Session IV at Avista Corp. XXVII World Cup of Freestyle WrestlingUnited States defeats Iran, 20-12, to claim team title at Freestyle World Cup
The United States defeated Iran, 20-12, to claim the team title during the final session of the Avista Corp. XXVII World Cup of Freestyle Wrestling at the Spokane Arena in Spokane, Wash., April 3. The USA and Iran entered the match with identical 3-0 records
Iran won the first two matches to open an early lead. Gholam Reza Mohammadi, a three-time World medalist, opened up his offense and scored a 10-0 technical fall over 1998 World Champion Sammie Henson (Norman, Okla./Sunkist Kids) at 119 pounds. At 127.75 pounds, 1998 World Champion Ali Reza Dabier came from behind in the closing second to defeat Tony Purler (Clarion, Pa./Sunkist Kids), 6-5.
The U.S. responded with four straight wins. Cary Kolat (Bellefonte, Pa./Dave Schultz WC) jump-started the U.S. comeback with an impressive 11-0 technical fall over Mehdi Baarati at 138.75 pounds.
Lincoln McIlravy (Iowa City, Iowa/Gateway WC) broke a 3-3 tie with two points late in the match for a 5-3 victory over Amir Tavakolian at 152 pounds. The Iranian team protested the bout for over 10 minutes before the competition was resumed.
In a very competitive overtime match, Steve Marianetti (Urbana, Ill./New York AC) scored a takedown late in the overtime period to defeat Pejman Dorotskar in a 2-1 referee's decision.
1997 World Champion Les Gutches (Corvallis, Ore./Sunkist Kids) scored a big three-point throw in the first period and defeated Ferydon Ghanbari of Iran, 3-0.
Iran rebounded with a win at 213.75 pounds, when 1998 World Champion Ali Reza Heidari stopped J.J. McGrew (Stillwater, Okla./Sunkist Kids), 6-1. The match was finally determined at heavyweight, when Kerry McCoy (State College, Pa./New York AC) countered an attempted gutwrench and pinned Ebrahim Mehraban in 1:03.
The U.S. finished with a 4-0 record, and Iran finished at 3-1. The USA has won seven of the 10 World Cup team titles in the 1990's.
USA wins four individual gold medals, Iran three and Germany one
The United States claimed four of the eight individual champions at the Avista Corp. XXVII World Cup of Freestyle Wrestling at the Spokane Arena in Spokane, Wash., April 3.
Winning individual titles for the United States were Cary Kolat (Bellefonte, Pa./Dave Schultz WC) at 138.75 pounds, Lincoln McIlravy (Iowa City, Iowa/Gateway) at 152 pounds, Les Gutches (Corvallis, Ore./Sunkist Kids) at 187.25 pounds and Kerry McCoy (State College, Pa./New York AC) at 286 pounds.
Iran had three individual champions: Gholam Reza Mohammadi at 119 pounds, Ali Reza Dabier at 127.75 pounds and Ali Reza Heidari at 286 pounds.
Alexander Leipold of Germany won the gold medal at 167.5 pounds. It was the third straight year that he won the World Cup gold medal.
Cuba defeats Germany 19-11 to place third in World Cup standings
Cuba defeated Germany, 19-11, to place third in team standings at the Avista Corp. XXVII World Cup of Freestyle Wrestling at the Spokane Arena in Spokane, Wash., April 3.
Cuba opened with four straight wins. 1997 World Champion Wilfredo Garcia of Cuba defeated Vasili Zeiher, 3-2. Yoel Garcia scored a three-point throw in overtime to defeat Othmar Kuhner, 3-1 at 7:12. Cuba won the next two bouts with shutouts, as Carlos Ortiz beat Jurgen Scheibe, 6-0, and Yosvany Sanchez stopped Jens Gundling, 5-0.
1994 World Champion Alexander Leipold of Germany pinned Walter Torrientes in 2:52, clinching the individual gold medal for Leipold, his third straight World Cup title.
Joel Romero of Cuba rebounded with a 7-2 win over Hans Gstottner at 187.25 pounds. At 213.75 pounds, 1992 Olympic silver medalist Heiko Balz of Germany stopped Wilfredo Morales, 9-1. 1998 World Champion Alexis Rodriguez of Cuba closed the bout with a 4-0 win over Sven Thiele.
Cuba finished with a 2-2 record, while Germany had a final record of 1-3.
AVISTA CORP. XVII WORLD CUP OF FREESTYLE WRESTLING
Spokane, Wash., Spokane, Wash., April 2-3
SESSION FOUR, April 3, 6:00 p.m.
Cuba 19, Germany 11
54 kg/119 lbs. - Wilfredo Garcia, Cuba, dec. Vasili Zeiher, Germany, 3-2
58 kg/127.75 lbs. - Yoel Garcia, Cuba, dec. Othmar Kuhner, Germany, 3-1, ot, 7:12
63 kg/138.8 75 lbs. - Carlos Ortiz, Cuba, dec. Jurgen Scheibe, Germany, 6-0
69 kg/152 lbs. - Yosvany Sanchez, Cuba, dec. Jens Gundling, Germany, 5-0
76 kg/167.5 lbs. - Alexander Leipold, Germany pin Walter Torrientes, Cuba, 2:52
85 kg/187.25 lbs. - Yoel Romero, Cuba, dec. Hans Gstottner, Germany, 7-2
97 kg/213.75 lbs. - Heiko Balz, Germany dec. Wilfredo Morales, Cuba, 9-1
130 kg/286 lbs. - Alexis Rodriguez, Cuba, dec. Sven Thiele, Germany, 4-0
United States 20, Iran 12
54 kg/119 lbs. -Gholam Reza Mohammadi, Iran, won by tech. fall over Sammie Henson, Norman, Okla.. 10-0, 2:48
58 kg/127.75 lbs. -Ali Reza Dabier, Iran dec. Tony Purler, Clarion, Pa., 6-5
63 kg/138.8 75 lbs. - Cary Kolat, Bellefonte, Pa., won by tech. fall over Mehdi Baraati, Iran, 11-0, 2:59
69 kg/152 lbs. - Lincoln McIlravy, Iowa City, Iowa, dec. Amir Tavakolian, Iran, 5-3
76 kg/167.5 lbs. - Steve Marianetti, Urbana, Ill., won by ref. dec. over Pejman Dorostkar, Iran, 2-1, ot, 9:00
85 kg/187.25 lbs. - Les Gutches, Corvallis, Ore., dec. Ferydon Ghanbari, Iran, 3-0
97 kg/213.75 lbs. - Ali Reza Heidari, Iran dec. J.J. McGrew, Stillwater, Okla., 6-1
130 kg/286 lbs. - Kerry McCoy, State College, Pa. pin Ebrahim Mehraban, Iran, 1:03
Team Standings
1. United States, 4-0 record, 8 pts.
2. Iran, 3-1 record, 6 pts.
3. Cuba, 2-2 record, 4 pts.
4. Germany, 1-3 record, 2 pts.
5. Canada, 0-4 record, 0 pts.
Individual World Cup Medalists
54 kg/119 lbs. - Gold - Gholam Reza Mohammadi, Iran; Silver - Sammie Henson, Norman, Okla.; Bronze - Wilfredo Garcia, Cuba; 4th - Vasili Zeiher, Germany; 5th (tie) - Paul Ragusa, Canada and Selwyn Tam, Canada
58 kg/127.75 lbs. - Gold - Ali Reza Dabier, Iran ; Silver - Tony Purler, Clarion, Pa; Bronze - Yoel Garcia, Cuba,; 4th - Othmar Kuhner, Germany; 5th - Dennis Pagliniwan, Canada
63 kg/138.8 75 lbs. - Gold - Cary Kolat, Bellefonte, Pa.; Silver - Mehdi Baraati, Iran; Bronze - Carlos Ortiz, Cuba,; 4th - Jurgen Scheibe, Germany; 5th - Kerry Boumans, Colorado Springs, Colo.; 6th - Jeremy Podlog, Canada
69 kg/152 lbs. - Gold - Lincoln McIlravy, Iowa City, Iowa; Silver - Daniel Igali, Canada; Bronze - Amir Tavakolian, Iran; 4th - Yosvany Sanchez, Cuba ; 5th - Ali Akhbar Nejad, Iran; 6th - Jens Gundling, Germany
76 kg/167.5 lbs. - Gold - Alexander Leipold, Germany; Silver - Steve Marianetti, Urbana, Ill.; Bronze - Pejman Dorostkar, Iran ; 4th - Walter Torrientes, Cuba; 5th - Nick Ugoalah, Canada; 6th - George Orbi, Canada
85 kg/187.25 lbs. - Gold - Les Gutches, Corvallis, Ore.; Silver - Yoel Romero, Cuba,; Bronze Ferydon Ghanbari, Iran; 4th - Hans Gstottner, Germany; 5th - Andre Backhaus, Germany; 6th - Justin Abdou, Canada; 7th - George Orbi, Canada
97 kg/213.75 lbs. - Gold - Ali Reza Heidari, Iran; Silver - Heiko Balz, Germany; Bronze - Wilfredo Morales, Cuba; 4th - J.J. McGrew, Stillwater, Okla., 5th - Arawat Sabejew, Germany; 6th - Dean Schmeichel, Canada
130 kg/286 lbs. - Gold - Kerry McCoy, State College, Pa.; Silver - Alexis Rodriguez, Cuba; Bronze - Sven Thiele, Germany; 4th - Wayne Weathers, Canada; 5th - Ebrahim Mehraban, Iran