Bracken wins 2001 Championship Belt Series for Senior men’s Greco-Roman

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Gary Abbott (USA Wrestling)
12/28/2001


Greco-Roman World Team member Kevin Bracken (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) has won the 2001 Championship Belt Series on the Senior level for men's Greco-Roman wrestling. He claimed the Championship Belt Series on the Senior level for the first time.    The series is sponsored by USA Wrestling and honors the top point scorers among U.S. wrestlers, based upon actual success in competition during the year. The point system is based upon results from events on the regional, national and international levels and gives greater credit for success in the major competitions. The top point scorer in the series for each style receives a handsome plaque.     USA Wrestling will announce all eight 2001 Championship Belt Series winners, with one champion announced per day, from Christmas Eve through New Years Eve.    Greco-Roman champion - Kevin Bracken, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)    Bracken, who placed seventh in the Greco-Roman World Championships at 138.75 pounds, scored 418 points, defeating runner-up Jim Gruenwald (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids), who was 10th in the World Championships at 127.75 pounds, by 25 points.    Bracken was among the most active wrestlers in any style during the 2001 season. He claimed gold medals at the Pytlasinski Tournament in Poland, as well as the U.S. Nationals and the World Team Trials. He was second at the World Cup and the New York AC Tournament. Bracken was also fourth at the Acropolis in Greece, fifth at the Pan American Championships, seventh at the Takhti Cup in Iran and 10th at the Hungary Grand Prix.    Gruenwald won gold medals at the Hungary Grand Prix and the World Team Trials and silver medals at the Pan American Championships, the Sunkist International Open and the U.S. Nationals. He was third at the World Cup and the Acropolis Grand Prix in Greece.    2001 Greco-Roman Championship Belt Series Top Ten  1. Kevin Bracken, Colorado Springs, Colo., New York AC, 138.75 pounds, 418 pts.  2.  Jim Gruenwald, Colorado Springs, Colo., Sunkist Kids, 127.75 pounds, 393 pts.  3. Paul Devlin, Colorado Springs, Colo., U.S. Army, 286 pounds, 323 pts.  4. Marcel Cooper, Quantico, Va., U.S. Marines, 152 pounds, 294 pts.  5. Keith Sieracki, Colorado Springs, Colo., U.S. Army, 167.5 pounds, 277 pts.  6. Matt Lindland, Oregon City, Ore., Sunkist Kids, 187.25 pounds, 266 pts.  7. Rulon Gardner, Colorado Springs, Colo., Sunkist Kids, 286 pounds, 250 pts.  8. Ethan Bosch, Colorado Springs, Colo., New York AC, 187.25 pounds, 235 pts.  9. Nathan Piasecki, Marquette, Mich., USOEC, 119 pounds, 221 pts.  10. Darnell Lollis, Colorado Springs, Colo., New York AC, 138.75 pounds, 217 pts.    CHAMPIONSHIP BELT SERIES HISTORY  Greco-Roman  1990 - Matt Ghaffari, Chandler, Ariz., Sunkist Kids, 286 pounds  1991 - Matt Ghaffari, Chandler, Ariz., Sunkist Kids, 286 pounds  1992 - Matt Ghaffari, Chandler, Ariz., Sunkist Kids, 286 pounds  1993 - Shawn Sheldon, Albany, N.Y., New York AC, 114.5 pounds  1994 - Matt Ghaffari, Colorado Springs, Colo., Sunkist Kids, 286 pounds  1995 - Shawn Sheldon, Colorado Springs, Colo., New York AC, 114.5 pounds  1996 - Matt Ghaffari, Avon Lake, Ohio, Sunkist Kids, 286 pounds  1997 - Rulon Gardner, Mesa, Ariz., Sunkist Kids, 286 pounds  1998 - Rulon Gardner, Colorado Springs, Colo., Sunkist Kids, 286 pounds  1999 - Dremiel Byers, Colorado Springs, Colo., U.S. Army, 286 pounds  2000 - Rulon Gardner, Afton, Wyo., Sunkist Kids, 286 pounds  2001 - Kevin Bracken, Colorado Springs, Colo., New York AC, 138.75 pounds