Cuba beats International All-Stars, 28-23, and clinches team title at 2003 Titan Games
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Gary Abbott (USA Wrestling)
02/15/2003
Cuba defeated the International All-Stars, 28-23, to move their record to 2-0 and clinch the team title in wrestling at the 2003 Titan Games in San Jose, Calif., Feb. 15. Cuba, winning the last four bouts of the night, upset the United States 26-25 in its opening dual meet on Friday night. Cuba opened the match against the International All-Stars with a strong win at 55 kg/121 lbs., when 2002 World Champion Rene Montero defeated Alexander Kaminski of Belarus, 7-2. The Cuban lead increased in the next bout when Jen Ryz of Canada (competing on the Cuba team) scored a tight 6-4 win over game Natalya Ivanshko of Russia. The matchwas tied at 4-4 when Ryz The International Team benefited from a pair of walkovers, Prokopy Petrov of Russia took the 60 kg/132 pound bout because his opponent had failed the medical check with an infectious skin condition. The next weight went to Norway's Lene Aanes by injury default, when Trish Leibel of Canada could not compete due to injury in last night's loss to American Sara McMann. The next bout was a dominant win by Irbek Farniev of Russia at 66 kg/145.5. lbs., who scored numerous exposures on the way to an 11-1 first period technical fall over Garndris Garzon of Cuba. Cuba came back with a strong 6-0 victory by 1999 World Champion Yoel Romero over Semen Semenok of Belarus at 84 kg/185 lbs. in freestyle. Romero scored six takedowns in the bout and controlled the action. The International All-Stars picked up a forfeit at 120 kg/264.5 lbs. in freestyle to stretch its lead in the team race to 18-10. From that point on, Cuba took five of the final six bouts to put away the match. At 96 kg/211.25 pounds, Wilfredo Morales of Cuba scored a 5-3 win over Siarhei Borchenko of Belarus. The next bout was a forfeit win for Cuba at 120 kg/264.5 lbs. The Greco-Roman portion of the dual meet started with a major upset, as Asset Imanbaev of Kazakhstan edged past World champion and Olympic medalist Lazaro Rivas of Cuba, 3-2 in overtime. The winning points came on a two-point reversal by Imanbaev, who was trainling 2-1 at the time. Cuba swept the final three bouts, Veteran Roberto Monzo n stopped Nurlan Koizhaiganov of Kazakhstan, 3-0 at 60 kg/132 lbs. Two-time Olympic champion Filiberto Azcuy next defeated Bek Mardenov of Kazakhstan, 6-2 at 74 kg/163 lbs. The final bout of the session ended in an injury default at 120 kg/264.5 pounds. Cuba's Mijian Lopez, leading 4-0 after a pair of gut wrench turns, was awarded the match when Georgiy Tsurtsumia of Kazakhstan injured his ribs and could not continue. Prize money will be awarded to athletes on each team, based upon the final team standings. The final match of the Titan Games will feature the USA vs. the International All-Stars, with the winning team placing second in the team race behind Cuba. CUBA 28, INTERNATIONAL ALL-STARS 23 Saturday, Feb. 15; 12:00 noon Pacific Time (running team score in parenthesis) 55 kg/121 lbs. M Freestyle Rene Montero (Cuba) dec. Alexandr Kaminski (Belarus), 7-2 (3-1 Cuba) 55 kg/121 lbs. W Freestyle Jennifer Ryz (Canada) dec. Natalya Ivashko (Russia), 6-4 (6-2 Cuba) 60 kg/132 lbs. M Freestyle Prokopy Petrov (Russia) won by forfeit (6-6 tie) 63 kg/138.75 lbs. W Freestyle Lene Aanes (Norway) won by inj. dft over Trish Leibel (Canada) (10-6 International) 66 kg/145.5 lbs M Freestyle Irbek Farniev (Russia) won by tech. fall over Garndris Garzon (Cuba), 11-1, 1:40 (14-7 International) 84 kg/185 lbs. M Freestyle Yoel Romero (Cuba) dec. Semen Semenok (Belarus), 6-0 (14-10 Russia) 74 kg/163 lbs. M Freestyle Rouslan Kokaev (Russia) won by inj. dft. over Yosmany Sanchez (Cuba) (18-10 International) 96 kg/211.25 lbs. M Freestyle Wilfredo Morales (Cuba) dec. Siarhei Borchenko (Belarus), 5-3 (19-13 International) 120 kg/264.5 lbs. M Freestyle Alexis Rodriguez (Cuba) won by forfeit (19-17 International) 55 kg/121 lbs. M Greco-Roman Asset Imanbaev (Kazakhstan) dec. Lazaro Rivas (Cuba), 3-2, ot, 7:37 (22-18 International) 60 kg/132 lbs. M Greco-Roman Roberto Monzon (Cuba) dec. Nurlan Koizhaiganov (Kazakhstan), 3-0 (22-21 International) 74 kg/163 lbs. M Greco-Roman Filiberto Azcuy (Cuba) dec. Bek Mardenov (Kazakhstan), 6-2 (24-23 Cuba) 120 kg/264.5 lbs. M Greco-Roman Mijian Lopez (Cuba) won by inj. dft. over Georgiy Tsurtsumia (Kazakhstan), 2:13 (28-23 Cuba) Team records after two sessions Cuba, 2-0 USA, 0-1 International All-Stars, 0-1