UPDATE: Molinaro loses in quarterfinals at 2nd World Olympic Qualifier, will wrestle for bronze medal

Frank Molinaro against 2013 World champion David Safaryan (Armenia) at the 2nd World Olympic Games Qualifier in Istanbul, Turkey. Photo: Dr. Fred Roberto

ISTANBUL, Turkey – U.S. Olympic Team Trials champion Frank Molinaro (State College, Pa./Nittany Lion WC) was defeated in the quarterfinals of the 2nd World Olympic Games Qualifier on Sunday eliminating the U.S. from a 65 kg berth in the 2016 Olympic Games.


This was the last opportunity for nations to qualify for the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The top two place-winners in each weight classes in Istanbul qualify their nations to compete at the Olympic Games.


Molinaro opened his tournament with razor-thin 3-2 win over 2013 World champion David Safaryan of Armenia. He found himself in another nail biter in round two against 2015 Junior World silver medalist Yuhi Fujinami of Japan, and again, Molinaro found a way to win, 7-6.


The quarterfinals pitted Molinaro against a familiar face, 2014 European bronze medalist and three-time NCAA All-American for Cal Poly Borislav Novachkov of Bulgaria.


Molinaro got off to a slow start, giving up a step out and shot clock point to trail 2-0 at the break. In the second period, Molinaro gave up two points off his own shot attempt to fall behind 4-0. A late flurry was not enough and Molinaro fell, 5-2.


Novachkov reached the finals, pulling Molinaro back into the repechage. He drew Dauren Zhumagazyyev of Kazakhstan and won 4-1. Molinaro scored a key takedown in the closing seconds of the first period to lead 2-1 and added a pushout and a point from a shot clock violation to finish off the win.


Molinaro will battle Azamat Nurykau of Belarus for a bronze medal in the next session. Nurykau was fifth in both the 2014 and 2015 World Championships.


It is yet to be determined if Molinaro will enter the repechage and have the opportunity to wrestle back for a bronze medal in Turkey.


One month ago Molinaro earned the right to attempt qualifying 65 kg for Rio by winning the U.S. Olympic Team Trials. He won a gold medal the Pan American Championships in February and won both the Grand Prix of Spain and Guelph Open in 2015. Molinaro was a NCAA champion for Penn State in 2012. 


The U.S. will have five men on its 2016 U.S. Olympic Team in men’s freestyle wrestling: Daniel Dennis (57 kg), Jordan Burroughs (74 kg), J’den Cox (86 kg), Kyle Snyder (97 kg) and Tervel Dlagnev (125 kg).


The USA officially qualified 13 athletes for the Olympics Games, five in men’s freestyle, four in Greco-Roman and four in women’s freestyle. Jesse Thielke was the only U.S. athlete to qualify for Rio this weekend.


The medal matches for today’s competition in Turkey are scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. (ET). The finals can be viewed live courtesy of United World Wrestling at www.unitedworldwrestling.org.

2nd WORLD OLYMPIC GAMES QUALIFYING TOURNAMENT

At Istanbul, Turkey

U.S. men’s freestyle results


65 kg/143 lbs. – Frank Molinaro, State College, Pa. (Nittany Lion WC)

WIN David Safaryan (Armenia), 3-2

WIN Yuhi Fujinami (Japan), 7-6

LOSS Borislav Novachkov (Bulgaria), 5-2

WIN Dauren Zhumagazyyev (Kazakhstan), 4-1

Bronze-medal bout – Vs. Azamat Nurykau (Belarus)