2014 U.S. World Team Trials preview in Greco-Roman at 85 kg/187 lbs.
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by Richard Immel USA Wrestling
| Jordan Holm digs an underhook on Zach Nielsen in the finals of the 2014 U.S. Open. Tony Rotundo Photo. |
Top to bottom, the 85 kg/187 lbs. weight class will prove to be one of the more even brackets at the 2014 Greco-Roman World Team Trials in Daytona Beach, Fla.
The odds on favorite to earn the 85 kg/187 lbs. spot on the Greco-Roman World Team is defending World Team Trials champion Jordan Holm (Minneapolis, Minn./Minnesota Storm).
Holm has established himself as the man to beat at this weight class coming off a solid World Championships performance from a year ago. Holm has won gold at the U.S. Open, Minnesota Storm Holiday Cup and Dave Schultz Memorial International this season. He also picked up medals overseas at the 2013 Haavisto Cup and 2014 Granma Cup since competing at the World Championships in Budapest, Hungary.
Zachary Nielsen (Zimmerman, Minn./Minnesota Storm) appears to be the top challenger to Holm after he stormed his way to a runner-up finish at the U.S. Open. Holm defeated Nielsen 8-0 in the finals in Las Vegas.
2013 World Team Trials runner-up Peter Hicks (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army WCAP) will look to gain a spot in the best of three finals series for the second straight year. Hicks finished in third place at the U.S. Open with his only loss coming in the semifinals to Nielsen 8-0.
2012 Olympian Ben Provisor (Colorado Springs, Colo./NYAC) will also be in the mix at 85 kg/187 lbs. Provisor has missed much of the season due to injury but is ready to compete for a World Team berth once more. Provisor won the 2013 NYAC International and was recently runner-up at the 2014 University National Championships.
2014 University National Champion Josef Rau (Minneapolis, Minn./Minnesota Storm) will look to continue an impressive season at the Greco-Roman World Team Trials. Rau finished in second place at the NYAC International and Minnesota Storm Holiday Cup, in addition to securing gold at the University Nationals in May.
Other notables who will make a run in Dayton Beach are U.S. Open place winners Mark Stenberg (Colorado Springs, Colo./NYAC), Easton Hargrave (Tumwater, Wash./TumOly WC) and Courtney Myers (Jacksonville, N.C./U.S. Marines).
2014 U.S. Open Greco-Roman Results at 85 kg/187 lbs.
1st - Jordan Holm, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm) tech. fall Zachary Nielsen, Zimmerman, Minn. (Minnesota Storm), 8-0
3rd - Peter Hicks, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Army (WCAP) dec. Mark Stenberg, Colorado Springs, Colo. (NYAC), 1-0
5th - Easton Hargrave, Tumwater, Wash. (TumOly Wrestling Club) dec. Courtney Myers, Jacksonville, N.C. (Marines), 10-5
7th - Lee Wildes, Oviedo, Fla. (Florida Jets) forfeit Eugene Komissarov, Brooklyn, N.Y. (Unattached)
2014 Greco-Roman World Team Trials Qualifiers at 85 kg/187 lbs.
2014 U.S. Open champion – Jordan Holm, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm)
2014 U.S. Open second place – Zachary Nielsen, Zimmerman, Minn. (Minnesota Storm)
2014 U.S. Open third place – Peter Hicks, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Army WCAP)
2014 U.S. Open fourth place – Mark Stenberg, Colorado Springs, Colo. (NYAC)
2014 U.S. Open fifth place – Easton Hargrave, Tumwater, Wash. (TumOly Wrestling Club)
2014 U.S. Open sixth place – Courtney Myers, Jacksonville, N.C. (Marines)
2014 U.S. Open seventh place – Lee Wildes, Oviedo, Fla. (Florida Jets)
2014 U.S. Open second place, 80 kg– Aaron Sieracki, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Army WCAP)
Past U.S. Olympic Team member – Ben Provisor, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)
2014 University Nationals champion – Josef Rau, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm)
2014 University Nationals second place, 80 kg –Tarrence Williams, Portland, Ore. (Team Quest)
2014 FILA Junior Nationals champion, 79 kg – Austin Dewey, Boise, Idaho (Bronco WC)
2014 FILA Junior Nationals second place, 79 kg – Khalil Shakur, Marietta, Ga. (Life Running Eagles WC)
2014 FILA Junior Nationals champion, 84 kg – Richard Carlson, Arden Hills, Minn. (Minnesota Storm)
2014 FILA Junior Nationals second place, 84 kg – Preston Lehmann, Fargo, N.D. (Bison WC)
2014 Northeast Senior Regionals champion, 84 kg – David Khavin, Brooklyn, N.Y. (Brooklyn Wrestling Club)
2014 Northeast Senior Regionals champion, 80 kg - Robby Neill, Camp LeJeune, N.C. (U.S. Marines)
2014 Northern Plains Senior Regionals champion, 80 kg – Zak Benitz, Wisconsin Rapids, Wis. (Peacock WC)
Wildcard selection – Ryan Hope, Colorado Springs, Colo.
