2003 World Cup Wrestling Championships German team Biographies

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Janessa Pierce (USA Wrestling)
03/28/2003


55 kg/121 lbs.   Vassili Zeiher - 2003 German National Champion... DNP in 2002 World Championships (19th)... Sixth in 2002 World Cup... Second in 2002 German Nationals... Competed in 2000 Olympic Games (15th)... Ninth in 1999 World Championships... Fifth in 1999 World Military Games... Ninth in 1999 European Championships... Fourth in 1999 World Cup... Seventh in 1998 World Championships... Third in 1998 FILA Test event... Sixth in 1998 European Championships... Fifth in 1998 World Cup... Profession is soldier... Born September 18, 1971...    60 kg/132 lbs.  Daniel Wilde - 2001-02 German National Champion... Third in 2002 World Military Championships... Seventh in 2002 World Championships... Competed in 2000, 2001 and 2002 European Championships (DNP...12th...11th...12th)... Sixth in 2002 World Cup... Fifth in 2001 World Military Championships... Ninth in 1998 FILA Test event... Student in physical education... Born August 1, 1975...    66 kg/145.5 lbs.  Ergin Urun - 2003 German National Champion... Fourth in 2002 World Championships... Seventh in 2002 European Championshiops... 2002 German National champion... Eighth in 1998 FILA Test event... DNP in 1997 World Championships (19th)... Fifth in 1997 Baltic Sea Games... DNP in 1995 European Championships (12th)... DNP in 1994 World Championships (11th)... Third in 1994 Ocean State International (USA)... Third in 1994 German Grand Prix... Born April 25, 1973...     Sergej Kowalenko - Second in 2003 German Nationals... DNP in 2001 World Championships (20th)... 2001 German National champion... works as a carpenter... Born April 10, 1975...     74 kg/163 lbs.  Alexander Leipold - 2002-03 German National champion... Tenth in 2002 World Championships... Sixth in 1988 and 2002 European Championships... Third in 2002 World Cup... DNP in 2001 World Championships (19th)... Competed in 2000 Olympic Games (Had gold medal stripped for positive drug test)... Second in 1995, 1997 and 1999 World Championships... Third in 1994 and 1999 European Championships... Three-time World Cup champion (1997-99)... Third in 1998 World Championships...  1991, 1995 and 1998 European Champion... 1998 FILA test tournament champion... Second in 1997 European Championships... Fifth in 1996 Olympics... Fifth in 1996 European Championships... 1995 Medved Tournament champion (Belarus)... 1994 World Champion... Third in 1994 Ocean State International (USA)... Fourth in 1994 Medved Tournament (Belarus)... Eighth in 1993 World Championships... Second in 1993 Medved Tournament (Belarus)...  DNP at 1992 Olympics (11th)... Fourth in 1992 European Championships... Fourth in 1991 World Championships... Sixth in 1989 World Championships... 1989 Espoir World champion... Eighth in 1988 Olympics... 1988 European Espoir champion... Fifth in 1987 Junior European Championships... Second in 1986 Junior World Championships... Second in 1985 Junior European Championships... Member of AC Goldbach club... works as an industrial salesman... Height: 1.78 m/5'1"... Born: June 2, 1969    84 kg/185 lbs.   Andre Backhaus - 2002-03 German National Champion... Eighth in 2002 World Championships... Fifth in 1990, 2001-02 European Championships... Seventh in 2001 World Championships... Fifth in 2001 World Military Games... DNP in 1994 and 1999 World Championships (11th... 29th)... Fifth in 1998 and 1999 World Cup... Eighth in 1998 European Championships... Tenth in 1997 World Championships... DNP in 1997 European Championships (13th)... Second in 1997 World Cup... 1997 Baltic Games champion... 1995 Acropolis Grand Prix champion (Greece)... Fifth in 1994 Goodwill Games... 1994 Ocean State International champion (USA)... Second in 1994 German Grand Prix... Fifth in 1993 World Championships... 1993 European Champion... Fifth in 1993 Medved Tournament (Belarus)... 1990 Espoir European Champion... Fourth in 1989 Espoir World Championships... 1988 Junior World champion... Second in 1988 European Espoir Championships... member of AC Germania Markneukirchen club... works as a soldier... Height: 1.75 m/5'8"... Born March 5, 1970...    David Bichinashvili - Second in 2003 German National Championships... DNP in 2001 World Championships (23rd)... Second in 1998 and 2001 European Championships... DNP in 2000 Olympics (13th)... DNP in 1999 World Championships (15th)... 1998 Kiev Grand Prix Champion (Ukraine)... Tenth in 1997 World Championships... Third in 1997 European Championships... Second in 1995 Espoir World Championships... Fourth in 1994 Espoir European Championships... Second in 1993 Junior European Championships... Height: 178 cm... Born February 3, 1975...    96 kg  Cengiz Cakici - 2003 German National Champion... Ninth in 1998 FILA test tournament... Sixth in 1997 Baltic Sea Games... Height: 172 cm... Born June 28, 1972...    120 kg/264.5 lbs.  Sven Thiele - 2002-03 German National champion... Fourth in 1993, 1998 and 2002 European Championships... Fourth in 2002 World Cup... DNP in 1994 and 2001 World Championships (11th... 16th)... 2001 World Military Championships champion... Third in 1997, 1999, 2000 and 2001 European Championships... Seventh in 2000 Olympic Games... Sixth in 1999 World Championships... Third in 1999 World Cup... 1998 FILA test tournament champion... Ninth in 1998 World Championships... Fifth in 1998 World Cup... Seventh in 1997 World Championships...  Sixth in 1996 Olympics... Second in 1996 European Championships... Second in 1995 World Championships... Seventh in 1995 European Championships... 1995 Acropolis Grand Prix champion (Greece)... Second in 1994 Ocean State International (USA)... Ninth in 1994 European Championships... Second in 1994 German Grand Prix... Fourth in 1994-95 Medved Tournament (Belarus)... Fourth in 1989 Espoir Worlds... Seventh in 1988 European Espoirs... Second in 1987 Espoir World Championships... Fifth in 1987 Junior European Championships... Height: 1.87 m/6'1"...Works as electrician and soldier... Born May 12, 1969...    Markus Hamann - Seventh in 2002 World Championships... Fourth in 1998 Junior World Championships... Tenth in 1998 Junior World Championships...