Daniel Cormier, Tommy Rowlands, Stephanie Murata still alive to win bronze medals at World Championships
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by Craig Sesker
BAKU, Azerbaijan - Americans Daniel Cormier, Tommy Rowlands and Stephanie Murata each lost in Friday's first session, but each will have a chance to wrestle back for a bronze medal Friday night at the World Championships.
Cormier will need two wins to capture a bronze medal when the tournament resumes late Friday afternoon at the Heydar Aliyev Sport and Exhibition Complex. Rowlands needs three wins to earn a bronze and Murata stands four wins from a bronze.
The U.S. failed to win a medal in the first five weight classes in men's freestyle, earning three fifth-place finishes on Thursday. The women's competition opened Friday with three more women's classes to be contested Saturday and three more Sunday.
Russia continued its amazing run of dominance by placing two more wrestlers in the finals Friday morning on the final day of the freestyle competition. Russia won four gold medals and one bronze on the first two days in freestyle. Russia already has scored 66 of a possible 70 points and could finish with 68 if its two finalists win Friday night.
Cormier (Stillwater, Okla./Gator WC) dropped a 5-0, 2-1 quarterfinal decision to Iran's Saeid Abrahimi at 96 kg/211.5 lbs. Cormier received a chance to wrestle back when the powerful 24-year-old Abrahimi stormed into the final round. Abrahami has burst onto the international scene this year, winning May's Asian Championships.
Cormier had slipped behind Abrahimi for a takedown with just over 30 seconds left in a wild scramble that saw Abrahimi step over Cormier's gut-wrench attempt to score the two points that clinched him the match.
Rowlands (Columbus, Ohio/Sunkist Kids) fell 2-0, 1-0 to World champion Alexis Rodriguez of Cuba in the second round at 120 kg/264.5 lbs. Rowlands received his chance to come back when Rodriguez knocked off World champion Artur Taymazov of Uzbekistan in the semifinals.
The burly Rodriguez controlled the match on his feet against Rowlands in a rematch of the Pan American Games finals, also won by Rodriguez.
Murata (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) dropped her second-round match to World champion Chiharu Icho of Japan at 48 kg/105.5 lbs. in women's freestyle. Icho won 1-0, 1-0. Murata will have a chance to wrestle back after Icho made the finals. Murata, a past World silver medalist, faces a long road with the four wins she needs to earn a spot on the medal stand.
Day 2 of 3 in the women's freestyle competition is set for Saturday. The U.S. entrants include Jenny Wong (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) at 51 kg/112.25 lbs., Marcie Van Dusen (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) at 55 kg/121 lbs. and Leigh Jaynes (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army) at 59 kg/130 lbs.
Cormier will need two wins to capture a bronze medal when the tournament resumes late Friday afternoon at the Heydar Aliyev Sport and Exhibition Complex. Rowlands needs three wins to earn a bronze and Murata stands four wins from a bronze.
The U.S. failed to win a medal in the first five weight classes in men's freestyle, earning three fifth-place finishes on Thursday. The women's competition opened Friday with three more women's classes to be contested Saturday and three more Sunday.
Russia continued its amazing run of dominance by placing two more wrestlers in the finals Friday morning on the final day of the freestyle competition. Russia won four gold medals and one bronze on the first two days in freestyle. Russia already has scored 66 of a possible 70 points and could finish with 68 if its two finalists win Friday night.
Cormier (Stillwater, Okla./Gator WC) dropped a 5-0, 2-1 quarterfinal decision to Iran's Saeid Abrahimi at 96 kg/211.5 lbs. Cormier received a chance to wrestle back when the powerful 24-year-old Abrahimi stormed into the final round. Abrahami has burst onto the international scene this year, winning May's Asian Championships.
Cormier had slipped behind Abrahimi for a takedown with just over 30 seconds left in a wild scramble that saw Abrahimi step over Cormier's gut-wrench attempt to score the two points that clinched him the match.
Rowlands (Columbus, Ohio/Sunkist Kids) fell 2-0, 1-0 to World champion Alexis Rodriguez of Cuba in the second round at 120 kg/264.5 lbs. Rowlands received his chance to come back when Rodriguez knocked off World champion Artur Taymazov of Uzbekistan in the semifinals.
The burly Rodriguez controlled the match on his feet against Rowlands in a rematch of the Pan American Games finals, also won by Rodriguez.
Murata (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) dropped her second-round match to World champion Chiharu Icho of Japan at 48 kg/105.5 lbs. in women's freestyle. Icho won 1-0, 1-0. Murata will have a chance to wrestle back after Icho made the finals. Murata, a past World silver medalist, faces a long road with the four wins she needs to earn a spot on the medal stand.
Day 2 of 3 in the women's freestyle competition is set for Saturday. The U.S. entrants include Jenny Wong (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) at 51 kg/112.25 lbs., Marcie Van Dusen (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) at 55 kg/121 lbs. and Leigh Jaynes (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army) at 59 kg/130 lbs.
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