Young U.S. Men's Freestyle World Team to be tested in pool competition at the World Championships
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John Fuller (USA Wrestling)
09/11/2003
The U.S. men's freestyle team has waited nearly two years for the opportunity to wrestle in Madison Square Garden. The World Championships were postponed and eventually moved in 2001 due to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and the team did not compete in the 2002 World Championships in Tehran, Iran due to a credible threat against the team, but after weighing in on the two-year anniversary of the terrorist attacks, the U.S. is positive that its team will compete in the world's most famous arena. But the U.S. men's freestyle team received as tough of draws as possible for pool competition, especially Stephen Abas (Fresno, Calif./Sunkist Kids), Eric Guerrero (Stillwater, Okla./Gator WC) and Jamill Kelly (Stillwater, Okla./Gator WC), the first three wrestlers in the U.S. lineup. Abas, who recently defeated World Champion Rene Montero of Cuba at the Pan American Games, will face 2000 Olympic gold medalist and 2002 World silver medalist Namiq Abudllaev of Azerbaijan in pool competition at 55 kg/121 lbs. Also in Abas' pool is Mavlet Batirov at the European Championships this year. Guerrero will meet up with 2002 World bronze medalist Mohammad Talaei of Iran in his first pool match at 60 kg/132 lbs. Also in Guerrero's pool is veteran Michele Liuzzi of Italy. Kelly will have to exorcise old demons to advance out of his pool at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. Kelly is matched up with Serguei Rondon of Cuba, the wrestler who defeated Kelly twice at the Pan American Games in August, both times in overtime. Also competing in this pool is Ramesh Kumar of India. At 74 kg/163 lbs., 2001 World bronze medalist Joe Williams (Coralville, Iowa) is a favorite to win the gold medal, but he may have to eventually battle through the return of Olympic champions Daniel Igali of Canada and Bouvaisa Saitiev of Russia in order to win that gold medal. In pool competition, Williams will compete in a four-man pool along with Ivan Diaconu of Moldova, Jhonny Cedeno of Venezuela and Hadi Habibi of Iran. All of Williams' opponents are untested at the World level. Cedeno recently competed at the Pan American Games at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. where he was defeated 8-0 by Kelly. Cael Sanderson (Ames, Iowa/Sunkist Kids) will finally get his first taste of the World Championships after qualifying for the team in 2001 and 2002 but was unable to compete in either event. He will be tested immediately as he squares off with 2002 World bronze medalist Majid Khodaei of Iran in pool competition at 84 kg/185 lbs. Sanderson will also meet Tero Perkkio of Finland in his pool. Newcomer Daniel Cormier (Stillwater, Okla./Gator WC) will test his explosive power at 96 kg/211.5 lbs. against Hakan Koc of Turkey and 2000 Olympian Ricard Paulikonis of Lithuania in pool competition. Hometown hero and 2000 Olympian Kerry McCoy (Bethlehem, Pa./New York AC), who hails from Middle Island, N.Y., will return home to attempt to win a gold medal at 120 kg/264.5 lbs. McCoy did not initially intend to train for the 2004 Olympic Games, only to wrestle in his home state at the 2001 World Championships. By the time the tournament actually was to be competed in New York, McCoy has over halfway through another Olympic cycle. He will begin his homecoming with pool matches against Duane Van of South Africa and Davud Mahammadov of Azerbaijan. The first round of pool competition will begin on Friday, Sept. 12 at 9:00 a.m. (EST) in Madison Square Garden.