Green, Ragan, Martinez receive draws for Non-Olympic Weight Class Worlds in Hungary
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by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling
James Green, shown competing at the 2016 World Cup in LA, battles for his second World medal on Sunday.
BUDAPEST, Hungary – The final 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 concludes Sunday.
All three U.S. entries have past World Championship experience: James Green (Lincoln, Neb./Titan Mercury WC/Nebraska WTC) at 70 kg/154 lbs., Alli Ragan (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) at 60 kg/132 lbs. in women’s freestyle and Patrick Martinez (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army WCAP) at 80 kg/176 lbs. in Greco-Roman.
Green, a 2015 World bronze medalist, is competing in his second Senior World Championships. He drew into the bottom half-bracket and will open against Gitnomagomedov Gadzhiyev of Azerbaijan, who was second in the 2016 UWW Golden Grand Prix in Azerbaijan.
If Green wins his first match, he faces the winner of the bout between Davit Tlashadze of Georgia and Kyle Horvath of Canada.
Green, a four-time All-American at Nebraska, has won a number of international medals at this weight class.
“James has been doing a great job. It was a huge commitment for him to be the 2015 World bronze medalist, and then try to cut down to 65 kg. He just didn’t have the same level of energy. Since going back up, he has done very well. He was undefeated at the World Cup, beating several really quality guys with four solid wins. He has also had a strong performance in the summer, wrestling in a couple of events in Poland and Spain. He beat a very prepared, very capable and very dangerous Jordan Oliver in the Trials. When I was visiting James, working on some specifics, he looked strong and his offense is really sharp,” said National Freestyle Coach Bill Zadick.
Ragan is competing in her fourth Senior World Championships, with her previous best finish being fifth place in the 2014 World Championships at 58 kg/128 lbs. She drew into the bottom half-bracket and starts her competition against Sarita of India, a silver medalist from the 2016 Commonwealth Championships.
If Ragan wins the opener, she will face the winner of the bout between Linda Morais of Canada and Derya Bayhan of Turkey.
A two-time Junior World bronze medalist, Ragan won two WCWA college national titles for King Univ.
“She has something to prove to herself. I think she wants to get out there and compete how she is capable of competing. She didn’t show that at the Trials. She is ready for another shot at this, and get a medal, even a gold. We have really been trying to add some things to her wrestling. She has done a really good job with that. She is a little bit different wrestler than she was a year ago or even six months ago. She has added a lot. Now it is getting out on the mat, using it and doing it,” said National Women’s Coach Terry Steiner.
Martinez, a member of the 2015 U.S. World Team, is in his second World meet. He drew into the bottom half-bracket and will face Ashkat Dilmukhamedov of Kazakhstan, who placed fifth in the 2011 and 2015 World Championships.
He was a 2015 U.S. Open champion and a 2016 University Nationals champion. Martinez competed for Wyoming and Nebraska-Kearney in college.
If he wins, Martinez will draw the winner from the match between Sargis Kocharyan of Armenia and Igor Besleaga of Moldova.
“He is experienced now. He knows what that level of competition is at the World Championships. He has been competing all over, in all of the continents. We know he can compete with some of the best guys. He just has to go out there and execute his game plans. He has to get to his positions and score points. It is about him attacking, doing what he is good at, getting to his underhooks and scoring,” 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 Sunday 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 Sunday
Women’s freestyle
60 kg/132 lbs. - Alli Ragan, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)
Vs. Sarita (India), 2nd in 2016 Commonwealth Championships
Men’s freestyle
70 kg/154 lbs. – James Green (Lincoln, Neb. (Titan Mercury WC/Nebraska WTC)
Vs. Gitnomagomedov Gadzhiyev (Azerbaijan), 2nd in 2016 UWW Golden Grand Prix (Azerbaijan),
Greco-Roman
80 kg/176 lbs. - Patrick Martinez, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP)
Vs. Ashkat Dilmukhamedov (Kazakhstan), 5th in 2011 and 2015 World Championships, 3rd in 2016 Asian Championships, 2012 Olympian, 3rd in 2006 University Worlds
BUDAPEST, Hungary – The final 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 concludes Sunday.
All three U.S. entries have past World Championship experience: James Green (Lincoln, Neb./Titan Mercury WC/Nebraska WTC) at 70 kg/154 lbs., Alli Ragan (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) at 60 kg/132 lbs. in women’s freestyle and Patrick Martinez (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army WCAP) at 80 kg/176 lbs. in Greco-Roman.
Green, a 2015 World bronze medalist, is competing in his second Senior World Championships. He drew into the bottom half-bracket and will open against Gitnomagomedov Gadzhiyev of Azerbaijan, who was second in the 2016 UWW Golden Grand Prix in Azerbaijan.
If Green wins his first match, he faces the winner of the bout between Davit Tlashadze of Georgia and Kyle Horvath of Canada.
Green, a four-time All-American at Nebraska, has won a number of international medals at this weight class.
“James has been doing a great job. It was a huge commitment for him to be the 2015 World bronze medalist, and then try to cut down to 65 kg. He just didn’t have the same level of energy. Since going back up, he has done very well. He was undefeated at the World Cup, beating several really quality guys with four solid wins. He has also had a strong performance in the summer, wrestling in a couple of events in Poland and Spain. He beat a very prepared, very capable and very dangerous Jordan Oliver in the Trials. When I was visiting James, working on some specifics, he looked strong and his offense is really sharp,” said National Freestyle Coach Bill Zadick.
Ragan is competing in her fourth Senior World Championships, with her previous best finish being fifth place in the 2014 World Championships at 58 kg/128 lbs. She drew into the bottom half-bracket and starts her competition against Sarita of India, a silver medalist from the 2016 Commonwealth Championships.
If Ragan wins the opener, she will face the winner of the bout between Linda Morais of Canada and Derya Bayhan of Turkey.
A two-time Junior World bronze medalist, Ragan won two WCWA college national titles for King Univ.
“She has something to prove to herself. I think she wants to get out there and compete how she is capable of competing. She didn’t show that at the Trials. She is ready for another shot at this, and get a medal, even a gold. We have really been trying to add some things to her wrestling. She has done a really good job with that. She is a little bit different wrestler than she was a year ago or even six months ago. She has added a lot. Now it is getting out on the mat, using it and doing it,” said National Women’s Coach Terry Steiner.
Martinez, a member of the 2015 U.S. World Team, is in his second World meet. He drew into the bottom half-bracket and will face Ashkat Dilmukhamedov of Kazakhstan, who placed fifth in the 2011 and 2015 World Championships.
He was a 2015 U.S. Open champion and a 2016 University Nationals champion. Martinez competed for Wyoming and Nebraska-Kearney in college.
If he wins, Martinez will draw the winner from the match between Sargis Kocharyan of Armenia and Igor Besleaga of Moldova.
“He is experienced now. He knows what that level of competition is at the World Championships. He has been competing all over, in all of the continents. We know he can compete with some of the best guys. He just has to go out there and execute his game plans. He has to get to his positions and score points. It is about him attacking, doing what he is good at, getting to his underhooks and scoring,” 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 Sunday 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 Sunday
Women’s freestyle
60 kg/132 lbs. - Alli Ragan, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)
Vs. Sarita (India), 2nd in 2016 Commonwealth Championships
Men’s freestyle
70 kg/154 lbs. – James Green (Lincoln, Neb. (Titan Mercury WC/Nebraska WTC)
Vs. Gitnomagomedov Gadzhiyev (Azerbaijan), 2nd in 2016 UWW Golden Grand Prix (Azerbaijan),
Greco-Roman
80 kg/176 lbs. - Patrick Martinez, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP)
Vs. Ashkat Dilmukhamedov (Kazakhstan), 5th in 2011 and 2015 World Championships, 3rd in 2016 Asian Championships, 2012 Olympian, 3rd in 2006 University Worlds
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