Marable, Michalak win gold, Varner a silver at Dan Kolov International in Bulgaria

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Gary Abbott (USA Wrestling)
02/16/2013


PLODIV, Bulgaria – Two U.S. men’s freestyle wrestlers won gold medals on day two of the Dan Kolov International on Saturday.

Capturing titles were Nick Marable (Columbia, Mo./Sunkist Kids) at 74 kg/163 lbs. and Wynn Michalak (Champaign, Ill./Titan Mercury WC) at 96 kg/211.5 lbs.

Marable won four matches on the way to the title, including a victory over Batuhan Demircin of Turkey, 3-0, 0-2, 1-0. 

He opened with wins over Goran Atanasov of Macedonia and Miroslav Kirov of Bulgaria. In the semifinals, he needed three periods to beat Unurbat Purevjav of Mongolia, 3-0, 0-1, 1-0.

Michalak also had four wins in a row to claim his title. In the gold medal match, he beat 2012 Olympic gold medalist Jake Varner (State College, Pa./Nittany Lion WC), 1-1, 6-2, 5-1.

Michalak had wins over Michael Manea of Romania and Evtim Evtimov of Bulgaria in the preliminary rounds. In the semifinals, he stopped Georgi Sredkov  of Bulgaria, 1-1, 5-1

It was his third international title of the year, to go win victories at the Dave Schultz Memorial International and the New York Athletic Club International.

Varner was competing in his first event since his victory at the 2012 London Olympics. He looked strong in his first three wins, including a semifinal win over William Harth of Germany, 2-2, 2-0.

"All of today's medalists competed well and I'm very proud of them. Nick Marable seems to keep getting better, making great adjustments during tough matches. He looked strong throughout his path to the championship. Wynn Michalak wrestled confidently, in solid positions all day. He had a great win in the final to earn the gold! Jake Varner wrestled tough defeating three quality competitors on the way to a silver,” said Assistant National Freestyle Coach Bill Zadick.

2010 World Team member J.D. Bergman (Columbus, Ohio/New York AC) was beaten in the first match at 96 kg/211.5 lbs in freestyle. Greco-Roman wrestler Chad Vandiver (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) dropped his only match in the Greco-Roman division at 60 kg/132 lbs. 

DAN KOLOV INTERNATIONAL
At Plodiv, Bulgaria, February 16

Men’s freestyle results

74 kg/163 lbs.
Gold – Nick Marable (USA)
Silver – Batuhan Demircin (Turkey)
Bronze – Ankhbayar Batchuluun (Mongolia)
Bronze – Leonid Bazan (Bulgaria)
5th – Miroslav Kirov (Bulgaria)
5th – Akhmed Aibuev (France)

96 kg/211.5 lbs.
Gold – Wynn Michalak (USA)
Silver – Jake Varner (USA)
Bronze – Muren Mutlu (Turkey)
Bronze – Georgi Sredkov (Bulgaria)
5th – Michael Manea (Romania)
5th – William Harth (Germany)

U.S. freestyle results

74 kg/163 lbs. - Nick Marable, Columbia, Mo. (Sunkist Kids), Gold medal
WIN Goran Atanasov (FYR Macedonia) 3-0,0-1,1-0
WIN Miroslav Kirov (Bulgaria), 1-1,1-0
WIN Unurbat Purevjav (Mongolia), 3-0,0-1,1-0
WIN Batuhan Demircin (Turkey), 3-0,0-2,1-0

96 kg/211.5 lbs. - Wynn Michalak, Champaign, Ill. (Titan Mercury WC), Gold medal
WIN Michael Manea (Romania), 1-0, 1-0
WIN Evtim Evtimov (Bulgaria), 3-0, Pin
WIN Georgia Sredkov  (Bulgaria), 1-1, 5-1
WIN Jake Varner (USA) 1-1, 6-2, 5-1

96 kg/211.5 lbs. - Jake Varner, State College, Pa. (Nittany Lion WC), Silver medal
WIN Lyuben Iliev (Bulgaria), 1-0,2-1
WIN Mure Mutlu (Turkey), 4-0, 0-2, 2-0
WIN William Harth (Germany), 2-2, 2-0
LOSS Wynn Michalak (USA), 1-1, 2-6, 1-5

96 kg/211.5 lbs. – J.D. Bergman, Columbus, Ohio (New York AC), dnp
LOSS Huseyin Gunduz (Turkey), 1-0, 0-1, 0-1

Greco-Roman results

60 kg/132 lbs.
Gold – Rahman Bilici (Turkey)
Silver – Virgil Monteanu (Romania)
Bronze – Vasilev Radoslav (Bulgaria)
Bronze – Ivo Angelov (Bulgaria)

84 kg/185 lbs.
Gold – Hristo Marinov (Bulgaria)
Silver – Ahmet Yildirim (Turkey)
Bronze – Nikolay Dobrev (Bulgaria)
Bronze – Tadeusz Michalik (Poland)

120 kg/264.5 lbs.
Gold – Lyubomir Dimitrov (Bulgaria)
Silver – Emin Ozturk (Turkey)
Bronze – Miloslav Metodiev (Bulgaria)
Bronze – Heiki Nabi (Estonia)

U.S. Greco-Roman performance

60 kg/132 lbs. – Chad Vandiver, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)
LOSS Radoslav Vasilev (Bulgaria), 2-3, 2-0, 0-2

Women’s freestyle results

55 kg/121 lbs.
Gold – Yanna Dubovska (Azerbaijan)
Silver – Maria Esanu (Moldova)
Bronze – Vileta Simeonova (Bulgaria)
Bronze – Ana Maria Paval (Romania)

72 kg/158.5 lbs.
Gold – Burmaa Ochirbat (Mongolia)
Silver – Adar Yasemin (Turkey)
Bronze – Vicktoria Bobeva (Bulgaria)
Bronze – Aline Ferreira (Brazil)