American Chase Pami places fifth on first day of Medved International

Chase Pami, wearing red at the 2012 Olympic Team Trials, placed fifth at the Alexander Medved International on Saturday. Tony Rotundo photo.

MINSK, Belarus – American wrestler Chase Pami finished fifth on the opening day of the Alexander Medved International on Saturday.

Pami (Champaign, Ill./Sunkist Kids/Illinois RTC) went 3-2 at 65 kg/143 lbs. for the U.S. freestyle team. He fell to Amandyk Bakeev of Kazakhstan in the bronze-medal match. 

Pami won his first two matches, including scoring a dramatic fall over Russia’s Dzhalilov in the second round. Trailing 8-0 in his second-round bout, Pami stormed back and eventually won the match by fall.

Pami fell to Alexander Kontoev of Belarus 2-2 in the quarterfinals. Kontoev placed 10th in the 2013 World Championships. 

Pami bounced back with a win over Mustafa of Turkey in the repechage. He then lost in the match for bronze.

"Chase Pami wrestled well – he competed harder than I have ever seen him compete,” U.S. Assistant Coach Brandon Slay said. “He was down 8-0 to a Russian, hit a four-point crotch lift and a four-point double to close the gap, and eventually won by pin. Chase lost a tough quarterfinal match to a salty, experienced Belarusian. He won his repechage match to wrestle for the bronze against Kazakhstan, where he gave up too many big points early and finished fifth." 

Americans Deron Winn (Ames, Iowa/Cyclone WC) and David Zabriskie (Bethlehem, Pa./Lehigh Valley AC) both went 1-1 at 97 kg/213 lbs. Winn and Zabriskie each opened with wins before both dropped decisions in the second round.

Winn dropped a 7-2 decision to 2012 Olympic silver medalist Valeri Andriitsev of Ukraine. 

American Zach Sanders (Minneapolis, Minn./Minnesota Storm) lost in the first round at 57 kg/125.5 lbs.

The U.S. finished with a 5-5 overall match record on the day. 

"Day 1 of the Medved started well with Team USA winning 3-of-4 first round bouts,” Slay said. “But, in round 2 and 3, our guys struggled. Our men got beat in fundamental freestyle positions by being turned in par terre, getting arm thrown, and not being able to clear 2-on-1s. These are areas we must improve upon to win consistently on the international level.”

The other four weight classes will be contested on Sunday in Belarus. Two-time NCAA champion Matt McDonough is among the American wrestlers scheduled to compete. 

"On Day 2, Team USA will have eight men competing,” Slay said, “and we plan on bringing home multiple medals."

MEDVED INTERNATIONAL
Minsk, Belarus, March 1-2

U.S. freestyle performances

LOSS Andreyev (Belarus), 0-10

65 kg/143 lbs. – Chase Pami, Champaign, Ill. (Sunkist Kids/Illinois RTC) – 5th

WIN Pashitkanov (Belarus), default

WIN Dzhalilov (Russia), fall 3:26

LOSS Alexander Kontoev (Belarus), 2-2

WIN Mustafa (Turkey), 14-13

LOSS Amandyk Bakeev (Kazakhstan), 0-13

WIN Kanathanov (Kazakhstan), fall 2:20

LOSS Valeri Andriitsev (Ukraine) 2-7

WIN Khassanov (Kazakhstan), 14-4

LOSS Jumayez (Kazakhstan), 0-10