U.S. Finishes Third at Greco-Roman World Cup in Cairo, Egypt

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Gary Abbott (USA Wrestling)
10/21/2002


The 2002 U.S. Greco-Roman World Cup Team placed third for the second year in-a-row at the 2002 Greco-Roman World Cup held in Cair, Egypt, Oct. 19-20.    The U.S. team got off to a strong start by winning their first two duals over China, 24-2, and Tunisia, 26-4, but lost to eventual champion Turkey, 21-4, and second-place Egypt, 18-8, to finish with a 2-2 record.    Against China, pins were scored by Jim Gruenwald (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) at 132 pounds and Ethan Bosch (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) at 211.5 pounds. Darryl Christian (Colorado Springs, Colo./Dave Schultz WC) added a technical fall.    Against Tunisia, Corey Farkas (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Air Force) scored the U.S. fall at 264.5 pounds. Four U.S. wrestlers had technical fall victories: Gruenwald, Christian, Bosch and Brad Vering (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) at 185 pounds.    In the loss to Turkey, Gruenwald was the only American to record a victory, defeating Bsayamin Smik 10-2. Vering lost a close 3-2 match to 2001 World Cup champion Nazmi Avluca.    Against Egypt, Gruenwald again recorded a win with a 4-2 decision over Ashraf Miligy and Christian defeated Abdo Elbarbary 3-2 for the only other win for the U.S. team.    The top individual performer for the United States was Jim Gruenwald of the Sunkist Kids, who claimed a gold medal at 132 pounds. Gruenwald finished the event with a 4-0 record, including a pin, technical fall and two decisions.    Two U.S. wrestlers won silver medals, Marcel Cooper of the U.S. Marines at 145.5 pounds and Darryl Christian of the Dave Schultz WC at 163 pounds. Christian had a 3-1 record in the meet, losing only to champion Mahmut Altay of Turkey, 6-0. Cooper had a 2-2 record in the tournament, and claimed the silver medal based on the team points he scored.    Bronze medalists for the USA were Neal Rodak of the U.S. Navy at 121 pounds, Brad Vering of the Sunkist Kids at 185 pounds, Ethan Bosch of the New York AC at 211.25 pounds and Corey Farkas of the U.S. Air Force at 264.5 pounds.    Two members of the 2002 U.S. World Team are competed in the World Cup: Gruenwald, who placed eighth in the world and Vering, who placed fifth in the world. Cooper was a member of the 2001 U.S. World Team.    Countries that competed in the Greco-Roman World Cup were the United States, Egypt, China, Turkey and Tunisia.     For the second year in a row, this event was held in conjunction with the Women's World Cup. The United States did not enter a team in the Women's World Cup this year. Countries competing in the Women's World Cup were Canada, China, Egypt, Japan, Russia, Tunisia and Ukraine.    2002 Greco-Roman World Cup U.S. Results  Cairo, Egypt  Oct. 18-20  USA 24, CHINA 2  55 kg/121 lbs. - Neal Rodak (USA) dec. Cao Pei (China), 5-1  60 kg/132 lbs. - Jim Gruenwald (USA) pin Chen Jiancheng (China), 4:38  66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Marcel Cooper (USA) dec. He Le (China), 5-0  74 kg/163 lbs. - Darryl Christian (USA) won by tech. fall over Wang Gang (China), 10-0  84 kg/185 lbs. - Brad Vering (USA) dec. Wu Yong (China), 14-6  96 kg/211.5 lbs. - Ethan Bosch (USA) pin Han Dezhi (China), 1:46  120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Corey Farkas (USA) dec. Zhao Haiqing (China), 3-0    USA 26, TUNISIA 4  55 kg/121 lbs. - Neal Rodak (USA)dec. Ziad Alkafy (Tunisia), 4-2  60 kg/132 lbs. - Jim Gruenwald (USA) won by tech. fall over Medhi Eglasy (Tunisia), 11-0  66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Marcel Cooper (USA) dec. Mohamed Bergaoui (Tunisia), 11-2  74 kg/163 lbs. - Darryl Christian (USA) won by tech. fall over Holem Magry (Tunisia), 12-1  84 kg/185 lbs. - Brad Vering (USA) won by tech. fall over Maruane Magri (Tunisia), 13-0, 1:33  96 kg/211.5 lbs. - Ethan Bosch (USA) won by tech. fall over Hamza Jakobi (Tunisia), 12-1, 3:47   120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Corey Farkas (USA) pin Walid Bugami (Tunisia), 2:31    TURKEY 21, USA 4  55 kg/121 lbs. - Ercan Yildiz (Turkey) won by tech. fall over Neal Rodak (USA), 4-0  60 kg/132 lbs. - Jim Gruenwald (USA) dec. Bsayamin Smik (Turkey), 10-2  66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Selcuk Cebi (Turkey) dec. Marcel Cooper (USA), 6-0  74 kg/163 lbs. - Mahmut Aliay (Turkey) dec. Darryl Christian (USA), 6-0  84 kg/185 lbs. - Nazmi Avluca (Turkey) dec. Brad Vering (USA), 3-2  96 kg/211.5 lbs. - Hamza Yerlikaya (Turkey) won by tech. fall over Ethan Bosch (USA), 11-0  120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Yewton Yilmoz (Turkey) dec. Corey Farkas (USA), 3-0    EGYPT 18, USA 8  55 kg/121 lbs. - Mohamed Abouelela (Egypt) won by tech. fall over Neal Rodak (USA), 12-0  60 kg/132 lbs. - Jim Gruenwald (USA) dec. Ashraf Miligy (Egypt), 4-2  66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Ahmed Abdelalim (Egypt) dec. Marcel Cooper (USA), 7-5  74 kg/163 lbs. - Darryl Christian (USA) dec. Abdo Elbarbary (Egypt), 3-2  84 kg/185 lbs. - Mohamed Ibrahim Abdel Fattah (Egypt) dec. Brad Vering (USA), 3-0  96 kg/211.5 lbs. - Karam Gaber (Egypt) dec. Ethan Bosch (USA), 11-6  120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Mohamed El Sayed (Egypt) dec. Corey Farkas (USA), 3-0    Click Here For Complete Results