No medals for U.S. Greco-Roman wrestlers on first day of Nikola Petrov Golden Grand Prix in Bulgaria

Gary Abbott USA Wrestling
03/18/2006

The U.S. Greco-Roman team won no individual medals on the first day of the Nikola Petrov Golden Grand Prix, in Sofia, Bulgaria, Saturday, March 18.

This is one of the FILA Golden Grand Prix events, where prize money is awarded based upon an athlete’s placement.

Four weight classes were contested on Saturday. The U.S. entered six wrestlers in the competition, and none advanced to the medal rounds. All of the U.S. athletes lost matches in the preliminary rounds. When none of the wrestlers who defeated U.S. wrestlers were able to advance into the championship finals, the U.S. wrestlers did not qualify for the wrestleback rounds.

Two U.S. wrestlers claimed one victory during the day: 2005 U.S. World Team member Harry Lester (Akron, Ohio/USOEC/Gator WC) and Jacob Curby (Lagrange, Ill./USOEC/New York AC), both who compete at 66 kg/145.5 lbs.

Three more weight divisions will be contested on Sunday: 60 kg/132 lbs., 74 kg/163 lbs. and 96 kg/211.5 lbs.

NIKOLA PETROV GOLDEN GRAND PRIX
At Sofia, Bulgaria, March 18, 2006

U.S. performances

55 kg/121 lbs., Lindsay Durlacher (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC)
LOSS Ermek Kuketov (Kazakhstan), 0-4, 0-5

55 kg/121 lbs., Spenser Mango (Florissant, Mo./USOEC/Gator WC),
LOSS Ivo Angelov (Bulgaria), 0-3, 2-3

66 kg/145.5 lbs., Harry Lester (Akron, Ohio/USOEC/Gator WC)
WIN Ionel Puscascu (Bulgaria), 6-0, 1-9, 5-0
LOSS Ion Panait (Romania), pin

66 kg/145.5 lbs., Jacob Curby (Lagrange, Ill./USOEC/New York AC)
WIN Boyan Zagorov (Bulgaria), pin
LOSS Beyibit Nugamonov (Kazakhstan), 0-8, 5-5, 0-1

84 kg/185 lbs., Chas Betts (St. Michael, Minn./USOEC/New York AC)
LOSS Shalva Gadabadze (Georgia), 0-3, 0-3

120 kg/264.5 lbs., Russ Davie (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC)
LOSS Ismael Gurel (Turkey), 1-2, 0-5