FOUR FORMER NCAA CHAMPIONS CLAIM GOLD MEDALS AT NEW YORK ATHLETIC CLUB FREESTYLE OPEN, APRIL 5 
  
  
 Four former NCAA wrestling champions claimed gold medals at the 1998 New York Athletic Club Freestyle Open, held April 5 in New York City. 
  
  
 The NCAA champions that claimed titles were Sheldon Thomas (Clarion, Pa./Dave Schultz WC) at 119 pounds, T.J. Jaworsky (Chapel Hill, N.C./New York AC) at 138.75 pounds, Dean Morrison (Morgantown, W.Va./New York AC) at 187.25 pounds and Rex Holman (Columbus, Ohio/Sunkist Kids) at 213.75 pounds. 
  
  
 Thomas defeated Jeff Prescott (State College, Pa./New York AC), 7-3 in the finals. Thomas was an NCAA champion for Clarion Univ., while Prescott won two NCAA titles for Penn State. 
  
  
 Jaworsky scored a 10-0 technical fall over Florian Ghinea (Montclair, N.J./New York AC) in the championship match. Jaworsky was a three-time NCAA champion for the Univ. of North Carolina, while Ghinea was a 1998 Div. III champion for Montclair State. 
  
  
 Morrison defeated high school star Damian Hahn (Lakewood, N.J./New York AC) in the finals, 4-1. Morrison grew up in nearby Copiague, N.Y., and was an NCAA champion for the Univ. of West Virginia. 
  
  
 Holman, who won his NCAA title for Ohio State, defeated Johnny Curtis (Manassas, Va./Dave Schultz WC) 5-3. 
  
  
 Other U.S. champions included Troy Sunderland (Annapolis, Md./New York AC) at 152 pounds, Tony Robie (Edinboro, Pa./New York AC) at 167.5 pounds and Justin Greenlee (Ames, Iowa/New York AC) at 286 pounds. 
  
  
 The final champion was Singo Hiria of Japan at 127.75 pounds. The New York AC Freestyle Open is a traditional event where athletes tune up for the U.S. National Championships, which will be held in Orlando, Fla., April 25-26. 
  
  
 NEW YORK ATHLETIC CLUB FREESTYLE OPEN at New York, N.Y., April 5 
  
  
 54 kg/119 lbs. - 1st - Sheldon Thomas, Clarion, Pa. (Dave Schultz WC) dec. Jeff Prescott, State College, Pa. (New York AC), 7-3; 3rd - Kanamti Solomon, New Castle, Del. (New York AC) 
   
  
 58 kg/127.75 lbs. -  1st - Singo Hirai, Japan, dec. Don Reyes, Charlottesville, Va. (Dave Schultz WC), 3-2; 3rd - Shawn Kegel (unattached) 
   
  
 63 kg/138.75 lbs. - 1st - T.J. Jaworsky, Chapel Hill, N.C. (New York AC) dec. Florian Ghinea, Montclair, N.J. (New York AC), 10-0; 3rd - Tom Storer (Navy) 
   
  
 69 kg/152 lbs. -  1st - Troy Sunderland, Annapolis, Md. (New York AC) pin Yoshi Yanagawa (Japan), 3:24; 3rd - John Weidler, Hempstead, N.Y. (Hofstra WC) 
   
  
 76 kg/167.5 lbs. - 1st - Tony Robie, Edinboro, Pa. (New York AC) dec. Ken Porter, New York, N.Y. (New York AC), 9-3; 3rd - Sean Harrington, Boston, Mass. (New York AC) 
   
  
 85 kg./187.25 lbs. -  1st - Dean Morrison, Morgantown, W.Va. (New York AC) dec. Damian Hahn, Lakewood, N.J. (New York AC), 4-1; 3rd - Phil Baroni, Hempstead, N.Y. (Hofstra WC) 
   
  
 97 kg/213.75 lbs. -  1st - Rex Holman, Columbus, Ohio (Sunkist Kids) dec. Johnny Curtis, Manassas, Va. (Dave Schultz WC), 5-3; 3rd - Jason Robison, Edinboro, Pa. (New York AC) 
   
  
 130 kg/286 lbs. -  1st - Justin Greenlee, Ames, Iowa (New York AC) dec. Angelo Borzio (New York AC), 8-2; 3rd - Tyrone Davis, Freeport, N.Y. (Freeport WC)