USA Greco

Marines’ Johnson Duo, Osnes Grab Medals at 2018 Spanish Grand Prix

By 5PM Staff

Posted on July 15, 2018

all-marine greco-roman, 2018 spanish grand prix

Photo: All-Marine Wrestling Team

The All-Marine Wrestling Team is well-known for its aggressive enthusiasm when it comes to overseas competition and that attitude paid off on Saturday at the 2018 Spanish Grand Prix in Madrid, Spain.

Jamel Johnson (67 kg) and heavyweight Trent Osnes both earned runner-up honors while Xavier Johnson (63 kg) picked up his third international bronze of the season. For Osnes, his silver represents the first overseas placing of his career.

Facing off with Michele Zicche (ITA), Johnson wasted little time, lasering in for two on a go-behind, collecting Zicche’s right arm in the process. From there, Johnson instantly locked a trap-arm gut and rolled Zicche over three times, sealing up a snappy 8-0 tech shortly into the first period. It was a similar expression of dominance for Johnson in the semifinals, as he easily disposed of Oscar Parra (ESP) 8-0, thus securing a spot in an international final for the first time in several years. But the ride ended there. Greeting Johnson in the 67-kilogram final was last year’s Russian National runner-up Azamat Akhmedov, who prevailed over the Marine by a score of 7-1.

Jamel Johnson, 2018 Spanish Grand Prix silver medalist

Counting his bronze at the Dave Schultz Memorial in November, Jamel Johnson’s (far left) silver at the 2018 Spanish Grand Prix is his second international medal of the 2017-18 season. (Photo: All-Marine Wrestling Team)

For Osnes, it was another demonstration of his progress as a Senior-level competitor. A fall over 2017 Spanish GP bronze Narek Sethagyan (ESP) was his first step in the round-robin heavyweight bracket. In the next round, former Junior Asian Championships bronze medalist Kim Gyeong-Min (KOR) scored an 8-0 tech to wash away Osnes’ hopes for a gold. Standing between the big man and a silver was Trophee Milone runner-up Juan Heredia Mena (ESP). Not only did he emerge victorious, but Osnes also managed to earn his second pin of the day en-route to an impressive second-place finish.

Trent Osnes, 2018 Spanish Grand Prix silver medalist

Osnes (left) downed Juan Heredia Mena (ESP) 4-0 to sew up his runner-up finish at the 2018 Spanish Grand Prix. From the beginning of his career onward, Osnes switched between 98 kilos and heavyweight, though this season he has stuck around at the sport’s highest weight class. (Photo: All-Marine Wrestling Team)

Xavier Johnson began his morning down 4-0 in the first period to Lin Yu-Hung (TPE) when he exploded into the body and taking Lin to his back, holding on for the fall at 2:27. In his next bout, Johnson gave up an early takedown/gut combo to 2016 Olympian Andres Montano Arroyo (ECU) but quickly bounded to his feet. From there, Johnson tried pulling Montano Arroyo over with a front headlock, but landed on his back resulting in two more points going the other way. Montano Arroyo swooped behind on another takedown with :47 left in the first to move in via tech.

Xavier Johnson, 2018 Spanish Grand Prix bronze medalist

Though he is likely not satisfied with his bronze medal performance at the Spanish Grand Prix, it has been a stunning season for Xavier Johnson. He opened up 2018 with a bronze at the Grand Prix Zagreb Open in January and earned another at the Bill Farrell Memorial in March, made the Senior National Team, and then added his second overseas medal of the year on Saturday. (Photo: All-Marine Wrestling Team)

It was teammate versus teammate in the next round, as Johnson matched up with German Diaz. After a slow start for both athletes, Diaz scored first on a beautiful counter lateral and converted into a gut to jump ahead 6-0. Back on the feet and an exchange near the edge saw Diaz net four more off of a loose headlock, giving Johnson his second tech loss in a row. He bounced back. Needing a win to garner bronze, he experienced little difficulty in running over Francisco Soler (ESP) 9-0.

Diaz’s day mirrored Johnson’s, as 63 kilograms was a round-robin bracket. Diaz, who last competed in this event seven years ago, tech’ed out Soler and Johnson, and fell to Montano Arroyo. His bout with Lin was not initially included on the live broadcast of the tournament and is listed on the results sheet as a classification point loss. If/when more details about that match become available, we will update here and in tomorrow’s Monday Roundup.

WATCH: Below is a short highlight video of some of the action from yesterday’s 2018 Spanish Grand Prix, including Jamel Johnson’s brisk tech win over Zicche.

Notes:

Three of the four All-Marine squad’s National Team members competed Saturday — Xavier Johnson, Peyton Walsh (77 kg), and John Stefanowicz (82 kg). World Team Trials runner-up Daniel Miller (97 kg) was the lone exception.
In the team standings, the All-Marines/Team USA took third place overall behind host country Spain (1st) and Russia (2nd).
In his match for bronze, Walsh and Luca Dariozzi (ITA) combined for 25 points, with Walsh dropping a 14-9 decision.
The Marines will stay put in Spain for the next week participating in a joint training camp before returning home.

2018 Spanish Grand Prix

7/14/18 — Madrid, Spain

TEAM USA RESULTS

63 kg

Xavier Johnson (Marines) — bronze
WON Lin Yu-Hung (TPE) via fall
LOSS Andres Montano Arroyo (ECU) 8-0, TF
LOSS German Diaz (PUR/Marines) 10-0, TF
WON Francisco Soler (ESP) 5-0

German Diaz (PUR/Marines) – 4th
WON Francisco Soler (ESP) 8-0, TF
WON Xavier Johnson (USA) 10-0, TF
LOSS Andres Montano Arroyo (ECU) 8-0, TF
LOSS Lin Yu Hung (TPE) 6-4