AKIN, KOLAT, WILLIAMS WIN THEIR POOLS AND ADVANCE AT THE 1999 WORLD FREESTYLE CHAMPIONSHIPS IN ANKARA, TURKEY, OCT. 7; GUERRERO, MCILRAVY, GUTCHES, NEAL WEIGH IN AND RECEIVE DRAWSThree U.S. wrestlers won their pool competition at their weight classes at the 1999 World Freestyle Wrestling Championships in Ankara, Turkey, Oct. 7.
The three U.S. wrestlers to win their pools were Eric Akin (Overland Park, Kan./Dave Schultz WC) at 119 pounds, Cary Kolat (Madison, Wis./Dave Schultz WC) at 138.75 pounds and Joe Williams (Iowa City, Iowa/Hawkeye WC) at 167.5 pounds. All three wrestlers have advanced to the round of 16 athletes at their weight class. (Information on their next opponent was not available at press time).
Akin, competing at his first World Championships, won three matches. He opened with a 7-0 decision over Ludek Burian of the Czech Republic. He next defeated 1988 Olympic silver medalist Ivan Tzonov of Bulgaria, 3-2, and closed the day with a 3-2 overtime win over German Kontoev of Belarus.
"The key is to relax, and not make mistakes against guys who can't beat me," said Akin. "My key is relentless aggression. I'm going to stay poised, relax, keep the pressure on and wear them down."
Akin placed third in the 1999 Pan American Games. He was second in the 1996 Olympic Team Trials, and was also second in the 1998 World Team Trials. Akin was an NCAA runner-up for Iowa State Univ.
In his first match, Kolat fell behind 5-0, but stormed back to defeat Murad Umachanov of Russia, 9-6. Umachanov, a two-time World place winner, had moved up from 127.75 pounds this season. In his second match, Kolat easily beat Giorgios Moustopoulos of Greece by technical fall, 10-0.
"The key to winning (against Umachanov) was conditioning," said Kolat. "At the end of the first period, when I scored, I knew he was tired. I just used my conditioning and followed through with my technique. Being down 5-0 and coming back was good for me. I'll only get better as I go on."
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.
Williams, wrestling in his first World Championships, stopped Kurginvan Abetnak of Armenia, 10-5, and beat Wenyan Zhang of China, 6-0.
"In the first match, the key is that I gave up some stupid points and didn't perform the way I wanted," said Williams. "I wanted to dominate. My goal is to win. I kept telling myself that I want to win the tournament and I have to focus on each match."
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.
The 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. 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.
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. In order to qualify the United States at their weight classes, Akin, Kolat and Williams must win their next match during the round of 16. All of the athletes who reach the quarterfinals have qualified their nation for the Olympic Games.
Dominic Black (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army) won two of his three matches in pool competition at 213.75 pounds, but did not qualify to advance into the round of 16. He won his first match by technical fall, defeating Isaac Mpia of Cameroon, 10-0, in 4:51. In the second match, Black beat Kasif Sakiroglu of Turkey, 4-2, in overtime. In the third round, Black lost a 2-0 overtime referee's decision to Wilfredo Morales of Cuba, 2-0. Black had defeated Morales in the finals of the Pan American Games in July.
Since Sakiroglu defeated Morales in their matchup and all three wrestlers had 2-1 records, officials used tiebreaking criterion to determine what athletes advance. Black placed third in the pool, and did not advance, while Sakiroglu and Morales qualified for the round of 16.
Black was competing in his first World Championships. He won the U.S. Nationals and World Team Trials for the first time in 1999. He was a 1995 World Cup gold medalist and 1999 Pan American Games champion. He is a former All-American for West Virginia Univ.
Four U.S. wrestlers weighed in on Thursday, Oct. 7 and will begin their pool competition on Friday, Oct. 8: 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.
Guerrero will face Mohammadi Mohamad Amir of Algeria and David LePrince of France in his pool. Guerrero, competing in his first World Championships, replaced two-time World Champion Terry Brands in the U.S. lineup. 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). He has placed third at the U.S. National Wrestling Championships the last two years.
McIlravy has drawn veteran Ruslan Valiev of Kazakhstan and Ivan Tudorov of Bulgaria in his pool. 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 will battle Lavicios Egidissusvie of Lithuania and Rudolf Boboril of the Czech Republic to open the tournament. 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's opponents in his pool are Heever Franvanden of South Africa and Symionidos of Greece. Neal just completed his senior year at Cal-State Bakersfield, where he won two NCAA titles. He also added 1999 gold medals at the University Nationals, the U.S. Nationals and the World Team Trials.
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.
1999 WORLD FREESTYLE WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIPS at Ankara, Turkey, Oct. 7
U.S. matches
119 lbs./54 kg - Eric Akin, Overland Park, Kan. - dec. Ludek Burian (Czech Rep.), 7-0; dec. Ivan Tzonov (Bulgaria), 3-2; dec. German Kontoev (Belarus), 3-2, ot
138.75 lbs./63 kg - Cary Kolat, Madison, Wis. - dec. Murad Umachanov (Russia), 9-6; won by tech. fall over Giorgios Moustopoulos (Greece), 10-0
167.5 lbs./76 kg - Joe Williams, Iowa City, Iowa - dec. Kurginvan Abetnak (Armenia), 10-5; dec. Wenyan Zhang (China), 6-0
213.75 lbs./97 kg - Dominic Black, Colorado Springs, Colo. - won by tech. fall over Isaac Mpia (Cameroon), 10-0, 4:51; dec. Kasif Sakiroglu (Turkey), 4-2, ot; lost by ref. dec. to Wilfredo Morales (Cuba), 2-0, ot, 9:00
Draws for U.S. Athletes who weighed in on Thursday, Oct. 7
127.75 lbs./58 kg - Eric Guerrero, Stillwater, Okla. - vs. Mohammadi Mohamad Amir (Algeria); vs. David LePrince (France)
152 lbs./69 kg - Lincoln McIlravy, Iowa City, Iowa - vs. Ruslan Valiev (Kazakhstan); vs. Ivan Tudorov (Bulgaria)
187.25 lbs./85 kg - Les Gutches, Colorado Springs, Colo. - vs. Lavicios Egidissusvie (Lithuania); vs. Rudolf Boboril (Czech Rep.)
286 lbs./130 kg - Stephen Neal, Bakersfield, Calif. - vs. Heever Franvanden (South Africa); vs. Symionidos (Greece)