Funicello wins bronze in Grappling at World Wrestling Games
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by Gary Abbott
TIRANA, ALBANIA - Jeff Funicello (Mesa, Ariz./American Pankration) won a bronze medal at 92 kg/202.5 pounds in the Grappling competition at the World Wrestling Games on Saturday.
Funicello won two of his three matches during the competition. He opened with a victory over Mark Lajhner of Serbia, 4-1, then fell to Emil Samoilov of Bulgaria in double overtime, 1-0. His final match was a submission victory over fellow American Mike Proulx (Bath, Maine/unattached).
"Jeff lost a close match to the eventual champion," said USA Wrestling's Manager of Developing Wrestling Styles Jason Townsend. "He was right there to win it all, even though he was giving up a considerable size difference."
Funicello won a bronze medal at the 2007 World Beach Championships last year in Turkey, and will attempt to win a second career Beach medal on Sunday.
Two other U.S. athletes participated in the Grappling event but did not win a medal, Proulx and Neil Cook (Rochester, N.Y./Team Titan). Cook lost a wild match to Dario Kuratli of Switzerland by submission.
"Neil was up 8-2 with under a minute to go then gave up a takedown and full mount to tie up the match and then was arm-barred with 10 seconds left. It was a great match," said Townsend.
WORLD WRESTLING GAMES GRAPPLING CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Tirana, Albania, Sept. 20
92 kg/202.5 lbs. - Jeff Funicello, Mesa, Ariz. (American Pankration), bronze medal
WIN Mark Lajhner, Serbia 4-1
LOSS Emil Samoilov, Bulgaria, Double OT 1-0
WIN Mike Proulx, USA, submission
92 kg/202.5 lbs. - Mike Proulx, Bath, Maine, dnp
LOSS Emil Samoilov, Bulgaria, submission
LOSS Jeff Funicello, USA submission
80 kg/176 lbs. - Neil Cook, Rochester, N.Y. (Team Titan), dnp
LOSS Dario Kuratli, Switzerland, submission
Funicello won two of his three matches during the competition. He opened with a victory over Mark Lajhner of Serbia, 4-1, then fell to Emil Samoilov of Bulgaria in double overtime, 1-0. His final match was a submission victory over fellow American Mike Proulx (Bath, Maine/unattached).
"Jeff lost a close match to the eventual champion," said USA Wrestling's Manager of Developing Wrestling Styles Jason Townsend. "He was right there to win it all, even though he was giving up a considerable size difference."
Funicello won a bronze medal at the 2007 World Beach Championships last year in Turkey, and will attempt to win a second career Beach medal on Sunday.
Two other U.S. athletes participated in the Grappling event but did not win a medal, Proulx and Neil Cook (Rochester, N.Y./Team Titan). Cook lost a wild match to Dario Kuratli of Switzerland by submission.
"Neil was up 8-2 with under a minute to go then gave up a takedown and full mount to tie up the match and then was arm-barred with 10 seconds left. It was a great match," said Townsend.
WORLD WRESTLING GAMES GRAPPLING CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Tirana, Albania, Sept. 20
92 kg/202.5 lbs. - Jeff Funicello, Mesa, Ariz. (American Pankration), bronze medal
WIN Mark Lajhner, Serbia 4-1
LOSS Emil Samoilov, Bulgaria, Double OT 1-0
WIN Mike Proulx, USA, submission
92 kg/202.5 lbs. - Mike Proulx, Bath, Maine, dnp
LOSS Emil Samoilov, Bulgaria, submission
LOSS Jeff Funicello, USA submission
80 kg/176 lbs. - Neil Cook, Rochester, N.Y. (Team Titan), dnp
LOSS Dario Kuratli, Switzerland, submission
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