HENSON QUALIFIES FOR GOLD-MEDAL FINALS AT FREESTYLE WORLD WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIPS IN TEHRAN, IRAN, SEPT. 9 
  
 Sam Henson (Cedar Falls, Iowa/Sunkist Kids) qualified for the gold-medal finals at 119 pounds at the 1998 World Freestyle Wrestling Championships in Tehran, Iran, Wednesday, Sept. 9.  
  
 In the semifinals, Henson defeated Tchechenool Mongush of Russia, 5-4. Mongush was fourth in the 1996 Olympic Games.  
  
 Henson will face 1996 Olympic silver medalist Namik Abdullayev of Azerbaijan in the gold-medal finals. Henson is competing in his first World Championships.  
  
 Henson, 27, was the 1998 U.S. Nationals champion, and won two NCAA titles for Clemson Univ. He placed second in the 1998 World Cup and the 1998 Goodwill Games. He is originally from St. Peters, Mo.  
  
 McCOY QUALIFIES FOR SEMIFINALS AT SUPER HEAVYWEIGHT  
  
 Competing for the first day, Kerry McCoy (State College, Pa./New York AC) opened with a pair of victories against outstanding opponents at 286 pounds. In the first round, he defeated 1995 World silver medalist Sven Thiele of Germany in a 2-0 overtime referee¹s decision.   
  
 In the second round, he stopped four-time World Cup champion Andrei Shumilin of Russia, in a 1-1 overtime referee¹s decision. McCoy scored the takedown to tie the bout with just five seconds left in the overtime period. It was a rematch of their bout in the 1998 Goodwill Games finals, won by Shumilin, 5-0.   
  
 In the semifinals, McCoy will battle 1997 World silver medalist Alexis Rodriguez of Cuba. McCoy defeated Rodriguez in an international event in Cuba in February. 
  
 McCoy, 23, was a two-time NCAA champion for Penn State Univ. He was a Junior World Champion in 1992, and has also won a silver medal at the 1998 Goodwill Games. He is originally from Middle Island, N.Y.  
  
 DOUGLAS DEFEATED IN SEMIFINALS; STILL IN HUNT FOR BRONZE  
  
 1993 World Champion Melvin Douglas (Mesa, Ariz./Sunkist Kids) was defeated in the semifinals by 1996 Olympic silver medalist Abbas Jadidi of Iran at 213.75 pounds, 3-0.   
  
 It was their third meeting in 1998, with Jadidi winning an overtime bout at the Takhti Cup in Iran in February, and Douglas winning at the Goodwill Games in New York City in July.   
  
 Douglas is guaranteed at least sixth place in the tournament. He must beat Vadim Tasoev of Ukraine on Thursday morning to qualify for the bronze-medal match.   
  
 Douglas has won four career World medals and was seventh in the 1996 Olympic Games. He was a silver medalist at the 1998 Goodwill Games. Douglas, 34, won two NCAA titles for the Univ. of Oklahoma and is originally from Topeka, Kan.  
  
 KOLAT REMAINS ALIVE IN HUNT FOR BRONZE  
  
 1997 World silver medalist Cary Kolat (Lock Haven, Pa./Dave Schultz WC) remained alive in his hunt for a bronze medal at 138.75 pounds. He won two consolation bouts, beating Bevik Dengelboiev of Kyrgyzstan, 4-3 and then stopping TS Tsogtbayer of Mongolia, 4-3. He will face Lucjan Gralak of Poland on Thursday.  
  
 Kolat won titles at the 1998 Goodwill Games and the 1998 World Cup. Kolat, 25, a two-time NCAA champion for Lock Haven Univ, is originally from Rices Landing, Pa.  
  
 MARIANETTI ELIMINATED WITH LOSS   
  
 Steve Marianetti (Urbana, Ill./New York AC) lost in the consolation rounds Wednesday at 167.5 pounds, and eliminated from the tournament. He dropped a 3-0 match to Pejman Dorostkar of Iran.    
  
 Marianetti, 26, a 1998 U.S. Nationals champion, was also an NCAA champion for the Univ. of Illinois. He is originally from Glenbrook, Ill.  
  
 GUTCHES, McILRAVY, PURLER IN CONSOLATION ROUNDS   
  
 1997 World Champion Les Gutches (Corvallis, Ore./Sunkist Kids) won his first match at 187.25 pounds with an impressive 10-0 technical fall over Gabriel Szerda of Australia. In the second round, he was beaten by 1996 Olympic Champion Khajimurad Magomedov of Russia, in a 1-0 overtime referee¹s decision. It was their third career meeting, with Gutches winning the first two times.  
  
 Gutches won his first consolation bout, with a 1-1 overtime referee¹s decision over Tasuo Kawai of Japan. He will face Sergei Borchankov of Belarus in the consolations on Thursday.   
  
 Gutches claimed a gold medal at the 1998 Goodwill Games. He was seventh at the 1996 Olympic Games. He has won the U.S. Nationals three straight years, and was third in the 1998 World Cup. Gutches, 25, was a two-time NCAA champion for Oregon State Univ., and hails from Medford, Ore.  
  
 1998 Goodwill Games champion Lincoln McIlravy (Iowa City, Iowa/Gateway) opened with a 3-2 loss at 152 pounds to three-time World Champion Araik Gevorgeyan of Armenia. It was McIlravy¹s first defeat of the 1998 season. He battled back with a pair of wins, stopping Fatih Ozbas of Germany, 7-0 and Ahmad Alosta of Syria, 5-3.   
  
 McIlravy, the 1998 World Cup champion, has also won two straight U.S. Nationals titles. McIlravy, 23, was a three-time NCAA champion for the Univ. of Iowa, and hails from Philip, S.D.   
  
 Tony Purler (Clarion, Pa./Sunkist Kids) was beaten in the first round by 1997 World silver medalist Ramil Islamov of Uzbekistan, 14-2 at 127.75 pounds. He rebounded with a 14-13 win over Elman Askerov of Azerbai 
 jan in the consolation bracket.   
  
 Purler placed third at the 1998 Goodwill Games. Purler, 28, was an NCAA champion for the Univ. of Nebraska. He placed 10th in the 1997 World Championships. He is originally from Wentzville, Mo.   
  
 The head coach of the U.S. team is John Smith (Stillwater, Okla.) and the assistant coach is Donnie McPherson (Portland, Ore.). USA Wrestling National Freestyle Coach Bruce Burnett (Colorado Springs, Colo.) also leads the U.S. team.  
  
 1998 WORLD FREESTYLE WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIPS at Tehran, Iran, Sept. 9  
  
 U.S. athletes, Group 1 results  
  
 54 kg/119 lbs. - Sam Henson, Cedar Falls, Iowa (Sunkist) - dec. Tchetchenool Mongush (Russia), 5-4   
  
 63 kg/138.75 lbs. - Cary Kolat, Lock Haven, Pa. (Dave Schultz WC) - dec. Bevik Dengelboiev (Kyrgyzstan), 4-3; dec. TS Tsogtbayer (Mongolia), 4-3   
  
 76 kg/167.5 lbs. - Steve Marianetti, Urbana, Ill. (New York AC) - lost dec. to Pejman Dorostkar (Iran), 3-0   
  
 97 kg/213.75 lbs. - Melvin Douglas, Mesa, Ariz. (Sunkist Kids) - lost dec. to Abbas Jadidi (Iran), 3-0  
  
 U.S. athletes, Group 2 results   
  
 58 kg/127.75 lbs. - Tony Purler, Clarion, Pa. (Sunkist Kids) - lost by tech. fall to Ramil Islamov (Uzbekistan), 14-2; dec. Elman Askerov (Azerbaijan), 14-13  
  
 69 kg/152 lbs. - Lincoln McIlravy, Iowa City, Iowa (Gateway) - lost dec. to Araik Gevorgeyan (Armenia), 3-2; dec. Fatih Ozbas (Germany), 7-0; dec. Ahmad Alosta (Syria), 5-3   
  
 85 kg/187.25 lbs. - Les Gutches, Corvallis, Ore. (Sunkist Kids) - won by tech. fall over Gabriel Szerda (Australia), 10-0; lost by ref. dec. to Khajimurad Magomedov (Russia), 1-0, ot, 8:00; won by ref. dec. over Tatsuo Kawai (Japan), 1-1, ot, 8:00   
  
 130 kg/286 lbs. - Kerry McCoy, State College, Pa. (New York AC) - won by ref. dec. over Sven Thiele (Germany), 2-0, ot, 8:00; won by ref. dec. over Andrei Shumilin (Russia), 1-1, ot, 8:00  
  
 Gold medal finals matchups for Thursday, Sept. 10   
  
 54 kg/119 lbs. - Sam Henson (United States) vs. Namik Abdullayev (Azerbaijan)   
  
 63 kg/138.75 lbs. - Abbas Haji Kenari (Iran) vs. Serafim Barzakov (Bulgaria)   
  
 76 kg/167.5 lbs. - Bouvaisa Saitiev (Russia) vs. Moon Eui Jae (Korea)   
  
 97 kg/213.75 lbs. - Abbas Jadidi (Iran) vs. Marek Garmulewicz (Poland) 
  
 For more information, visit the USA Wrestling website at http://www.usawrestling.org and the 1998 World Championships website at http://www.iriwrestling.kanoon.net/