Overseas competition for United States Greco-Roman athletes in the year 2019 came to an end on Saturday at the Haavisto Cup in Ilmajoki, Finland. Morgan Flaharty (67 kg, NYAC) was the highest American placewinner, finishing fifth after falling in the bronze round to Russia’s Emil Ziganshin.
Haavisto’s silver lining was the absence of US vs. US matches. A week prior in Haparanda, there were six domestic match-ups in the first round alone with eight total — one in the quarters, and another in a bronze-medal bout. US athletes (as well as coaches and fans) do not love it when this happens overseas, and wrestlers love it even less three weeks out from an Olympic Trial qualifier.
Final 2019 US Overseas Medal Count
With the Lavrikov Memorial and the two Scandinavian cup tournaments now in the rearview mirror — Haparanda and Haavisto, respectively — it is time to tally up all of the medals won by US Greco wrestlers overseas this year.
More hardware was earned in ’19 than in ’18, largely due to the emergence of the U15 age-group. Seniors accounted for 38 total medals this year, 20 less than last season. However, there were also two less events in ’19 that saw USA Seniors participate.
Reminder: there will not be a long wait until the next time US Seniors travel across the Atlantic Ocean. Next month ushers in the Matteo Pellicone Memorial in Rome (the first United World Wrestling “Ranking Series” event of the season) as well as Thor Masters in Denmark.
- 110 total medals across five age groups (U15, Cadet, Junior, U23, and Senior).
- 44 golds, 30 silvers, and 36 bronze.
- Senior — 38 medals (nine golds, 11 silvers, and 18 bronze).
- U23 — one medal (silver).
- Junior — 26 medals (five golds, 11 silvers, and ten bronze).
- Cadet — 15 medals (ten golds, three silvers, and two bronze).
- U15 — 30 medals (20 golds, four silvers, and six bronze).
- Three World medals (all at Junior): Cohlton Schultz (130 kg, Sunkist, silver) Alston Nutter (63 kg, Sunkist/OTS, bronze), and Peyton Omania (67 kg, MSU/CYC, bronze).
- Of the 38 Senior medals, ’19 World Team member G’Angelo Hancock (97 kg, Sunkist, world no. 2) has the most with six (one gold, three silvers, and two bronze).
Grand Prix Zagreb Open (CRO) — 2/10/19 (SR)
SILVER: Xavier Johnson (63 kg, Marines)
BRONZE: G’Angelo Hancock (97 kg, Sunkist)
Granma Cup (CUB) — 2/17/19 (SR)
BRONZE: Nick Tarpley (72 kg, NYAC)
Hungarian Grand Prix (HUN) — 2/24/19 (SR)
GOLD: G’Angelo Hancock (97 kg, Sunkist)
Austrian Open (AUT) — 3/2/19 (JR)
GOLD: David Stepanian (55 kg, NMU/OTS)
SILVER: Delon Kanari (60 kg, NMU/OTS)
BRONZE: Haiden Drury (55 kg, WA), Mason Hartshorn (60 kg, NMU/OTS), Noah Wachsmuth (67 kg, OTC), Keaton Fanning (87 kg, NMU/OTS)
Thor Masters (DEN) — 3/16/19 (SR)
BRONZE: G’Angelo Hancock (97 kg, Sunkist)
Grand Prix Chomutov (CZE) — 3/19 (CADET & JR)
BRONZE: Cole Stephenson (60 kg, EAP/OTC, JR), Tyler Hannah (92 kg, Combat, CADET)
Tallinn Open (EST) — 3/30/19 (U15, CADET, & JR)
GOLD: Jadon Skellenger (62 kg, U15), Sefton Douglass (48 kg, CADET)
SILVER: Cash Stewart (52 kg, U15), Hunter Lewis (63 kg, JR), Jacob Kaminski (97 kg, JR)
BRONZE: Braden Tatum (38 kg, U15), Henry Amborn (57 kg, U15)
Kristjan Palusalu Memorial (EST) — 4/6/19 (SR)
BRONZE: Robby Smith (130 kg, NYAC/Chicago RTC)
Torneo Internacional Jóvenes Promesas (ESP) — 4/14/19 (CADET, JR, & U23)
SILVER: Hassan Khan (71 kg, CA, CADET), Timothy Eubanks (87 kg, WBU, JR), Austin O’Connor (130 kg, NV, JR), Timothy Eubanks (87 kg, WBU, U23)
Pan American Championships (ARG) — 4/19/19 (SR)
GOLD: Max Nowry (55 kg, Army/WCAP), RaVaughn Perkins (72 kg, NYAC), Cheney Haight (82 kg, NYAC), Adam Coon (130 kg, NYAC/Cliff Keen)
SILVER: Ryan Mango (63 kg, Army/WCAP), Ellis Coleman (67 kg, Army/WCAP), Kamal Bey (77 kg, Sunkist), G’Angelo Hancock (97 kg, Sunkist)
BRONZE: Patrick Martinez (87 kg, NYAC)
Easter Wrestling Tournament (NED) — 4/21/19 (U15, CADET, & JR)
GOLD: Sloan Johanssen (38 kg, U15), Ayson Rice (41 kg, U15), Joel Adams (48 kg, U15), Gavin Chapman (57 kg, U15), Riley Hollingshead (55 kg, CADET), Billy Sullivan (55 kg, JR), Kellyn March (63 kg, JR)
SILVER: Trevon Oehme (35 kg, U15), Koye Grebel (48 kg, U15), Ashton Keller (52 kg, U15), Trason Oehme (45 kg, CADET), Otto Cate-Cribari (51 kg, CADET)
BRONZE: Jarrett Roos (62 kg, U15), Adam Allard (60 kg, JR)
Sassari City Int’l/Matteo Pellicone Memorial (ITA) — 5/23/19 (SR)
SILVER: G’Angelo Hancock (97 kg, Sunkist)
Pan American Championships (GUA) 6/5/19 (JR)
GOLD: Hunter Lewis (63 kg, Advance/Ringers), Lee Herrington (130 kg, Golden Eagles WC)
SILVER: Haiden Drury (60 kg, Takedown Express), Isaiah Alford (77 kg, MWC), Max Wohlabaugh (82 kg, Clarion RTC), Keaton Fanning (87 kg, NMU/OTS), Braxton Amos (97 kg, WV)
BRONZE: Billy Sullivan (55 kg, LOG), Benji Peak (67 kg, Sunkist/OTS)
World Combat Games (HUN) — 6/19/19 (U15)
GOLD: Aden Valencia (38 kg, AWA), Paul Kelly (41 kg, Sunkist), Zach Silvis (44 kg, PINnacle), Jaden Skellenger (62 kg, Suples), Tyler Antoniak (68 kg, MWC)
BRONZE: Joel Adams (48 kg, LOG), Andrew Blackburn-Forst (85 kg, Lockport Junior Porters WC)
Pan Am Championships (MEX) — 6/28/19 (CADET)
GOLD: Daniel Sheen (45 kg, Izzy Style), Joey Fischer (48 kg, Team Nauman), Jesse Mendez (60 kg, Bulldog Premier WC), Robert Perez III (65 kg, ABG), John Best (71 kg, WV), Jack Darrah (80 kg, Xtreme Training), Michael Misita (92 kg, Seagull WC), Braxton Mikesell (110 kg, Central Valley WC)
BRONZE: Nico Provo (51 kg, Southside WC)
Wladyslaw Pytlasinski Memorial (POL) — 8/3/19 (SR)
BRONZE: Max Nowry (55 kg, Army/WCAP), Ryan Mango (63 kg, Army/WCAP), Ray Bunker (72 kg, Marines), John Stefanowicz (82 kg, Marines)
Pan American Games (PER) — 8/8/19 (SR)
GOLD: Patrick Smith (77 kg, Minnesota Storm)
SILVER: G’Angelo Hancock (97 kg, Sunkist)
BRONZE: Ildar Hafizov (60 kg, Army/WCAP), Ellis Coleman (67 kg, Army/WCAP)
World Championships (EST) — 8/18/19 (JR)
SILVER: Cohlton Schultz (130 kg, Sunkist)
BRONZE: Alston Nutter (63 kg, Sunkist/OTS), Peyton Omania (67 kg, MSU/CYC)
Military World Games (CHN) — 10/23/19 (SR)
BRONZE: Ildar Hafizov (60 kg, Army/WCAP)
Klippan Cup (SWE) — 10/26/19 (SR)
GOLD: Sean Sesnan (60 kg, NMU/OTS)
SILVER: Payton Jacobson (60 kg, TWC)
BRONZE: Tommy Brackett (82 kg, NMU/OTS), Timothy Eubanks (87 kg, NMU/OTS)
Pan American Games (PAN) — 11/1/19 (U15)
GOLD: Elias Navida (38 kg), Paul Kelly (44 kg), Greyson Clark (48 kg), Jayden Colon (57 kg), Braden Stauffenberg (62 kg), Thor Michaelson (68 kg), Antony Tuttle (75 kg), Nathan Wemstrom (85 kg)
Malar Cupen (SWE) — 11/3/19 (U15 & SR)
GOLD: Spencer Woods (77 kg, NYAC/OTS, SR), Riker Graff (38 kg, U15), Luke Lilledahl (41 kg, U15)
SILVER: Tommy Brackett (82 kg, NMU/OTS, SR), Timothy Eubanks (97 kg, NMU/OTS, SR)
BRONZE: Marcos Torrez (52 kg, U15)
SA Lavrikov Memorial (RUS) — 11/24/19 (SR)
BRONZE: Chris Anderson (67 kg, UA)
Haparanda Cup (SWE) — 12/1/19 (SR)
GOLD: John Stefanowicz (87 kg, Marines)
SILVER: Max Nowry (55 kg, Army/WCAP)
BRONZE: Nolan Baker (67 kg, UA), Ray Bunker (72 kg, Marines), Lucas Sheridan (97 kg, Army/WCAP)
Russia’s Mess & Their National Tournament
Following a multi-year investigation, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has announced it will impose a four-year ban on Russia that prohibits usage of its flag, team name, and national anthem at all prominent globally-sanctioned events — most notably, the Olympics.
Much of what has come from the investigation pertains to tampering in the form of deleting (computer) files and falsifying evidence. WADA reached their unanimous decision to ban the Russian Federation on Monday — just ahead of next month’s national tournament, the most important part of Russia’s Greco-Roman selection process for the Tokyo Games. It is now known at this time how WADA’s conclusion will affect the wrestling program or if any current wrestlers were involved in wrongdoing. All that is clear, for now, is that it would appear Russian wrestlers in Tokyo will represent the Olympic flag instead of their own.
“While I understand the calls for a blanket ban on all Russian athletes whether or not they are implicated by the data, it was the unanimous view of the CRC, which includes an athlete, that in this case, those who could prove their innocence should not be punished,” said WADA Compliance Review Committee chairman Jonathan Taylor to the AP. The International Olympic Committee is said to stand behind WADA’s declaration, and it should be noted that Nenad Lalovic, president of United World Wrestling, holds a board seat on the IOC. UWW is yet to release a statement of its own.
Russia’s Greco-Roman National tournament, one of the sport’s most high-profile events, is scheduled to begin on January 16 from Novosibirsk. Although it will include all ten international weight categories, those who win the Olympic weights (in most cases) are expected to travel to Tokyo.
Thursday, January 16
11:00am-3:00pm: Qualification rounds — 55, 60, 63, and 130 kg.
5:00pm-6:00pm: Semifinals — 55, 60, 63, and 130 kg.
Friday, January 17
11:00am-3:00pm: Qualification rounds — 72, 77, and 97 kg.
11:00am-3:00pm: Repechage — 55, 60, 63, and 130 kg.
5:00pm-6:00pm: Semifinals — 72, 77, and 97 kg.
6:00pm-8:00pm: Finals/bronze rounds — 55, 60, 63, and 130 kg.
Saturday, January 18
11:00am-3:00pm: Qualification rounds — 67, 82, and 87 kg.
11:00am-3:00pm: Repechage — 72, 77, and 97 kg.
5:30pm-6:00pm: Semifinals — 67, 82, and 87 kg.
6:00pm-8:00pm: Finals/bronze rounds — 72, 77, and 97 kg.
Sunday, January 19
10:00am-1:00pm — Repechage-finals/bronze rounds — 67-82-87 kg.
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