Former World & Olympic Champions and Medalist advance after first day of fourth annual Dave Schultz

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Heather Van Peursem (USA Wrestling)
02/09/2002


 The first day of the 2002 Dave Schultz Memorial International Wrestling tournament is completed with no major upsets in Colorado Springs, Colo., Saturday, February 9.   The tournament features top wrestlers in men's freestyle, mens' Greco-Roman and women's freestyle on the Senior levels.   The men's freestyle tournament is completed with semifinals to start Sunday morning. Three former World or Olympic medallists have advanced through to Sunday morning.    2001 World Silver Medallist Brandon Eggum (Minneapolis, Minn./Minnesota Storm) advanced at 84 kg. He will face Sazhidov Sazhid of Russia in the semifinals.    2000 Olympic champion Daniel Igali of Canada advanced at 74 kg where he will face Ramico Blackmon (Colorado Springs, Colo./Team Excel) in the semifinals.    2001 World Champion Herman Kontoev of Belarus will face T.J. Hill (Colorado Springs, Colo./Lions Den) at 55 kg in the semifinals.   In Greco-Roman competition, 2000 Olympians Jim Gruenwald (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) and Heath Sims (Huntington Beach, Calif./Dave Schultz WC) scored wins to advance to the semifinals at their weight classes. Gruenwald will face Duaine Martin (Quantico, Va./U.S. Marine Corps) at 60 kg and Sims will face T.C. Dantzler (Colorado Springs, Colo./NYAC) at 74 kg.    2001 World Team member Keith Sieracki (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army) also advanced at 74 kg. He will face Thomas Ciezki of the U.S. in the semifinals Sunday morning.   2001 World Silver Medallist and 2001 FILA International Wrestler of the Year Toccara Montgomery of the United States  advanced at 67 kg in women's freestyle competition with three pins. First over Ashley Sword of the U.S. in 0:46, then Samantha Johnson of Canada in 0:51 and Stanko Zlateva of Bulgaria in 1:48.   2001 World Silver Medallist Stephanie Murata advanced at 51 kg with two technical falls and one pin.    Competition will begin Sunday morning at 9:00 a.m. at Sports Center 1 at the U.S. Olympic Complex.