U.S. Men’s freestyle stars to compete against German team in a World Dual Meet in Washington, D.C. o

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John Fuller (TheMat.com)
03/27/2003


An international showcase in men's freestyle wrestling will take place on April 12 at Bender Arena on the campus of American Univ. in Washington, D.C. featuring teams from the United States and Germany. The dual will begin at 7:00 p.m. (Eastern Time).    The U.S. team will be led by 2003 U.S. National Team members Teague Moore (Norman, Okla./Gator WC) at 55 kg/121 lbs., Jamill Kelly (Stillwater, Okla./Gator WC) at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. and Tolly Thompson (Cedar Falls, Iowa/Sunkist Kids) at 120 kg/264.5 lbs.    Moore won his first U.S. Nationals title last year and placed second at the U.S. World Team Trials. Kelly placed third in the 2001 and 2002 U.S. World Team Trials. Thompson is a four-time member of the U.S. National Team. He recently won the Dave Schultz Memorial International Tournament in Colorado Springs, Colo. and was a 1998 U.S. Nationals champion.    2003 U.S. National Team members Lee Fullhart (Chattanooga, Tenn./Gator WC) and Daniel Cormier (Stillwater, Okla./Gator WC) may also compete. Fullhart is set to compete at 84 kg/185 lbs. but may be replaced by Randy Pugh (Cedar Falls, Iowa/Panther WC). Cormier  or Mark Munoz (Stillwater, Okla./Gator WC) will compete at 96 kg/211.5 lbs.    Fullhart won a Pan American Championships title in Guatemala to help the U.S. qualify his weight class for the 2003 Pan American Games. Pugh placed third at the Dave Schultz Memorial International.    Cormier won the Sunkist Kids International Open title in November but has not competed since. Munoz placed fifth in that same tournament.    Also competing for the U.S. team will be Yero Washington (New York, N.Y./Sunkist Kids) at 60 kg/132 lbs. and Joe Heskett (San Luis Obispo, Calif./Gator WC) at 74 kg/163 lbs.    Washington was a member of the 1998 U.S. National Team after placing second at the U.S. World Team Trials that year. Heskett, a 2002 NCAA champion, recently placed second at the Dave Schultz Memorial International Tournament and third at the Kiev Grand Prix in Kiev, Ukraine.    The German lineup will be announced at a later date.    The dual meet will be preceeded by an instructional clinic by 2000 Olympic gold medalist and 2001 World Champion Rulon Gardner (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids). Gardner is continuing to progress in his comeback from a snowmobiling accident last February that caused him to lose one toe due to frostbite. He became a world-wide hero after beating three-time Olympic champion Alexander Karelin in the Olympic finals. The clinic will begin at 4:00 p.m. in Bender Arena and last approximately two hours.    Also in conjunction with this event, American will host an international training camp April 7-18. The camp is open to all senior-level athletes who plan to compete at the U.S. National Championships in Las Vegas, Nev., May 7-10 and will feature many of today's top wrestling stars.    Tickets for the World Dual Meet are $12 for adults and $8 for college students. Adult prices will lower to $5 per ticket on purchases of 10 or more tickets. For tickets to this wrestling exclusive, call David White at (202) 885-3104 or American head coach Mark Cody at (202) 885-3066.    U.S. vs. Germany World Dual Meet  April 12, 2003  Washington, D.C.  U.S. Lineup  55 kg/121 lbs. - Teague Moore, Norman, Okla. (Gator WC)  60 kg/132 lbs. - Yero Washington, New York, N.Y. (Sunkist Kids)  66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Jamill Kelly, Stillwater, Okla. (Gator WC)  74 kg/163 lbs. - Joe Heskett, San Luis Obispo, Calif. (Gator WC)  84 kg/185 lbs. - Randy Pugh, Cedar Falls, Iowa (Panther WC) or  Lee Fullhart, Chattanooga, Tenn. (Gator WC)  96 kg/211.5 lbs. - Daniel Cormier, Stillwater, Okla. (Gator WC) or  Mark Munoz, Stillwater, Okla. (Gator WC)  120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Tolly Thompson, Cedar Falls, Iowa (Sunkist Kids)