Tomasello wins silver medal, Graff and Futrell place fifth at Medved International in Belarus
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by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling
Nathan Tomasello of the USA receives his silver medal at the Medved International in Belarus. Photo courtesy of Joe Russell.
MINSK, Belarus –Nathan Tomasello, (Parma, Ohio/Titan Mercury WC/Ohio RTC) captured a silver medal at 57 kg/125.5 lbs. on the first day of freestyle wrestling at the respected Alexander Medved International on Saturday.
Tomasello was defeated in the gold-medal finals by Andrey Bekrenev of Belarus, 5-1. In an active bout with both athletes competing aggressively, Bekrenev took a 3-0 lead into the second period. When Tomasello pressed the action, Bekrenev scored a counter spin-behind takedown for a 5-0 lead. Tomasello forced a step out late to score his point.
Bekrenev has won three previous international bronze medals, at the 2017 Ukrainian Memorial, the 2015 Dmitri Korkin in Russia and the 2013 Yasar Dogu in Turkey.
Tomasello was dominant in his first two matches, with technical falls over Azamat Toibek of Kazakhstan and Armen Arakelian of Ukraine. In the semifinals, he stopped two-time Junior World medalist Michail Ivanov of Russia, 6-1.
A senior at Ohio State, Tomasello is an NCAA champion and three-time All-American for the Buckeyes. He is a current Freestyle National Team member, placing third at the 2017 Freestyle World Team Trials.
Two U.S. wrestlers placed fifth, dropping bronze-medal matches in the evening session, Tyler Graff (Blacksburg, Va./Titan Mercury WC/Southeast RTC) at 57 kg/125.5 lbs. and B.J. Futrell (Philadelphia, Pa./Titan Mercury WC/Pennsylvania RTC) at 65 kg/143 lbs.
In his bronze-medal bout, Graff was defeated by Nodar Arabidze of Russia, 10-7. Graff got his offense going and jumped to a 7-4 lead at the break. In the second period, it was all Arabidze, who scored a two pushouts, as well as a takedown and turn. Arabidze was second in the 2016 Medved International.
Graff opened with a 7-2 win over Egor Potapov of Russia, then scored a 10-0 technical fall over Dimchik Rinchinov of Belarus. In the semifinals, he was edged by Bekrenev, who advanced to the finals against Tomasello.
Graff was an NCAA runner-up for Wisconsin and is a past Freestyle Team USA member.
Futrell lost in his bronze-medal bout to Islam Mazhitov of Russia, 4-1. Mazhitov was able to take a 4-0 lead at the break, and only permitted a stepout point for Futrell in the second period.
Futrell opened with a 7-0 win over Ashat Slimkhanov of Kazakhstan, but was then beaten by Konstantin Vlasov of Russia, 6-0. When Vlasov qualified for the finals, Futrell was pulled back into repechage. He scored an impressive 10-0 technical fall over Pavel Verbel of Belarus in his repechage match, which qualified him for the bronze-medal bout.
Futrell is a Freestyle National Team member, placing third in the 2017 World Team Trials. An All-American for Illinois, he was a 2014 University World silver medalist.
“I was pleased all the guys were able to get four international matches today. Making the long trip, making weight and competing under adverse conditions will pay dividends down the road. Effort was good and if they can learn from positions they struggled in, they will make needed gains. We need to keep bringing the fight tomorrow. We have three guys capable of doing great things,” said USA coach Joe Russell.
Three other U.S. men’s freestyle wrestlers have weighed 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. Full brackets for 57 kg and 65 kg have been posted on USA Wrestling’s Facebook page and Twitter site and a weigh-in story will also be posted in on TheMat.com.
Medal results in the four weight classes contested Saturday will be posted when available.
There has been a live webstream from Belarus. Below are the links from Saturday:
Mat A - youtu.be/1y-sZwqt86Y
Mat B - youtu.be/lXXysWIGEiw
Mat C - youtu.be/RTIEmqiUBl8
ALEXANDER MEDVED INTERNATIONAL
At Minsk, Russia, September 16
U.S. men’s freestyle performance
57 kg/125.5 lbs. - Nathan Tomasello, (Parma, Ohio/Titan Mercury WC/Ohio RTC), silver medal
WIN Azamat Toibek (Kazakhstan), 13-2
WIN Armen Arakelian (Ukraine), 10-0
WIN Michail Ivanov (Russia), 6-1
LOSS Andrey Bekrenev (Belarus), 5-1
57 kg/125.5 lbs. - Tyler Graff, Blacksburg, Va. (Titan Mercury WC/Southeast RTC), 5th place
WIN Egor Potapov (Russia), 7-2
WIN Dimchik Rinchinov (Belarus), 10-0
LOSS Andre Bekrenev (Belarus), 2-0
LOSS Nodar Arabidze (Russia), 10-7
65 kg/143 lbs. – B.J. Futrell, Philadelphia, Pa. (Titan Mercury WC/Pennsylvania RTC), 5th place
WIN Ashat Slimkhanov (Kazakhstan), 7-0
LOSS Konstantin Vlasov (Russia), 6-0
WIN Pavel Verbel (Belarus), 10-0
LOSS Islam Mazhitov (Russia), 4-1
MINSK, Belarus –Nathan Tomasello, (Parma, Ohio/Titan Mercury WC/Ohio RTC) captured a silver medal at 57 kg/125.5 lbs. on the first day of freestyle wrestling at the respected Alexander Medved International on Saturday.
Tomasello was defeated in the gold-medal finals by Andrey Bekrenev of Belarus, 5-1. In an active bout with both athletes competing aggressively, Bekrenev took a 3-0 lead into the second period. When Tomasello pressed the action, Bekrenev scored a counter spin-behind takedown for a 5-0 lead. Tomasello forced a step out late to score his point.
Bekrenev has won three previous international bronze medals, at the 2017 Ukrainian Memorial, the 2015 Dmitri Korkin in Russia and the 2013 Yasar Dogu in Turkey.
Tomasello was dominant in his first two matches, with technical falls over Azamat Toibek of Kazakhstan and Armen Arakelian of Ukraine. In the semifinals, he stopped two-time Junior World medalist Michail Ivanov of Russia, 6-1.
A senior at Ohio State, Tomasello is an NCAA champion and three-time All-American for the Buckeyes. He is a current Freestyle National Team member, placing third at the 2017 Freestyle World Team Trials.
Two U.S. wrestlers placed fifth, dropping bronze-medal matches in the evening session, Tyler Graff (Blacksburg, Va./Titan Mercury WC/Southeast RTC) at 57 kg/125.5 lbs. and B.J. Futrell (Philadelphia, Pa./Titan Mercury WC/Pennsylvania RTC) at 65 kg/143 lbs.
In his bronze-medal bout, Graff was defeated by Nodar Arabidze of Russia, 10-7. Graff got his offense going and jumped to a 7-4 lead at the break. In the second period, it was all Arabidze, who scored a two pushouts, as well as a takedown and turn. Arabidze was second in the 2016 Medved International.
Graff opened with a 7-2 win over Egor Potapov of Russia, then scored a 10-0 technical fall over Dimchik Rinchinov of Belarus. In the semifinals, he was edged by Bekrenev, who advanced to the finals against Tomasello.
Graff was an NCAA runner-up for Wisconsin and is a past Freestyle Team USA member.
Futrell lost in his bronze-medal bout to Islam Mazhitov of Russia, 4-1. Mazhitov was able to take a 4-0 lead at the break, and only permitted a stepout point for Futrell in the second period.
Futrell opened with a 7-0 win over Ashat Slimkhanov of Kazakhstan, but was then beaten by Konstantin Vlasov of Russia, 6-0. When Vlasov qualified for the finals, Futrell was pulled back into repechage. He scored an impressive 10-0 technical fall over Pavel Verbel of Belarus in his repechage match, which qualified him for the bronze-medal bout.
Futrell is a Freestyle National Team member, placing third in the 2017 World Team Trials. An All-American for Illinois, he was a 2014 University World silver medalist.
“I was pleased all the guys were able to get four international matches today. Making the long trip, making weight and competing under adverse conditions will pay dividends down the road. Effort was good and if they can learn from positions they struggled in, they will make needed gains. We need to keep bringing the fight tomorrow. We have three guys capable of doing great things,” said USA coach Joe Russell.
Three other U.S. men’s freestyle wrestlers have weighed 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. Full brackets for 57 kg and 65 kg have been posted on USA Wrestling’s Facebook page and Twitter site and a weigh-in story will also be posted in on TheMat.com.
Medal results in the four weight classes contested Saturday will be posted when available.
There has been a live webstream from Belarus. Below are the links from Saturday:
Mat A - youtu.be/1y-sZwqt86Y
Mat B - youtu.be/lXXysWIGEiw
Mat C - youtu.be/RTIEmqiUBl8
ALEXANDER MEDVED INTERNATIONAL
At Minsk, Russia, September 16
U.S. men’s freestyle performance
57 kg/125.5 lbs. - Nathan Tomasello, (Parma, Ohio/Titan Mercury WC/Ohio RTC), silver medal
WIN Azamat Toibek (Kazakhstan), 13-2
WIN Armen Arakelian (Ukraine), 10-0
WIN Michail Ivanov (Russia), 6-1
LOSS Andrey Bekrenev (Belarus), 5-1
57 kg/125.5 lbs. - Tyler Graff, Blacksburg, Va. (Titan Mercury WC/Southeast RTC), 5th place
WIN Egor Potapov (Russia), 7-2
WIN Dimchik Rinchinov (Belarus), 10-0
LOSS Andre Bekrenev (Belarus), 2-0
LOSS Nodar Arabidze (Russia), 10-7
65 kg/143 lbs. – B.J. Futrell, Philadelphia, Pa. (Titan Mercury WC/Pennsylvania RTC), 5th place
WIN Ashat Slimkhanov (Kazakhstan), 7-0
LOSS Konstantin Vlasov (Russia), 6-0
WIN Pavel Verbel (Belarus), 10-0
LOSS Islam Mazhitov (Russia), 4-1
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