American Tervel Dlagnev strikes gold at University World Championships

THESSOLONIKI, Greece - American Tervel Dlagnev captured a gold medal at the University World Championships on Wednesday.

Dlagnev knocked off Riza Yildirim of Turkey 1-0, 2-0 in the freestyle championship match at 120 kg/264.5 lbs. Dlagnev won by injury default over a wrestler from Greece in the first match before recording a pin over Naoki from Japan to reach the final round.

Dlagnev (Kearney, Neb./Sunkist Kids) was a two-time NCAA Division II champion for the University of Nebraska at Kearney. He placed third at the 2008 U.S. Nationals.

American Jake Herbert downed Loes of Germany 4-0, 2-0 in the bronze-medal match at 84 kg/185 lbs. Herbert suffered a controversial loss to Turkey's Sahin Borhat in his second match. Herbert also won a bronze medal at the 2006 University World Championships.

Herbert (Wexford, Pa./New York AC) won an NCAA title for Northwestern in 2007. He has one year of college eligibility left after taking an Olympic redshirt in 2008.

Americans Brad Pataky (Clearfield, Pa./New York AC) and Josh Churella (Ann Arbor, Mich./New York AC) fell short of placing on Wednesday.

American wrestlers Reece Humphrey (Indianapolis, Ind./Ohio State Univ.), Keith Gavin (Factoryville, Pa./New York AC) and Brent Jones (Burke, Va./Cavalier WC) are scheduled to compete on Thursday.

UNIVERSITY WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
THESSOLONIKI, GREECE

55 kg/121 lbs. - Brad Pataky, Clearfield, Pa. (New York AC)
LOSS Andreev (Belarus), 4-0, 0-7, 0-6

66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Josh Churella, Ann Arbor, Mich. (New York AC)
WIN (Canada), 2-0, 6-1
LOSS Tatsuhiro (Japan), 0-1, 0-2
LOSS Shadrin (Russia), 1-3, 1-3

84 kg/185 lbs. - Jake Herbert, Wexford, Pa. (New York AC) - 3rd
WIN Brown (Canada), 6-0, 6-0
LOSS Sahit Borhat (Turkey), 2-3, 4-0, 1-1
WIN Loes (Germany),4-0, 2-0

120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Tervel Dlagnev, Kearney, Neb. (Sunkist Kids) - 1st
WIN (Greece), by injury default
WIN Naoki (Japan), by fall
WIN Riza Yildirim (Turkey), 1-0, 2-0