Skip to content
International
USAW

Brad Swartz wins gold medal at Veterans World Championships

Share:

by USA Wrestling

ANKARA, Turkey - American Brad Swartz has won his second Veterans World Championships.

Swartz, from Auburn, Wash., earned four wins to win a Veterans Wolrd freestyle title in Division C (46-50 years old) at 76 kg/167.5 lbs. He won his first Veterans World title in 2004.

Swartz won by pin over a German in his first match. He followed with a 1-0, 2-0 win over Jonathan Tush of the U.S. In the semifinals, he pinned an Iranian who had beaten him in this event last year.

Swartz beat Keshavarzi of Iran 0-1, 1-0, 1-0 in Saturday night's finals.

"I'm really happy my son, Kurt, could be here with me," Swartz said. "Kurt's just starting to travel the world and this is a great start. I have to credit the 'Boise State Connection.' Coach Kirk White is from our area and really helped me get ready. My son, Kurt, is at Boise State now, too. Kurt was my coach and my workout partner here in Ankara.

"It's nice to be back in the Gold. I won a couple of gold medals a few years ago, but I've been Silver the last two years."

Tush, from Maplewood, N.J., came back to win a bronze medal on Saturday.

"I just want to thank USA Wrestling, and especially Sam (Barber) and Rusty (Davidson) for making us feel like a team from the minute we got here," Tush said. "This has been great fun for my family. I brought my wife and kids. We're going to spend the next few days exploring Istanbul. The bronze medal just made it that much more fun."

American Jonny Akins, from Knotts Island, N.C., lost to an Iranian in his first bout on Saturday in Division D at 76 kg/167.5 lbs.

VETERANS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
AUGUST 15 AT ANKARA, TURKEY

76 kg/167.5 lbs. - Brad Swartz, Auburn, Wash. - 1st
WIN Matthias (Germany), by fall
WIN Tush (U.S.), 1-0, 2-0
WIN Gaskarei (Iran), by fall
WIN Keshavarzi (Iran), 0-1, 1-0, 1-0

76 kg/167.5 lbs. - Jonathan Tush, Maplewood, N.J. - 3rd
WIN Koyan (Turkey), 1-0, 0-1, 1-0
LOSS Swartz (U.S.), 0-1, 0-1
WIN Matthias (Germany), 1-0, 2-0
WIN Gaskarei (Iran), 1-0, 1-0

76 kg/167.5 lbs. - Jonny Akins, Knotts Island, N.C. - dnp
LOSS (Iran), 0-2, 0-4
Did not compete in Repechage, due to travel constraint

Read More#