U.S. Olympic Team Trials preview in Greco-Roman at 96 kg/211.5 lbs.
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by Craig Sesker
Justin Ruiz has been a fixture for the U.S. in this division. Ruiz has made the last four U.S. World Teams, winning a bronze medal in 2005. He has won the last five U.S. Nationals titles. Ruiz earned a spot in the best-of-3 finals at the Olympic Trials by virtue of winning U.S. Nationals, and earning a World medal during the last three years.
Ruiz's top challengers likely will be R.C. Johnson and Adam Wheeler. Johnson lost to Ruiz in the finals of U.S. Nationals. Johnson has placed third the past two years at the World Team Trials. Wheeler placed second to Ruiz at the 2005 and 2007 World Team Trials. He was third at U.S. Nationals, and has been second at the U.S. Nationals three times.
Robbie Smith, a top young prospect in Greco-Roman, took fourth at U.S. Nationals. Smith competed on the last three Junior World Teams and qualified in late May to compete at the 2008 University World Championships. Justin Millard took fifth at U.S. Nationals this year, and was a U.S. Nationals runner-up in 2007. Millard has also competed on a number of U.S. age-group World Teams.
John Lorenz placed sixth at the U.S. Nationals and Peter Gounaridis finished seventh. Lorenz won the Northeast Regional Trials, and Gounaridis was the 2008 University Nationals champion. Another top qualifier is 2008 Armed Forces champion Deon Hicks.
2008 U.S. Nationals results
1st - Justin Ruiz, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC) dec. R.C. Johnson, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids), 4-1, 1-1
3rd - Adam Wheeler, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Gator WC) dec. Robbie Smith, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC), 3-0, 4-0
5th - Justin Millard, Chesapeake Beach, Md. (U.S. Air Force) pin John Lorenz, LaCrosse, Wis. (Unattached), 1-1, 1:35
7th - Peter Gounaridis, Leominster, Mass. (NMU/USOEC) dec. Frank Workman, Vermilion, Ohio (U.S. Marine Corps), 7-0, 3-3
2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials Pre-Seeds
Qualified for best-of-three finals: Justin Ruiz, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)
Challenge Tournament seeds
1. R.C. Johnson, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)
2. Adam Wheeler, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Gator WC)
3. Robbie Smith, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)
4. Justin Millard, Chesapeake Beach, Md. (U.S. Air Force)
5. John Lorenz, LaCrosse, Wis. (Unattached)
6. Peter Gounaridis, Leominster, Mass. (NMU/USOEC)
7. Deon Hicks, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army)
8. Daren Burns, Catawba, N.C. (Y.E.S Greensboro)
9. Moises Hernandez, Top Sail, N.C. (U.S. Marines)
Ruiz's top challengers likely will be R.C. Johnson and Adam Wheeler. Johnson lost to Ruiz in the finals of U.S. Nationals. Johnson has placed third the past two years at the World Team Trials. Wheeler placed second to Ruiz at the 2005 and 2007 World Team Trials. He was third at U.S. Nationals, and has been second at the U.S. Nationals three times.
Robbie Smith, a top young prospect in Greco-Roman, took fourth at U.S. Nationals. Smith competed on the last three Junior World Teams and qualified in late May to compete at the 2008 University World Championships. Justin Millard took fifth at U.S. Nationals this year, and was a U.S. Nationals runner-up in 2007. Millard has also competed on a number of U.S. age-group World Teams.
John Lorenz placed sixth at the U.S. Nationals and Peter Gounaridis finished seventh. Lorenz won the Northeast Regional Trials, and Gounaridis was the 2008 University Nationals champion. Another top qualifier is 2008 Armed Forces champion Deon Hicks.
2008 U.S. Nationals results
1st - Justin Ruiz, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC) dec. R.C. Johnson, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids), 4-1, 1-1
3rd - Adam Wheeler, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Gator WC) dec. Robbie Smith, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC), 3-0, 4-0
5th - Justin Millard, Chesapeake Beach, Md. (U.S. Air Force) pin John Lorenz, LaCrosse, Wis. (Unattached), 1-1, 1:35
7th - Peter Gounaridis, Leominster, Mass. (NMU/USOEC) dec. Frank Workman, Vermilion, Ohio (U.S. Marine Corps), 7-0, 3-3
2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials Pre-Seeds
Qualified for best-of-three finals: Justin Ruiz, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)
Challenge Tournament seeds
1. R.C. Johnson, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)
2. Adam Wheeler, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Gator WC)
3. Robbie Smith, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)
4. Justin Millard, Chesapeake Beach, Md. (U.S. Air Force)
5. John Lorenz, LaCrosse, Wis. (Unattached)
6. Peter Gounaridis, Leominster, Mass. (NMU/USOEC)
7. Deon Hicks, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army)
8. Daren Burns, Catawba, N.C. (Y.E.S Greensboro)
9. Moises Hernandez, Top Sail, N.C. (U.S. Marines)
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