Eight Americans advance to freestyle finals at Dave Schultz Memorial

Frank Molinaro earned a spot in the finals of the Dave Schultz Memorial on Friday. John Sachs photo.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Eight American wrestlers punched their tickets to the finals of the Dave Schultz Memorial International in freestyle wrestling on Friday at the U.S. Olympic Training Center. 

It will be an all-american battle in the finals at 86 kg/189 lbs. with Jon Reader battling Robert Hamlin for the championship. Reader, a past NCAA champion, won this event last year.

“This was my first tournament back after an injury,” Reader said. “I’m starting to get my timing back and I feel pretty good. I’m looking to finish this tournament strong. This tournament has some good high-level international competition and it’s a good test for us.”

The second session is scheduled to start at 4 p.m. Friday with the finals set for around 6.

Top young heavyweight prospect Tyrell Fortune, who finished second at the 2013 U.S. World Team Trials, stormed into the finals at 125 kg/275 lbs. Fortune will face fellow American Jarod Trice in the finals.

NCAA champion Dustin Kilgore rolled into the finals where he will face a tough challenge against powerful Russian Georgy Gogaev at 97 kg/213 lbs. 

“It's been a good day so far,” Kilgore said. “I've come out with a good game plan and I've been physically aggressive. It will be a tough match in the finals. I need to get after it."

American Zach Sanders looked strong in reaching the final round at 57 kg/125.5 lbs. He will meet Russia’s Omak Syuryun in the title bout. 

World silver medalist Amit Kumar of India advanced to the finals by downing Olympic bronze medalist Coleman Scott of the U.S. 7-1 in the semifinals. Kumar led 3-1 before countering a Scott shot attempt late in the match to seal the victory at 61 kg/134 lbs. Kumar and Scott both won this event in 2012.

2011 World silver medalist Franklin Gomez of Puerto Rico advanced to the finals at 65 kg/143 lbs. Gomez was an NCAA champion for Michigan State and trains with the Nittany Lion Wrestling Club at Penn State University. 

Gomez will meet Frank Molinaro, who was an NCAA champion for Penn State, in the finals.

Past NCAA All-American Dan Vallimont reached the finals at 74 kg/163 lbs. He is scheduled to face India's Parveen Rana in the finals.

Bulgaria’s Georgi Ivanov turned in a dominant session in reaching the finals at 70 kg/154 lbs. Ivanov was an NCAA Division II runner-up for Nebraska-Omaha. 

The final day of the three-day event is set for Saturday at the Olympic Training Center. The women’s freestyle competition will be contested. It is scheduled to start at 9 a.m. with the finals set for 4 p.m.

DAVE SCHULTZ MEMORIAL INTERNATIONAL

Friday, Jan. 31, 2014

U.S. Olympic Training Center, Colorado Springs, Colo. 

FINALS MATCHUPS

57 kg/125.5 lbs. – Zach Sanders (Minnesota Storm) vs. Omak Syuryun (Russia)

61 kg/134 lbs. – Amit Kumar (India) vs. Aleksandr Bogomoev (Russia)

65 kg/143 lbs. – Franklin Gomez (Puerto Rico) vs. Frank Molinaro (Scarlet Knight WC)

70 kg/154 lbs. – Georgi Ivanov (Bulgaria) vs. Bekzod Abdurahkmanov (Uzbekistan)

74 kg/163 lbs. – Parveen Rana (India) vs. Dan Vallimont (Blue & Gold WC)

86 kg/189 lbs. – Jon Reader (Sunkist Kids) vs. Robert Hamlin (Lehigh Valley AC)

97 kg/213 lbs. – Georgy Gogaev (Russia) vs. Dustin Kilgore (Sunkist Kids)

125 kg/275 lbs. – Tyrell Fortune (Titan Mercury WC) vs. Jarod Trice (Titan Mercury WC)