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Seven Wrestlers Repeat as Champions at 18th Sunkist Kids/ASU International Open

10/21/2002
John Fuller/TheMat.com

U.S. wrestlers captured 19 of 21 gold medals this weekend at the 18th Annual Sunkist Kids/ASU International Open held in Phoenix, Ariz. Oct. 17-19. Seven of those champions won titles in 2001 as well.

In men’s freestyle competition, Stephen Abas (Fresno, Calif./Sunkist Kids), Daniel Cormier (Stillwater, Okla./Gator WC) and Tolly Thompson (Waterloo, Iowa/Sunkist Kids) all repeated as champions.

Abas recorded a first-period pin over Jeff Prescott (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) at 55 kg/121 lbs. Abas appeared to have pinned Prescott at least two previous times in the match while dominating from par terre before earning the fall at 2:36.

Abas, who was named the most outstanding men’s freestyle wrestler, was dominant throughout the tournament, recording four technical falls before his finals win. He did not allow a point to be scored on him throughout the tournament.

Cormier, wrestling at 97 kg/211.5 lbs., captured his title by scoring the final four points in a 4-3 win over Dean Morrison (Ithaca, N.Y./New York AC). Cormier trailed 3-0 early in the match, but dominated in the second period in earning the win. Cormier had reached the championship match by defeating 2002 U.S. Freestyle World Team member Tim Hartung (Minneapolis, Minn./Minnesota Storm) in the semifinals.

Thompson was also dominant in his 5-1 win over Brian Keck (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) at 120 kg/264.5 lbs. Thompson was able to use his quickness to score three takedowns in the match.

Adam Tirapelle (Champaign, Ill./Dave Schultz WC) defeated 2001 champion Eric Larkin (Tempe, Ariz./Sunkist Kids) 7-2 at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. Tirapelle took a quick 5-0 lead in the match, and after sustaining numerous late attacks by Larkin, finished the match by scoring two takedowns.

Also capturing men’s freestyle titles were Michael Lightner (Norman, Okla./Sunkist Kids) at 60 kg/132 lbs., Joe Heskett (San Luis Obispo, Calif./Sunkist Kids) at 74 kg/163 lbs. and Aaron Simpson (Tempe, Ariz./Sunkist Kids) at 84 kg/185 lbs.

In Greco-Roman action, the U.S. once again swept all gold medals and three wrestlers, Michel Santos (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army), Dennis Hall (Plover, Wis./Sunkist Kids) and Ross Thatcher (State College, Pa./New York AC) all repeated as champions.

Santos was uncontested in his finals match after posting an 11-0 technical fall win over Grant Nakamura (Ames, Iowa/Sunkist Kids) at 55 kg/121 lbs. only 40 seconds into the match. Santos defeated 2002 U.S. World Team Trials runner-up Lindsay Durlacher (Colorado Springs, Colo./Wildcat WC) in pool competition to earn a trip to the finals.

Hall, a 1996 Olympic silver medalist, defeated Mervin Ford (Marquette, Mich./Gator WC) 11-0 at 60 kg/132 lbs. Hall surrendered only one point through out the tournament.

Thatcher held on for a close 4-1 win over R.C. Johnson (Marquette, Mich./Minnesota Storm) at 96 kg/211.5 lbs.

Darnell Lollis (Marquette, Mich./New York AC) was denied his second consecutive Sunkist title after losing 4-0 in overtime to Keith Wilson (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army) at 66 kg/145.5 lbs.

Brandon McNam (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) was named the Greco-Roman Most Outstanding Wrestler after a 3-1 win over Alejandro Baez of Mexico at 74 kg/163 lbs. McNab only surrendered three points throughout the tournament.

Also winning Greco-Roman titles were 2000 Olympian Quincey Clark (Davis, Calif./Minnesota Storm) at 84 kg/185 lbs. and Matt Lamb (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC), who won the only pool at 120 kg/264.5 lbs. to capture his title.

Ford, Johnson and Lollis all train at the United States Olympic Education Center (USOEC) in Marquette, Mich.

2002 U.S. Women’s World Team member Tocarra Montgomery (Cleveland, Ohio/Sunkist Kids) also repeated as champion, winning the 72 kg/158.5 lbs. match against Iris Smith, 4-1. The match was a rematch of the 2002 U.S. Women’s World Team Trials where Montgomery defeated Smith for a spot on this year’s Women’s World Team.

Two foreign athletes captured women’s titles - Carol Huynh of Canada at 48 kg/105.5 lbs. and Sara Eriksson of Sweden at 63 kg/138.5 lbs.

Huynh, who will compete against Patricia Miranda (Colorado Springs, Colo./Dave Schultz WC) at the Kurt Angle Classic on Nov. 9, defeated Ida Hellstroem of Sweden 7-0 in the finals match.

Huynh was named the tournament’s most outstanding women’s wrestler as well as the most outstanding foreign wrestler. She was a silver medalist at the 2001 World Championships and a bronze medalist at the 2000 World Championships.

Eriksson defeated Lotta Anderson of Sweden 3-0 in her championship match, claiming the only gold medal for Sweden, which had three finalists as a country.

Also capturing women’s individual titles were Jenny Wong (Stillwater, Minn./Sunkist Kids) at 51 kg/112 lbs., Tela O’Donnell (Homer, Alaska/Pacific) at 55 kg/121 lbs., Tonya Evinger (Bates City, Mo./Stars and Stripes) at 59 kg/130 lbs. and Katie Downing (Pendleton, Ind./Minnesota Storm) at 67 kg/147.5 lbs.

Downing won her title through pool competition.

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2002 Women’s World Championships Preview at 72 kg /158.5 lbs.

10/22/2002
Gary Abbott/USA Wrestling

The world’s biggest women wrestlers are going to be a bit smaller this year, as FILA lowered the highest weight division from 75 kg to 72 kg. In reality, the new weight limit of 158.5 pounds is not really huge for today’s women. These athletes will be big and strong, but should also be quick and in outstanding condition.

The reigning World Champion is Edyta Witkowska of Poland, who defeated Ma Bailing of China in the gold medal match. Witkowska has improved each recent season, placing second at the 2000 World Championships and fifth at the 1999 World Championships.

Three-time World Champion Kyoko Hamaguchi of Japan is coming off two disappointing seasons for her, placing fourth at the 2001 World Championships and third at the 2000 World Championships. Her victory at the 2002 Asian Games will give her confidence going into this year’s event to return to the top of the podium.

Toccara Montgomery of the United States was the FILA International Woman Wrestler of the Year last season after winning a World silver medal at 149.75 pounds. Montgomery moved up in weight to participate at an Olympic weight class, and has looked very capable at the new division. There is a history of athletes moving up to heavyweight and winning. Canada’s Christine Nordhagen-Vierling moved up for two seasons and was the 2000 World Champion, and it was Nordhagen-Vierling that beat Montgomery last year at the 68 kg finals.

Nina Englisch of Germany was the 2001 World bronze medalist, and pinned Hamaguchi in the third-place match. Englisch was a strong second at the 2002 European Championships and should be expected to challenge for the medals.

Russia has developed a new talent at this division, 2002 European Champion Svetlana Martinenko. She was second to Hamaguchi at the 2001 World Cup, and beat Englisch in the European finals.

South Korea has a solid medal hopeful in Kang Min-jung, who won the 2002 Asian Games silver medal and was sixth at the 2001 World Championships. The bronze medalist at the Asian Games was Yana Panova of Kyrgyzstan, who was sixth in the 1999 World Championships.

Canada will be represented by 2002 World University champion Pam Wilson, who scored a minor upset by defeating 2002 Pan American Champion Ohenewa Akuffo for the spot on the Canadian team. Akuffo was 10th at last year’s World meet, and Wilson looks to move up higher than that in this year’s field. Wilson was third at the 2001 Junior World Championships, which shows she does well at major events.

Yasmily Ramos of Venezuela was a 2002 Pan American silver medalist and placed eighth in the 2001 World Championships. Ukraine should be well represented, either by 2002 European bronze medalist Svetlana Sayenko, or Tetyan Kmarnitska, who was seventh in the 2001 World Championships. Katerina Halova of the Czech Republic was fourth at the 2000 World Championships and could be another athlete with

Xueyan Jiang of China was third in the 2001 World Cup, a solid alternative if World silver medalist Ma Bailing does not enter. The 2002 African champion is Riabi Saida of Tunisia, who hopes to make a name for herself at the World level.

Other athletes to watch include Heidi Martti of Finland, Maider Unda of Spain, Katarzyna Juszcza of Italy, Elvira Barriga of Austria, May Bente Eriksson of Norway and Inga Cecilia Alenius of Sweden.

The big test this year will be for Poland’s Witkowska, who will find out just how difficult it can be to defend a World title. She should expect a strong challenge from past champion Hamaguchi of Japan, hard-charging Englisch of Germany and talented young American Montgomery. China’s Bailing could also be part of this mix. This weight class has talent and experience, and it will be difficult for a new athlete to break in, but that could be Russia’s Martinenko or Korea’s Kang. With this kind of firepower, this weight division should be very exciting again this season.

2001 World Championships results
75 kg/165.25 - Gold - Edyta Witkowska (Poland) dec. Ma Bailing (China), 6-0; Bronze - Nina Englisch (Germany) pin Kyoko Hamaguchi (Japan); 5th - Jenna Pavlik (USA); 6th - Kang Min-Jeong (Korea); 7th - Tetyana Komarnitska (Ukraine); 8th - Damos Yasmili (Venezuela); 9th - Zumrud Kurbangadzieva (Russia); 10th - Akuffo Ohenewa (Canada)

2000 World Championships results
75 kg/165.25 lbs. - Gold - Christine Nordhagen-Vierling (Canada); Silver - Edyta Witkowska (Poland); Bronze - Kyoko Hamaguchi (Japan); 4th - Katerina Halova (Czech Rep.); 5th - Nina Englich (Germany); 6th - Sumrud Kurbangadshieva (Russia); 7th - Iris Smith (USA); 8th -Heidi Hannele Martti (Finland); 9th - Elisaveta Toleva (Bulgaria); 10th - Jo-Mei Wang (Taipei)

1999 World Championships results
75 kg/165.25 lbs. - 1st - Kyoko Hamaguchi (Japan) pin Kristie Marano (USA), 5:18; 3rd - Christine Nordhagen (Canada) pin Elvira Barriga (Austria), 0:17; 5th - Edyta Witkowska (Poland); 6th - Yana Panova (Kyrgyzstan); 7th - Heidi Martti (Finland); 8th - May Bente Eriksson (Norway); 9th (tie) - Tatijana Komarnitzkaja (Ukraine) and Jelena Jirnova (Russia)

Each day this week, TheMat.com will preview a weight class at the 2002 Women’s World Championships, set for Halkida, Greece, Nov. 2-3. Please visit TheMat.com each day for a new preview of the championships. To discuss the World Championships with other fans, please visit the International Board or the Women’s Wrestling Board on TheMat.com Message Boards.