Kolat, Williams place fourth at the 1999 World Freestyle Wrestling Championships in Ankara, Turkey, Oct. 9; Guerrero, McIlravy, Gutches, Neal undefeated after second day of actionCary Kolat (Madison, Wis./Dave Schultz WC) at 138.75 pounds and Joe Williams (Iowa City, Iowa/Hawkeye WC) at 167.5 pounds, finished in fourth place at the 1999 World Freestyle Wrestling Championships in Ankara, Turkey, Oct. 9.
In the semifinal match, Kolat defeated 1995 World Champion Elbrus Tedeev of Ukraine, 4-2, in 8:58, but the match was protested and overturned. In the re-match, Tedeev defeated Kolat by a decision in overtime, 2-1. Kolat defeated Tedeev in the 1998 World Championships bronze-medal match. Tedeev went on in the 1999 tournament to win the gold medal.
Kolat was a 1997 World silver medalist and 1998 World bronze medalist. He has won two World Cup gold medals, as well as the 1998 Goodwill Games and 1999 Pan American Games titles. He was a two-time NCAA champion for Lock Haven Univ.
In his semifinal match, Williams lost by a pin to Adam Saitiev of Russia in 1:14. Saitiev is the younger brother of 1996 Olympic champion Buvaisa Saitiev.
Williams won a gold medal at the 1999 Pan American Games. He swept the 1999 U.S. Nationals and World Team Trials events. Williams was a three-time NCAA champion for the Univ. of Iowa.
By finishing fourth, Kolat and Williams qualified the United States to compete in their weight classes at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia.
This event serves as the first freestyle wrestling qualifier for the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia. The top eight place winners at the 1999 World Championships qualify their nation to participate in the 2000 Olympic Games in their weight division. It is important to remember that the athletes do not qualify themselves for the Games; rather, they are qualifying their nation to participate in that weight class.
The four U.S. wrestlers who began competition on Friday, Oct. 8 remain unbeaten, and have all qualified their weight class for the 2000 Olympic Games: Eric Guerrero (Stillwater, Okla./Sunkist Kids) at 127.75 pounds, Lincoln McIlravy (Iowa City, Iowa/Gateway WC) at 152 pounds, Les Gutches (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) at 187.25 pounds and Stephen Neal (Bakersfield, Calif./Dave Schultz WC) at 286 pounds.
In the round of 16, Guerrero decisioned Sevdalin Todorov of Bulgaria, 6-1. He will face Harun Dogan of Turkey in the Quarterfinals on Sunday, Oct. 10.
Guerrero, a 1999 Pan American Games silver medalist, completed his college career at Oklahoma State Univ. this year, after winning three NCAA Div. I titles for the Cowboys (1997, 1998, 1999). Guerrero, competing in his first World Championships, replaced two-time World Champion Terry Brands in the U.S. lineup.
McIlravy also won his match in the round of 16. He decisioned Amir Tavakolian of Iran, 4-1, and will face Avaik Gevorkyan of Armenia in the Quarterfinals on Sunday.
McIlravy was a 1998 World bronze medalist. He also boasts two World Cup gold medals as well as Goodwill Games and Pan American Games titles. He was a three-time NCAA champion at the Univ. of Iowa.
Gutches decisioned Egidisus Velavicius of Lithuania, 7-0, to advance out of his pool. In the round of 16, he decisioned Magomed Ibragimov of Macedonia, 4-3.
Gutches was the 1997 World Champion, and was seventh in the 1996 Olympic Games. Gutches was a two-time NCAA champion for Oregon State Univ.
Neal won by a technical fall over Symionidos of Greece, 13-2, in 4:41 to advance to the quarterfinals. He then decisioned Aydin Polatci of Turkey, 10-6, to advance to the semifinals. This guarantees Neal at least a fourth place finish.
Neal competed for Cal-State Bakersfield, where he won two NCAA titles. He also won 1999 gold medals at the University Nationals, the U.S. Nationals, the World Team Trials and the Pan American Games.
The U.S. team is led by co-head coaches Dan Gable of Iowa City, Iowa, John Smith of Stillwater, Okla. and Greg Strobel of Bethlehem, Pa., as well as National Freestyle Coach Bruce Burnett of Colorado Springs, Colo.
After two days, the United States is right in the thick of the team race, along with top nations such as Russia, Iran, Turkey and Ukraine.
In total, 64 Olympic berths will be determined at the 1999 World Freestyle Championships in Ankara. Additional Olympic qualifying events will be held during the 2000 season.
1999 WORLD FREESTYLE WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIPS
at Ankara, Turkey, Oct. 9
U.S. Semifinal results from the first set of weight classes
138.75 lbs./63 kg - Cary Kolat, Madison, Wis. dec. Elbrus Tedeev (Ukraine), 4-2, ot, 8:58, result overturned; second match - lost dec. to Elbrus Tedeev (Ukraine), 2-1, ot, 9:00
167.5 lbs./76 kg - Joe Williams, Iowa City, Iowa, lost by pin to Adam Saitiev (Russia),1:14
U.S. Bronze-medal matches from the first set of weight classes
138.75 lbs./63 kg - Cary Kolat, Madison, Wis. lost dec. to Ramil Islamov (Uzbekistan), 5-0
167.5 lbs./76 kg - Joe Williams, Iowa City, Iowa, lost dec. to Adem Bereket (Turkey), 5-2
U.S. results from second set of weight classes
127.75 lbs./58 kg - Eric Guerrero, Stillwater, Okla. dec. Todorov Sevdalin (Bulgaria), 6-1
152 lbs./69 kg - Lincoln McIlravy, Iowa City, Iowa dec. Amir Tavakolian (Iran), 4-1
187.25 lbs./85 kg - Les Gutches, Colorado Springs, Colo. dec. Edigisus Velavicius (Lithuania), 7-0; dec. Magomed Ibragimov (Macedonia), 4-3
286 lbs./130 kg - Stephen Neal, Bakersfield, Calif. won by tech. fall over Symionidos (Greece), 13-2, 4:41; dec. Aydin Polatci (Turkey), 10-6
U.S. Quarterfinal matchups for Sunday, Oct. 10
127.75 lbs./58 kg - Eric Guerrero, Stillwater, Okla. - vs. Harun Dogan (Turkey)
152 lbs./69 kg - Lincoln McIlravy, Iowa City, Iowa - vs. Asaik Gevorkyn (Armenia)
187.25 lbs./85 kg - Les Gutches, Colorado Springs, Colo. - vs. Rasul Katinavasov (Uzbekistan)
U.S. Semifinal matchups for Sunday, Oct. 10
286 lbs./130 kg - Stephen Neal, Bakersfield, Calif. - vs. Recep Ashabeliyev (Azerbaidjan)
Final Placings of U.S. athletes from first set of four weights
119 lbs./54 kg - Eric Akin, Overland Park, Kan. (Dave Schultz WC) - 16th
138.75 lbs./63 kg - Cary Kolat, Madison, Wis. (Dave Schultz WC) - 4th
167.5 lbs./76 kg - Joe Williams, Iowa City, Iowa (Hawkeye WC) - 4th
213.75 lbs./97 kg - Dominic Black, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army) - 17th
U.S. Quotes
127.75 lbs./58 kg - Eric Guerrero, Stillwater, Okla. (Sunkist Kids) - (on his Quarterfinal match Sunday) - "I think he has one move I need to stop. I feel very confident on my feet, and very confident on the mat. I'm looking forward to tomorrow."
152 lbs./69 kg - Lincoln McIlravy, Iowa City, Iowa (Gateway WC) - (on preparation for Gevorkyn in Quarterfinals) - "I'm not going to go out and give up points. I will wrestle solid and not get out of position."
187.25 lbs./85 kg - Les Gutches, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids) - (on his Quarterfinal match against Katinavasov) - "I need to limit his scoring opportunities and maximize mine."
286 lbs./130 kg - Stephen Neal, Bakersfield, Calif. (Dave Schultz WC) - (on his Semifinal match against Ashabeliyev of Azerbaidjan) - "Double, double, double, double."
Medal Matches
Saturday, Oct. 9
119 lbs./54 kg - Gold Medal - Kim Woo Young (Korea) dec. Adem Achilov (Uzbekistan), 4-0
Bronze Medal - Oleksander Zakuruk (Ukraine) won by tech. fall over Ivan Tzonov (Bulgaria), 10-0
138.75 lbs./63 kg - Gold Medal - Elbrus Tedeev (Ukraine) dec. Jae-Sung Jang (Korea), 3-1
Bronze Medal - Ramil Islamov (Uzbekistan) dec. Cary Kolat (USA), 5-0
167.5 lbs./76 kg - Gold Medal - Adam Satiev (Russia) dec. Alexander Leipold (Germany), 5-2
Bronze Medal - Adem Bereket (Turkey) dec. Joe Williams (USA), 5-2
213.75 lbs./97 kg - Gold Medal - Saguid Murtazaliev (Russ