Gregg Stensgard won a gold at 85 kg in Div. D, and Chris Brown got a bronze at 76 kg in Div. D. on Wednesday in Budapest. Photo courtesy of Chris Brown

BUDAPEST, Hungary  – Gregg Stensgard of Vernal, Utah claimed a gold medal at 85 kg in Div. D (51 – 55 years old) in Greco-Roman at the Veterans World Championships on Wednesday.

Stensgard won four matches on the way to the title, defeating Hehadziv Rudziak of Belarus in the championship finals.

Stensgard has his toughest two bouts right off the bat, beating past Veterans World champion Wilhelm Schroeder of Germany in the first round, then stopping Ari Markola of Sweden in the quarterfinals. His semifinal win was over Endel Uppin of Estonia.

“I wanted to hear our national anthem played,” said Stensgard. “It is like achieving a childhood dream. I have been close a few times. This is very gratifying.”

Stensgard joins a short list of U.S. Greco-Roman wrestlers who have won World Veterans titles, joining California natives Valentin Kalika and Ronald Hughes as Veterans champions in the style.

“That’s why I trained so hard in Greco-Roman. I didn’t put in nearly the amount of time in freestyle. I know it hasn’t been done often. I wanted to be one of the Americans who did it. I look all beat up right now. I look like I have been in a fight, but it is one that I won,” said Stensgard.

Last year, Stensgard won a silver medal in Greco-Roman at the Veterans World Championships. He also won a bronze medal at the 2008 Veterans Worlds in Greco-Roman. He is also entered in the freestyle competition later in the week.

“What I have learned are the same things I did as an athlete and a coach. I have the same philosophy as a Veteran. I push myself. With training partners like Ryan Lewis, I get myself ready. At 53, training 5-6 days a week will get you prepared,” said Stensgard.

Winning a bronze medal on Wednesday was Chris Brown of Boyds, Md. at 76 kg in Div. D. Brown won a Veterans World medal for the fourth straight year.

He lost his opening match to Janos Zsura of Hungary, a bout in which he was injured. However, Brown battled back to win his bronze-medal match over Istvan Sos of Hungary to keep his streak of consecutive medals alive.

Two other U.S. competitiors placed on Wednesday,Victor Aybar of Manchester, Md., who was fourth at 58 kg in Div. C and Steve Horton of Ramstein AFB, Germany, who was fifth at 76 kg in Div. C. 

The final two Greco-Roman age divisions will be contested Thursday,  Div. A (35 – 40 years old) and Div. G (66 – 70 years old)

VETERANS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Budapest, Hungary, September 19

Greco-Roman champions

Div. C (46 – 50 years old)
58 kg – Ramil Rakhmangulov (Russia)
63 kg – Saidmagomedov Masiev (Russia)
69 kg – Emil Budinov (Bulgaria)
76 kg –Igor Ilin (Russia)
85 kg – Gennady Ovdin (Russia)
97 kg – Milos Govedarica (Germany)
130 kg –Andrzej Wronski (Poland) 

Div. D (51 – 55 years old)
58 kg – Nikolay Vidov (Bulgaria)
63 kg – Mykhaylo Nylypyuk (Ukraine)
69 kg – Georgi Hristov (France)
76 kg – Soslan Adyrkhaiev (Ukraine)
85 kg – Gregg Stensgard (USA)
97 kg – Yury Dyukov (Russia)
130 kg – Istvan Foldesi (Hungary)

U.S. Greco-Roman performances

Div. C (46 – 50 years old)

58 kg – Victor Aybar, Manchester, Md., 4th
LOSS Ramil Rakhmangulov (Russia)
LOSS Asadollah Jalali (Iran)
LOSS Igor Chuev (Russia)

76 kg – Steve Horton, Ramstein AFB, Germany, 5th
WIN Gabor Boldizsar (Hungary)
WIN Saulis Matuolis (Lithuania)
LOSS Igor Ilin (Russia)
LOSS Janos Tokodi (Hungary)

Div. D (51 – 55 years old)

76 kg – Chris Brown, Boyds, Md., 3rd
LOSS Janos Zsura (Hungary)
WIN Istvan Sos (Hungary)

85 kg – Gregg Stensgard, Vernal, Utah, 1st
WIN Wilhelm Schroeder (Germany)
WIN Ari Markola (Sweden)
WIN Endel Uppin (Estonia)
WIN Hehadziv Rudziak (Belarus)