Two U.S. freestyle wrestlers won gold medals on the final day of competition at the Alexander Medved International in Minsk, Belarus, October 20.
Capturing titles were Damion Hahn (Ithaca, N.Y./New York AC) at 96 kg/211.5 lbs. and Steve Mocco (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) at 120 kg/264.5 lbs.
The United States won four medals on Sunday, bringing their three-day total at the tournament to eight.
Hahn won four matches on the way to the title, including two bouts against American opponents. Hahn, who won two NCAA titles for the Univ. of Minnesota, is currently a coach at Cornell Univ.
In the gold-medal finals, Hahn defeated 2005 U.S. World Team member Mo Lawal (Colorado Springs, Colo./Gator WC), 1-0, 0-2, 3-1. Hahn won the first period from the offensive position on the leg clinch. In the second period, Lawal scored a takedown and a one-point ankle lace. In the deciding third period, Hahn's three-point front headlock turn was the difference in the match.
Hahn opened the tournament with a 1-0, 1-0 win over Kyle Cerminara (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC). His second match featured a second period pin over S. Ynkov of Belarus. In the semifinals, Hahn scored an injury default over Zalemhan Aleev of Russia.
Mocco scored three straight wins over foreign opponents to capture his gold medal. He opened with a 1-0, 2-0 victory over S. Bayramov of Russia. In the semifinals, Mocco needed all three periods to stop Mastepanov of Belarus, 1-2, 2-0, 6-0. After dropping the first period, Mocco captured the second period with a pushout and a snap and spin takedown. In the final period, Mocco scored a technical fall with two snap down takedowns and two two-point gut wrenches.
In the championship finals, Mocco defeated K. Bakdanlet of Kazakhstan, 2-0, 6-0. He won the opening period on two single leg takedowns. In the second period, Mocco scored two single leg takedowns and two two-point gutwrenches.
Mocco, who won NCAA titles for Iowa and for Oklahoma State, is currently a U.S. Olympic Training Center resident athlete.
Cerminara added the fourth medal for the day, claiming a bronze medal through the wrestleback rounds. In his first wrestleback, he stopped S. Ynkov of Belarus, 4-0, 6-0. He received the bronze medal by forfeit over Zalemhan Aleev of Russia.
During the tournament, the U.S. won two gold medals, three silver medals, and three bronze medals. The U.S. team was coached by USA Wrestling's National Freestyle Coach Kevin Jackson.
ALEXANDER MEDVED INTERNATIONAL
at Minsk, Belarus, October 21
Freestyle medalists
96 kg/211.5 lbs.
Gold - Damion Hahn (United States)
Silver - Mo Lawal (United States)
Bronze - Kyle Cerminara (United States)
Bronze - Ruslan Sheykov (Belarus)
120 kg/264.5 lbs.
Gold - Steve Mocco (United States)
Silver - K. Keremhanov (Kazakhstan)
Bronze - A. Mastepanov (Belarus)
Bronze - K. Bakdanlet (Belarus)
U.S. performances
96 kg/211.5 lbs. - Damion Hahn, Ithaca, N.Y. (New York AC), 1st
WIN Kyle Cerminara (USA), 1-0, 1-0
WIN S. Ynkov (Belarus), 5-0, 1:57
WIN Zalemhan Aleev (Russia), inj. dft.
WIN Mo Lawal (USA), 1-0, 0-2, 3-1
96 kg/211.5 lbs. - Mo Lawal, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Gator WC), 2nd
WIN N. Cheban (Moldova), 6-1, 2-1
WIN Ruslan Sheykov (Belarus), 2-2, 0-1, 1-0
LOSS Damion Hahn (USA), 0-1, 2-0, 3-1
96 kg/211.5 lbs. - Kyle Cerminara, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC), 3rd
LOSS Damion Hahn (USA), 0-1, 0-1
WIN S. Ynkov (Belarus), 4-0, 6-0
WIN Zalemhan Aleev (Russia), forfeit
120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Steve Mocco, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC), 1st
WIN S. Bayramov (Russia), 1-0, 2-0
WIN A. Mastepanov (Belarus), 1-2, 2-0, 6-0
WIN K. Bakdanlet (Kazakhstan), 2-0, 6-0
Capturing titles were Damion Hahn (Ithaca, N.Y./New York AC) at 96 kg/211.5 lbs. and Steve Mocco (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) at 120 kg/264.5 lbs.
The United States won four medals on Sunday, bringing their three-day total at the tournament to eight.
Hahn won four matches on the way to the title, including two bouts against American opponents. Hahn, who won two NCAA titles for the Univ. of Minnesota, is currently a coach at Cornell Univ.
In the gold-medal finals, Hahn defeated 2005 U.S. World Team member Mo Lawal (Colorado Springs, Colo./Gator WC), 1-0, 0-2, 3-1. Hahn won the first period from the offensive position on the leg clinch. In the second period, Lawal scored a takedown and a one-point ankle lace. In the deciding third period, Hahn's three-point front headlock turn was the difference in the match.
Hahn opened the tournament with a 1-0, 1-0 win over Kyle Cerminara (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC). His second match featured a second period pin over S. Ynkov of Belarus. In the semifinals, Hahn scored an injury default over Zalemhan Aleev of Russia.
Mocco scored three straight wins over foreign opponents to capture his gold medal. He opened with a 1-0, 2-0 victory over S. Bayramov of Russia. In the semifinals, Mocco needed all three periods to stop Mastepanov of Belarus, 1-2, 2-0, 6-0. After dropping the first period, Mocco captured the second period with a pushout and a snap and spin takedown. In the final period, Mocco scored a technical fall with two snap down takedowns and two two-point gut wrenches.
In the championship finals, Mocco defeated K. Bakdanlet of Kazakhstan, 2-0, 6-0. He won the opening period on two single leg takedowns. In the second period, Mocco scored two single leg takedowns and two two-point gutwrenches.
Mocco, who won NCAA titles for Iowa and for Oklahoma State, is currently a U.S. Olympic Training Center resident athlete.
Cerminara added the fourth medal for the day, claiming a bronze medal through the wrestleback rounds. In his first wrestleback, he stopped S. Ynkov of Belarus, 4-0, 6-0. He received the bronze medal by forfeit over Zalemhan Aleev of Russia.
During the tournament, the U.S. won two gold medals, three silver medals, and three bronze medals. The U.S. team was coached by USA Wrestling's National Freestyle Coach Kevin Jackson.
ALEXANDER MEDVED INTERNATIONAL
at Minsk, Belarus, October 21
Freestyle medalists
96 kg/211.5 lbs.
Gold - Damion Hahn (United States)
Silver - Mo Lawal (United States)
Bronze - Kyle Cerminara (United States)
Bronze - Ruslan Sheykov (Belarus)
120 kg/264.5 lbs.
Gold - Steve Mocco (United States)
Silver - K. Keremhanov (Kazakhstan)
Bronze - A. Mastepanov (Belarus)
Bronze - K. Bakdanlet (Belarus)
U.S. performances
96 kg/211.5 lbs. - Damion Hahn, Ithaca, N.Y. (New York AC), 1st
WIN Kyle Cerminara (USA), 1-0, 1-0
WIN S. Ynkov (Belarus), 5-0, 1:57
WIN Zalemhan Aleev (Russia), inj. dft.
WIN Mo Lawal (USA), 1-0, 0-2, 3-1
96 kg/211.5 lbs. - Mo Lawal, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Gator WC), 2nd
WIN N. Cheban (Moldova), 6-1, 2-1
WIN Ruslan Sheykov (Belarus), 2-2, 0-1, 1-0
LOSS Damion Hahn (USA), 0-1, 2-0, 3-1
96 kg/211.5 lbs. - Kyle Cerminara, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC), 3rd
LOSS Damion Hahn (USA), 0-1, 0-1
WIN S. Ynkov (Belarus), 4-0, 6-0
WIN Zalemhan Aleev (Russia), forfeit
120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Steve Mocco, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC), 1st
WIN S. Bayramov (Russia), 1-0, 2-0
WIN A. Mastepanov (Belarus), 1-2, 2-0, 6-0
WIN K. Bakdanlet (Kazakhstan), 2-0, 6-0
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