Nine U.S. wrestlers weigh-in and receive draws for first day of Paris International

Jimmy Kennedy and Jason Welch workout prior to weigh-ins at the 2017 Paris International. Photo: Richard Immel, USA Wrestling.

PARIS – Nine U.S. athletes have weighed-in and received draws for the first day of wrestling at the 2017 Paris International held at the INSEP training facility in Paris, France.


Seven of the nine Americans competing on Saturday come from the men’s freestyle side with 2014 World Team member Jimmy Kennedy (Ann Arbor, Mich./New York AC/Michigan RTC) and 2016 NCAA champion Nico Megaludis (State College, Pa./Nittany Lion WC) leading the way.


Kennedy will open against fellow American B.J. Futrell (Philadelphia, Pa./Titan Mercury WC/Pennsylvania RTC) in the first round at 65 kg/143 lbs. Also competing at 65 kg for the U.S. is former Minnesota All-American Nick Dardanes (Iowa City, Iowa/Titan Mercury WC/Hawkeye WC) who opens with 2014 Pan American silver medalist Michael Asselstine of Canada.


Kennedy, Futrell and Dardanes were all drawn into the same quarter bracket meaning only one of the three can reach the semifinals.


Megaludis is competing for the first time since November where he won gold at the Bill Farrell International and was a vital cog in the Titan Mercury victory at the World Freestyle Wrestling Club’s Cup. He is set to face two-time Henri Deglane Challenge bronze medalist Youssoup Deliev of France in his first bout at 57 kg/125.5 lbs.


Past NCAA All-American’s Chase Pami (Philadelphia, Pa./Sunkist Kids/Pennsylvania RTC) and Jason Welch (Evanston, Ill./Titan Mercury WC) take the mat at 70 kg/154 lbs. for the U.S. tomorrow. Pami will open against Sweden’s Christian Jonsson, while Welch takes on past World Team member Christope Clavier of France in his opener.


Nathan Burak (Iowa City, Iowa/Hawkeye WC), a three-time NCAA all-American for Iowa, will get his first taste of international competition this weekend. Burak has drawn 2013 Junior World bronze medalist Wladimir Remel of Germany in the first round at 97 kg/215 lbs.


Pat Smith (Minneapolis, Minn./Minnesota Storm) and Daniel Miller (Camp Lejeune, N.C./Marines) will compete on the Greco-Roman side for the U.S. tomorrow.


Fresh off his first U.S. Senior Nationals title, Smith stares down 2016 World University Silver medalist Demeu Zhadrayev of Kazakhstan in his first bout at 71 kg/156 lbs.


Miller finished in seventh place at the U.S. Senior Nationals in December and earned a bronze at the 2016 Grand Prix Zagreb Open. He takes on Adam Mertse of Hungary in the first round at 98 kg/215 lbs.


Action from the Paris International will begin at 10 a.m. local time/4 a.m. (ET) on Saturday with the finals set for 4 p.m. local time/10 a.m. (ET). Complete brackets, results and a webcast can be found at unitedworldwrestling.org.



PARIS INTERNATIONAL

Jan. 28-29 at INSEP in Paris, France

U.S. men’s freestyle draws for Saturday

57 kg/125.5 lbs.- Nico Megaludis, State College, Pa. (Nittany Lion WC)

Vs. Youssoup Deliev (France), 2016 and 2015 Henri Deglane Challenge bronze


65 kg/143 lbs.- B.J. Futrell, Philadelphia, Pa (Titan Mercury WC/Pennsylvania RTC)

Vs. Jimmy Kennedy (United States)


65 kg/143 lbs.- Nick Dardanes, Iowa City, Iowa (Titan Mercury WC/Hawkeye WC)

Vs. Michael Asselstine (Canada), 2016 Canada Cup bronze, 2015 Canada Cup champion, 2014 Pan American Championships silver


65 kg/143 lbs.- Jimmy Kennedy, Ann Arbor, Mich. (New York AC/Michigan RTC)

Vs. B.J. Futrell (United States)


70 kg/154 lbs.- Chase Pami, Philadelphia, PA (Sunkist Kids/Pennsylvania RTC)

Vs. Christian Jonsson (Sweden)


70 kg/154 lbs.- Jason Welch, Evanston, Ill. (Titan Mercury WC)

Vs. Christophe Clavier (France), 2015 Henri Deglane Challenge bronze, 2014 Golden Grand Prix silver, 2014 World Team member


97 kg/215 lbs.- Nathan Burak, Iowa City, Iowa (Hawkeye WC)

Vs. Wladimir Remel (Germany), 2013 Junior World bronze

U.S. Greco-Roman draws for Saturday

71 kg/156 lbs. – Pat Smith, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm)

Vs. Demeu Zhadrayev (Kazakhstan), 2016 World University Championships silver, 2015 Asian Championships bronze, 2015 Dave Schultz Memorial International champion, two-time World Team member


98 kg/215 lbs. Daniel Miller, Camp Lejeune, N.C. (Marines)

Vs. Adam Mertse (Hungary), 2015 Ljubomir Ivanovic Gedza International bronze, Fifth in 2014 Junior European Championships