Large and talented U.S. Greco-Roman team to compete in Denmark and Croatia, March 4-11
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by Kala Ibarra, USA Wrestling
Robby Smith battles Bilyal Makhov of Russia in 130 kg bronze medal match at 2015 World Championships in Las Vegas. Photo by Tony Rotundo, WrestersareWarriors.com
The United States will be entering a team of 16 Greco-Roman wrestlers in the 2017 Thor Masters in Nykobing Falster, Denmark, March 4. Following the Thor Masters, 19 Greco-Roman wrestlers will then be traveling to Zagreb, Croatia for the Zagreb Open, March 11.
Three top Junior wrestlers will be joining the team in Zagreb, Croatia, after competing in the Austrian Open, March 4.
Among the U.S. delegation are 11 National Team members and two Olympians.
Competing at 130 kg/286 lbs. Olympian and three-time World Team member Robby Smith (Colorado Springs, Colo./NYAC). This will be Smith’s first competition since the 2016 Olympic Games.
Olympian Ben Provisor (Colorado Springs, Colo./NYAC) will be entering the competition at 85 kg/187 lbs. Provisor is a four-time National Team member.
Competing at 71 kg/156 lbs. is four-time National Team member and 2016 Olympic Trials runner-up Patrick Smith (Minneapolis, Minn./Minnesota Storm).
At 66 kg/145 lbs. is three-time National Team member and 2016 Pan American runner-up Alex Sancho (Miami, Fla./NYAC/NMU-OTS). Sancho also took third at the 2016 Olympic Trials.
Two-time National Team member Patrick Martinez (Colorado Springs, Colo./NYAC) will be competing at 80 kg/176 lbs. Martinez is a 2016 University National Champion.
Two-time Fargo all-American and National team member Chris Gonzalez (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army WCAP) will be joining the team at 71 kg/156 lbs. Also, competing at 71 kg/156 lbs. is U.S. Olympic Trials champion Ravaughn Perkins (Colorado Springs, Colo/NYAC).
Competing in at 98 kg/215.5 is 2016 National Team member Hayden Zillmer (Crosby, Minn./Minnesota Storm). Zillmer placed third at the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials.
Following these men at 130 kg/286 lbs. is 2016 U.S. Open champion Toby Erickson (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army WCAP). Erickson also took third at the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials.
Joining the team in Croatia at 98 kg/215.5 lbs. is 2016 Senior National team member and 2016 Junior World bronze medalist G’Angelo Hancock (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC/USOTC). Hancock is the 2016 U.S. Open champion and took third at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials.
Also, competing in Croatia is 2016 Junior World Team member and 2016 U.S. Open Champion Kamal Bey (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids). Bey will be competing at 75 kg/165 lbs.
THOR MASTERS at Nykobing Falster, Denmark, March 4
U.S. Greco-Roman roster
59 kg/130 lbs.- Sammy Jones, Folsom, La. (New York AC/NMU-OTS)
59 kg/130 lbs.- Ildar Hafizov, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP
59 kg/130 lbs.- Hayden Tuma, Boise, Idaho (U.S. Army WCAP)
66 kg/145 lbs. Alex Sancho, Miami, Fla. (New York AC/NMU-OTS)
66 kg/145 lbs.- Ellis Coleman, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP)
71 kg/156 lbs.- Chris Gonzalez, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP)
71 kg/156 lbs.- RaVaughn Perkins, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)
71 kg/156 lbs.- Patrick Smith, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm)
80 kg/176 lbs.- Patrick Martinez, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)
80 kg/176 lbs.- Cheney Haight, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC/USOTC)
85 kg/187 lbs.- Ben Provisor, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)
85 kg/187 lbs.- Kevin Radford, Fayetteville, N.C. (Sunkist Kids)
98 kg/215.5 lbs.- Hayden Zillmer, Crosby, Minn. (Minnesota Storm)
98 kg/215.5 lbs.- Enock Francois, Ithaca, N.Y. (New York AC)
130 kg/286 lbs.- Robby Smith, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)
130 kg/286 lbs.- Toby Erickson, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP)
National Greco-Roman Head Coach- Matt Lindland, Colorado Springs, Colo.
Coach- James Johnson, Manhattan, Kan.
Referee- Fidel Albelo, Miami, Fla.
Medical- Kyle Eckert, Velpen, Ind.
ZAGREB OPEN at Zagreb, Croatia, March 11
U.S. Greco-Roman roster
59 kg/130 lbs.- Sammy Jones, Folsom, La. (New York AC/NMU-OTS)
59 kg/130 lbs.- Ildar Hafizov, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP
59 kg/130 lbs.- Hayden Tuma, Boise, Idaho (U.S. Army WCAP)
66 kg/145 lbs. Alex Sancho, Miami, Fla. (New York AC/NMU-OTS)
66 kg/145 lbs.- Ellis Coleman, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP)
71 kg/156 lbs.- Chris Gonzalez, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP)
71 kg/156 lbs.- RaVaughn Perkins, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)
71 kg/156 lbs.- Patrick Smith, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm)
75 kg/165 lbs.- Kamal Bey, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)
75 kg/165 lbs.- Jesse Porter, Clifton Park N.Y. (New York AC/NMU-OTS)
75 kg/165 lbs.- Nick Tarpley, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)
80 kg/176 lbs.- Patrick Martinez, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)
80 kg/176 lbs.- Cheney Haight, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC/USOTC)
85 kg/187 lbs.- Ben Provisor, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)
85 kg/187 lbs.- Kevin Radford, Fayetteville, N.C. (Sunkist Kids)
98 kg/215.5 lbs.- Hayden Zillmer, Crosby, Minn. (Minnesota Storm)
98 kg/215.5 lbs.- G’Angelo Hancock, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC/USOTC)
130 kg/286 lbs.- Robby Smith, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)
130 kg/286 lbs.- Toby Erickson, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP)
National Greco-Roman Head Coach- Matt Lindland, Colorado Springs, Colo.
Coach- James Johnson, Manhattan, Kan.
Coach- Momir Petkovic, Colorado Springs, Colo
Coach- Mark Halvorson, Martinez, Calif.
Referee- Cody Goessl, Omaha, Neb.
Medical- Kyle Eckert, Velpen, Ind.
