NEW! Results from Round 2 for the First Group of Wrestlers

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Heather Van Peursem (USA Wrestling)
12/06/2001


  Three U.S. wrestlers advance out of their pools at the 2001 Greco-Roman World Championships Dec. 6 in Patras, Greece.         Two U.S. wrestlers have yet to have a point scored against them. 2000 Olympian Kevin Bracken (Colorado Springs, Colo./NYAC) won his pool at 63 kg by a 11-0 technical fall over Chieh Yen Shih of Chinese Taipai and a 6-0 decision over Christos Gikas of Greece. He now moves on to face Akaki Chachua of Georgia in the next round. Keith Sieracki (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army) won his pool at 76 kg. First by a 13-0 technical fall over Mal Suraj of India, then a 4-0 decision over Andrea Minguzzi of Italy. Sieracki will face Tamas Berzicza of Hungary tomorrow morning.       "Yeah, I think we're doing really well," said Steve Fraser, National Coach. "We haven't really had any really tough matches yet. I'm really happy with Bracken's performance because he wrestled a tough guy from Greece. Kevin and Keith are both wrestling really well, they haven't had any points scored against them. Tomorrow is going to be a tough day, especially with the addition of the other four guys, who have some tough matches right away."       1996 Olympic silver medalist Brandon Paulson (Golden Valley, Minn./Minnesota Storm) decisioned Dariusz Jablonski of Poland, 11-2, at 54 kg to win his pool and advance to face Rakymzhan Assembekov of Kazakstan.        Jason Loukides (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army) lost a 10-0 technical fall to Urs Burgler of Switzerland at 97 kg and will not advance out of his pool. Burgler placed in the top ten at the 2000 Olympic Games.      There were some upsets at the tournament early on. 1998 world champion and 1999 world silver medalist Ha Tae-Yeon of Korea lost a 7-4 decision to Hamou Oubrick of France at 54 kg and 1997 World Champion Seref Eroglu of Turkey lost a 4-3 decision to Levente Furedy of Hungary at 63 kg.      1999 world champion and 2000 Olympic silver medalist Lazaro Rivas of Cuba is still alive at 54 kg. He almost lost a close match against Artashes Minasyan of Armenia. They were tied 3-3 going into overtime when Minasyan was called for passivity and Rivas turned him immediately when the whistle blew for the 4-3 victory        At 63 kg, 2000 Olympic silver medalist Juan Maren of Cuba has advanced out of his pool while a couple of former world champions are still alive at 76 kg. 1997 World Champion Marko Yli-Hannuksela of Finland, 1998 World Champion Bachtiar Baiseitov of Kazakhstan and 1995 World Champion Yvon Reimer of France.    2001 Greco-Roman World Championships    Patras, Greece, Dimitrios Tofalos Arena    54 kg    Brandon Paulson, Golden Valley, Minn. (Minnesota Storm); dec. Vitalie Ceban (Moldova), 6-1; dec.  Dariusz Jablonski (Poland), 11-2    63 kg    Kevin Bracken, Colorado Springs, Colo. (NYAC); won by tech. fall over Chieh Yen Shih (Chinese Taipai), 11-0, 1:56; dec. Christos Gikas (Greece), 6-0;     76 kg    Keith Sieracki, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army); Keith Sieracki, won by tech. fall over Mal Suraj (India), 13-0, 1:19;  dec. Andrea Minguzzi (Italy), 4-0;    97 kg    Jason Loukides, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army), dnp; lost dec. to Petru Sudureak (Romania), 6-0; lost by tech. Fall to Urs Burgler (Switzerland), 10-0, 1:39