Six Americans get first-day Greco-Roman draws at Hungarian Grand Prix
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by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling
2012 Olympian Ellis Coleman, shown battling Patrick Smith in the 2016 U.S. Open finals, will compete Saturday at the Hungarian Grand Prix. Photo by Tony Rotundo, Wrestlers Are Warriors.
SZOMBETHELY, Hungary – Six American wrestlers received their first round draws for the Hungarian Grand Prix on Saturday, considered one of the toughest Greco-Roman events each year on the international calendar.
Three talented Americans are competing at 66 kg/145.5 lbs., Ellis Coleman (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army WCAP), Jesse Thielke (Germantown, Wis./New York AC) and RaVaughn Perkins (Omaha, Neb./New York AC).
Coleman, a 2012 Olympian and 2016 U.S. Open champion, opens against Mateusz Bernatek of Poland, who was third in the 2015 Hungarian Grand Prix and 10th in 2015 World Championships.
Thielke, a 2013 U.S. World Team member, is competing up a weight class. He opens with 2013 Asian Championships bronze medalist Tomohiro Inoue of Japan.
Perkins will face Sergey Kozub of Ukraine in his opener.
At 85 kg/187 lbs., the USA will be represented by 2015 World Team member Patrick Martinez (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army WCAP) and 2015 Pan American Games champion Jon Anderson (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army WCAP).
Martinez will competed first against 2014 Asian Games bronze medalist Fei Peng of China. Anderson drew veteran Laimutis Adomaitis of Lithuania, who was a 2007 and 2015 World Military Games bronze medalist.
2016 U.S. Open champion Geordan Speiller (Oviedo, Fla./Florida Jets) will battle Iwa Nylypiuk of Poland, who was seventh in 2015 European U23 Championships.
HUNGARIAN GRAND PRIX
At Szombethely, Hungary, Feb. 6-7
U.S. Greco-Roman draws for Saturday
66 kg/145.5 lbs. – RaVaughn Perkins, Omaha, Neb. (New York AC)
Vs. Sergey Kozub (Ukraine), 2012 Ukrainian Cadet World Team member
66 kg/145.5 lbs. – Jesse Thielke, Germantown, Wis. (New York AC)
Vs. Tomohiro Inoue (Japan), 3rd in 2013 Asian Championships, 3rd in 2014 Bill Farrell International
66 kg/145.5 lbs. – Ellis Coleman, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP)
Vs. Mateusz Bernatek (Poland), 10th in 2015 World Championships, 3rd in 2015 Hungarian Grand Prix
75 kg/163 lbs. – Geordan Speiller, Oviedo, Fla. (Florida Jets)
Vs. Iwa Nylypiuk (Poland), 7th in 2015 European U23 Championships, 8th in 2015 Grand Prix of Spain
85 kg/187 lbs. – Patrick Martinez, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP)
Vs. Fei Peng (China), 3rd in 2014 Asian Games, 3rd in 2012 Junior World Championships
85 kg/187 lbs. – Jon Anderson, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP)
Vs. Laimutis Adomaitis (Lithuania), 3rd in 2007 and 2015 World Military Games, 3rd in 2014 World Military Championships, 5th in 2012 European Championships
SZOMBETHELY, Hungary – Six American wrestlers received their first round draws for the Hungarian Grand Prix on Saturday, considered one of the toughest Greco-Roman events each year on the international calendar.
Three talented Americans are competing at 66 kg/145.5 lbs., Ellis Coleman (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army WCAP), Jesse Thielke (Germantown, Wis./New York AC) and RaVaughn Perkins (Omaha, Neb./New York AC).
Coleman, a 2012 Olympian and 2016 U.S. Open champion, opens against Mateusz Bernatek of Poland, who was third in the 2015 Hungarian Grand Prix and 10th in 2015 World Championships.
Thielke, a 2013 U.S. World Team member, is competing up a weight class. He opens with 2013 Asian Championships bronze medalist Tomohiro Inoue of Japan.
Perkins will face Sergey Kozub of Ukraine in his opener.
At 85 kg/187 lbs., the USA will be represented by 2015 World Team member Patrick Martinez (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army WCAP) and 2015 Pan American Games champion Jon Anderson (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army WCAP).
Martinez will competed first against 2014 Asian Games bronze medalist Fei Peng of China. Anderson drew veteran Laimutis Adomaitis of Lithuania, who was a 2007 and 2015 World Military Games bronze medalist.
2016 U.S. Open champion Geordan Speiller (Oviedo, Fla./Florida Jets) will battle Iwa Nylypiuk of Poland, who was seventh in 2015 European U23 Championships.
HUNGARIAN GRAND PRIX
At Szombethely, Hungary, Feb. 6-7
U.S. Greco-Roman draws for Saturday
66 kg/145.5 lbs. – RaVaughn Perkins, Omaha, Neb. (New York AC)
Vs. Sergey Kozub (Ukraine), 2012 Ukrainian Cadet World Team member
66 kg/145.5 lbs. – Jesse Thielke, Germantown, Wis. (New York AC)
Vs. Tomohiro Inoue (Japan), 3rd in 2013 Asian Championships, 3rd in 2014 Bill Farrell International
66 kg/145.5 lbs. – Ellis Coleman, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP)
Vs. Mateusz Bernatek (Poland), 10th in 2015 World Championships, 3rd in 2015 Hungarian Grand Prix
75 kg/163 lbs. – Geordan Speiller, Oviedo, Fla. (Florida Jets)
Vs. Iwa Nylypiuk (Poland), 7th in 2015 European U23 Championships, 8th in 2015 Grand Prix of Spain
85 kg/187 lbs. – Patrick Martinez, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP)
Vs. Fei Peng (China), 3rd in 2014 Asian Games, 3rd in 2012 Junior World Championships
85 kg/187 lbs. – Jon Anderson, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP)
Vs. Laimutis Adomaitis (Lithuania), 3rd in 2007 and 2015 World Military Games, 3rd in 2014 World Military Championships, 5th in 2012 European Championships
