Rau wins silver, Thielke, Martinez, Miller get bronzes at Zagreb Open in Croatia
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by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling
Joe Rau locks up a high gutwrench on Caylor Williams in the 2016 U.S. Open finals. Rau won a silver medal in Croatia this weekend. Photo by Tony Rotundo, Wrestlers Are Warriors
ZAGREB, Croatia – The United States claimed four medals and placed fifth as a team at the Grand Prix Zagreb Open on Saturday.
Claiming a silver medal at 98 kg/215 lbs. was 2014 U.S. World Team member Joe Rau (Minneapolis, Minn./Minnesota Storm), who finished with a 2-1 record.
Rau won his first two bouts, stopping Zsolt Torok of Hungary, 4-2 in the quarterfinals and three-time World Team member Radoszaw Grzybicki of Poland, 8-5 in the semifinals. In the finals, he faced Artur Omarov of the Czech Republic, who has been on the last five Czech World Teams, and lost, 4-6. Rau most recently won the 2016 U.S. Open in Las Vegas.
Bronze medals went to 2013 World Team member Jesse Thielke (Germantown, Wis./New York AC) at 66 kg/145.5 lbs., 2015 World Team member Patrick Martinez (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army WCAP) at 85 kg/187 lbs. and 2011 Junior World Team member Daniel Miller at 98 kg/215 lbs.
Thielke was wrestling up one weight class from his normal weight, which is 59 kg/130 lbs. He opened with a pair of strong wins, getting a 10-2 technical fall over Junica Grbinicek of Croatia and a 6-2 win over Mateusz Bernatek of Poland. In the semifinals, he lost to eventual champion and 2015 Hungarian Grand Prix champion Danijel Janecic of Croatia, 0-8. In his bronze medal bout, he pinned Istvan Kozak of Hungary.
Martinez, who competed last year at the non-Olympic 80 kg/176 lbs., finished with a 2-1 record. He opened with a pin over Ivan Huklek of Croatia. In the semifinals, he lost by criteria to Serbia’s World Team member Petar Balo, 4-4. He came back with a 9-1 technical fall over Ivan Rakovic of Croatia, 9-1.
Miller, who was seventh at the 2011 Junior World Championships, won his opener by pin over Felix Radinger of Germany. In the semifinals, he fell to eventual champion Artur Omarov of Czech Republic, 4-12. There was no bronze-medal bout in his half of the bracket. Miller competed for the U.S. Naval Academy in college.
Placing fifth was another U.S. Naval Academy star, two-time World Team member Bryce Saddoris (Camp LeJeune, N.C./U.S. Marine Corps), who moved up to 71 kg/156 lbs. for this match. He lost two a pair of top international stars, 2014 World bronze medalist Tamas Lorincz of Hungary, 0-7 and Aleksandar Maksimovic of Serbia, 2-2. Maksimovic was fifth at the 2013 World Championships.
GRAND PRIX ZAGBEB OPEN
At Zagreb, Croatia, January 23
59 kg/130 lbs.
Gold – Peter Modos (Hungary)
Silver – Tamas Nad (Serbia)
Bronze –Dawid Ersetic (Poland)
Bronze – Kristijan Fris (Serbia)
66 kg/145.5 lbs.
Gold – Danijel Janecic (Croatia)
Silver – Otto Losonczi (Hungary)
Bronze – Mate Nemes (Serbia)
Bronze – Jesse Thielke (USA)
71 kg/156 lbs.
Gold – Tamas Lorincz (Hungary)
Silver – Istvan Levai (Slovakia)
Bronze – Jan Zizka (Czech Republic)
Bronze – Aleksandar Maksimovic (Serbia)
75 kg/165 lbs.
Gold – Bozo Starcevic (Croatia)
Silver – Arkadius Kulynycz (Poland)
Bronze – Edgar Babayan (Poland)
Bronze – Neven Zugaj (Croatia)
80 kg/176 lbs.
Gold – Viktor Nemez (Serbia)
Silver – Laszlo Szabo (Hungary)
Bronze – Michael Wagner (Austria)
Bronze – Zoltan Keri (Hungary)
85 kg/187 lbs.
Gold – Damian Janikowski (Poland)
Silver – Petar Balo (Serbia)
Bronze – Patrick Martinez (USA)
Bronze – Tadeus Michalik (Poland)
98 kg/215 lbs.
Gold – Artur Omarov (Czech Republic)
Silver – Joe Rau (USA)
Bronze – Daniel Miller (USA)
Bronze – Zsolt Torok (Hungary)
130 kg/286 lbs.
Gold – Balint Lam (Hungary)
Silver – Boban Zivanovic (Serbia)
Bronze – Arnold Pap (Hungary)
Bronze – Nemanja Pavlovic (Serbia)
U.S. Greco-Roman lineup
59 kg/130 lbs. - Aaron Kalil, Camp LeJeune, N.C. (U.S. Marine Corps), 10th
LOSS Dawid Szkodzinski (Poland), pin
59 kg/130 lbs. - Ruben Navejas, Camp LeJuene, N.C. (U.S. Marine Corps), 9th
LOSS Arkiadiusz (Poland), 5-13
66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Pat Smith, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm), 9th
LOSS Mateusz Bernatek (Poland), tech. fall 0-8
66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Jesse Thielke, Germantown, Wis. (New York AC), 3rd
WIN Junica Grbinicek (Croatia), tech. fall 10-2
WIN Mateusz Bernatek (Poland), 6-2
LOSS Danijel Janecic (Croatia), tech. fall, 0-8
WIN Istvan Kozak (Hungary), pin
71 kg/156 lbs. -Bryce Saddoris (Camp LeJeune, N.C./U.S. Marine Corps), 5th
LOSS Tamas Lorincz (Hungary), 0-7
LOSS Aleksandar Maksimovic (Serbia), 2-2
75 kg/165 lbs. - Michael Brant, Camp LeJeune, N.C. (U.S. Marine Corps), dnp/12th
LOSS Patrik Szabo (Hungary), pin
85 kg/187 lbs. - Patrick Martinez (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army WCAP), 3rd
WIN Ivan Huklek (Croatia), pin
LOSS Petar Balo (Serbia), 4-4
WIN Ivan Rakovic (Croatia), tech. fall, 9-1
98 kg/215 lbs. - Joe Rau (Minneapolis, Minn./Minnesota Storm), 2nd
WIN Zsolt Torok (Hungary), 4-2
WIN Radoszaw Grzybicki (Poland), 8-5
LOSS Artur Omarov (Czech Republic), 4-6
98 kg/215 lbs. - Daniel Miller. Camp LeJeune, N.C. (U.S. Marine Corps), 3rd
WIN Felix Radinger (Germany), pin
LOSS Artur Omarov (Czech Republic), tech. fall 4-12
Team Standings
1. Hungary, 91 pts.
2. Poland, 84 pts.
3. Serbia, 77 pts.
4. Croatia, 70 pts.
5. United States, 44 pts.
6. Czech Republic, 36 pts.
7. Austria, 14 pts.
8. Slovakia, 9 pts.
9. (tie) Bulgaria, 6 pts.
9. (tie) Germany, 6 pts.
(of 12 nations scoring points).
ZAGREB, Croatia – The United States claimed four medals and placed fifth as a team at the Grand Prix Zagreb Open on Saturday.
Claiming a silver medal at 98 kg/215 lbs. was 2014 U.S. World Team member Joe Rau (Minneapolis, Minn./Minnesota Storm), who finished with a 2-1 record.
Rau won his first two bouts, stopping Zsolt Torok of Hungary, 4-2 in the quarterfinals and three-time World Team member Radoszaw Grzybicki of Poland, 8-5 in the semifinals. In the finals, he faced Artur Omarov of the Czech Republic, who has been on the last five Czech World Teams, and lost, 4-6. Rau most recently won the 2016 U.S. Open in Las Vegas.
Bronze medals went to 2013 World Team member Jesse Thielke (Germantown, Wis./New York AC) at 66 kg/145.5 lbs., 2015 World Team member Patrick Martinez (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army WCAP) at 85 kg/187 lbs. and 2011 Junior World Team member Daniel Miller at 98 kg/215 lbs.
Thielke was wrestling up one weight class from his normal weight, which is 59 kg/130 lbs. He opened with a pair of strong wins, getting a 10-2 technical fall over Junica Grbinicek of Croatia and a 6-2 win over Mateusz Bernatek of Poland. In the semifinals, he lost to eventual champion and 2015 Hungarian Grand Prix champion Danijel Janecic of Croatia, 0-8. In his bronze medal bout, he pinned Istvan Kozak of Hungary.
Martinez, who competed last year at the non-Olympic 80 kg/176 lbs., finished with a 2-1 record. He opened with a pin over Ivan Huklek of Croatia. In the semifinals, he lost by criteria to Serbia’s World Team member Petar Balo, 4-4. He came back with a 9-1 technical fall over Ivan Rakovic of Croatia, 9-1.
Miller, who was seventh at the 2011 Junior World Championships, won his opener by pin over Felix Radinger of Germany. In the semifinals, he fell to eventual champion Artur Omarov of Czech Republic, 4-12. There was no bronze-medal bout in his half of the bracket. Miller competed for the U.S. Naval Academy in college.
Placing fifth was another U.S. Naval Academy star, two-time World Team member Bryce Saddoris (Camp LeJeune, N.C./U.S. Marine Corps), who moved up to 71 kg/156 lbs. for this match. He lost two a pair of top international stars, 2014 World bronze medalist Tamas Lorincz of Hungary, 0-7 and Aleksandar Maksimovic of Serbia, 2-2. Maksimovic was fifth at the 2013 World Championships.
GRAND PRIX ZAGBEB OPEN
At Zagreb, Croatia, January 23
59 kg/130 lbs.
Gold – Peter Modos (Hungary)
Silver – Tamas Nad (Serbia)
Bronze –Dawid Ersetic (Poland)
Bronze – Kristijan Fris (Serbia)
66 kg/145.5 lbs.
Gold – Danijel Janecic (Croatia)
Silver – Otto Losonczi (Hungary)
Bronze – Mate Nemes (Serbia)
Bronze – Jesse Thielke (USA)
71 kg/156 lbs.
Gold – Tamas Lorincz (Hungary)
Silver – Istvan Levai (Slovakia)
Bronze – Jan Zizka (Czech Republic)
Bronze – Aleksandar Maksimovic (Serbia)
75 kg/165 lbs.
Gold – Bozo Starcevic (Croatia)
Silver – Arkadius Kulynycz (Poland)
Bronze – Edgar Babayan (Poland)
Bronze – Neven Zugaj (Croatia)
80 kg/176 lbs.
Gold – Viktor Nemez (Serbia)
Silver – Laszlo Szabo (Hungary)
Bronze – Michael Wagner (Austria)
Bronze – Zoltan Keri (Hungary)
85 kg/187 lbs.
Gold – Damian Janikowski (Poland)
Silver – Petar Balo (Serbia)
Bronze – Patrick Martinez (USA)
Bronze – Tadeus Michalik (Poland)
98 kg/215 lbs.
Gold – Artur Omarov (Czech Republic)
Silver – Joe Rau (USA)
Bronze – Daniel Miller (USA)
Bronze – Zsolt Torok (Hungary)
130 kg/286 lbs.
Gold – Balint Lam (Hungary)
Silver – Boban Zivanovic (Serbia)
Bronze – Arnold Pap (Hungary)
Bronze – Nemanja Pavlovic (Serbia)
U.S. Greco-Roman lineup
59 kg/130 lbs. - Aaron Kalil, Camp LeJeune, N.C. (U.S. Marine Corps), 10th
LOSS Dawid Szkodzinski (Poland), pin
59 kg/130 lbs. - Ruben Navejas, Camp LeJuene, N.C. (U.S. Marine Corps), 9th
LOSS Arkiadiusz (Poland), 5-13
66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Pat Smith, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm), 9th
LOSS Mateusz Bernatek (Poland), tech. fall 0-8
66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Jesse Thielke, Germantown, Wis. (New York AC), 3rd
WIN Junica Grbinicek (Croatia), tech. fall 10-2
WIN Mateusz Bernatek (Poland), 6-2
LOSS Danijel Janecic (Croatia), tech. fall, 0-8
WIN Istvan Kozak (Hungary), pin
71 kg/156 lbs. -Bryce Saddoris (Camp LeJeune, N.C./U.S. Marine Corps), 5th
LOSS Tamas Lorincz (Hungary), 0-7
LOSS Aleksandar Maksimovic (Serbia), 2-2
75 kg/165 lbs. - Michael Brant, Camp LeJeune, N.C. (U.S. Marine Corps), dnp/12th
LOSS Patrik Szabo (Hungary), pin
85 kg/187 lbs. - Patrick Martinez (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army WCAP), 3rd
WIN Ivan Huklek (Croatia), pin
LOSS Petar Balo (Serbia), 4-4
WIN Ivan Rakovic (Croatia), tech. fall, 9-1
98 kg/215 lbs. - Joe Rau (Minneapolis, Minn./Minnesota Storm), 2nd
WIN Zsolt Torok (Hungary), 4-2
WIN Radoszaw Grzybicki (Poland), 8-5
LOSS Artur Omarov (Czech Republic), 4-6
98 kg/215 lbs. - Daniel Miller. Camp LeJeune, N.C. (U.S. Marine Corps), 3rd
WIN Felix Radinger (Germany), pin
LOSS Artur Omarov (Czech Republic), tech. fall 4-12
Team Standings
1. Hungary, 91 pts.
2. Poland, 84 pts.
3. Serbia, 77 pts.
4. Croatia, 70 pts.
5. United States, 44 pts.
6. Czech Republic, 36 pts.
7. Austria, 14 pts.
8. Slovakia, 9 pts.
9. (tie) Bulgaria, 6 pts.
9. (tie) Germany, 6 pts.
(of 12 nations scoring points).
