COZART, VINSON, SCHWARTZ QUALIFY FOR SEMIFINALS AT VETERANS WORLD FREESTYLE CHAMPIONSHIPS IN BUCHAREST, ROMANIA, SEPT. 2-5Three U.S. wrestlers have qualified for the semifinals in their weight division during the first day at the Eighth FILA Freestyle Veterans World Championships in Bucharest, Romania, September 2-5.
The competition features athletes 35 years old and above, and will include entries from nations all around the world.
Four-time Veterans World Champion Russ Cozart of Brandon, Fla. won his first two matches and has qualified for the semifinals at 152 lbs./69 kg in Div. C (46-50 years). Cozart claimed Veterans World titles in 1992, 1993, 1997 and 1998
Cozart beat Akhbart Binsadi of Iran and Imre Jaszhai of Hungary during the first day.
Winning three matches to qualify for the semifinals at 167.5 lbs./76 kg in Div. A (35-40 years) is Bradley Schwartz of Auburn, Wash. Schwartz beat Brian Kristensen of Denmark, Kevin Klemm of the USA and Staut Danut of Romania.
In Div. B (41-45 years) at 213.75 lbs./97 kg, Paul Vinson of San Diego, Calif. has also reached the semifinal round. He beat Islam Bugaev of Russia and Zoltan Hodossy of Slovakia. A number of other U.S. wrestlers, who are still in preliminary rounds, still have a shot to contend for medals.
There are five age divisions at the 1999 Veterans World Championships: Div. A (35-40 years), Div. B (41-45 years), Div. C (46-50 years), Div. D (51-55 years) and Div. E (56 years and older). There are six weight divisions at the Veterans World Championships: 58 kg, 63 kg, 69 kg, 76 kg, 85 kg and 130 kg. There is no prequalification required to participate in the Veterans World Championships.
The U.S. team is led and coached at the Veterans World Championships by Larry Nugent of Colorado Springs, Colo., USA Wrestling¹s Executive Assistant and a veteran freestyle wrestling coach.
Previous sites for the Masters World Championships were Cali, Colombia (1992), Toronto, Canada (1993), Rome, Italy, (1994), Sofia, Bulgaria (1995), Varna, Bulgaria (1996), Martigny, Switzerland (1997) and Bordeaux, France (1998).
1999 VETERANS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS at Bucharest, Romania, Sept. 3
U.S. match results
Div. A (35-40 years)
127.75 lbs./58 kg - Ronald Hughes, San Jose, Calif. - bye
152 lbs./69 kg - Clay Holly, Talala, Ore. - dec. Istvan Czveetko (Hungary); lost dec. to Badalov Aluhad (Russia)
152 lbs./69 kg - Dave Mills, Grand Rapids, Mich. - lost dec. to Lew Sondgeroth (USA); dec. Agil Heidari (Iran)
152 lbs./69 kg - Lew Sondgeroth, Aurora, Colo. - dec. Dave Mills (USA)
167.5 lbs./76 kg - Bradley Schwartz, Auburn, Wash. - dec. Brian Kristensen (Denmark); dec. Kevin Klemm (USA); dec. Staut Danut (Romania)
167.5 lbs./76 kg - Kevin Klemm - beat Brian Kristensen (Denmark); lost dec. to Brad Schwartz (USA)
167.5 lbs./76 kg -Ken Wharry, Medford, Ore. - won by forfeit over Trocea Sanda (Romania); lost pin to Zamad Nejadi (Iran)
Div. B (41-45 years)
127.75 lbs./58 kg - Scott Naylor, Dallastown, Pa. - bye
127.75 lbs./58 kg - John Smithson, Ventura, Calif. - lost dec. to Kara-Sal Aritolk (Russia)
138.75 lbs./63 kg - Steve Turgeon, Vernon, Conn. - bye
152 lbs./69 kg - Steve Morris, Lake Oswego, Ore. - lost dec. to Sandor Nemeth (Hungary); lost dec. to Pavel Garanovschi
152 lbs./69 kg - Jeff Powell, Clovis, Calif - dec. Kurt Beinlich (USA); lost dec. to Paul Hermann (Germany)
152 lbs./69 kg - Kurt Beinlich, Hudson, Wis. - lost dec. to Jeff Powell (USA); lost dec. to Pocher Erhard (Germany)
152 lbs./69 kg - Paul Hermann, York, Pa. - lost dec. to Jeff Powell (USA); lost dec. to Pocher Erhard (Germany)
152 lbs./69 kg - Donald Moore, Willamsburg, Va. - beat Osman Osmanov (Russia)
167.5 lbs./76 kg - Brad Brosius, Dover, Pa. - bye
213.75 lbs./97 kg - Eric Davies, Boca Raton, Fla. - dec. Kalman Benci
213.75 lbs./97 kg - Paul Vinson, San Diego, Calif. - dec. Islam Bugaev (Russia); dec. Zoltan Hodossy (Slovakia)
Div. C (46-50 years)
138.75 lbs./63 kg - Tommy Reyna, Midwest City, Okla. - bye
152 lbs./69 kg - Russ Cozart, Brandon, Fla. - dec. Akhbart Binsadi (Iran); dec. Imre Jaszhai (Hungary)
167.5 lbs./76 kg - Steve Daniels, Vancouver, Wash. - lost dec. to Kvens Genusarlis (Lithuania)
213.75 lbs./97 kg - Ronald Cole, Auburn, Wash. - dec. Shaban Janiak (Bulgaria)
Div. D (51-55 years)
152 lbs./69 kg - Wayne Boyd, Palm Springs, Calif. - dec. Timo Veikko (Finland)
187.5 lbs/85 kg - Roger Oleson, Stanford, Calif. -lost to Todria Avtandil (Georgia); dec. Paul Stull (USA)
213.75 lbs./97 kg - Paul Stull, LeMoyne, Pa. - lost dec. to Fayazov Dsaloloin (Uzbekistan); lost dec. to Roger Oleson (USA)
Div. E (56 years and older)
187.5 lbs/85 kg - Bruce Bird, Novelty, Ohio - lost dec to Ghalomani Agheltar (Iran)
187.5 lbs/85 kg - Joe Seay, Perry, Okla. - lost dec. to Seaypour W.B. (Iran); lost dec. to Piotr Adreanov (Russia)
Team Leader/Coach - Larry Nugent, Colorado Springs, Colo.