U.S. crowns five champions en
route to winning women's freestyle title at Cadet Pan American Championships
USA Wrestling
07/13/2008
SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador - The United States won the team title in women's
freestyle Sunday at the Cadet Pan American Championships.
The American squad finished with five gold medals, one silver and one bronze.
Winning titles for the U.S. were Emily Webster, Erin Golston, Sam Lopez, Jenna
Burkert and Jennifer Spitza.
CADET PAN AMERICAN CHAMPIONSHIPS
SAN SALVADOR, EL SALVADOR
38 kg - Kaci Fulinwider – 2nd
LOSS Jenifer Juarez (El Salvador), by fall
40 kg - Emily Webster - 1st
WIN Darby Huckle (Canada), by fall
WIN Francelys Solano (Venezuela), by fall
43 kg - Erin Golston – 1st
WIN Ramona Balfourt (Canada), 8-4, 4-3
WIN Yoselyn Patino (Venezuela), by fall
46 kg - Brianna Sparks – dnp
LOSS Violeta Arevalo (El Salvador), by fall
49 kg - Sam Lopez - 1st
WIN Cristina Corea (El Salvador), 6-2, 4-1
WIN Kelsie Boszak (Canada), by fall
WIN Yahosca Rocha (Nicaragua), by fall
LOSS Yasmin Martinez, 1-1, 2-4, 0-2
52 kg - Jenna Burkert - 1st
WIN Karina Villeda (El Salvador), by fall
WIN Samira Guerrero (Venezuela), by fall
56 kg - Katarina Perez – dnp
LOSS Sonia Berrios (PUR), by fall
60 kg - Ashley Mathews - dnp
LOSS Jhonnelis Amaya (Venezuela), 0-1, 4-2, 0-1
65 kg - Jennifer Spitza - 1st
WIN Julia Sorto (El Salvador), by fall
WIN Aracelly Martinez (Nicaragua), by fall
70 kg - Anneliese DeAragon - 3rd
WIN Ana Judith Alarcon (El Salvador), by fall
LOSS Dayanara Rivera (PUR), by fall
LOSS Jermie Herrington (Canada), by fall
LOSS Grecia Salazar (Venezuela), by fall
Daily update from University Worlds by
women's head coach: July 7
Shannyn J. Gillespie USOEC
07/07/2008
The World University Championships will be held in Thessaloniki, Greece July
11-13, 2008 and the women's freestyle team is being coached by Trevor Keifer and
Shannyn J. Gillespie.
This semi daily journal is brought to you at the hands and mind of Shannyn J.
Gillespie.
For starters, all of the bags scheduled to fly into Sofia, Bulgaria did not make
the trip from Chicago. I guess I should back up to Chicago and perhaps Denver.
The flight from Denver was delayed for unknown reasons into Chicago which left
us (Sara, Katherine, Chelynne, Othella, Alaina, Elena, and
Stephany) minutes to spare just making the flight traveling to Sophia via
Vienna, Austria.
To say there were a lot flight this day would be sufficient.
Nonetheless, about 15 hours later, we arrived in Sophia, Bulgaria safe and sound
minus 9 bags and to sum this story quickly, Sara and Shannyn's bags are still
missing.
After a nights stay in Sophia, Bulgaria, Team USA travelled to Thessaloniki,
Greece to register and workout just prior to the World University Championships.
Actually, Team USA trained at the wrestling national team training center in
Sophia with the help of Ivan Ivanov, Emil, and Valentine (Valo) Jordanov.
These men just mentioned are legends in Bulgaria and you can Google them for
sure.
Valo, who is the President of the Bulgarian Wrestling Federation and also an
Olympic Champion and 4 time world champion, greeted a portion of Team USA at
what I believe was the Dan Kolov competition. (The shirt given to me was written
in Bulgarian and Elena is in her room.) At this tournament, Shannyn, Ron Fazio,
and Cody Hesser (USA FILA
officials) were invited to sit in a special section to view the finals by Valo.
Also, at this tournament, I was able to see Ivan's brother Stephan Ivanov. (Ivan
and Shannyn coach together at the USOEC and Ivan was the key contact who set up
the trip via Bulgaria.) Stephan and Shannyn trained at the USOTC for 2 years
together about 10 years ago...a small world indeed.
There is a a lot to write about and I certainly will tomorrow.
By the way, Elena speaks Russian and is certainly a big help here as many folks
speak Russian here -Thanks Elena!!!
U.S. wrestlers miss out on medals
at Golden Grand Prix
Elizabeth Wiley USA Wrestlers
07/01/2008
BAKU, Azerbaijan – Four wrestlers took part in the Golden Grand Prix, June 27-29
in Baku, Azerbaijan, but failed to medal for the U.S.
Greco-Roman wrestler Joe Betterman at 60 kg/132 lbs., and woman freestyler
Jessica Medina at 51 kg/112.25 lbs. each claimed one victory at the event.
Betterman scored a first round decision over Javid Abdullaev of Azerbaijan, 1-6,
2-0, 1-1. He finished the event in 9th place. Medina took her round robin match
against Nadiya Gradnyuk of Azerbaijan, 6-0, 2-0. Medina came in fifth in her
weight class.
Also competing for the U.S. were Michael Martinez, who was 11th at 55 kg/121
lbs. in men’s freestyle, and Cheney Haight, who came in 10th at 74 kg/163 lbs.
Golden Grand Prix
Baku, Azerbaijan
June 27-29, 2008
U.S. Performances
Men’s freestyle
55 kg/121 lbs. – Michael Martinez, Pagosa Springs, Colo. (Cowboy WC), 11th
LOSS Namik Sevdimov (Azerbaijan), 1-3, 0-3
LOSS Radoslav Velikov (Bulgaria), 0-3, 0-1
Greco-Roman
60 kg/132 lbs. – Joe Betterman, Chicago, Ill. (New York AC), 9th
WIN Javid Abdullaev (Azerbaijan), 1-6, 2-0, 1-1
LOSS Sakit Jalilov (Azerbaijan), 0-7, 1-3
74 kg/163 lbs. – Cheney Haight, Orem, Utah (New York AC), 10th
LOSS Rafiq Huseynov (Azerbaijan), 1-1, 1-7
Women’s freestyle
51 kg/112.25 lbs. – Jessica Medina, Pomona, Calif. (New York AC), 5th
LOSS Anna Trusova (Russia), 0-5, 0-3
LOSS Dilek Atakol (Turkey), 0-3, 0-5
WIN Nadiya Gradnyuk (Azerbaijan), 6-0, 2-0
LOSS Oleksandra Kohut (Ukraine), 0-7, 0-4