Heading into the World Team Trials, veteran Joe Betterman is the athlete to beat after winning his fourth career U.S. Open title in Las Vegas. Betterman made some life changes since last season, joining the Army WCAP program and becoming a father. He has made two past World Teams, and won the 2008 Olympic Trials but could not compete in Beijing because the weight was not qualified by the USA. At the 2012 Olympic Trials, he was second to Ellis Coleman, who has moved up in weight to 66 kg/145.5 lbs.

Another seasoned competitor, Marco Lara, won the silver medal at the U.S. Open, losing to his Army teammate in the finals. Lara has been a past Greco-Roman Team member and competes with a powerful style. Placing third in Las Vegas was college wrestler Jesse Thielke, who made numerous Junior World Teams and has shown great promise on the Senior level.

Jamel Johnson won a University World bronze medal last summer, and took fourth at the U.S. Open this year. He competed up a weight class at 63 kg/138.5 lbs. and won the University Nationals this spring. Making a return to Greco-Roman was Stanford star Ryan Mango, brother of Olympian Spenser Mango. Ryan Mango was third in the 2008 Olympic Trials but has been out of Greco for a few seasons. He is on a college redshirt year, and getting great experience wrestling on the Senior level.

Rounding out the U.S. Open placewinners who qualified for the Trials are Eric Chandler in sixth and Julian Gunnels in seventh. Others in the field based upon placing second at the Unviersity Nationals are William Simpson and Joey DeNova. Regional champions in the field are Jake Calhoun and Sean Sloat. 

With Olympian Ellis Coleman up a weight, veteran star Joe Betterman is clearly the man to beat here. Betterman seeks a return to the World Championships in a quest for his first medal there. There is considerable young talent in the weight which hopes to improve and take a shot at knocking off Betterman. The Challenge Tournament in this weight division should be very interesting and exciting.

2013 U.S. Open Greco-Roman  results at 60 kg/132 lbs.

1st – Joseph Betterman, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP) dec. Marco Lara, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP), 2-1, 1-0
3rd – Jesse Thielke, Germantown, Wis. (Badger WC) dec. Jamel Johnson, Greensboro, N.C., (U.S. Army WCAP), 3-0, 6-0
5th – Ryan Mango, St. Louis, Mo. (Stanford – unattached) dec. Eric Chandler, Greensboro, N.C. (YES Wrestling), 3-0, 1-0
7th – Julian Gunnels, Kansas City, Mo. (Minnesota Storm) dec. Jason Chudzinski, Albany, N.Y. (USOEC), 1-3, 2-0, 1-0

2013 U.S. World Team Trials qualifiers at 60 kg/132 lbs. in Greco-Roman

’12 Olympic Team Trials Champion – Ellis Coleman, Colorado Springs, Colo. (NYAC)
’12 Olympic Team Trials second place – Joseph Betterman, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP)
’12 Olympic Team Trials, true third place – Jeremiah Davis, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Army)
’13 GR U.S. Open Champion – Joseph Betterman, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP)
’13 GR U.S. Open second place – Marco Lara, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP)
’13 GR U.S. Open third place – Jesse Thielke, Germantown, Wis. (Badger WC)
’13 GR U.S. Open fourth place – Jamel Johnson, Greensboro, N.C., (U.S. Army WCAP)
’13 GR U.S. Open fifth place – Ryan Mango, St. Louis, Mo. (Stanford – unattached)
’13 GR U.S. Open sixth place – Eric Chandler, Greensboro, N.C. (YES Wrestling)
’13 GR U.S. Open seventh place – Julian Gunnels, Kansas City, Mo. (Minnesota Storm)
’13 GR University National Champion – Nikko Triggas, Moraga, Calif. (New York AC)
’13 GR University National second place – William Simpson, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army)
’13 GR University National Champion at 63 kg – Jamel Johnson, Greensboro, N.C., (U.S. Army WCAP)
’13 GR University National second place at 63 kg – Joe DeNova, Fortson, Ga. (NYAC/USOEC)
’13 Northeast Regional Champion – Jake Calhoun, Mechanicsburg, Pa. (Modern Day Gladiators)
’13 Northeast Regional Champion at 63 kg – Sean Sloat, Trumbull, Conn. (unattached)
’13 Northern Plains Regional Champion – Joe DeNova, Fortson, Ga. (NYAC/USOEC)
’12 Haparanda Cup Champion – Joseph Betterman, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP)
’12 Haparanda Cup second place – Spenser Mango, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army)
Wildcard Selection –
Past Olympic Team member – 
Past World Team member –