U.S. Junior World Greco-Roman results through Wedneday evening; Lester still alive for medal content

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Gary Abbott (USA Wrestling)
08/27/2003


The team leader for the U.S. Junior World Team has forwarded the following results for U.S. Greco-Roman Junior World Team members, through the morning session on Wednesday, August 27.    Undefeated through three matches is Harry Lester (Cuyahoga Valley, Ohio/USOEC/Sunkist Kids) at 66 kg/145.5 lbs.     Lester scored an 8-0 win over Christian Fetzer of Germany, featuring explosive throws and turns. In his second match, leading by a 9-0 margin, Lester pinned Ismael Navarro Sanchez of Spain in just 38 seconds. These two victories allowed Lester to win his pool, and advance into the championship bracket.    In his first preliminary match in the championship bracket, Lester defeated Anaclieto Ghirotti of Italy, 9-2. Lester remains alive in the quest for a medal going into the tournament's final day, with a spot in the quarterfinals.    The only other U.S. wrestler to emerge from his pool was Jeff Courtney (Fairmont, W.V./Mountaineer WC) at 96 kg/211.5 lbs. Courtney defeated athletes from Bulgaria and Sweden to qualify for the quarterfinals, where he was defeated by Anatoly Makeev of Russia, 7-0. This means that Courtney will place in the top eight of his weight class in the final standings.    Among the other U.S. wrestlers who did not win their pool, four were able to win at least one  match: Joe Betterman (Marquette, Mich./USOEC) at 55 kg/121 lbs.; Casey Lawson (Marquette, Mich./USOEC) at 60 kg/132 lbs., Bobby Fisher (Platte County, Mo./USOEC) at 74 kg/163 lbs., and Cody Parker (Roseburg, Ore.) at 120 kg/264.5 lbs.    More results will be provided when available.    U.S. Junior Greco-Roman team results    55 kg/121 lbs. - Joe Betterman (Marquette, Mich./USOEC) - lost dec. to Tomasz Swierk (Poland), 5-0; dec. Mikhail Siamiouniou (Belarus), 9-3    60 kg/132 lbs. - Casey Lawson (Marquette, Mich./USOEC) - dec. Ibrahim Khababa (Algeria), 11-10; pin Bernardo Circottola (Italy), 1:00; lost dec. to Artak Hartyunyan (Armenia), 5-0    66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Harry Lester (Cuyahoga Valley, Ohio/USOEC/Sunkist Kids) - dec. Christian Fetzer (Germany), 8-0; pin Ismael Navarro Sanchez (Spain), 0:38; dec. Anaclieto Ghirotti (Italy), 9-2    74 kg/163 lbs. - Bobby Fisher (Platte County, Mo./USOEC) - lost pin to Jonne Jokela (Finland), 1:20; pin Adrian Anghenica (Romania), 4:43    84 kg/185 lbs. - Ryan Halsey (Oceanside, Calif./Dave Schultz WC) - lost dec. to Shin Ky Kim (Korea), 6-3; lost dec. to Jure Kuhat (Slovakia), 6-4    96 kg/211.5 lbs. - Jeff Courtney (Fairmont, W.V./Mountaineer WC) - won by ref. dec. over Dobrev Vasilev (Bulgaria), 2-2, ot, 9:00; dec. Johan Magnus Euren (Sweden), 4-2, ot; lost dec. to Anatoly Makeev (Russia), 7-0    120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Cody Parker (Roseburg, Ore.) - lost tech. fall to Sergjs Djomins (Latvia), 14-2; lost dec. to Hyelon-Hyon Lee (Korea), 7-3    Coaches: Ivan Ivanov (Marquette, Mich.), Isaac Ramaswamy (Lake Ronkonkoma, N.Y.)    Note: The official web page, which is providing live-time results from Turkey, is now functioning. Fans can follow all of the action by visiting    Official Junior Worlds results page