Nye still alive in wrestlebacks at Junior Greco-Roman Worlds in China

BEIJING, CHINA - One U.S. wrestler, Erik Nye (Red Bluff, Calif./unattached), remains alive in the wrestlebacks after the morning session at the Junior World Greco-Roman Championships on held at the Chinese Agriculture University Gymnasium on Wednesday.

Nye dropped his opening bout to 2006 Junior World bronze medalist Soslan Farniev of Russia, 0-3, 0-3 at 120 kg/264.5 lbs. Farniev scored a gut wrench and defended against Nye on the mat in both periods for the win.

When Farniev won his semifinal match over Germany's Ricardo Melz, Nye was pulled back into the wrestleback rounds. Only wrestlers who lose to a finalist are eligible to wrestle back for a bronze medal.

Nye will face Wang Chao of China in the first wrestleback round of the evening session. Nye will have to win three matches in order to capture a bronze medal.

Brandon Sitch (Kelso, Wash./Minnesota Storm) scored the only U.S. victory of the session, defeating Mahmoud El Sayed of Egypt, 3-0, 3-1 in the first round at 84 kg/185 lbs. Sitch scored gut wrenches in both periods on the way to the victory.

Sitch was beaten in the second round by Aldas Lukosaitis of Lithuania, 0-5, 0-6, as he was unable to get his offense going. Sitch was eliminated from the wrestlebacks when Lukosaitis was beaten in the quarterfinals.

At 55 kg/121 lbs., Eric Grajales (Brandon, Fla./Brandon WC) fell in his opening bout to Hamid Zare of Iran, 2-5, 4-6. Zare was defeated in the quarterfinals, eliminating Grajales from the tournament. Grajales was competing in the Junior World Championships for the second straight year.

At 66 kg/145.5 lbs., Jake Deitchler (Ramsey, Minn./Minnesota Storm) opened with a loss to Asilbek Bodochov of Kyrgysztan, 0-8, 0-4. Bodochov had two three-point throws in the first period, and another in the second period, shutting Deitchler out from scoring during the match. Deitchler was eliminated when Bodochov lost his next match.

The U.S. had four athletes compete on Tuesday, all placing in the top 10 of their divisions. Tyler Cox (Gillette, Wyo./Camel Kids) placed fifth at 50 kg/110 lbs., Robbie Smith (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) placed seventh at 96 kg/211.5 lbs., Chad Hemerson (Monterey, Calif./USOEC) placed ninth at 74 kg/163 lbs. and Jake Swenson (Moroni, Utah/Sunkist Kids/USOEC), placed 10th at 60 kg/132 lbs.,

The Greco-Roman competition completes on Wednesday. The women's tournament starts with four weight classes in competition on Thursday.

Junior World Championships
At Beijing, China, August 22

U.S. performances on Wednesday

55 kg/121 lbs. - Eric Grajales, Brandon, Fla. (Brandon WC)
LOSS Hamid Zare (Iran), 2-5, 4-6

66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Jake Deitchler, Ramsey, Minn. (Minnesota Storm)
LOSS Asilbek Bodochov (Kyrgysztan), 0-8, 0-4

84 kg/185 lbs. - Brandon Sitch, Kelso, Wash. (Minnesota Storm)
WIN Mahmoud El Sayed (Egypt), 3-0, 3-1
LOSS Aldas Lukosaitis (Lithuania), 0-5, 0-6

120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Erik Nye, Red Bluff, Calif (unattached)
LOSS Soslan Farniev (Russia), 0-3, 0-3