UPDATE: Stieber, Hildebrandt, Gonzalez receive draws for Non-Olympic Weight Class Worlds in Hungary
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by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling
Logan Stieber, shown at the 2016 Olympic Trials, will compete in his first Senior World Championships on Saturday at 61 kg in men’s freestyle. Photo by Tony Rotundo, Wrestlers Are Warriors
VIDEOS: Non-Olympic Weight Class Worlds interviews
BUDAPEST, Hungary – The first three U.S. athletes, one in each style, weighed in and received their first-round draws for the Non-Olympic Weight Class World Championships, which begin on Saturday.
All three U.S. entries will be competing in their first Senior World Championships: Logan Stieber (Columbus, Ohio/Titan Mercury WC/Ohio RTC) at 61 kg/134 lbs., Sarah Hildebrandt (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) at 55 kg/121 lbs. in women’s freestyle and Christopher Gonzalez, Bolingbrook, Ill. (U.S. Army WCAP) at 71 kg/156 lbs. in Greco-Roman.
Stieber, a Junior World silver medalist, drew into the top half of the bracket. He will open against tough Vasyl Shuptar of Ukraine, a 2015 World bronze medalist. Shuptar was a 2012 World University champion and third in the 2013 World University Games.
If Stieber advances, his second round match could be against Akhmed Chakaev, a 2009 Yarygin Grand Prix silver medalist and a 2016 Yarygin bronze medalist.
A four-time NCAA champion for Ohio State, Stieber has dropped down in weight from 65 kg/143 lbs., where he has been a top competitor for a number of seasons.
“Logan is a veteran. He has been around, on Junior teams where he won medals. He has beaten several medalists. Last year at this time, he has a win over Soslan Ramonov, the current Olympic champion at 65 kg. Leading up to this, he has looked very strong. He had a great performance at the Bill Farrell to make the team. When I was out visiting and doing preparation, he looks really sharp. I am excited for him,” said National Freestyle Coach Bill Zadick.
Hildebrandt, a two-time Pan American Championships gold medalist, has drawn into the top half-bracket, where she opens against Japan’s young phenom Mayu Mukaida, a 2016 Junior World champion who won a gold at the 2014 Youth Olympic Games
Should Hildebrandt win her first match, she would draw the winner of Ramona Halambos of Hungary and Elena Yakimchuk of Belarus.
She competed at the Junior World Championships in 2012 and 2013 and was also on the USA World University Games team in 2013. Hildebrandt attended King University, where she won two WCWA college national titles.
“She has been looking good in preparation. I believe Sarah is as ready as anyone. We are excited for her to be here. It’s her first World-level competition. She had definitely earned her stripes to be here. She beat Whitney Conder in the finals of the Trials and she beat Kelsey Campbell. Those are both past World and Olympic team members. Now it is just doing the job now that she is here. Sarah feels the sport and knows how to wrestle,” said National Women’s Coach Terry Steiner.
Gonzalez, in his first major international event at any level, drew into the bottom half-bracket. His first opponent is Filip Dubsky of the Czech Republic, who competed at the 2015 World Championships. Dubsky has competed in four European Championships but did not place in the top 10 any of the times.
Should Gonzalez win, he will draw the winner of the first round battle between Denys Demyankov of Ukraine and Ilie Cojocari of Romania.
When Gonzales won his weight class at the Non-Olympic Weight World Team Trials, it was his first Senior-level tournament victory. He has been a U.S. Open All-American three times, with his highest placement being fourth in 2016.
“Chris had a good Trials. He beat some good guys. He went out and competed well. This is his first major international competition for sure. He has been at our developmental program up at Northern Michigan. He moved down to Colorado Springs a few weeks before making that team. We did a little adjustments but just focused on getting him ready for that tournament and he did great. We are here at the World Championships in Hungary, ready to go. He is a very athletic young guy. He lacks experience, but he can go out there and surprise some guys,” said National Greco-Roman Coach Matt Lindland.
The U.S. team was determined at the Non-Olympic Weight Class World Team Trials, held in New York City at the New York Athletic Club in November.
United World Wrestling will be doing a live webcast and results page
The first session begins on Saturday at 10:00 a.m. in Budapest, Hungary, six hours ahead of USA Eastern time
2016 NON-OLYMPIC WEIGHT CLASS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Budapest, Hungary
U.S. World Team first-round pairings for Saturday
Women’s freestyle
55 kg/121 lbs. – Sarah Hildebrandt (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC)
Vs. Mayu Mukaida (Japan), 2016 Junior World champion, 2014 Youth Olympic Games champion, 2015 Asian Junior champion
Men’s freestyle
61 kg/134 lbs. - Logan Stieber (Columbus, Ohio/Titan Mercury WC/Ohio RTC)
Vs. Vasyl Shuptar (Ukraine), 3rd in 2015 World Championships, 2012 World University champion, 3rd in 2013 World University Games
Greco-Roman
71 kg/156 lbs. – Christopher Gonzalez, Bolingbrook, Ill. (U.S. Army WCAP)
Vs. Filip Dubsky (Czech Republic), 2nd in 2014 Zagreb Open (Croatia), 6th in 2015 Zagreb Open (Croatia), 5th in 2013 Gedza International (Serbia)
VIDEOS: Non-Olympic Weight Class Worlds interviews
BUDAPEST, Hungary – The first three U.S. athletes, one in each style, weighed in and received their first-round draws for the Non-Olympic Weight Class World Championships, which begin on Saturday.
All three U.S. entries will be competing in their first Senior World Championships: Logan Stieber (Columbus, Ohio/Titan Mercury WC/Ohio RTC) at 61 kg/134 lbs., Sarah Hildebrandt (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) at 55 kg/121 lbs. in women’s freestyle and Christopher Gonzalez, Bolingbrook, Ill. (U.S. Army WCAP) at 71 kg/156 lbs. in Greco-Roman.
Stieber, a Junior World silver medalist, drew into the top half of the bracket. He will open against tough Vasyl Shuptar of Ukraine, a 2015 World bronze medalist. Shuptar was a 2012 World University champion and third in the 2013 World University Games.
If Stieber advances, his second round match could be against Akhmed Chakaev, a 2009 Yarygin Grand Prix silver medalist and a 2016 Yarygin bronze medalist.
A four-time NCAA champion for Ohio State, Stieber has dropped down in weight from 65 kg/143 lbs., where he has been a top competitor for a number of seasons.
“Logan is a veteran. He has been around, on Junior teams where he won medals. He has beaten several medalists. Last year at this time, he has a win over Soslan Ramonov, the current Olympic champion at 65 kg. Leading up to this, he has looked very strong. He had a great performance at the Bill Farrell to make the team. When I was out visiting and doing preparation, he looks really sharp. I am excited for him,” said National Freestyle Coach Bill Zadick.
Hildebrandt, a two-time Pan American Championships gold medalist, has drawn into the top half-bracket, where she opens against Japan’s young phenom Mayu Mukaida, a 2016 Junior World champion who won a gold at the 2014 Youth Olympic Games
Should Hildebrandt win her first match, she would draw the winner of Ramona Halambos of Hungary and Elena Yakimchuk of Belarus.
She competed at the Junior World Championships in 2012 and 2013 and was also on the USA World University Games team in 2013. Hildebrandt attended King University, where she won two WCWA college national titles.
“She has been looking good in preparation. I believe Sarah is as ready as anyone. We are excited for her to be here. It’s her first World-level competition. She had definitely earned her stripes to be here. She beat Whitney Conder in the finals of the Trials and she beat Kelsey Campbell. Those are both past World and Olympic team members. Now it is just doing the job now that she is here. Sarah feels the sport and knows how to wrestle,” said National Women’s Coach Terry Steiner.
Gonzalez, in his first major international event at any level, drew into the bottom half-bracket. His first opponent is Filip Dubsky of the Czech Republic, who competed at the 2015 World Championships. Dubsky has competed in four European Championships but did not place in the top 10 any of the times.
Should Gonzalez win, he will draw the winner of the first round battle between Denys Demyankov of Ukraine and Ilie Cojocari of Romania.
When Gonzales won his weight class at the Non-Olympic Weight World Team Trials, it was his first Senior-level tournament victory. He has been a U.S. Open All-American three times, with his highest placement being fourth in 2016.
“Chris had a good Trials. He beat some good guys. He went out and competed well. This is his first major international competition for sure. He has been at our developmental program up at Northern Michigan. He moved down to Colorado Springs a few weeks before making that team. We did a little adjustments but just focused on getting him ready for that tournament and he did great. We are here at the World Championships in Hungary, ready to go. He is a very athletic young guy. He lacks experience, but he can go out there and surprise some guys,” said National Greco-Roman Coach Matt Lindland.
The U.S. team was determined at the Non-Olympic Weight Class World Team Trials, held in New York City at the New York Athletic Club in November.
United World Wrestling will be doing a live webcast and results page
The first session begins on Saturday at 10:00 a.m. in Budapest, Hungary, six hours ahead of USA Eastern time
2016 NON-OLYMPIC WEIGHT CLASS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Budapest, Hungary
U.S. World Team first-round pairings for Saturday
Women’s freestyle
55 kg/121 lbs. – Sarah Hildebrandt (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC)
Vs. Mayu Mukaida (Japan), 2016 Junior World champion, 2014 Youth Olympic Games champion, 2015 Asian Junior champion
Men’s freestyle
61 kg/134 lbs. - Logan Stieber (Columbus, Ohio/Titan Mercury WC/Ohio RTC)
Vs. Vasyl Shuptar (Ukraine), 3rd in 2015 World Championships, 2012 World University champion, 3rd in 2013 World University Games
Greco-Roman
71 kg/156 lbs. – Christopher Gonzalez, Bolingbrook, Ill. (U.S. Army WCAP)
Vs. Filip Dubsky (Czech Republic), 2nd in 2014 Zagreb Open (Croatia), 6th in 2015 Zagreb Open (Croatia), 5th in 2013 Gedza International (Serbia)
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