Caylor Williams knocks off Olympic medalist to reach Schultz finals
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by Craig Sesker USA Wrestling
Caylor Williams powered into the finals of the Dave Schultz Memorial International on Thursday. Robbert Wijtman photo.
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Caylor Williams is ready for a breakthrough season.
The two-time World Team member appears well on his way after earning a huge win as the 2015 Dave Schultz Memorial International kicked off Thursday morning at the U.S. Olympic Training Center.
The explosive Williams knocked off 2012 Olympic silver medalist Rustam Totrov of Russia 3-0 in the Greco-Roman semifinals at 98 kg/216 lbs.
Williams threw Totrov to his back and a fall was called, but after a review the call was reversed. Williams kept his composure to gain the victory.
“They took away the pin, but that’s all right with me. This isn’t the World Championships. This isn’t the Olympics,” Williams said. “The harder they make it now for me here, the better I will be when the big show comes. Totrov is a great opponent. I’ve been watching this guy since I started Greco, trying to steal his moves, see what he does, do what he did, and better. I didn’t let it cross my mind, because I am still in the fight.”
Williams advances to face Kazakhstan’s Yerulan Iskakov in the finals. The finals are scheduled for 4:30 p.m. Mountain Time on Thursday.
Williams was one of eight Americans to advance to the finals.
Two-time Schultz champion Kendrick Sanders of the U.S. powered into the finals at 71 kg/156 lbs., pinning Japan’s Keita Yuda in the semifinals. He will face American Michael Hooker in the finals.
“This means a lot. It is a big international competition for us, here in the U.S.,” Sanders said. “You get good guys coming in from all over the World. I like wrestling foreigners. It makes me open up a lot and it gives me different looks.
“The plan for me this year is 71 kg. That is my weight class. Last year, I jumped around a lot, focused on wrestling. The years before that, I was cutting a lot of weight. It’s 71 kg this year. My goal is to make the World Team. It’s about time I win a medal. I’m ready.”
Two-time Schultz champion Jordan Holm of the U.S. landed a finals berth at 85 kg/187 lbs. He will face American Jon Anderson in the finals.
2014 World Team member Joe Rau landed a spot in the finals at 80 kg/176 lbs. Rau downed Kazakhstan’s Askhat Dilmukhame 11-5 in the semis. Rau will meet 2012 Olympian Ben Provisor in the finals.
American David Arendt advanced to the heavyweight finals against World bronze medalist Nurmakhan Tinaliyev of Kazakhstan.
American Pete Gounaridis knocked off Olympic champion Alan Khugaev of Russia 5-2 in the quarterfinals at 98 kg/216 lbs. Khugaev is wrestling up a weight class.
Gounaridis didn’t realize he had defeated an Olympic champion until USA Wrestling’s Gary Abbott informed him after the match.
“I had a bunch of coaches in my corner, so that usually means the guy I am wrestling is pretty good,” Gounaridis said. “I winged it, I guess. I have been training hard and my coaches have helped me a lot. He felt pretty strong. He was very fast. I could feel he wasn't as big as most of the guys I wrestle against. If he's in the weight a couple of years, he might get to my size and strength.”
Gounaridis then fell to Iskakov in the semis.
2014 World bronze medalist Andy Bisek dropped a 5-2 decision to Maksat Yerezhepov of Kazakhstan in the quarterfinals at 75 kg/165 lbs. Bisek is a two-time Schultz champion.
Kazakhstan’s Doszhan Kartikov followed with an 8-0 technical fall over two-time World medalist Justin Lester at 75 kilos. Lester is a four-time Schultz champion. Kartikov is a past Junior World medalist.
Two-time Schultz champion and two-time Olympian Spenser Mango also fell short of the finals.
Day 2 of the three-day Schultz event is set for Friday, with men’s freestyle competing.
FINALS MATCHUPS
59 kg/130 lbs.
Ivo Angelov (Bulgaria) vs. Aleksandar Kostadinov (Bulgaria)
66 kg/145.5 lbs.
Demeu Zhadrayev (Kazakhstan) vs. Almat Kebispayev (Kazakhstan)
71 kg/156 lbs.
Kendrick Sanders (New York AC) vs. Michael Hooker (U.S. Army)
75 kg/165 lbs.
Maxat Yerezhepov (Kazakhstan) vs. Doszhan Kartikov (Kazakhstan)
80 kg/176 lbs.
Joe Rau (Minnesota Storm) vs. Ben Provisor (New York AC)
85 kg/187 lbs.
Jordan Holm (Minnesota Storm) vs. Jon Anderson (U.S. Army)
98 kg/216 lbs.
Caylor Williams (U.S. Army) vs. Yerulan Iskakov (Kazakhstan)
130 kg/286 lbs.
Nurmakhan Tinaliyev (Kazakhstan) vs. David Arendt (U.S. Marines)
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Caylor Williams is ready for a breakthrough season.
The two-time World Team member appears well on his way after earning a huge win as the 2015 Dave Schultz Memorial International kicked off Thursday morning at the U.S. Olympic Training Center.
The explosive Williams knocked off 2012 Olympic silver medalist Rustam Totrov of Russia 3-0 in the Greco-Roman semifinals at 98 kg/216 lbs.
Williams threw Totrov to his back and a fall was called, but after a review the call was reversed. Williams kept his composure to gain the victory.
“They took away the pin, but that’s all right with me. This isn’t the World Championships. This isn’t the Olympics,” Williams said. “The harder they make it now for me here, the better I will be when the big show comes. Totrov is a great opponent. I’ve been watching this guy since I started Greco, trying to steal his moves, see what he does, do what he did, and better. I didn’t let it cross my mind, because I am still in the fight.”
Williams advances to face Kazakhstan’s Yerulan Iskakov in the finals. The finals are scheduled for 4:30 p.m. Mountain Time on Thursday.
Williams was one of eight Americans to advance to the finals.
Two-time Schultz champion Kendrick Sanders of the U.S. powered into the finals at 71 kg/156 lbs., pinning Japan’s Keita Yuda in the semifinals. He will face American Michael Hooker in the finals.
“This means a lot. It is a big international competition for us, here in the U.S.,” Sanders said. “You get good guys coming in from all over the World. I like wrestling foreigners. It makes me open up a lot and it gives me different looks.
“The plan for me this year is 71 kg. That is my weight class. Last year, I jumped around a lot, focused on wrestling. The years before that, I was cutting a lot of weight. It’s 71 kg this year. My goal is to make the World Team. It’s about time I win a medal. I’m ready.”
Two-time Schultz champion Jordan Holm of the U.S. landed a finals berth at 85 kg/187 lbs. He will face American Jon Anderson in the finals.
2014 World Team member Joe Rau landed a spot in the finals at 80 kg/176 lbs. Rau downed Kazakhstan’s Askhat Dilmukhame 11-5 in the semis. Rau will meet 2012 Olympian Ben Provisor in the finals.
American David Arendt advanced to the heavyweight finals against World bronze medalist Nurmakhan Tinaliyev of Kazakhstan.
American Pete Gounaridis knocked off Olympic champion Alan Khugaev of Russia 5-2 in the quarterfinals at 98 kg/216 lbs. Khugaev is wrestling up a weight class.
Gounaridis didn’t realize he had defeated an Olympic champion until USA Wrestling’s Gary Abbott informed him after the match.
“I had a bunch of coaches in my corner, so that usually means the guy I am wrestling is pretty good,” Gounaridis said. “I winged it, I guess. I have been training hard and my coaches have helped me a lot. He felt pretty strong. He was very fast. I could feel he wasn't as big as most of the guys I wrestle against. If he's in the weight a couple of years, he might get to my size and strength.”
Gounaridis then fell to Iskakov in the semis.
2014 World bronze medalist Andy Bisek dropped a 5-2 decision to Maksat Yerezhepov of Kazakhstan in the quarterfinals at 75 kg/165 lbs. Bisek is a two-time Schultz champion.
Kazakhstan’s Doszhan Kartikov followed with an 8-0 technical fall over two-time World medalist Justin Lester at 75 kilos. Lester is a four-time Schultz champion. Kartikov is a past Junior World medalist.
Two-time Schultz champion and two-time Olympian Spenser Mango also fell short of the finals.
Day 2 of the three-day Schultz event is set for Friday, with men’s freestyle competing.
FINALS MATCHUPS
59 kg/130 lbs.
Ivo Angelov (Bulgaria) vs. Aleksandar Kostadinov (Bulgaria)
66 kg/145.5 lbs.
Demeu Zhadrayev (Kazakhstan) vs. Almat Kebispayev (Kazakhstan)
71 kg/156 lbs.
Kendrick Sanders (New York AC) vs. Michael Hooker (U.S. Army)
75 kg/165 lbs.
Maxat Yerezhepov (Kazakhstan) vs. Doszhan Kartikov (Kazakhstan)
80 kg/176 lbs.
Joe Rau (Minnesota Storm) vs. Ben Provisor (New York AC)
85 kg/187 lbs.
Jordan Holm (Minnesota Storm) vs. Jon Anderson (U.S. Army)
98 kg/216 lbs.
Caylor Williams (U.S. Army) vs. Yerulan Iskakov (Kazakhstan)
130 kg/286 lbs.
Nurmakhan Tinaliyev (Kazakhstan) vs. David Arendt (U.S. Marines)
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