Wrestlers weigh-in for 2003 Concord Cup in Concord, Calif.

Numerous changes have been made to the U.S. and foreign lineups after weigh-ins for the 2003 Concord Cup, set to be held in Concord, Calif., Jan. 31-Feb. 2. For U.S. Team #1, the New York Athletic Club team, Cory Posey (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) did not weigh in at 66 kg/132 lbs. U.S. Team #2, a team made up of military athletes, has seen four changes to its lineup. At 55 kg/121 lbs., Neal Rodak (San Diego, Calif./U.S. Navy) will replace Duaine Martin (Quantico, Va./U.S. Marine Corps). Rodak won a bronze medal at the 2002 World Cup. Aaron Sieracki (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Air Force) will step in for Kenny Owens (Quantico, Va./U.S. Marine Corps) at 84 kg/185 lbs. Sieracki placed fourth at the 2001 CISM Military World Championships and fifth at the same event in 2000. At 96 kg/211.5 lbs., Jason Loukides (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army) replaces Dan Hicks (Quantico, Va./U.S. Marine Corps). Loukides was a member of the 2001 U.S. Greco-Roman World Team. He did not place in the World Championships that year. Also stepping in for U.S. Team #2 will be Paul Devlin (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army), who will replace Dremiel Byers (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army) at 120 kg/264.5 lbs. Devlin placed eighth at the 2002 CISM Military World Championships in freestyle and placed fourth at the 2002 University World Championships in Greco-Roman. In 2001, Devlin captured a silver medal at the Pan-American Championships. Five of the seven 2002 U.S. Greco-Roman World Team members will compete at the Concord Cup along with 2000 Olympic gold medalist and 2001 World Champion Rulon Gardner (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids). Gardner will compete at 120 kg/264.5 lbs. for U.S. Team #1. This will be Gardner's second official international match since losing a toe due to frostbite. In February, 2002, Gardner was involved in a snowmobiling accident that left him stranded in the Wyoming wilderness overnight. His first match came at the Kurt Angle Classic in November, where he defeated Eddy Bengtsson of Sweden 3-0. "I am pretty excited about competing in this event," Gardner said. "This is the best I have felt physically since my accident. Mentally, I have been competing at a top level since I came back, but physically it has taken a while to get back to where I want to be. This will be a good test to see if I am where I feel I need to be physically or not." "Rulon has looked good recently, and as you can see, he is starting to get thinner," USA Wrestling National Greco-Roman Coach Steve Fraser added. "It would have been nice if he could have had more matches at this tournament, but this will be a good start for him nonetheless. I think he is excited to get back to competing on a regular basis with this and then the Titan Games in two weeks." For Japan, 2002 Asian Games champion Shingo Matsumoto will not compete at 84 kg/185 lbs. due to a shoulder injury. This leaves the Japanese team with only five wrestlers. Two Uzbekistan wrestlers will not compete at the Concord Cup: Bokhodir Kurbanov at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. and Mirzoali Mamadjanov at 74 kg/163 lbs. Kurbanov placed fifth at the 2002 World Championships and the 2000 Olympic Games. Because of the absences, Asliddin Khudayberdiev will move up to 66 kg/145.5 lbs., Djakhongir Turdiev will move up and rotate between 84 kg/185 lbs. and 96 kg/211.5 lbs. with Evgeniy Erofailov and Ruslan Biktyakov will step in at 74 kg/163 lbs. Biktyakov placed 10th at the 2000 Olympic Games and placed 5th at the 2002 Asian Games. The festivities for the Concord Cup will begin this evening with a fundraising dinner at the Concord Youth Center and four exhibition matches. Dual competition between the U.S. and foreign teams will begin on Saturday, Feb. 1 at 10:00 a.m. Western time. The tournament will commence on Sunday, Feb. 2. 2003 Concord Cup Concord, Calif. Jan. 31-Feb. 2, 2003 U.S. Team #1 - New York Athletic Club 55 kg/121 lbs. - Lindsay Durlacher, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC) 60 kg/132 lbs. - Joe Warren, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC) 66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Kevin Bracken, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC) 74 kg/163 lbs. - T.C. Dantzler, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC) 74 kg/163 lbs. - Brandon McNab, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC) 84 kg/185 lbs. - Ethan Bosch, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC) 96 kg/211.5 lbs. - Ross Thatcher, State College, Pa. (New York AC) 120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Rulon Gardner, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids) Coaches: Chris Saba (Colorado Springs, Colo.) and Shawn Sheldon (Colorado Springs, Colo.)U.S. Team #2 - Military 55 kg/121 lbs. - Neal Rodak, San Diego, Calif. (U.S. Navy) 60 kg/132 lbs. - Glenn Nieradka, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army) 66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Marcel Cooper, Quantico, Va. (U.S. Marine Corps) 74 kg/163 lbs. - Keith Sieracki, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army) 84 kg/185 lbs. - Aaron Sieracki, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Air Force) 96 kg/211.5 lbs. - Jason Loukides, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army) 120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Paul Devlin, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army) Coaches: Jay Antonelli (Quantico, Va.) and Shon Lewis (Colorado Springs, Colo.)U.S. Team #3 55 kg/121 lbs. - Brandon Paulson, Anoka, Minn. (Minnesota Storm) 60 kg/132 lbs. - James Gruenwald, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids) 66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Mike Ellsworth, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Michigan WC) 74 kg/163 lbs. - Darryl Christian, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Dave Schultz WC) 84 kg/185 lbs. - Brad Vering, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids) 96 kg/211.5 lbs. - Phillip Johnston, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Air Force) 120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Corey Farkas, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Air Force) Coaches: Ike Anderson (Colorado Springs, Colo.), Rich Estrella (Colorado Springs, Colo.) and Steve Fraser (Colorado Springs, Colo.)Team Japan 55 kg/121 lbs. - Masatoshio Toyota 60 kg/132 lbs. - Makoto Sasamoto 66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Masaki Imuro 74 kg/163 lbs. - Katsuhiko Nagata 96 kg/211.5 lbs. - Shuhei Taniguchi Coach: Hiromichi ItoTeam Uzbekistan 60 kg/132 lbs. - Dilshod Aripov 66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Asliddin Khudayberdiev 74 kg/163 lbs. - Ruslan Biktyakov 84 kg/163 lbs. - Djakhongir Turdiev 84 kg/185 lbs. - Evgeniy Erofailov 120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Shermakhamad Kuziev Coaches: Kamil Fatkulin, Rustam Kudratov and Mamurjon Ruziev