Tomasello, Graff, Futrell receive draws for Medved International in Belarus
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by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling
Portrait of Nathan Tomasello, 57 kg, USA. Photo by John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com
MINSK, Belarus – Three U.S. men’s freestyle wrestlers have weighed in and received their draws for the highly respected Alexander Medved International in Minsk, Belarus, which begins on Friday.
The USA will have two entries at 57 kg/125.5 lbs., Nathan Tomasello, (Parma, Ohio/Titan Mercury WC/Ohio RTC) and Tyler Graff (Blacksburg, Va./Titan Mercury WC/Southeast RTC). There are 17 entries in the weight class this year.
Tomasello, who is No. 3 on the USA Freestyle National Team, will open against 2011 Cadet World silver medalist Azamat Toibek of Kazakhstan.
Graff, who was fourth in the 2017 U.S. World Team Trials, has Russia’s Egor Potapov in his opening bout.
Tomasello is a senior at Ohio State and an NCAA champion and three-time All-American for the Buckeyes. Graff was an NCAA runner-up for Wisconsin and is a past Freestyle Team USA member.
Another Freestyle National Team member, B.J. Futrell, Philadelphia, Pa. (Titan Mercury WC/Pennsylvania RTC), will compete at 65 kg/143 lbs., which has 17 entries.
Futrell opens with Ashat Slimkhanov of Kazakhstan, who was fifth at the Dmitri Korkin Tournament in Russia. Futrell, an All-American for Illinois, was a 2014 University World silver medalist.
Full brackets for 57 kg and 65 kg have been posted on USA Wrestling’s Facebook page and Twitter site.
The tournament features many top wrestling countries, including Belarus, Russia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, and Lithuania.
There will be competition at 74 kg and 97 kg on Friday, but the USA does not have any entries in those divisions. There is also a women’s freestyle competition during the event, but the USA is not entered in women’s wrestling.
Three other U.S. men’s freestyle wrestlers will weigh in on Saturday and compete on Sunday: Kendric Maple at 61 kg/134 lbs., Dom Bradley at 125 kg/275 lbs. and Richard Perry at 86 kg/189 lbs.
Assistant National Freestyle Coach Joe Russell is coaching the team, with international wrestling leader Paul Kieblesz serving as Team Leader.
MEDVED INTERNATIONAL
At Minsk, Russia
U.S. men’s freestyle draws for Saturday
57 kg/125.5 lbs. - Nathan Tomasello, (Parma, Ohio/Titan Mercury WC/Ohio RTC)
Vs. Azamat Toibek (Kazakhstan), 2011 Cadet World silver medalist, 2nd in 2014 Asian Juniors
57 kg/125.5 lbs. - Tyler Graff, Blacksburg, Va. (Titan Mercury WC/Southeast RTC)
Vs. Egor Potapov (Russia), no information
65 kg/143 lbs. – B.J. Futrell, Philadelphia, Pa. (Titan Mercury WC/Pennsylvania RTC)
Vs. Ashat Slimkhanov (Kazakhstan), 5th in 2016 Dmitri Korkin Tournament (Russia)
MINSK, Belarus – Three U.S. men’s freestyle wrestlers have weighed in and received their draws for the highly respected Alexander Medved International in Minsk, Belarus, which begins on Friday.
The USA will have two entries at 57 kg/125.5 lbs., Nathan Tomasello, (Parma, Ohio/Titan Mercury WC/Ohio RTC) and Tyler Graff (Blacksburg, Va./Titan Mercury WC/Southeast RTC). There are 17 entries in the weight class this year.
Tomasello, who is No. 3 on the USA Freestyle National Team, will open against 2011 Cadet World silver medalist Azamat Toibek of Kazakhstan.
Graff, who was fourth in the 2017 U.S. World Team Trials, has Russia’s Egor Potapov in his opening bout.
Tomasello is a senior at Ohio State and an NCAA champion and three-time All-American for the Buckeyes. Graff was an NCAA runner-up for Wisconsin and is a past Freestyle Team USA member.
Another Freestyle National Team member, B.J. Futrell, Philadelphia, Pa. (Titan Mercury WC/Pennsylvania RTC), will compete at 65 kg/143 lbs., which has 17 entries.
Futrell opens with Ashat Slimkhanov of Kazakhstan, who was fifth at the Dmitri Korkin Tournament in Russia. Futrell, an All-American for Illinois, was a 2014 University World silver medalist.
Full brackets for 57 kg and 65 kg have been posted on USA Wrestling’s Facebook page and Twitter site.
The tournament features many top wrestling countries, including Belarus, Russia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, and Lithuania.
There will be competition at 74 kg and 97 kg on Friday, but the USA does not have any entries in those divisions. There is also a women’s freestyle competition during the event, but the USA is not entered in women’s wrestling.
Three other U.S. men’s freestyle wrestlers will weigh in on Saturday and compete on Sunday: Kendric Maple at 61 kg/134 lbs., Dom Bradley at 125 kg/275 lbs. and Richard Perry at 86 kg/189 lbs.
Assistant National Freestyle Coach Joe Russell is coaching the team, with international wrestling leader Paul Kieblesz serving as Team Leader.
MEDVED INTERNATIONAL
At Minsk, Russia
U.S. men’s freestyle draws for Saturday
57 kg/125.5 lbs. - Nathan Tomasello, (Parma, Ohio/Titan Mercury WC/Ohio RTC)
Vs. Azamat Toibek (Kazakhstan), 2011 Cadet World silver medalist, 2nd in 2014 Asian Juniors
57 kg/125.5 lbs. - Tyler Graff, Blacksburg, Va. (Titan Mercury WC/Southeast RTC)
Vs. Egor Potapov (Russia), no information
65 kg/143 lbs. – B.J. Futrell, Philadelphia, Pa. (Titan Mercury WC/Pennsylvania RTC)
Vs. Ashat Slimkhanov (Kazakhstan), 5th in 2016 Dmitri Korkin Tournament (Russia)
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