UKRAINE DEFEATS USA 47-13, OCT. 10 IN KIEV, UKRAINE TO CLAIM FIRST-ROUND NATIONS CUP SERIES 
 Ukraine won 14 of the 16 matches to defeat the United States, 47-13, in Kiev, Ukraine, October 10. It was the second and deciding match of the first round series between the nations in the 1998 Nations Cup of Freestyle Wrestling. 
 Ukraine also defeated the USA 35-28 in the first match between the nations, at Whitney M. Young Magnet High School in Chicago, Ill. on Sept. 25. By combining the scores of the two dual meets, Ukraine claims the series by an 82-41 margin. 
 Ukraine advances to the semifinal round, where it will face the winner of the Korea vs. Turkey series. 
 The Nations Cup, also known as the World Team Championships, is a new international wrestling tournament, featuring eight of the best freestyle wrestling nations in the world. Teams are competing in a home-and-away series to determine which nation moves on to the next round. 
 The only U.S. athlete to win in Kiev was Tom Erikson (W. Lafayette, Ind./Sunkist Kids), who won both of his matches at 286 pounds. He defeated Yuri Chobitko two times, by scores of 6-2 and 4-2. Erikson won all four of his bouts against Chobitko during the home-and-away series. 
 Erikson was fourth in the 1997 World Championships. He placed second in the U.S. Olympic Team Trials three times, and was a 1992 World Cup champion. 
 The U.S. team was coached by Greg Strobel (Bethlehem, Pa.) and National Freestyle Coach Bruce Burnett (Colorado Springs, Colo.).  
 A major turn-around occurred at 213.75 pounds, where Vadim Tasoev of Ukraine defeated Dominic Black (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army), 7-1 and 4-0. Black had defeated Tasoev twice in the dual meet in Chicago. 
 Leading the Ukraine team was Orest Skobelskiy, who scored 10-0 and 11-0 technical falls over Chris Bono (Ames, Iowa/Sunkist Kids) at 152 pounds. 
 Another top Ukrainian performer was 1995 World Champion Elbrus Tedeev, who stopped Troy Steiner (Madison, Wis./Team Excel) at 138.75 pounds, 10-2 and 5-1. Steiner had beaten Tedeev in one of the two matches in Chicago. 
 Rounding out the U.S. lineup were Sheldon Thomas (Bellefont, Pa./Dave Schultz WC) at 119 pounds, Yero Washington (Clovis, Calif./Sunkist Kids) at 127.75 pounds, Dan St. John (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) at 167.5 pounds and Jon McGovern (Philadelphia, Pa./Dave Schultz WC) at 187.25 pounds. Except for Thomas, it was the same U.S. team that competed in the dual meet in Chicago. 
 Other first round pairings of the Nations Cup featured Bulgaria vs. Iran as well as Russia vs. Japan. Results of those series are unavailable at this time. 
 UKRAINE 47, UNITED STATES 13 at Kiev, Ukraine, Oct. 10 
 119 lbs./54 kg - Olexander Zaharuk, Ukraine dec Sheldon Thomas, Bellefont, Pa., 6-1 
 127.75 lbs./58 kg - Musa Saidulbatalov, Ukraine, dec. Yero Washington, Clovis, Calif., 6-1 
 138.75 lbs./63 kg - Elbrus Tedeev, Ukraine, dec. Troy Steiner, Madison, Wis., 10-2 
 152 lbs./69 kg - Orest Skobelskiy, Ukraine won by tech. fall over Chris Bono, Ames, Iowa, 10-0 
 167.5 lbs./76 kg - Anzor Tambotov, Ukraine, dec. Dan St. John, Colorado Springs, Colo., 5-0 
 187.25 lbs./85 kg - Eldar Asanov, Ukraine, dec. Jon McGovern, Philadelphia, Pa., 3-0 
 213.75 lbs./97 kg - Vadim Tasoev, Ukraine, dec. Dominic Black, Colorado Springs, Colo., 7-1 
 286 lbs./130 kg - Tom Erikson, W. Lafayette, Ind. dec. Yuri Chobitko, Ukraine, 6-2 
 119 lbs./54 kg - Olexander Zaharuk, Ukraine dec Sheldon Thomas, Bellefont, Pa., 9-4 
 127.75 lbs./58 kg - Musa Saidulbatalov, Ukraine, won by tech. fall over Yero Washington, Clovis, Calif., 11-0 
 138.75 lbs./63 kg - Elbrus Tedeev, Ukraine, dec. Troy Steiner, Madison, Wis., 5-1 
 152 lbs./69 kg - Orest Skobelskiy, Ukraine, won by tech. fall over Chris Bono, Ames, Iowa, 11-0 
 167.5 lbs./76 kg - Gurami Melzedlidze, Ukraine, dec. Dan St. John, Colorado Springs, Colo., 4-3 
 187.25 lbs./85 kg - Eldar Asanov, Ukraine, dec. Jon McGovern, Philadelphia, Pa., 6-0 
 213.75 lbs./97 kg - Vadim Tasoev, Ukraine, dec. Dominic Black, Colorado Springs, Colo., 4-0 
 286 lbs./130 kg - Tom Erikson, W. Lafayette, Ind. dec. Yuri Chobitko, Ukraine, 4-2. 
 Ukraine defeated the United States, 35-28 in the first bout of this home-and-away series in Chicago, Ill., on Sept. 25. 
 Ukraine wins the first-round series, by the combined score of 82-41.