2003 U.S. Men's Freestyle Winter Tour gets underway on Jan. 31 with the Ivan Yarygin Memorial

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John Fuller (USA Wrestling)
01/10/2003


The 2003 U.S. Men's Freestyle Winter Tour will begin on Jan. 31 with the Ivan Yarygin Memorial in Krasnoyarsk, Russia and end with the Yasar Dogu International on March 2 in Ankara, Turkey. Club-sponsored teams will also compete at the Kiev Grand Prix in Kiev, Ukraine and the Alexander Medved International Championships in Minsk, Belarus.    The Ivan Yarygin Memorial will take place Jan. 31 through Feb. 2. At last year's event, Lee Fullhart (Chattanooga, Tenn./Gator WC) placed fifth at 84 kg/185 lbs.    This year, five U.S. Freestyle National Team members will compete at the Ivan Yarygin Memorial, including 2002 U.S. Freestyle World Team Trials runner-up Jamill Kelly (Stillwater, Okla./Gator WC) at 66 kg/145.5 lbs., 2000 Olympian Charles Burton (Lincoln, Neb./New York AC) at 84 kg/185 lbs. and Tolly Thompson (Cedar Falls, Iowa/Sunkist Kids) at 120 kg/264.5 lbs.    This team will be coached by John Peterson of Comstock, Wis. and Royce Alger of Iowa City, Iowa.    The Cerro Pelado International will be held in Matanzas, Cuba, Feb. 26-28, 2003. The U.S. did not send a team to this event last year. 2000 Olympian Sammie Henson (State College, Pa./Sunkist Kids) will compete at 55 kg/121 lbs. He will be joined on the team by U.S. Freestyle National Team members Teague Moore (Norman, Okla./Gator WC) at 55 kg/121 lbs., Bill Zadick (Iowa City, Iowa/Hawkeye WC) at 66 kg/145.5 lbs., Casey Cunningham (Mt. Pleasant, Mich./Sunkist Kids) at 74 kg/163 lbs. and Lee Fullhart at 84 kg/185 lbs. The team will be coached by Joe Seay of Norman, Okla. and Ed Giese of Wooddale, Ill.    Moore, Cunningham and Fullhart all finished second at the 2002 U.S. World Team Trials in June. Cunningham will also compete at the Titan Games in San Jose, Calif., Feb. 14-15 against top wrestlers from Cuba and Russia.    The 2003 Men's Freestyle Winter Tour will wrap up with the Yasar Dogu International in Ankara, Turkey, Feb. 28 through March 2.     Six of the seven 2002 U.S. Freestyle World Team members will compete at the Yasar Dogu International, including Stephen Abas (Fresno, Calif./Sunkist Kids) at 55 kg/121 lbs., Eric Guerrero (Stillwater, Okla./Gator WC) at 60 kg/132 lbs., Chris Bono (Gilbert, Iowa/Sunkist Kids) at 66 kg/145.5 lbs., Joe Williams (Iowa City, Iowa/Hawkeye WC) at 74 kg/163 lbs., Tim Hartung (Minneapolis, Minn./Minnesota Storm) at 96 kg/211.5 lbs. and Kerry McCoy (Bethlehem, Pa./New York AC) at 120 kg/264.5 lbs.    2001 World silver medalist Brandon Eggum (Minneapolis, Minn./Minnesota Storm) will compete at 84 kg/185 lbs. to round out the roster. The team will be coached by Kenny Monday of Garland, Texas and Lou Rosselli of Edinboro, Pa.    Last year, the U.S. placed second to Turkey with 44 points at the Yasar Dogu International. Teague Moore won a gold medal at 55 kg/121 lbs. and Joe Williams captured a bronze medal at 74 kg/163 lbs. Tim Hartung and Orville Palmer (Norman, Okla./Sunkist Kids) both placed fifth in the tournament.    Additional events on the winter tour that are club sponsored include the Kiev Grand Prix in Kiev, Ukraine, Feb. 21-22 and the Alexander Medved International Championships in Minsk, Belarus, March 29-30. Top U.S. stars that have committed to competing at these events are 2002 U.S. World Team member Cael Sanderson (Ames, Iowa/Sunkist Kids) and 2002 Sunkist Kids International Open champion and 2002 New York AC Christmas Championships champion Joe Heskett (San Luis Obispo, Calif./Sunkist Kids).    Some athletes attending the 2003 U.S. Men's Freestyle Winter Tour are financially supported by the sponsoring club team.    Ivan Yarygin Memorial  Krasnoyarsk, Russia  Jan. 31-Feb. 2, 2003  55 kg/121 lbs. - Mike Mena, Bloomington, Ind. (New York AC)  66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Jamill Kelly, Stillwater, Okla. (Gator WC)  74 kg/163 lbs. - Ramico Blackmon, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Team Excel)  84 kg/185 lbs. - Charles Burton, Lincoln, Neb. (New York AC)  96 kg/211.5 lbs. - Daniel Cormier, Stillwater, Okla. (Gator WC)  120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Tolly Thompson, Cedar Falls, Iowa (Sunkist Kids)  Coaches: John Peterson (Comstock, Wis.) and Royce Alger (Iowa City, Iowa)    Cerro Pelado International  Matanzas, Cuba  Feb. 26-28, 2003  55 kg/121 lbs. - Sammie Henson, State College, Pa. (Sunkist Kids)  55 kg/121 lbs. - Teague Moore, Norman, Okla. (Gator WC)  60 kg/132 lbs. - Jason Kutz, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army)  60 kg/132 lbs. - Michael Lightner, Norman, Okla. (Sunkist Kids)  66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Jared Frayer, Norman, Okla. (Sunkist Kids)  66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Bill Zadick, Iowa City, Iowa (Hawkeye WC)  74 kg/163 lbs. - Casey Cunningham, Mt. Pleasant, Mich. (Sunkist Kids)  84 kg/185 lbs. - Lee Fullhart, Chattanooga, Tenn. (Gator WC)  96 kg/211.5 lbs. - Dominic Black, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army)  Coaches: Joe Seay (Norman, Okla.) and Ed Giese (Wooddale, Ill.)    Yasar Dogu International  Ankara, Turkey  Feb. 28-March 2, 2003  55 kg/121 lbs. - Stephen Abas, Fresno, Calif. (Sunkist Kids)  60 kg/132 lbs. - Eric Guerrero, Stillwater, Okla. (Gator WC)  66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Chris Bono, Gilbert, Iowa (Sunkist Kids)  74 kg/163 lbs. - Joe Williams, Iowa City, Iowa (Sunkist Kids)  84 kg/185 lbs. - Brandon Eggum, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm)  96 kg/211.5 lbs. - Tim Hartung, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm)  120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Kerry McCoy, Bethlehem, Pa. (New York AC)  Coaches: Kenny Monday (Garland, Texas) and Lou Rosselli (Edinboro, Pa.)    Lineups for the Kiev Grand Prix and the Alexander Medved International Championships will be posted on TheMat.com when they become available.