SESSION I AT WORLD CUP OF FREESTYLE WRESTLING 2000 AT FAIRFAX, VA., FEB. 5UNITED STATES SWEEPS UKRAINE, 25-4, IN THE FIRST ROUND OF WORLD CUP
The United States won all eight matches, sweeping Ukraine, 25-4, in the opening round of the World Cup of Freestyle Wrestling 2000 in Fairfax, Va., Feb. 5.
Eric Akin (Overland Park, Kan./Dave Schultz WC) got the U.S. off to a strong start, stopping 1999 World bronze medalist Alexander Zakharuk, 3-1 in overtime at 7:13. Akin did not place at the 1999 World Championships, making this his most important international victory.
The U.S. kept up the pressure at 127.75 pounds, when Eric Guerrero (Stillwater, Okla./Sunkist Kids) stopped Vasil Fedoryshyn in an 11-8 shootout. After Cary Kolat (Morgantown, W.Va./Dave Schultz WC) received a forfeit at 138.75 pounds, the U.S. ran the table by taking the last five matches.
Claiming first round wins were Lincoln McIlravy (Iowa City, Iowa/Gateway WC) at 152 pounds, Joe Williams (Iowa City, Iowa/Hawkeye WC) at 167.5 pounds, Les Gutches (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) at 187.25 pounds, Dominic Black (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army) at 213.75 pounds and Kerry McCoy (State College, Pa./New York AC) at 286 pounds.
McIlravy and Williams, both former three-time NCAA champions for the Univ. of Iowa, claimed solid victories. McIlravy, the 1999 World silver medalist, stopped Orest Skobelsky, 7-2. Williams, who was fourth in the 1999 World Championships, beat Alik Muzaev, 2-0.
Gutches, a 1997 World Champion, had the most dominant win, stopping Taras Danko, 10-3. Black was in control during a 3-0 victory over veteran Sergey Pryadun. McCoy, the defending World Cup champion, stopped 1993 World bronze medalist Merabi Valiev, 4-0.
The U.S. had a 1-0 record, and Ukraine a 0-1 record in the World Cup after the match.
RUSSIA DEFEATS CUBA, 20-11, IN FIRST ROUND OF WORLD CUP
Winning six of the eight bouts, Russia defeated Cuba, 20-11, to open the World Cup of Freestyle Wrestling 2000 in Fairfax, Va., Feb. 5.
Russia opened with a key victory at 119 pounds, when Maxim Molonov stopped 1997 World Champion Wilfredo Garcia, 11-6. Russia claimed the next two bouts, with victories by Zelimkhan Gussienov at 127.75 pounds and Zelimkhan Akhmedov at 138.75 pounds.
Cuba's first win came at 152 pounds, when Yosmany Sanchez dominated Zaur Kazbekov, 9-1. Russia claimed three of the last four matches to clinch the win. At 187.25 pounds, Cuba's 1999 World Champion Yoel Romero stopped Sajid Sajidov, by a 2-0 referee's decision. The match ended with an upset, as Oleg Khorpiakov of Russia was leading in the final seconds, and defeated 1998 World Champion Alexis Rodriguez of Cuba by injury default with just three seconds left in the bout.
Russia had a 1-0 record, and Cuba a 0-1 record in the World Cup after the match.
IRAN DEFEATS CUBA, 17-12, TO OPEN WORLD CUP COMPETITION
Iran won the last two matches, to open the World Cup of Freestyle Wrestling with a victory, defeating Cuba 17-12 in Fairfax, Va., Feb. 5.
With Iran trailing 12-11 after six bouts, 1998 World Champion Ali Reza Heidari of Iran beat Wilfredo Morales of Cuba, 7-0 at 213.75 pounds. In the final match, Ali Reza Rezaei of Iran stopped 1998 World Champion Alexis Rodriguez of Cuba, 6-0 to clinch the win.
Iran's other 1998 World Champion, Ali Reza Dabir, claimed a 6-1 win at 127.75 pounds over Yeondry Albear. Cuba's 1999 World Champion Yoel Romero won his second match of the session at 187.25 pounds, with a 5-1 win over Mehdi Saredjlov.
Iran had a 1-0 record and Cuba had a 0-2 record in the World Cup after the match.
WORLD CUP OF FREESTYLE WRESTLING 2000 at Patriot Center, Fairfax, Va., Feb. 5
SESSION ONE/12:00 noon
United States 25, Ukraine 4
54 kg/119 lbs. - Eric Akin, Overland Park, Kan. dec. Alexander Zakharuk, Ukraine, 3-1, ot, 7:13
58 kg/127.75 lbs. - Eric Guerrero, Stillwater, Okla. dec. Vasil Fedoryshyn, Ukraine, 11-8
63 kg/138.75 lbs. - Cary Kolat, Morgantown, W.Va. won by forfeit
69 kg/153 lbs. - Lincoln McIlravy, Iowa City, Iowa, dec. Orest Skobelsky, Ukraine, 7-2
76 kg/167.5 lbs. - Joe Williams, Iowa City, Iowa won by ref. dec. over Alik Muzaev, Ukraine, 2-0, ot, 9:00
85 kg/187.25 lbs. - Les Gutches, Colorado Springs, Colo. dec. Taras Danko, Ukraine, 10-3
97 kg/213.75 lbs. - Dominic Black, Colorado Springs, Colo. dec. Sergey Pryadun, Ukraine, 3-0
130 kg/286 lbs. - Kerry McCoy, State College, Pa. dec. Merabi Valiev, Ukraine, 4-0
Russia 20, Cuba 11
54 kg/119 lbs. - Maxim Molonov, Russia, dec. Wilfredo Garcia, Cuba, 11-6
58 kg/127.75 lbs. - Miron Dzadzaev, Russia, dec. Yoendris Albear, Cuba, 8-4
63 kg/138.75 lbs. - Zelimkhan Akhmedov, Russia, dec. Yandro Quintana, Cuba, 6-2
69 kg/153 lbs. - Yosmany Sanchez, Cuba, dec. Zaur Kazbekov, Russia, 9-1
76 kg/167.5 lbs. - Chamil Aliev, Russia, dec. Daniel Gonzales, Cuba, 6-4
85 kg/187.25 lbs. - Yoel Romero, Cuba, won by ref. dec. over Sajid Sajidov, Russia, 2-0, ot, 9:00
97 kg/213.75 lbs. - Kouramagomed Kouramagomedov, Russia, dec. Wilfredo Morales, Cuba, 3-1, ot, 6:45
130 kg/286 lbs. - Oleg Khorpiakov, Russia, won by inj. dft over Alexis Rodriguez, Cuba, 5:57
Iran 17, Cuba 12
54 kg/119 lbs. - Behnam Tayebi, Iran, dec. Rene Montero, Cuba, 3-0, ot, 6:29
58 kg/127.75 lbs. - Ali Reza Dabir, Iran, dec. Yoendris Albear, Cuba, 6-1
63 kg/138.75 lbs. - Yandro Quintana, Cuba, won by tech. fall over Akbar Behtari, Iran, 10-0, 0:40
69 kg/153 lbs. - Mehdi Baraati, Iran, dec. Yosmany Sanchez, Cuba, 4-3
76 kg/167.5 lbs. - Daniel Gonzales, Cuba dec. Ramezanali Oliani Nejad, Iran, 4-3, ot, 6:59
85 kg/187.25 lbs. - Yoel Romero, Cuba dec. Mehdi Saredjlov, Iran, 5-1
97 kg/213.75 lbs. - Ali Reza Heidari, Iran, dec. Wilfredo Morales, Cuba, 7-0
130 kg/286 lbs. - Ali Reza Rezaei, Iran, dec. Alexis Rodriguez, Cuba, 6-0
U.S. quotes from the session
54 kg - Eric Akin, Overland Park, Kan. - "I have been looking forward to wrestling (Zakharuk) for several months. I've been studying him for a while. I felt confident I would win. I knew his style and what he would do. I was really tired, so I knew he must be dying. I knew he wasn't in better shape than me. I felt pretty bad because I knew how tired he was and I wasn't killing him. That tells me about where I am and what I need to do."
69 kg - Lincoln McIlravy, Iowa City, Iowa - "I've seen him wrestle and he had a few positions that were real dangerous. I was basically watching for what he would do. He has three- and four-point moves. At times, I picked it up, and as the match went on, I felt better and in more control. I knew he liked controlling the right arm, so I kept it back. I felt pretty good. It was a good first match."
Head Coach Greg Strobel - "I was really impressed. Our guys are in great shape. They went after it. They wrestled intense and that's what you need in this type of competition."