BY GARY ABBOTT USA WRESTLING | JULY 09, 2014, 4:17 P.M. (ET)
PECS, Hungary – Tyrell Fortune (Portland, Ore./Titan Mercury WC) won a gold medal at 125 kg/275 lbs., one of four U.S. men’s freestyle medalists on the second day of the University World Championships on Wednesday.
Fortune, a Div. II national champion for Grand Canyon, scored a 12-1 technical fall over Sakir Bozkurt of Turkey in the championship match. Bozkurt, who was fifth in the 2012 Yasar Dogu International in Turkey, was never in the match, as Fortune scored quickly and often for a first-period stoppage.
Fortune rolled past his first two opponents, pinning Alexandr Romanov of Moldova and beating Richard Csercsics of Hungary, 10-2. He is ranked No. 3 on the U.S. Senior national team at his weight.
Fortune won a World medal on the University level for the second straight year, after taking a bronze medal at the 2013 World University Games in Russia.
Claiming silver medals after losses in the finals were BJ Futrell (Ann Arbor, Mich./Titan Mercury WC/Cliff Keen WC) at 61 kg/134 lbs., James Green (Willingboro, N.J./Titan Mercury WC/Nebraska RTC) at 70 kg/154 lbs. and Chris Perry (Stillwater, Okla./Cowboy WC) at 86 kg/189 lbs.
Futrell, a past NCAA All-American for Illinois, lost a wild 12-11 bout against Tuvsingtulga Tumenbileg of Mongolia in the gold-medal bout.
Futrell won his first three matches handily, including a pin over Niurgin Skriabin of Russia in the semifinals. In his first two bouts, he beat Masakazu Kamoi of Japan, 8-1 and scored a 12-0 technical fall over Vadim Sacultan of Moldova.
Green, a three-time NCAA All-American for Nebraska, was pinned by Evgheni Nedealco of Moldova in the finals. Nedealco was fifth at the 2008 Junior World Championships.
Green won his two early matches, pinning Jere Kunnas of Finland and stopping Russian Shamil Magomedov, 6-4 in the semifinals.
Perry, a two-time NCAA champion for Oklahoma State, lost a close 3-5 match to Piotr Ianulov of Moldova in the finals. Perry had a 3-1 lead in the bout, but Ianulov scored late in the second period for the win. Ianulov was fifth at the 2010 Senior World Championships, and now boasts two University World titles (2010, 2014).
Perry was impressive on the way to the finals, beating Andrei Frant of Romania, 8-0, Namik Korkmaz of Turkey, 4-2, then pinning Sandor Tozser of Hungary in the semifinals.
Perry is a past Junior World bronze medalist, and is ranked No. 3 on the U.S. Senior national team at his weight.
The USA won the team title, ahead of second-place Turkey and third-place Russia. There were 25 nations entered in the University World Championships. The U.S. team was coached by Dave Bennett, Mike Hagerty and Bryan Snyder.
“Looking at how these athletes handled the training, the travel and adversity that some encountered in competition I feel the future for the USA is bright. This was a special group that are going to continue to leave their mark on the sport in the coming years leading up to the 2016 and 2020 Olympics,” said U.S. Coach Dave Bennett.
The U.S. won seven medals in men’s freestyle at the event this year out of the eight weight classes. Golds went to Fortune and Tyler Caldwell (74 kg/163 lbs.), silvers to Futrell, Green, Perry and Dustin Kilgore (97 kg/213 lbs.) and a bronze medal to Matt McDonough (57 kg/125.5 lbs.)
Winning a bronze medal at 86 kg/189 lbs. for Israel was Ophir Bernstein, a Texas native who wrestles for Brown. Bernstein, who was born in Israel, was a FILA Junior World silver medalist last summer.
Two U.S. women entered competition today. Placing fifth at 55 kg/121 lbs. is King University star Samantha Klingel (Kregesville, Pa./King Univ.), who lost by technical fall to Samantha Stewart of Canada in the bronze bout. Erin Golston, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC) placed ninth at 48 kg/105.5 lbs., losing her only match of the day.
Five other U.S. women’s wrestlers have weighed in and received their draws for Thursday.
There is an official website and LIVE WEBCAST for the event at:
http://birkozoszov.hu/index.php?menu=69
UNIVERSITY WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Pecs, Hungary, July 9
Men’s freestyle results
61 kg/134 lbs.
Gold – Tuvsingtulga Tumenbileg (Mongolia)
Silver – B.J. Futrell (USA)
Bronze – Ismail Avci (Turkey)
Bronze – Niurgun Skriabin (Russia)
5th – Stefan Ivanov (Bulgaria)
5th – Masakazu Kamoi (Japan)
70 kg/154 lbs.
Gold – Evgheni Nedealco (Moldova)
Silver – James Green (USA)
Bronze – Shamil Magomedov (Russia)
Bronze – Zsombor Gulyas (Hungary)
5th – Jere Kunnas (Finland)
5th – Kosuke Sunagawa (Japan)
86 kg/189 lbs.
Gold – Piort Ianulov (Moldova)
Silver – Chris Perry (USA)
Bronze – Ophir Bernstein (Israel)
Bronze – Namik Korkmaz (Turkey)
5th – Oleg Ktsoev (Russia)
5th – Sandor Tozser (Hungary)
125 kg/275 lbs.
Gold – Tyrell Fortune (USA)
Silver – Sakhir Bozkurt (Turkey)
Bronze – Mariyan Todorov (Bulgaria)
Bronze – Richard Csercsis (Hungary)
5th – M. Guseinov (Russia)
5th – Alexandr Romanov (Moldova)
U.S. men’s freestyle performances
61 kg/134 lbs. – BJ Futrell, Ann Arbor, Mich. (Titan Mercury WC/Cliff Keen WC), 2nd
WIN Masakazu Kamoi (Japan), 8-1
WIN Vadim Sacultan (Moldova), tech. fall, 12-0
WIN Niurgin Skriabin (Russia), pin
LOSS Tuvsingtulga Tumenbileg (Mongolia), 11-12
70 kg/154 lbs. – James Green, Willingboro, N.J. (Titan Mercury WC/Nebraska RTC), 2nd
WIN Jere Kunnas (Finland), pin
WIN Shamil Magomedov (Russia), 6-4
LOSS Evgheni Nedealco (Moldova), pin
86 kg/189 lbs. – Chris Perry, Stillwater, Okla. (Cowboy WC), 2nd
WIN Andrei Frant (Romania), 8-0
WIN Namik Korkmaz (Turkey), 4-2
WIN Sandor Tozser (Hungary), pin
LOSS Piotr Ianulov (Moldova), 3-5
125 kg/275 lbs. – Tyrell Fortune, Portland, Ore. (Titan Mercury WC), 1st
WIN Alexandr Romanov (Moldova), pin
WIN Richard Csercsics (Hungary), 10-2
WIN Sakir Bozkurt (Turkey), tech. fall 12-1
Freestyle Team Standings
1. United States
2. Turkey
3. Russia
4. Moldova
5. Japan
6. Hungary
7. Mongolia
8. Ukraine
9. Bulgaria
10. Poland
Women’s freestyle results
48 kg/105.5 lbs.
Gold – Jasmine Mian (Canada)
Silver – Shiori Ito (Japan)
Bronze – Anna Lukasiak (Poland)
Bronze – Alina Moreva (Russia)
5th – Madalina Linguraru (Romania)
5th – T. Tsogtbaatar (Mongolia)
55 kg/121 lbs.
Gold – Chiho Hamada (Japan)
Silver – Irina Ologonova (Russia)
Bronze – Samantha Stewart (Canada)
Bronze – Tetyana Kit (Ukriane)
5th – Samantha Klingel (USA)
5th – Evelina Nikolova (Bulgaria)
U.S. women’s freestyle performances
48 kg/105.5 lbs.- Erin Golston, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC), 9th
LOSS Emilia Budeanu (Moldova), 2-9
55 kg/121 lbs. – Samantha Klingel, Kregesville, Pa. (King Univ.), 5th
WIN Esa Korosi (Hungary), inj. dft.
LOSS Irina Ologonova (Russia), tech. fall, 1-12
LOSS Samantha Stewart (Canada), tech. fall 0-10
U.S. women’s freestyle draws for Thursday
53 kg/116.5 lbs. – Amy Fearnside, Morgan Hill, Calif. (Titan Mercury WC)
Vs. Sara Jezierzanska (Poland), 5th in 2012 Junior World Championships
58 kg/128 lbs. – Jacarra Winchester, San Leandro, Calif. (Titan Mercury WC)
Vs. Elizabeth Milovitch-Sera (Canada), 7th in 2013 World University Games
60 kg/132 lbs.:- Brieana Delgado, Fountain Inn. S.C. (OKCU Gator RTC)
Vs. Mariia Liulkova (Russia), 7th in 2014 Ivan Yarygin Grand Prix
63 kg/138.75 lbs. – Amanda Hendey, San Gabriel, Calif. (Titan Mercury WC/King Univ.)
Vs. Agnieszka Krol (Poland), 5th in 2014 European Juniors; 9th in 2012 Junior World Championships
69 kg/152 lbs. – Tamyra Mensah, Katy, Texas (Wayland Baptist)
Vs. Lisa Nadine Hug (Germany), 5th in 2011 Grand Prix of Spain
75 kg/165 lbs. – Julia Salata, Canton, Mich. (New York AC)
Vs. Tamae Yoshii (Japan), 5th in 2012 University World Championships; 9th in 2013 World University Games