Top stars in men’s divisions survive first day at Sunkist Kids/ASU International Open in Tempe, Ariz

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Gary Abbott (USA Wrestling)
10/24/2003


The first day of competition has ended, and the semifinalists have been determined in men's freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling at the Sunkist Kids/ASU International Open in Tempe, Ariz., Oct. 24.    2000 Olympic champion and 2001 World Champion Rulon Gardner (Cascade, Colo./Sunkist Kids) won three matches in his pool and has advanced to the gold-medal finals at 120 kg/264.5 pounds in men's Greco-Roman. He will battle Kevin Hoy (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Air Force) for the title on Saturday.    In his first major event since competing at the 2000 Olympics, 40-year-old Melvin Douglas (Mesa, Ariz./Sunkist Kids) advanced to the men's freestyle semifinals at 120 kg/264.5 pounds. Douglas will face Kellan Fluckiger (Tempe, Ariz./Sunkist Kids) in the semifinals.    The field was large and deep, full of athletes who are attempting to challenge themselves in the first major international event of the new season.    Two-time World silver medallist Karam Gaber of Egypt easily won his Greco-Roman matches at 96 kg/211.5 pounds, and will face Phillip Johnston (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Air Force) in the semifinals on Saturday morning.    Perhaps the top athlete who was unable to advance was U.S. Marine James Shillow at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. Shillow won his first match, but was injured in the victory, and had to withdraw from the competition.     College star Steven Mocco (N. Bergen, N.J./New York AC), who has taken an Olympic redshirt year from the Univ. of Iowa, won three matches handily to advance to the freestyle semifinals at 120 kg/264.5 pounds. Another college star on an Olympic redshirt year, Nick Simmons (E. Lansing, Mich./Michigan WC), from Michigan State, is a semifinalist at 55 kg/121 lbs. in freestyle.    The women competitors have all weighed in and begin their competition on Saturday morning.    MEN'S FREESTYLE SEMIFINALS    55 kg/121 lbs.  Jeremy Hunter (New York AC) vs. Nick Simmons (Michigan WC)  Leroy Vega (Minnesota Storm) vs. Tim Dernlan (Dave Schultz WC)    60 kg/132 lbs.  Yero Washington (Sunkist Kids) vs. Danny Felix (Sunkist Kids)  Michael Lightner (Dave Schultz WC) vs. Jason Kutz (U.S. Army)    66 kg/145.5 lbs.  Doug Schwab (Minnesota Storm) vs. Danny Brown (Canada)  Rob Lang (Canada/Regina) vs. Chris Bono (Sunkist Kids)    74 kg/163 lbs.  Donny Pritzlaff (Dave Schultz WC) vs. Sean Harrington (New York AC)  Zoltan Hunyady (Canada) vs. Ramico Blackmon (Team Excel)    84 kg/185 lbs.  Nick Ugoalah (Canada/Burnaby Mt.) vs. Greg Jones (Sunkist Kids)  Mo Lawal (Gator WC) vs. Lee Fullhart (Gator WC)     96 kg/211.5 lbs.  Jon Trenge (New York AC) vs. Dominic Black (U.S. Army)   Wes Hand (Hawkeye WC) vs. Ryan Tobin (Dave Schultz WC)     120 kg/264.5 lbs.  Melvin Douglas (Sunkist Kids) vs. Kellan Fluckiger (Sunkist Kids)  Eric Kirschner (Canada/Calgary) vs. Steve Mocco (New York AC)    MEN'S GRECO-ROMAN SEMIFINALS    55 kg/121 lbs.  Gold - Anthony Gibbons (U.S. Army) vs. Joe Espinoza (Gator/USOEC)  Bronze - Joseph Betterman (New York AC/USOEC) vs. Neal Rodak (U.S. Navy)    60 kg/132 lbs.  Marco Lara (Tanstaffl/USOEC) vs. Alex Pashkov (New York AC)  A.J. Lavender (Cyclone WC) vs. Joe Warren (New York AC)    66 kg/145.5 lbs.  Harry Lester (Gator WC/USOEC) vs. Mark Rial (Gator WC)   Glenn Garrison (U.S. Army) vs. Faruk Sahin (U.S. Army)    74 kg/163 lbs.  Ken Cook (Sunkist Kids) vs. Brandon McNab (New York AC)  Steve Woods (U.S. Air Force) vs. Darryl Christian (Dave Schultz WC)    84 kg/185 lbs.  Ethan Bosch (New York AC) vs. Quincey Clark (unattached)  Kenny Owens (U.S. Army) vs. James Meyer (Minnesota Storm)    96 kg/211.5 lbs.  Karam Gaber (Egypt) vs. Philip Johnston (U.S. Air Force)  R.C. Johnson (New York AC/USOEC) vs. Brandon Ruiz (Elite)    120 kg/264.5 lbs.  Gold - Rulon Gardner (Sunkist Kids) vs. Kevin Hoy (U.S. Air Force)  Bronze - Steve Goss (Michigan WC) vs. Khoren Papoyan (Golden Boys)