Wheeler qualifies for bronze medal match in Greco-Roman wrestling; Vering and Byers eliminated
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by Gary Abbott
BEIJING, CHINA - Adam Wheeler (Colorado Springs, Colo./Gator WC) has qualified for a bronze-medal match at 96 kg/211.5 lbs. in Greco-Roman wrestling at the China Agricultural University Gymnasium on Thursday morning.
Wheeler won his first two matches, then was defeated in the semifinals by Mirko Englich of Germany. The semifinal loss places him in one of the two bronze-medal bouts in his weight class.
In his opening match, Wheeler won a tight match over 2005 World silver medalist Lajos Virag, 1-1, 1-1, 1-1. No takedowns were scored, and the match was decided with both wrestlers successfully defending each reverse lift. Wheeler dropped the first period, but won the next two by scoring the defense point last in each period.
He continued his strong wrestling with a quarterfinal win over hometown favorite Jiang Huachen of China, 0-7. 3-2, 1-1. Jiang started strong, turning Wheeler three times in the first period for a technical fall. In the second period, Wheeler was able to turn Jiang for exposure points in a scramble, resulting in a 2-2 tie, then won the period by defending on the bottom to score a point in the par terre position. In the third period, Wheeler won by defending on the bottom position and scoring the last point.
His semifinal match was also very close, but Englich was able to win, 2-1, 2-1. In both periods, Wheeler was on top during the first reverse lock position, but Englich scored reversals for one point, the margin of victory in the match.
Englich was a 2008 European runner-up and a 2003 World Military champion.
Wheeler will face the winner of the repechage match between Elis Guri of Albania and Han Tae-Young of Korea in the afternoon session, which begins at 4:00 p.m.
Wheeler is competing on his first U.S. Senior World-level team after a number of years on the national scene. He is originally from Lancaster, Calif. Wheeler competed for the U.S. Navy, then the USOEC program at Northern Michigan Univ. before becoming a resident athlete at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs.
It is the final day of Greco-Roman competition at the Olympics. The two other U.S. wrestlers who entered on Thursday were defeated and were ultimately eliminated from medal contention, Brad Vering (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) at 84 kg/185 lbs. and Dremiel Byers (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army) at 120 kg/264.5 lbs.
Byers looked strong in his opening 1-1, 2-0 win over Oleksandr Chernetskyi of Ukraine. Byers won the first period by scoring the last point. In the second period, a Byers gutwrench in the first par terre position was the difference.
In his second match, Byers needed three periods to defeat hometown favorite Liu Deli of China, 4-0, 1-1, 1-1. He scored a three-point lift in the first period, but dropped the second period when Liu scored the last point from the par terre defense. In the final period, neither wrestler could score, and Byers won the period by defending from the bottom and scoring the last point.
Byers was defeated in the quarterfinals by 2005 Junior World champion Jalmar Sjoberg of Sweden, 0-3, 1-1, 1-1. Byers opened the match by winning the first period with a key two-point gut wrench turn. In both the second and third period, no offensive points were scored. Sjolberg won the periods by defending from the bottom in par terre and scoring the last point of the period.
When Sjoberg was defeated in the semifinals by two-time World champion Mijian Lopez of Cuba, Byers was eliminated from the medal contention. Only those who lose to a gold-medal finalist may wrestle in the repechage, which determines the bronze medals.
Byers was a 2002 World champion and won a World bronze medal in 2007.
Vering opened with a 4-0, 1-1 win over Artur Mikalkiewicz of Poland. In the first period, Vering popped a three-point throw from the opening whistle in the reverse lift. In the second period, nobody scored except on defense, and Vering won the period by scoring the last point.
Vering was defeated in the second round by Denis Forov of Armenia, 4-0, 1-2, 3-0. Forov scored a lift and a gut wrench to win the first period. The second period featured a clutch Vering takedown. In the third period, Vering was on bottom in the second par terre position and if he was able to defend, he would have won the bout. However, Forov scored a two-point exposure with about 10 seconds left to win the match.
Forov was second in the 2006 European Championships for Armenia, and was a 2003 Junior World champion competing for Russia.
When Forov was defeated in the quarterfinals by two-time World champion Ara Abrahamian of Sweden, Vering was eliminated from the tournament.
Vering was competing in his second Olympic Games. He was a 2007 World silver medalist and has twice placed fifth at the World Championships.
The Greco-Roman wrestling competition completes on Thursday night, with a repechage round at 4:00 p.m., followed by the gold and bronze medal matches in the final three weight classes.
OLYMPIC GAMES
Greco-Roman competition
Thursday, August 14
Gold Medal finals pairings
84 kg/185 lbs.
Zoltan Fodor (Hungary) vs. Andrea Minguzzi (Italy)
96 kg/211.5 lbs.
Mirko Englich (Germany) vs. Aslanbek Khushtov (Russia)
120 kg/264.5 lbs.
Khasan Baroev (Russia) vs. Mijain Lopez (Cuba)
U.S. performances
84 kg/185 lbs. - Brad Vering (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC)
Brad Vering (USA) dec. Artur Mikalkiewicz of Poland, 4-0, 1-1
Denis Forov (Armenia) dec. Brad Vering (USA), 4-0, 1-2, 3-0
Vering eliminated.
96 kg/211.5 lbs. - Adam Wheeler (Colorado Springs, Colo./Gator WC)
Adam Wheeler (USA) dec. Lajos Virag (Hungary), 1-1, 1-1, 1-1
Adam Wheeler (USA) dec. Jiang Huachen (China), 0-7, 3-2, 1-1
Mirko Englich (Germany) dec. Adam Wheeler (USA), 2-1, 2-1
Wheeler qualifies for bronze-medal match.
120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Dremiel Byers (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army)
Dremiel Byers (USA) dec. Oleksandr Chernetskyi (Ukraine), 1-1, 2-0
Dremiel Byers (USA) dec. Liu Deli (China), 4-0, 1-1, 1-1
Jalmar Sjolberg (Sweden) dec. Dremiel Byers (USA), 0-3, 1-1, 1-1
Byers is eliminated.
Wheeler won his first two matches, then was defeated in the semifinals by Mirko Englich of Germany. The semifinal loss places him in one of the two bronze-medal bouts in his weight class.
In his opening match, Wheeler won a tight match over 2005 World silver medalist Lajos Virag, 1-1, 1-1, 1-1. No takedowns were scored, and the match was decided with both wrestlers successfully defending each reverse lift. Wheeler dropped the first period, but won the next two by scoring the defense point last in each period.
He continued his strong wrestling with a quarterfinal win over hometown favorite Jiang Huachen of China, 0-7. 3-2, 1-1. Jiang started strong, turning Wheeler three times in the first period for a technical fall. In the second period, Wheeler was able to turn Jiang for exposure points in a scramble, resulting in a 2-2 tie, then won the period by defending on the bottom to score a point in the par terre position. In the third period, Wheeler won by defending on the bottom position and scoring the last point.
His semifinal match was also very close, but Englich was able to win, 2-1, 2-1. In both periods, Wheeler was on top during the first reverse lock position, but Englich scored reversals for one point, the margin of victory in the match.
Englich was a 2008 European runner-up and a 2003 World Military champion.
Wheeler will face the winner of the repechage match between Elis Guri of Albania and Han Tae-Young of Korea in the afternoon session, which begins at 4:00 p.m.
Wheeler is competing on his first U.S. Senior World-level team after a number of years on the national scene. He is originally from Lancaster, Calif. Wheeler competed for the U.S. Navy, then the USOEC program at Northern Michigan Univ. before becoming a resident athlete at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs.
It is the final day of Greco-Roman competition at the Olympics. The two other U.S. wrestlers who entered on Thursday were defeated and were ultimately eliminated from medal contention, Brad Vering (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) at 84 kg/185 lbs. and Dremiel Byers (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army) at 120 kg/264.5 lbs.
Byers looked strong in his opening 1-1, 2-0 win over Oleksandr Chernetskyi of Ukraine. Byers won the first period by scoring the last point. In the second period, a Byers gutwrench in the first par terre position was the difference.
In his second match, Byers needed three periods to defeat hometown favorite Liu Deli of China, 4-0, 1-1, 1-1. He scored a three-point lift in the first period, but dropped the second period when Liu scored the last point from the par terre defense. In the final period, neither wrestler could score, and Byers won the period by defending from the bottom and scoring the last point.
Byers was defeated in the quarterfinals by 2005 Junior World champion Jalmar Sjoberg of Sweden, 0-3, 1-1, 1-1. Byers opened the match by winning the first period with a key two-point gut wrench turn. In both the second and third period, no offensive points were scored. Sjolberg won the periods by defending from the bottom in par terre and scoring the last point of the period.
When Sjoberg was defeated in the semifinals by two-time World champion Mijian Lopez of Cuba, Byers was eliminated from the medal contention. Only those who lose to a gold-medal finalist may wrestle in the repechage, which determines the bronze medals.
Byers was a 2002 World champion and won a World bronze medal in 2007.
Vering opened with a 4-0, 1-1 win over Artur Mikalkiewicz of Poland. In the first period, Vering popped a three-point throw from the opening whistle in the reverse lift. In the second period, nobody scored except on defense, and Vering won the period by scoring the last point.
Vering was defeated in the second round by Denis Forov of Armenia, 4-0, 1-2, 3-0. Forov scored a lift and a gut wrench to win the first period. The second period featured a clutch Vering takedown. In the third period, Vering was on bottom in the second par terre position and if he was able to defend, he would have won the bout. However, Forov scored a two-point exposure with about 10 seconds left to win the match.
Forov was second in the 2006 European Championships for Armenia, and was a 2003 Junior World champion competing for Russia.
When Forov was defeated in the quarterfinals by two-time World champion Ara Abrahamian of Sweden, Vering was eliminated from the tournament.
Vering was competing in his second Olympic Games. He was a 2007 World silver medalist and has twice placed fifth at the World Championships.
The Greco-Roman wrestling competition completes on Thursday night, with a repechage round at 4:00 p.m., followed by the gold and bronze medal matches in the final three weight classes.
OLYMPIC GAMES
Greco-Roman competition
Thursday, August 14
Gold Medal finals pairings
84 kg/185 lbs.
Zoltan Fodor (Hungary) vs. Andrea Minguzzi (Italy)
96 kg/211.5 lbs.
Mirko Englich (Germany) vs. Aslanbek Khushtov (Russia)
120 kg/264.5 lbs.
Khasan Baroev (Russia) vs. Mijain Lopez (Cuba)
U.S. performances
84 kg/185 lbs. - Brad Vering (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC)
Brad Vering (USA) dec. Artur Mikalkiewicz of Poland, 4-0, 1-1
Denis Forov (Armenia) dec. Brad Vering (USA), 4-0, 1-2, 3-0
Vering eliminated.
96 kg/211.5 lbs. - Adam Wheeler (Colorado Springs, Colo./Gator WC)
Adam Wheeler (USA) dec. Lajos Virag (Hungary), 1-1, 1-1, 1-1
Adam Wheeler (USA) dec. Jiang Huachen (China), 0-7, 3-2, 1-1
Mirko Englich (Germany) dec. Adam Wheeler (USA), 2-1, 2-1
Wheeler qualifies for bronze-medal match.
120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Dremiel Byers (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army)
Dremiel Byers (USA) dec. Oleksandr Chernetskyi (Ukraine), 1-1, 2-0
Dremiel Byers (USA) dec. Liu Deli (China), 4-0, 1-1, 1-1
Jalmar Sjolberg (Sweden) dec. Dremiel Byers (USA), 0-3, 1-1, 1-1
Byers is eliminated.
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