Jason Klohs wins 1999 Greco-Roman World Team Trials at 97 kg over Randy Couture in a best-of-three series, August 27 
   1999 Pan American Games silver-medalist Jason Klohs  (Maple Grove, Minn./Minnesota Storm) won the best-of-three series Special Wrestle-off over 1999 U.S. Nationals champion Randy Couture  (Gresham, Ore./Sunkist Kids) at the U.S. Olympic Training Center, August 27. Klohs will represent the United States at 97 kg/213.75 lbs. at the 1999 Greco-Roman World Championships in Athens, Greece, Sept. 23-26.    
 It took all three matches and three clinches for Klohs to win the Wrestle-off. Klohs won the first match 3-0 in overtime at 8:19. Since the two were tied 0-0 at the end of the first period, they started the second period in the clinch. Couture broke his hold which gave Klohs the first point of the match. At the end of regulation, Klohs led 1-0. Since neither of the wrestlers scored three or more points, the match went into overtime. Klohs threw Couture for a point and then again to bring the final score to 3-0.   
 Neither wrestler scored in the first period of the second match either, so they started the second period in the clinch again. Eight seconds into the second period, Couture threw Klohs on his back and pinned him in 3:08.    
 The third match was much like the first where neither wrestler scored in the first period. Klohs received a caution point in the second period, and that remained the final score in overtime, 1-0, in 9:00.   
 The Special Wrestle-off became necessary because Couture was unable to compete in the Greco-Roman World Team Trials in Tampa, Fla., June 26-27, due to injury. Only the U.S. Nationals champion has the right to extend the finals series because of injury.    
 Klohs defeated two-time Olympic team member Mike Foy (Minneapolis, Minn./Sunkist Kids) in the World Team Trials finals series in Tampa to earn the right to compete against Couture.   
 Since Couture was not healthy enough to compete in a Special Wrestle-off in July, Klohs represented the United States in the Pan American Games in Winnipeg, Canada and won a silver medal. Klohs competed in his first World Championships in 1998.   
 "I can honestly say this is one of the biggest wins of my life," said Klohs after winning the third match. "Randy is a great competitor and to win the best-of-three series against him gives me a lot of confidence. Getting pinned in the second match took the wind out of my sail a little bit, but I came back in the third match and kept my pace slow and under control."