The United States Greco-Roman Seniors who competed in Ottawa were responsible for one of the program’s most memorable weeks in quite some time.
It started with the Pan-American Championships, which saw the US run up 200 team points behind five golds, three silvers, and one bronze.
Six days after the Pan Am Championships, four American athletes made the finals of the accompanying Olympic Qualifier, thereby securing their respective weight classes on behalf of the US in advance of the 2020 Olympics. And, the US capped that particular tournament with all six wrestlers earning medals, further adding to a freight train march of success that brought with it reason for celebration, as well as reason to exhale.
Much can still be said about what transpired in Ottawa (and has), but from a sheer numbers perspective, this collection of basic statistics below also tells the story. Note: Team standings are not included for the Pan-Am Qualifier since Cuba did not field a full roster due to previously qualifying two weights (67 &130 kg). The US won in terms of team points on Friday over Cuba 115-95.
Week 1: Pan-Am Championships
Team Race
USA — 200; Cuba — 105; Venezuela — 69
Individual win/loss combined (excluding forfeits)
20-5
Wins via technical superiority or fall
13
Wins by six points or more (excluding falls)
13
Average margin of victory (excluding falls & forfeits)
6.38
Week 2: Pan-Am Qualifier
Individual win/loss combined (excluding forfeits)
13-5
Wins via technical superiority or fall
6
Wins by six points or more (excluding falls)
8
Average margin of victory (excluding falls & forfeits)
5.9
American athletes who qualified on Friday — Ildar Hafizov (60 kg, Army/WCAP), Alex Sancho (67 kg, Army/WCAP, world #19), Joe Rau (87 kg, TMWC/Chicago RTC, world #7), and G’Angelo Hancock (97 kg, Sunkist, world #7) — will now receive byes to the best-of-three finals in their respective weight categories at the Olympic Trials.
We have additional follow-up material on the docket this week including an all-new Coach Lindland’s Report, Episode 34 of the Five Point Move Podcast, and several athlete Q&A’s.
Updated Medal Count
The Seniors weren’t the only US representatives who got some action in recently. Both at the end of February and earlier this month, delegations of age-groupers participated in a pair of events overseas and contributed a nice haul of hardware to the ongoing cause.
- 20 Senior medals (six golds, eight silvers, & six bronze).
- Six Junior medals (six golds).
- Three Cadet medals (two silvers & one bronze).
Matteo Pellicone Memorial (ITA) — 1/15/20 (SR)
SILVER: Max Nowry (55 kg, Army/WCAP)
BRONZE: G’Angelo Hancock (97 kg, Sunkist)
Thor Masters (DEN) — 1/18/20 (SR)
SILVER: Brady Koontz (55 kg, TMWC/Ohio RTC)
Kolding Cup (DEN) — 1/18/20 (CADET & JR)
GOLD: Payton Jacobson (60 kg, Topper WC; JR)
SILVER: Cael Kahle (55 kg, Topper WC; CADET)
BRONZE: Henry Amborn (65 kg, Topper WC; CADET)
Sundsvall Open (SWE) — 1/26/20 (JR)
GOLD: Payton Jacobson (60 kg, Topper WC); Benji Peak (67 kg, Sunkist/NMU)
Granma Cup (CUB) — 2/12/20 (SR)
BRONZE: Riley Briggs (72 kg, NMU/NTS); Robby Smith (130 kg, NYAC/Chicago RTC)
Austrian Open (AUT) — 2/29/20 (JR)
GOLD: Payton Jacobson (60 kg, Topper WC); Benji Peak (63 kg, Sunkist/NTS); Jakob Murillo (67 kg, NMU/NTS)
Nicolae Grehov Tournament (MDA) — 3/6/20 (CADET)
SILVER: Joel Adams (55 kg, MWC)
Pan-American Championships (CAN) — 3/7/20 (SR)
GOLD: Max Nowry (55 kg, Army/WCAP); Ray Bunker (72 kg, Marines); John Stefanowicz (82 kg, Marines); Joe Rau (87 kg, TMWC/Chicago RTC); G’Angelo Hancock (97 kg, Sunkist)
SILVER: Mike Fuenffinger (60 kg, Army/WCAP); Patrick Smith (77 kg, Minnesota Storm); Adam Coon (130 kg, NYAC/Cliff Keen)
BRONZE: Alex Sancho (67 kg, Army/WCAP)
Pan-American Olympic Qualifier (CAN) — 3/13/20 (SR)
GOLD: Joe Rau (87 kg, TMWC/Chicago RTC)
SILVER: Ildar Hafizov (60 kg, Army/WCAP); Alex Sancho (67 kg, Army/WCAP); G’Angelo Hancock (97 kg, Sunkist)
BRONZE: Patrick Smith (77 kg, Minnesota Storm); Adam Coon (130 kg, NYAC/Cliff Keen)
Style Guide Change
Wrestlers who train on the campus of Northern Michigan University are now listed in accordance with the school’s new observance of its National Training Site, or “NTS”. If they are students without club sponsorship/affiliation, they are written as “NMU/NTS”; in cases when club sponsorship is appropriate, the club name is listed first followed by NTS (e.g., NYAC/NTS). This change started being introduced last month but was not explained previously.
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