5 lbs.
Gold – Oksana Vashchuk (Ukraine)
Silver – Erin Clodgo (USA)
Bronze – Tsedendorj (Mongolia)
Bronze – Iheanacho (Nigeria)
5th – Zakharova (Kazakhstan)
5th – Navjot Kaur (India)

Men’s freestyle results

60 kg/132 lbs.
Gold – Rajneesh (India)
Silver – Kim Jin Cheol (Korea)
Bronze – Daniel (Nigeria)
Bronze –Moradgholiei (Iran)
5th –Alakbarov (Azerbaijan)
5th -  Baitsaikhan (Mongolia)

96 kg/211.5 lbs.
Gold – Kerashvili (Georgia)
Silver – Yankouski (Belarus)
Bronze – Anakulov (Tajikistan)
Bronze – Tahan (Iran)
5th – Kim Lee (Korea)
5th – Natsagsuren (Mongolia)

120 kg/264.5 lbs.
Gold – Sakandelidze (Georgia)
Silver – Dziatko (Belarus)
Bronze – Jung Yei (Korea)
Bronze – Safed Ahmad (Pakistan)
5th – Boldbaatar (Mongolia)
5th – Laghari (Iran)

U.S. women’s results for Saturday

51 kg/112.25 lbs. – Whitney Conder, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Gator WC), 3rd
WIN Nashima Akhatar (Bangladesh) pin
WIN Muangpor (Thailand), pin
LOSS Neha (India), 2-2, 2-3
WIN Zulfia Yakhyarova (Kazakhstan), 1-0, 4-0

59 kg/130 lbs. – Jenna Burkert, Rocky Point, N.Y. (New York AC), 2nd
WIN Giguashvili (Georgia), pin
WIN Kamlesh (India), pin
LOSS Chihiro Kumabe (Japan), 1-0, 0-2, 0-6

67 kg/147.5 lbs. – Erin Clodgo, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids), 2nd
WIN Zakharova (Azerbaijan), 3-1, 6-1
WIN Tsedendorj (Mongolia), 2-3, 1-1, 4-1
LOSS Oksana Vashchuk (Ukraine), 0-1, 0-1

U.S. men’s results for Saturday

60 kg/132 lbs. – Daniel Dennis, Iowa City, Iowa (New York AC), 8th
WIN Usmonzoda (Tajikistan)
LOSS Daniel (Nigeria), 0-5, 0-2

96 kg/211.5 lbs. – Wynn Michalak, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Gator WC), 7th
WIN Mo. Bilal (Pakistan), pin
LOSS Kerashvili (Georgia), 0-3, 0-2
LOSS Tahan (Iran), 1-1, 0-1

U.S. pairings for Sunday

U.S. women’s freestyle pairings
72 kg/158.5 lbs. – Kristie Davis, Mustang, Okla. (Gator WC/OCU)
vs. A. Null (Bangladesh)

U.S. men’s freestyle pairings
84 kg/185 lbs. – Jon Reader, Ames, Iowa (Sunkist Kids)
vs. Gael Parvex (Switzerland)