2001 Greco-Roman World Cup to be held in Levallois, France, Nov. 2-4
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Heather Van Peursem (USA Wrestling)
10/11/2001
The 19th Greco-Roman World Cup will be held in Levallois, France, Nov. 2-4, just outside of Paris. The tournament will be held in conjunction with the first annual Women's World Cup at the Marcel Cerdan Sports Center. Greco-Roman countries competing are the United States, Egypt, Russia, Turkey and France. Weigh-ins will be held on Friday, November 2 and the competition will be Saturday, November 3 and Sunday, November 4. Two members of the 2000 Greco-Roman Olympic team will be competing for the United States. Jim Gruenwald (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) and Kevin Bracken (Colorado Springs, Colo./NYAC) will compete at 58 kg and 63 kg respectively. Both Gruenwald and Bracken both placed sixth in Sydney. The U.S. will also bring two former World and Olympic team members. 1996 Olympic silver medalist Brandon Paulson (Anoka, Minn./Minnesota Storm) will compete at 54 kg. 1999 World Team Member Dremiel Byers (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army) will compete at 130 kg. Byers finished sixth in the 1999 World Championships. Five members of the World Cup team are also members of the 2001 World Team which will compete in the 2001 World Championships December 6-9 in Athens, Greece. Paulson, Gruenwald, Bracken, Marcel Cooper (Woodbridge, Va./U.S. Marine Corps) and Keith Sieracki (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army). Cooper will compete at 69 kg while Sieracki will compete at 76 kg. The last Greco-Roman World Cup was held in Colorado Springs, Colo. in November 1996. Cuba won the team title, while the United States finished third with a 2-2 record. The U.S. claimed a record five individual gold medals at that World Cup. U.S. Greco-Roman team 54kg/119 lbs. - Brandon Paulson, Golden Valley, Minn. (Minnesota Storm) 58kg/127.75 lbs. - Jim Gruenwald, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids) 63kg/138.75 lbs. - Kevin Bracken, Colorado Springs, Colo. (NYAC) 69kg/152 lbs. - Marcel Cooper, Woodbridge, Va. (U.S. Marine Corps) 76kg/167.5 lbs. - Keith Sieracki, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army) 85kg/187.25 lbs. - Ethan Bosch, Colorado Springs, Colo. (NYAC) 97kg/213.75 lbs. - Jason Loukides, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army) 130kg/286 lbs. - Dremiel Byers, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army) Coaches: Andy Seras of Sandy Hook, Conn. and Shon Lewis of Colorado Springs, Colo. 2001 World Cup of Greco-Roman Wrestling Levallois, France, Nov. 2-4 SATURDAY, NOV. 3 9 a.m. - 1p.m. GR - Mat 2 Egypt vs. Turkey Russia vs. France USA vs. Egypt 4 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. GR - Mat 2 Turkey vs. Russia Egypt vs. France USA vs. Turkey SUNDAY, NOV. 4 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. GR - Mat 2 Russia vs. Egypt France vs. USA 4 p.m. - 6 p.m. GR - Mat 2 Turkey vs. France Russia vs. USA