Hill defeated in quarterfinals at Yarygin Tournament in Russia
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Gary Abbott (USA Wrestling)
07/24/2001
T.J. Hill (Colorado Springs, Colo. /Lion's Den) earned a 2-1 record and was defeated in the quarterfinals at 119 pounds, the top U.S. performance at the Ivan Yarygin Tournament in Krasnoyarsk, Russia, July 20-22. Hill won his first two matches, defeating two Russian opponents to win his pool competition. In the quarterfinals, he lost a 9-0 decision to veteran Maulen Mamyrov of Kazakhstan and was eliminated from medal contention. Mamyrov, who was sixth in the 2000 Olympic Games, went on to capture fourth in the weight class. Two other U.S. wrestlers participated in the tournament, but did not advance from their pool competition: Michael Eierman (Chicago, Ill./New York AC) at 152 pounds and Aaron Simpson (Tempe, Ariz./Sunkist Kids) at 187.25 pounds. Eierman lost both of his matches, falling to Akashazbek Askarov of Russia, 6-5, and eventual silver medalist Dmitry Kirillov of Russia, by a 10-0 technical fall. Simpson split his two pool matches, defeating Kazbek Kudzaev of Russia, then losing an overtime match to Dmitry Darmokedkhin of Siberia. The U.S. team was coached by Ed Giese of WoodDale, Ill. The tournament is named for the late Russian wrestling great Ivan Yarygin who was an Olympic and World Champion, and served as President of the Russian Wrestling Federation. It is consistently one of the toughest international tournaments as Russia's best wrestlers show up to take on the world. The results of this competition may be a factor in the selection of Russian wrestlers for the World Championships of Wrestling in New York City, Sept. 26-29. Among the individual champions were 2000 Olympic champion David Musulbes of Russia at 286 pounds and 1996 Olympic champion Bouvaisa Saitiev of Russia at 167.5 pounds. IVAN YARYGIN TOURNAMENT at Krasnoyarsk, Russia, July 20-22, 2001 Medal Matches 54 kg/119 lbs. 1st - Alexander Zaharuk (Ukraine) won by ref dec. over dec. Juriy Dashinimaev (Russia), 2-2, ot, 9:00 3rd - Maxim Molonov (Russia) dec Maulen Mamyrov (Kazakhstan), 4-0 58 kg /127.75 lbs. 1st - Alexander Karnitskiy (Belarus) dec. Nimaev Nima-Shorgan (Russia), 4-1 3rd - Ramil Islamov (Russia) dec. Chermen Marzaev (Russia) , 9-1 63 kg /138.75 lbs. 1st - Soslan Tomaev (Russia) dec. Elbrus Tedeyev (Ukraine), 3-2 3rd - Zaur Bataev (Krasnoyarsk) dec. Leonid Spiridonov (Russia), 3-0, ot 69 kg /152 lbs. 1st - Irbek Farniev (Russia) dec. Dmitriy Kirillov (Russia), 4-1 3rd - Marat Efendiev (Russia) dec. Velikhan Alahverdiev (Russia), 3-2, ot 76 kg/167.5 lbs. 1st - Bouvaisa Saitiev (Russia) dec. Shamil Aliev Shamil (Russia), 3-2 3rd - Sergey Kirillov (Russia) dec. Jusup Abdusalamov (Russia), 4-2, ot 85 kg/187.25 lbs. 1st - Khadgimurat Magomedov (Russia) dec. Sagid Sagidov (Russia), 2-1, ot, 9:00 (ad. Time) 3rd - Khadgimurat Gatsalov (Russia) dec. Daniyal Habibov (Russia), 3-0 97 kg/213.75 lbs. 1st - Georgiy Gogshelidze (Russia) pin Kuramagomed Kuramagomedov (Russia), 0:21 3rd - Alexander Shemarov (Belarus) dec. Sergey Kovalevskiy (Russia), 3-0 130 kg/286 lbs. 1st - David Musulbes (Russia) won by tech. fall over Andrey Gantsov (Russia), 10-0 3rd - Nicolay Telegin (Russia) dec. Alexey Polianskiy (Krasnoyarsk), 6-1