UPDATED - U.S. athletes claim four silver medals at Clansmen International Open in Canada
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Gary Abbott (USA Wrestling)
11/09/2003
Claiming silver medals were Kirk White (Boise, Idaho/Dave Schultz WC) at 74 kg/163 lbs., Pat Popolizio (West Point, N.Y./New York AC) at 185 lbs. and Jon Trenge (Bethlehem, Pa./New York AC) at 211.5 lbs. in the men's division, and Lindsey Owens (Atherton, Calif./Menlo College) at 130 pounds in the women's division. White was beaten in the finals by 2000 Olympic champion and 1999 World Champion Daniel Igali of Canada, in a 2-2 overtime referee's decision. White defeated Russia's Inal Dzagourov in the semifinals, 3-1. Popolizio fell to Canada's Nick Ugoalah in the championship match, 7-3. His semifinal victory was over American Markus Mollica (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids), 3-2. Trenge was defeated by top Russian Taimauraz Tiguiev in the title bout by a 10-0 technical fall. Trenge reached the finals with a 6-1 semifinal win over Canada's Dean Schmeichel. Owens dropped her finals bout to Canada's Jessica Peterson, 6-1. Owens won her semifinal match over Canada's Brittany Laverdure, 7-1. Winning bronze medals were Eric Albarracin (Colorado Springs, Colo./unattached) at 55 kg/121 lbs., Yero Washington (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) at 60 kg/132 lbs. and Sean Harrington (Dracut, Mass./New York AC) at 74 kg/163 lbs. Other U.S. placewinners included fourth place winners Danny Felix (Phoenix, Ariz./Sunkist Kids) at 60 kg/132 lbs., Nick Preston (Columbus, Ohio/Sunkist Kids) at 96 kg/211.5 lbs. and Brian Keck (Cleveland, Ohio/New York AC) at 120 kg/264.5 lbs. in the men's division and Sheila Lerit (Atherton, Calif./Menlo College) at 51 kg/112 lbs. in the women's division. Taking fifth was Markus Mollica (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) at 84 kg/185 lbs. among men, and Shelly Graff (Forest Lake, Ore./Pacific Univ.) at 72 kg/158.5 lbs. in the women's tournament. Claiming sixth was Tony DeAnda (Colorado Springs, Colo./Team Excel) at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. in the men's division and Na'Tasha Umemoto (Portland, Ore./Cobra W.C.) at 55 kg/121 lbs. in the women's division. Russia dominated the men's division with five of the seven individual champions: Alexander Kontoev at 55 kg/121 lbs., Ramil Islamov at 60 kg/132 lbs., Zaur Botaev at 66 kg/145.5 lbs., Taimoraz Tiguiev at 96 kg/211.5 lbs. and Oleg Khorpiakov at 120 kg/264.5 lbs. Canadian wrestlers swept all seven gold medals in the women's division. At 72 kg/158.5 lbs., six-time World Champion Christine Nordhagen beat her top Canadian rival Ohennawa Akuffo in the finals, 7-2.