Three wrestlers claim double gold medals for the United States at the 15th Annual Maccabiah Games, in Ra'anana, IsraelLindsey Durlacher of Buffalo Grove, Ill., Scott Schatzman of St. Louis, Mo. and Alan Fried of Cleveland, Ohio each claimed a gold medal in both the freestyle and Greco-Roman competition at the quadrennial Maccabiah Games, July 20-23 in Ra'anana, Israel.
The Maccabiah Games is the world's fourth largest international sports event. The competition brings Jewish athletes from around the world to compete in 32 sports.
The athletes qualified for the Maccabiah games by winning a trial event held in Wilmington, Del., March 29-30.
Durlacher, a 1997 NCAA runner-up from the University of Illinois, claimed the 119 pound title in freestyle and then won the gold medal in Greco-Roman at 127.75 pounds.
Schatzman, a runner-up at the 1997 Pan American Games, was victorious at 138.75 pounds in both styles. Schatzman was also a 1997 University Nationals freestyle champion and attends Northwestern Univ.
Fried, a 1994 NCAA champion for Oklahoma State, won the gold medal at 152 pounds in both styles.
Michael Friedman of Philadelphia, Pa. and Jeffrey Liberman of Boston, Mass also claimed gold medals for the United States in the freestyle competition.
Friedman, an NCAA qualifier for the University of Pennsylvania, won the gold medal at 127.75 pounds.
Liberman, an assistant coach for the University of Oklahoma, claimed the gold medal at 167.5 pounds. Liberman also won a bronze medal in the Greco-Roman competition at 167.5 pounds.
The United States also had three wrestlers who won silver medals in both styles. Adam Mariano of Philadelphia, Pa., Robert Pritchett of Wilmington, Del. and Zachary Feldman of Atlanta, Ga. each won a silver medal in the freestyle and Greco-Roman competition.
Mariano, an 1991 Espoir Nationals and University Nationals champion, won the silver medal in both styles at 187.25 pounds. He is also an assistant coach at Drexel Univ.
Pritchett, who placed second at the 1996 Central Regional Olympic Trials, claimed a double silver medal at 213.75 pounds.
Feldman, a two-time NCAA qualifier at the University of Virginia, won the silver medal in both styles at 275.5 pounds.
Randy Braunfield also won a silver medal in the Greco-Roman competition at 119 pounds.
The head coach of the United States team is Neal Weiner of Buffalo Grove, Ill.
1997 World Maccabiah Games
July 20, 1997 in Ra'anana, Israel
United States Freestyle Results:
54 kg/119 lbs. - Lindsey Durlacher, Buffalo Grove, Ill., gold medal
58 kg/127.75 lbs. - Michael Friedman, Philadelphia, Pa., gold medal
63 kg/138.75 lbs. - Scott Schatzman, St. Louis, Mo., gold medal
69 kg/152 lbs. - Alan Fried, Cleveland, Ohio, gold medal
76 kg/167.5 lbs. - Jeffrey Liberman, Boston, Mass., gold medal
85 kg/187.25 lbs. - Adam Mariano, Philadelphia, Pa., silver medal
97 kg/213.75 lbs. - Robert Pritchett, Wilmington, Del., silver medal
125 kg/ 275.5 lbs. - Zachary Feldman, Atlanta, Ga., silver medal
United States Greco-Roman Results:
54 kg/119 lbs. - Randy Braunfield, silver medal
58 kg/127.75 lbs. - Lindsey Durlacher, Buffalo Grove, Ill., gold medal
63 kg/138.75 lbs. - Scott Schatzman, St. Louis, Mo., gold medal
69 kg/152 lbs. - Alan Fried, Cleveland, Ohio, gold medal
76 kg/167.5 lbs. - Jeffrey Liberman, Boston, Mass., bronze medal
85 kg/187.25 lbs. - Adam Mariano, Philadelphia, Pa., silver medal
97 kg/213.75 lbs. - Robert Pritchett, Wilmington, Del., silver medal
125 kg/ 275.5 lbs. - Zachary Feldman, Atlanta, Ga., silver medal