Mitch Sliga places fifth at FILA Cadet Worlds in freestyle in Azerbaijan

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Gary Abbott (USA Wrestling)
08/21/2012


Mitch Sliga of Indiana is shown winning the 2010 Cadet Triple Crown. Sliga was fifth at the FILA Cadet Worlds today in Azerbaijan. John Sachs photo.

BAKU, Azerbaijan – Mitch Sliga of Fishers, Ind., placed fifth at 85 kg/187.25 lbs. on the first day of men’s freestyle action at the FILA Cadet World Championships.

Sliga, who was Cadet Triple Crown winner in 2010, opened with a pair of  victories, stopping Vadzim Shershan of Belarus, 4-0, 7-0 and Maksat Sagyrtayev of Kyrgyzstan, 2-5, 6-0, 3-3. In the semifinals, he lost by fall to Inal Tsoev of Russia. Tsoev, who was third in the 2011 Cadet World Championships at 100 kg, went on to win the gold medal.

In his bronze medal match, he was defeated by Bohdan Hrytsay of Ukraine, 2-6, 1-2. Hyrtsay was seventh at the 2011 Cadet World Championships.

Four other U.S. wrestlers competed on Tuesday, and were unable to win a match, falling short of medal contention.

Dropping their bouts on Tuesday were Andrew Nieman of Stillwater, Okla. at 42 kg/92.5 lbs., Tommy Thorn of St. Michael, Minn. at 50 kg/110 lbs., Seth Gross of Rosemount, Minn. at 58 kg/127.75 lbs. and Jack Bass of Allen, Texas at 69 kg/152 lbs.

Bass lost to a finalist in his first match, and was drawn back into the repechage, where he was defeated by Reza Mozaffarijouybari of Iran, 5-2, 0-1, 0-1. The other three U.S. athletes lost to an opponent who did not reach the finals, and were not eligible for the repechage.

Five other U.S. wrestlers weighed in on Tuesday and will compete in men’s freestyle action on Wednesday. Receiving their first round draws were Mitchell McKee of Kimball, Minn. at 46 kg/101.25 lbs., Joseph McKenna of Towaco, N.J. at 54 kg/119 lbs., Zain Retherford of Benton, Pa. at 63 kg/138.75 lbs., Chance Marsteller of New Park, Pa. at 76 kg/167.5 lbs. and Garrett Ryan of Scottsdale, Ariz. at 100 kg/220 lbs. The draws are listed below.

Retherford won titles at the FILA Cadet Nationals in Akron and the Junior Nationals in Fargo this year.

results website for FILA Cadet World Championships

FILA CADET WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Baku, Azerbaijan, August 21-26

Men’s freestyle results

42 kg/92.5 lbs.
Gold – Cosgun Mammadov (Azerbaijan)
Silver – Aslan Shakhiev (Russia)
Bronze – Bohdan Lazaryev (Ukraine)
Bronze – Aitugan Zhanhigitov (Kazakhstan)
5th – Yauheni Rebikau (Belarus)
5th – Ridavan Ozbev (Turkey)

50 kg/110 lbs.
Gold – Parviz Mohammadzadehnagharchi (Iran)
Silver – Ruslam Suzkayev (Azerbaijan)
Bronze – Andriy Yatsenko (Ukraine)
Bronze – Keisuke Otoguro (Japan)
5th – Giorgi Lezhava (Georgia)
5th – Theocharis Kalanidis (Greece)

58 kg/127.75 lbs.
Gold – Cahid Hasanzade (Azerbaijan)
Silver – Taimuraz Guriev (Russia)
Bronze – Samir Satar Yavari (Iran)
Bronze – Selim Kozan (Turkey)
5th – Avtanoili Keivtsadze (Georgia)
5th – Niklas Dietmar Dorn (Germany)

69 kg/152 lbs.
Gold – Omari Gurjidze (Georgia)
Silver – Sergii Dramaretskyi (Ukraine)
Bronze – Reza Mozaffarijouybari (Iran)
Bronze – Shamil Sadullayev (Azerbaijan)
5th – Sabri Sabriev (Bulgaria)
5th – Ramzan Chytadze (Belarus)

85 kg/187.25 lbs.
Gold – Inal Tsoev (Russia)
Silver - Chermen Bagayev (Azerbaijan)
Bronze – Hossein Shahbazigazvar (Iran)
Bronze – Bohdan Hyrtsay (Ukraine)
5th - Goergi Vanchev (Bulgaria)
5th - Mitch Sliga (USA)

U.S. men’s freestyle performances

42 kg/92.5 lbs. – Andrew Nieman, Stillwater, Okla.
LOSS Yauheni Rebikau (Belarus), 0-1, 0-5

50 kg/110 lbs. – Tommy Thorn, St. Michael, Minn.
LOSS Yernur Kabatayev (Kazakhstan), 0-5, 0-1

58 kg/127.75 lbs. – Seth Gross, Rosemount, Minn.
LOSS Selim Kozan (Turkey), 0-6, 4-10

69 kg/152 lbs. – Jack Bass, Allen, Texas
LOSS Omari Gurjidze (Georgia), 0-1, 0-1
LOSS Reza Mozaffarijouybari (Iran), 5-2, 0-1, 0-1

85 kg/187.25 lbs. – Mitch Sliga, Fishers, Ind.
WIN Vadzim Shershan (Belarus), 4-0, 7-0
WIN Maksat Sagyrtayev (Kyrgyzstan), 2-5, 6-0, 3-3
LOSS Inal Tsoev (Russia), fall
LOSS Bohdan Hrytsay (Ukraine), 2-6, 1-2

Men’s freestyle draws for Wednesday

46 kg/101.25 lbs. – Mitchell McKee, Kimball, Minn.
Vs. Satoshi Fujikawa (Japan)

54 kg/119 lbs. – Joseph McKenna, Towaco, N.J.
Vs, Andrius Zekas (Lithuania)

63 kg/138.75 lbs. – Zain Retherford, Benton, Pa.
Vs. Hossein Rouzbehmaleh (Iran)

76 kg/167.5 lbs. – Chance Marsteller, New Park, Pa.
Vs. Erik Bizunovic (Lithuania)

100 kg/220 lbs. – Garrett Ryan, Scottsdale, Ariz.
Vs. Erwin Imbierski (Poland)