HOST UNITED STATES BEATS RUSSIA, 16-14, TO WIN 1998 GOODWILL GAMES TEAM GOLDThe United States defeated archrival Russia, 16-14, and claimed the team gold medal at the 1998 Goodwill Games in freestyle wrestling. The United States finished with a 3-0 record in the tournament for the team gold medal, and Russia ended with a 2-1 record for the team silver medal.
The United States came out on fire, with important wins from Sam Henson (54 kg) and Tony Purler (58 kg) in the opening two bouts. Russia adjusted its lineup, inserting alternate Leonid Chuchonov at 54 kg and moving Murad Ramazanov up from 54 kg to face Purler at 58 kg. Both grew up in the same region of Missouri, and were friends since youth wrestling.
Henson wrestled one of his best bouts of the tournament, stopping Chuchonov, 4-1. Then Purler came out and immmediately put Ramazanov on his back, scoring an exciting pin in just 27 seconds. The U.S. led 7-1 in the team score after just two bouts.
In an intense battle between talented stars, 1997 World silver medalist Cary Kolat defeated 1994 World champion Magomed Azizov, 8-3. Kolat scored a late takedown and a three point throw to put the match away. Lincoln McIlravy kept the streak alive with an impressive 5-2 win over Velikhan Alakhverdiev of Russia.
1996 Olympic champion and two-time World Champion Bouvaisa Saitiev claimed the first win for Russia, stopping Steve Marianetti by technical fall 10-0 at 76 kg.
In the featured bout of the entire tournament, 1997 World Champion Les Gutches of the United States beat 1996 Olympic champion Khadzimurad Magomedov of Russia, 4-3. Gutches broke a 3-3 tie with an exciting takedown with just 50 seconds left in the bout.
Russia won its second bout at 97 kg, as Saghuid Mourtasaliev defeated 1993 World Champion Melvin Douglas in a 1-0 refereeÕs decision. To close the meet, three-time World Cup champion Andrei Shumilin of Russia stopped Kerry McCoy, 5-0.
The United States won its second career Goodwill Games team gold medal, to go along with the 1990 Goodwill Games title in Seattle, Wash. The Soviet Union won the team title in the 1986 Goodwill Games in Moscow. There were no team medals awarded in the 1994 Goodwill Games in St. Petersburg, Russia, only individual medals.
The USA received the $20,000 check awarded to the team champions for the 1998 Goodwill Games.
GOLD MEDAL MATCH - UNITED STATES 16, RUSSIA 14
54 kg/119 lbs. - Sam Henson, Norman, Okla. dec. Leonid Chuchonov, Russia, 4-1
58 kg/127.75 lbs. - Tony Purler, Norman, Okla. pin Murad Ramazanov, Russia, 0:27
63 kg/138.75 lbs. - Cary Kolat, Lock Haven, Pa., dec. Magomed Azizov, Russia, 8-3
69 kg/152 lbs. - Lincoln McIlravy, Iowa City, Iowa dec. Velikhan Alakhverdiev, Russia, 5-2
76 kg/167.5 lbs. - Bouvaisa Saitiev, Russia, won by tech. fall over Steve Marianetti, Urbana, Ill. 10-0, 3:42
85 kg/187.25 lbs. - Les Gutches, Corvallis, Ore. dec. Khadzimurad Magomedov, Russia, 4-3
97 kg/213.75 lbs. - Saghuid Mourtasaliev, Russia, won by ref. dec. over Melvin Douglas, Mesa, Ariz., 1-0, ot, 8:00
130 kg/286 lbs. - Andrei Shumilin, Russia, dec. Kerry McCoy, State College, Pa., 5-0
TURKEY BEATS IRAN, 16-13, TO WIN TEAM BRONZE MEDAL AT GOODWILL GAMES
Turkey won four of the last five matches for a come-from-behind 16-13 win over Iran, to claim the team bronze medal at the 1998 Goodwill Games wrestling competition. Turkey finished with a 1-2 team record for third place, and Iran had an 0-3 record to place fourth.
Iran opened with victories by Behnam Taiebi at 54 kg and 1997 World Champion Mohammed Talaie at 58 kg. Talaie scored a takedown late in the overtime period to tie the match at 2-2, and earned the refereeÕs decision over Harun Dogan.
Iran continued its early dominance with a 3-1 win at 63 kg by Medhi Kaveh. However, Turkey won its first bout at 69 kg, when Adem Kaya stopped Mohsen Babaei, 9-0. Massoud Jamshidi of Iran won by injury default at 76 kg.
Turkey claimed the final three bouts to win the dual meet. Ali Ozen edged Abbas Majidi, 2-0 in overtime at 85 kg. Kasif Sakiroglu claimed an injury default win, when 1996 Olympic silver medalist Abbas Jadidi could not compete. Turkey clinched the team bronze medal in the last match, when 1998 European Champion Mehmet Aydin Polatci beat Ali Reza Rezaie, 3-0 in overtime.
TURKEY 16, IRAN 13
54 kg/119 lbs. - Behnam Taiebi, Iran dec. Melvana Kulac, Turkey, 3-1
58 kg/127.75 lbs. - Mohammed Talaie, Iran, won by ref. dec. over Harun Dogan, Turkey, 2-2, ot, 8:00
63 kg/138.75 lbs. - Medhi Kaveh, Iran dec. Gursel Uzunca, Turkey, 3-1, ot, 6:37
69 kg/152 lbs. - Adem Kaya, Turkey, dec. Mohsen Babaei, Iran, 9-0
76 kg/167.5 lbs. - Masoud Jamshidi, Iran, won by inj. dft. over Nuri Zengin, Turkey, 2:15
85 kg/187.25 lbs. - Ali Ozen, Turkey won by ref. dec. over Abbas Majidi, Iran, 2-0, ot, 8:00
97 kg/213.75 lbs. - Kasif Sakiroglu, Turkey, won by inj. dft. over Abbas Jadidi, Iran, 0:00
130 kg/286 lbs. - Mehmet Aydin Polatci, Turkey, dec. Ali Reza Rezaei, Iran, 3-0, ot, 7:59
KOLAT, MCILRAVY, GUTCHES WIN INDIVIDUAL GOLDS; USA WINS A MEDAL IN EVERY WEIGHT CLASS
The United States claimed three of the individual gold medals at the 1998 Goodwill Games, with titles from Cary Kolat at 63 kg, Lincoln McIlravy at 69 kg and Les Gutches at 85 kg.
McIlravy and Gutches had perfect 3-0 records in the competition. Kolat was one of three athletes with a 2-1 record in his weight class, but claimed the gold medal through a tiebreaking procedure.
The USA won a medal in each of the eight weight divisions. Claiming silver medals were Sam Henson at 54 kg, Steve Marianetti at 76 kg, Melvin Douglas at 97 kg and Kerry McCoy at 130 kg. Winning a bronze medal was Tony Purler at 58 kg. Iran had gold medalists in the lightest weights, with Behnam Taiebi at 54 kg and Mohammad Talaie at 58 kg. Russia also had a pair of champions, Bouvaisa Saitiev at 76 kg and Andrei Shumilin at 130 kg.
TEAM STANDINGS
Gold - United States; Silver - Russia; Bronze - Turkey; Fourth - Iran
INDIVIDUAL MEDALISTS
54 kg/119 lbs. - Gold - Behnam Taiebi, Iran; Silver - Sam Henson, United States; Bronze - Murad Ramazanov, Russia
58 kg/127.75 lbs. - Gold - Mohammed Talaie, Iran; Silver - Harun Dogan, Turkey; Bronze - Tony Purler, United States
63 kg/138.75 lbs. - Gold - Cary Kolat, United States; Silver - Medhi Kaveh, Iran; Bronze - Magomed Azizov, Russia
69 kg/152 lbs. - Gold - Lincoln McIlravy, United States; Silver - Velikhan Alakhverdiev, Russia; Bronze - Adem Kaya, Turkey
76 kg/167.5 lbs. - Gold - Bouvaisa Saitiev, Russia; Silver - Steve Marianetti, United States; Bronze - Masoud Jamshidi, Iran
85 kg/187.25 lbs. - Gold - Les Gutches, United States; Silver - Khadzimurad Magomedov, Russia; Bronze - Ali Ozen, Turkey
97 kg/213.75 lbs. - Gold - Saghuid Mourtasaliev, Russia; Silver - Melvin Douglas, United States ; Bronze - Kasif Sakiroglu, Turkey
130 kg/286 lbs. - Gold -Andrei Shumilin, Russia; Silver - Kerry McCoy, United States; Bronze - Mehmet Aydin Polatci, Turkey
For more information, contact the Goodwill Games web page at http://www.goodwillgames98.com