U.S. teams to compete in World Wrestling Games in Antalya, Turkey, Sept. 7-9
USA Wrestling will be sending three teams of athletes to compete at the World Wrestling Games in Antalya, Turkey, September 7-9.
Included will be athletes in the international wrestling styles of Sombo, Beach Wrestling and Grappling.
This will be the first time FILA has ever hosted a World Championships in Grappling, a style of wrestling which was recognized as an international wrestling style this spring. It will be the second straight year that there are World Championships in Sombo and Beach Wrestling in Antalya.
The competition begins on Friday, September 7, with the men’s Sombo competition. Medals will be awarded in the seven international weight classes.
The U.S. team will feature five athletes who won U.S. Sombo national titles in April: Eric Albarracin (Colorado Springs, Colo./EA Kombat – Modern Army Combatives) at 55 kg/121 lbs., Jake Bohn (Kentwood, Mich./unattached) at 66 kg/145.5 lbs., Scott Garcia (Mesa, Ariz./American Pankration) at 84 kg/185 lbs., Douglas Fournet (Denham Springs, La./Gladiators Academy at 96 kg/211.5 lbs. and Carlos Dolmo (Bronx, N.Y./Blast Double NY) at 120 kg/264.5 lbs.
The United States placed second at the 2006 World Sombo Championships in the men’s division with seven medalists, including World champion Jeff Zastrow at 96 kg/211.5 lbs.
Originally, FILA also organized a women’s Sombo tournament as well, which was cancelled last week. Some of the members of the USA Wrestling’s women’s Sombo team will accompany the American team to Turkey, train with the men athletes, and will enter the Beach wrestling and Grappling competitions for women.
Next up is the Beach Wrestling competition, set for Saturday, September 8. The U.S. will enter athletes in both the men’s and women’s division. The U.S. men’s team will feature one member of the 2006 U.S. Beach World Team, Carlos Dolmo (Bronx, N.Y./Blast Double NY) who was fifth in the World at Men Over 85 kg/187.5 lbs. last year. Dolmo won the U.S. Beach Nationals this year. Also on the team is 2007 U.S. Beach World Team Trials champion Rawle Shewprashad (New York, N.Y./Blast Double NY), who qualified at the highest division but is expected to wrestle at the under 85 kg/187.5 lbs. weight class.
The United States placed second in the team standings at the 2007 World Beach Wrestling Championships in the men’s division with two medalists, and was third in the women’s division with one medalist.
The historic first FILA World Grappling Championships will conclude on Sunday, September 9. The United States has a large delegation of athletes in both the men’s and women’s divisions, with high expectations in the team race.
All nine of the champions from the 2007 USA Wrestling Grappling World Team Trials will compete at the World Championships.
The World Team Trials champions on the men’s team include Darren Uyenoyama (South San Francisco, Calif./Fogtown Jiu Jitsu) at 62 kg/136.5 lbs., Ricky Lundell (Orem, Utah/Pedro Sauer Team) at 70 kg/154 lbs., Don Ortega (Albuquerque, N.M./No Limits) at 80 kg/176 lbs., Malcolm Havens (Parker, Colo./Grapplers Edge) at 92 kg/202.5 lbs. and Jeff Monson (Coconut Creek, Fla./Victory Athletics) at 125 kg/275 lbs.
The World Team Trials champions on the women’s team include Lisa Ward (Lacey, Wash./United Fight Team) at 48 kg/105.5 lbs., Felicia Oh (Tarzana, Calif./JJ Machado/BJMUTA) at 55 kg/121 lbs., Tara LaRosa (Woodstown, N.J./unattached) at 63 kg/138.75 lbs. and Valerie Worthington (Whittier, Calif./New Breed/Hollywood Brazilian Jiu Jitsu) at 72 kg/158.5 lbs.
A number of other Grappling athletes who were medalists at the World Team Trials will attend the World Championships on Team USA.
A training camp for the World Team Trials champions is being hosted at the USA Wrestling National Training Center for Grappling and Sombo, which is located at the No Limits Mixed Martial Arts facility in Irvine, Calif.
No Limits Mixed Martial Arts is the Official Sponsor for the U.S. World Teams for Grappling and Sombo.
In addition, there will be a Pankration competition held as part of the World Wrestling Games. USA Wrestling is not sending a team for this event.
Updated coverage of the World Wrestling Games will be posted on TheMat.com
U.S. GRAPPLING WORLD TEAMMen62 kg/136.5 lbs. – Darren Uyenoyama, South San Francisco, Calif. (Fogtown Jiu Jitsu)62 kg/136.5 lbs. – Matthew Sanchez, Sacramento, Calif. (Ultimate Fitness)70 kg/154 lbs. – Ricky Lundell, Orem, Utah (Pedro Sauer Team) 70 kg/154 lbs. – Jeff Glover, Las Vegas, Nev. (Cobra Kai Jiu Jitsu)80 kg/176 lbs. – Don Ortega, Albuquerque, N.M. (No Limits)80 kg/176 lbs. – Bill Cooper, Santa Barbara, Calif. (Paragon BJJ Academy)80 kg/176 lbs. -Michael Kelly, Hebron, Ill. (Gilbert Grappling)92 kg/202.5 lbs. – Malcolm Havens, Parker, Colo. (Grapplers Edge)92 kg/202.5 lbs. – Matt Horwich, Eagle Creek, Ore. (Team Quest)92 kg/202.5 lbs. – Ryan Gillespie, San Diego, Calif. (The Boxing Club)125 kg/275 lbs. – Jeff Monson, Coconut Creek, Fla. (Victory Athletics)
Women48 kg/105.5 lbs.- Lisa Ward, Lacey, Wash. (United Fight Team)55 kg/121 lbs. – Felicia Oh, Tarzana, Calif. (JJ Machado/BJMUTA)55 kg/121 lbs. – Bahar Shahidi, Denver, Colo. (Grapplers Edge)55 kg/121 lbs. – Cristina Rodriguez, Tampa, Fla. (Gracie Tampa)63 kg/138.75 lbs.- Tara LaRosa, Woodstown, N.J. (unattached)63 kg/138.75 lbs.- Crystina Coats, San Diego, Calif. (The Boxing Club)72 kg/158.5 lbs. – Valerie Worthington, Whittier, Calif. (New Breed/Hollywood Brazilian Jiu Jitsu)Coaches – Bob Anderson, Redondo Beach, Calif. and Jason Townsend, Las Vegas, Nev.Team Leaders – Jim and Karen Santianello, Irvine, Calif., Gogi Parseghian, Los Angeles, Calif.Additional Coaches – Juliano Prado, Irvine, Calif.; Sheldon Marr, Aurora, Colo., Ramon Diaz, Irvine, Calif.; Brandon Guzzo, Salt Lake City, Utah
U.S. SOMBO WORLD TEAMMen 55 kg/121 lbs. – Eric Albarracin, Colorado Springs, Colo. (EA Kombat – Modern Army Combatives) 60 kg/132 lbs. – Phil Rizzo, St. Petersburg, Fla.(Team Pursuit) 66 kg/145.5 lbs. – Jake Bohn, Kentwood, Mich. (unattached)74 kg/163 lbs. – BJ Adams, Daytona Beach, Fla. (Embry Riddle WC)84 kg/185 lbs. – Scott Garcia, Mesa, Ariz. (American Pankration)84 kg/185 lbs. – Jeff Funicello. Mesa, Ariz. (American Pankration)96 kg/211.5 lbs. – Douglas Fournet, Denham Springs, La. (Gladiators Academy)120 kg/264.5 lbs. – Carlos Dolmo, Bronx, N.Y. (Blast Double NY)120 kg/264.5 lbs. – Rawle Shewprashad, New York, N.Y. (Blast Double NY)
Women48 kg/105.5 lbs. – Tanya Miyasaki, Kaneohe, Hawaii (Missouri Valley College)48 kg/105.5 lbs. – Elizabeth Osborne, Villa Hills, Ky.51 kg/112.25 lbs. – Jessica Ortiz, Vallejo, Calif. (Spartan WC)51 kg/112.25 lbs. – Tracy Osborne, Villa Hills, Ky.55 kg/121 lbs. – Courtney Martell, New Haven, Vermont (Missouri Valley College)67 kg/147.5 lbs. – Bethany Harris, Valley Center, Calif. (No Limits)Coaches – Floyd Winter, Ft. Dix, N.J.; Bob Anderson, Redondo Beach, Calif.; Bill Maxey, Madison, Wis.; Robert Redman, Boulder Creek, Calif.Additional Coaches – Tarek Monier, Roanoke, Va.
U.S. BEACH WRESTLING WORLD TEAM
Men Under 85 kg/187.25 lbs.J.P. Reese, Lauderdale by the Sea, Fla. (Parkland Destructors)Jeff Funicello, Mesa, Ariz. (American Pankration)Rawle Shewprashad, New York, N.Y. (Blast Double NY)
Men Over 85 kg/187.5 lbs.Carlos Dolmo, Bronx, N.Y. (Blast Double NY)
Women Under 65 kg/145.5 lbs.Tanya Miyasaki, Kaneohe, Hawaii (Missouri Valley College)Jessica Ortiz, Vallejo, Calif. (Spartan WC)Courtney Martell, New Haven, Vermont (Missouri Valley College)Bethany Harris, Valley Center, Calif. (No Limits)
Coaches – Victor Kupchynsky, Brooklyn, N.Y., Floyd Winter, Ft. Dix, N.J.
Historic USA Wrestling Grappling Training Camp being held at No Limits Training Center in Irvine, Calif.
USA Wrestling is holding a historic training camp for the 2007 U.S. Grappling World Team, which is training to compete in World Wrestling Games in Antalya, Turkey, September 9.
The training camp is being hosted at the USA Wrestling National Training Center for Grappling and Sombo, which is located at the No Limits Mixed Martial Arts facility in Irvine, Calif. The camp will run from August 28 – Sept. 3, and the team members and coaches will leave for Turkey on Sept. 4.
The No. 1 athlete in each weight class on the U.S. Grappling World Team were invited to participate in this training camp. In addition, other athletes are at the camp as training partners, including some grapplers who will be competing in Antalya on the U.S. squad.
The World Team Coaches for the 2007 World Grappling Team are Bob Anderson of Redondo Beach, Calif. and Jason Townsend of Las Vegas, Nev.
“The athletes have responded tremendously,” said Anderson. “They are open to new things. The women are working as hard as the men. They are working together as a team and getting to know each other as individuals. There is a real positive attitude.”
“The camp has been a success,” said Townsend. “We have a good group of athletes, both with a wrestling and jiu jitsu background. They help each other. They have learned from our coaches, working with the rules used in international Grappling. Camaraderie has developed. The team spirit is high. They are tickled pink to be part of this team.”
Juliano Prado, the Head Coach for Jiu Jitsu and Grappling at the USA Wrestling National Training Center for Grappling, has been important in helping prepare the athletes for competition.
A special guest, 1980 Olympian and past NCAA champion Gene Mills came out to Irvine to work with the team and provide training advice and support.
The training camp has been made possible through support from No Limits Mixed Martial Arts of Irvine, Calif., the Official Sponsor for the U.S. World Teams for Grappling and Sombo.
According to the coaches, the historic camp has put the U.S. team in position to do very well at the World Championships in Turkey.
“Every one of our athletes have a chance to take home a gold,” said Townsend. “They are that good. They are training very hard. I am sure we will bring home a chest full of medals.”
“I think they will have success in Turkey,” said Anderson. “We may not have the depth that some other countries may have. Our athletes are looking very good in training. They are very excited. They are making history. They are training hard and are here to win World medals.”