U.S. freestyle men and women to compete in Ivan Yarygin Memorial in Russia, Jan. 27-29
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by Kala Ibarra, USA Wrestling
The United States will be entering a small but talented team of men and women’s freestylers in the 2017 Ivan Yarygin Memorial Grand Prix in Krasnoyarsk, Russia, Jan. 27-29.
The Ivan Yarygin Memorial Grand Prix is one of the most challenging international events in the world. Each year, top athletes from World Champion Russia as well as many of the world’s best wrestling nations compete. The event, which features men's and women's freestyle, is named in honor of the late Ivan Yarygin, an Olympic champion athlete, former Soviet Union freestyle coach and past Russian Wrestling Federation president.
2016 Olympic gold medalist Kyle Snyder (Woodbine, Md./Titan Mercury WC) is entered at 97 kg/213 lbs. Last year, Snyder won a bronze medal at the Yarygin Memorial and is looking to improve to be the first American men’s freestyle champion since 2009.
Making his first appearance at the Yarygin Memorial on the U.S. Team is four-time All- American and two-time NCAA Champion, Nick Gwiazdowski (Raleigh, N.C./ New York AC). Gwiazdowski will be competing at 125 kg/275 lbs.
Competing at 61 kg/134 lbs. will be four-time All- American and 2015 NCAA Champion, Cody Brewer (Evanston, Ill /Chicago RTC). This will be Brewer’s first appearance at the tournament and first international competition.
Only 10 U.S. men have ever won this event. The last American men’s freestyle champion was Steve Mocco at 120kg/264 lbs. in 2009. All 10 of the winners were Olympians during their career.
The women will be led by 2016 World silver medalist and U.S. Olympic Trials runner-up Alli Ragan (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) at 60 kg/132 lbs. Ragan has competed in four Senior World Championships.
Competing at 48 kg/105.5 lbs. will be 2016 U.S. Open champion and Olympic Trials runner- up Victoria Anthony (Tempe, Ariz./Sunkist Kids). Anthony placed fifth in the 2013 World Championship. This is Anthony’s second appearance at the event. Her first Yarygin was in 2012 where she did not place.
2016 U.S. World Team member Sarah Hildebrandt (Colorado Springs, Colo./NYAC/OTC) will be wrestling at 55 kg/121 lbs.
2016 U.S. Olympic Trials champion and U.S. Open runner-up Tamyra Mensah (Katy, Texas/ Titan Mercury WC) will be joining the women at 69 kg/152 lbs.
This will be the first time Hildebrandt, Ragan, and Mensah will be competing in the Yarygin Memorial.
Only five U.S. women have ever won this event. Three of the five U.S. champions have been a member of a U.S. Olympic team. The last U.S. woman to win the tournament was Kelsey Campbell in 2010 at 59 kg/121 lbs. Two-time World bronze medalist Sally Roberts is the only one to have won the Yarygin twice.
At the conclusion of the competition the women will be staying in Russia for training.
IVAN YARYGIN MEMORIAL GRAND PRIX
At Krasnoyarsk, Russia, Jan. 27-29
U.S. men’s freestyle team
61 kg/ 134 lbs.- Cody Brewer, Evanston, Ill (Chicago RTC)
97 kg/ 213 lbs.- Kyle Snyder, Woodbine, Md. (Titan Mercury WC)
125 kg/ 275 lbs.- Nick Gwiazdowksi, Raleigh, N.C. (New York AC)
National freestyle coach- Head Freestyle Coach- Bill Zadick, Colorado Springs, Colo.
National freestyle assistant coach- Brent Metcalf, Iowa City, Iowa
Videographer- Del Hawkins, Nashville, TN
U.S. women’s freestyle team
48 kg/105.5 lbs.- Victoria Anthony, Tempe, Ariz. (Sunkist Kids
55 kg/121 lbs.- Sarah Hildebrandt, Colorado Springs, Colo. (NYAC/OTC)
60 kg/132 lbs.- Alli Ragan, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)
69 kg/152 lbs.- Tamyra Mensah, Katy, Texas (Titan Mercury WC)
National women’s freestyle coach- Terry Steiner, Colorado Springs, Colo.
National women’s freestyle assistant coach- Vladislav “Izzy” Izboinokov, Colorado Springs, Colo.
Referee- Tim Pierson, Virginia Beach, Va.
Medical- Dr. Andrew Peterson, Iowa City, Iowa
2017 Ivan Yarygin Memorial International schedule
Friday, January 27
Men’s freestyle (57 kg, 74 kg), Women’s freestyle (48 kg, 58 kg, 60 kg, 69 kg)
Saturday, January 28
Men’s freestyle (61 kg, 86 kg, 125 kg), Women’s freestyle (53 kg, 55 kg, 63 kg, 75 kg)
Sunday, January 29
Men’s freestyle (65 kg, 70 kg, 97 kg)
Yarygin Memorial gold medalists from the USA in men's freestyle
(Named Krasnoyarsk Tournament through 1993, then named in honor of late Ivan Yarygin)
1990 - Jim Scherr (198); 1991 - Dave Schultz (163); 1991 - Chris Campbell (198); 1992 - Kendall Cross (125.5); 1993 - Tom Brands (136.5); 1993 - Kurt Angle (220); 1998 - Lincoln McIlravy (152); 2005 - Joe Williams (163); 2005 - Daniel Cormier (211.5); 2009 - Steve Mocco (264.5)
Yarygin Memorial gold medalists from the USA in women's freestyle
2004 - Tela O’Donnell (121); 2004 - Iris Smith (158.2); 2005 - Sally Roberts (130); 2006 - Marcie Van Dusen (130); 2008 - Sally Roberts (130); 2010 – Kelsey Campbell (121)
The Ivan Yarygin Memorial Grand Prix is one of the most challenging international events in the world. Each year, top athletes from World Champion Russia as well as many of the world’s best wrestling nations compete. The event, which features men's and women's freestyle, is named in honor of the late Ivan Yarygin, an Olympic champion athlete, former Soviet Union freestyle coach and past Russian Wrestling Federation president.
2016 Olympic gold medalist Kyle Snyder (Woodbine, Md./Titan Mercury WC) is entered at 97 kg/213 lbs. Last year, Snyder won a bronze medal at the Yarygin Memorial and is looking to improve to be the first American men’s freestyle champion since 2009.
Making his first appearance at the Yarygin Memorial on the U.S. Team is four-time All- American and two-time NCAA Champion, Nick Gwiazdowski (Raleigh, N.C./ New York AC). Gwiazdowski will be competing at 125 kg/275 lbs.
Competing at 61 kg/134 lbs. will be four-time All- American and 2015 NCAA Champion, Cody Brewer (Evanston, Ill /Chicago RTC). This will be Brewer’s first appearance at the tournament and first international competition.
Only 10 U.S. men have ever won this event. The last American men’s freestyle champion was Steve Mocco at 120kg/264 lbs. in 2009. All 10 of the winners were Olympians during their career.
The women will be led by 2016 World silver medalist and U.S. Olympic Trials runner-up Alli Ragan (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) at 60 kg/132 lbs. Ragan has competed in four Senior World Championships.
Competing at 48 kg/105.5 lbs. will be 2016 U.S. Open champion and Olympic Trials runner- up Victoria Anthony (Tempe, Ariz./Sunkist Kids). Anthony placed fifth in the 2013 World Championship. This is Anthony’s second appearance at the event. Her first Yarygin was in 2012 where she did not place.
2016 U.S. World Team member Sarah Hildebrandt (Colorado Springs, Colo./NYAC/OTC) will be wrestling at 55 kg/121 lbs.
2016 U.S. Olympic Trials champion and U.S. Open runner-up Tamyra Mensah (Katy, Texas/ Titan Mercury WC) will be joining the women at 69 kg/152 lbs.
This will be the first time Hildebrandt, Ragan, and Mensah will be competing in the Yarygin Memorial.
Only five U.S. women have ever won this event. Three of the five U.S. champions have been a member of a U.S. Olympic team. The last U.S. woman to win the tournament was Kelsey Campbell in 2010 at 59 kg/121 lbs. Two-time World bronze medalist Sally Roberts is the only one to have won the Yarygin twice.
At the conclusion of the competition the women will be staying in Russia for training.
IVAN YARYGIN MEMORIAL GRAND PRIX
At Krasnoyarsk, Russia, Jan. 27-29
U.S. men’s freestyle team
61 kg/ 134 lbs.- Cody Brewer, Evanston, Ill (Chicago RTC)
97 kg/ 213 lbs.- Kyle Snyder, Woodbine, Md. (Titan Mercury WC)
125 kg/ 275 lbs.- Nick Gwiazdowksi, Raleigh, N.C. (New York AC)
National freestyle coach- Head Freestyle Coach- Bill Zadick, Colorado Springs, Colo.
National freestyle assistant coach- Brent Metcalf, Iowa City, Iowa
Videographer- Del Hawkins, Nashville, TN
U.S. women’s freestyle team
48 kg/105.5 lbs.- Victoria Anthony, Tempe, Ariz. (Sunkist Kids
55 kg/121 lbs.- Sarah Hildebrandt, Colorado Springs, Colo. (NYAC/OTC)
60 kg/132 lbs.- Alli Ragan, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)
69 kg/152 lbs.- Tamyra Mensah, Katy, Texas (Titan Mercury WC)
National women’s freestyle coach- Terry Steiner, Colorado Springs, Colo.
National women’s freestyle assistant coach- Vladislav “Izzy” Izboinokov, Colorado Springs, Colo.
Referee- Tim Pierson, Virginia Beach, Va.
Medical- Dr. Andrew Peterson, Iowa City, Iowa
2017 Ivan Yarygin Memorial International schedule
Friday, January 27
Men’s freestyle (57 kg, 74 kg), Women’s freestyle (48 kg, 58 kg, 60 kg, 69 kg)
Saturday, January 28
Men’s freestyle (61 kg, 86 kg, 125 kg), Women’s freestyle (53 kg, 55 kg, 63 kg, 75 kg)
Sunday, January 29
Men’s freestyle (65 kg, 70 kg, 97 kg)
Yarygin Memorial gold medalists from the USA in men's freestyle
(Named Krasnoyarsk Tournament through 1993, then named in honor of late Ivan Yarygin)
1990 - Jim Scherr (198); 1991 - Dave Schultz (163); 1991 - Chris Campbell (198); 1992 - Kendall Cross (125.5); 1993 - Tom Brands (136.5); 1993 - Kurt Angle (220); 1998 - Lincoln McIlravy (152); 2005 - Joe Williams (163); 2005 - Daniel Cormier (211.5); 2009 - Steve Mocco (264.5)
Yarygin Memorial gold medalists from the USA in women's freestyle
2004 - Tela O’Donnell (121); 2004 - Iris Smith (158.2); 2005 - Sally Roberts (130); 2006 - Marcie Van Dusen (130); 2008 - Sally Roberts (130); 2010 – Kelsey Campbell (121)
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