Xavier Johnson wins Greco-Roman bronze medal at Grand Prix Zagreb Open in Croatia
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by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling
Photo of Xavier Johnson on Grand Prix Zagreb Open medal stand courtesy of Five Point Move, and Coach Jason Loukides
FIVEPOINTMOVE: Johnson scores bronze as lone US medalist
ZAGREB, Croatia – Xavier Johnson (Camp Lejeune, N.C. / U.S. Marines), won a bronze medal at 60 kg/132 lbs., the top U.S. performance at the Grand Prix Zagreb Open on Saturday.
Johnson scored a first-period pin in his bronze-medal match over 2017 Junior World champion Kerim Kamal of Turkey. He avenged a first-round lost to Kamal in this tournament, which he lost by technical fall.
It was the format of the tournament which allowed Johnson to get another shot at Kamal. The weight was split into two pools, After his opening loss to Kamal, Johnson beat Benc Kovacz of Hungary, 4-2. This gave Johnson second place in his pool, which allowed him to advance to a semifinal match against the winner of the other pool. After Johnson lost to Maksim Kazharski of Belarus in the semifinals, he drew Kamal for the bronze, after Kamal also suffered a loss in the semifinals.
The other major element of this tournament was that it was held under updated Greco-Roman rules, released recently by United World Wrestling.
Johnson was the only U.S. wrestler to reach a medal match. The team featured seven members of the U.S. Marines Corps, plus an additional athlete from the U.S. Olympic Training Center. U.S. Marine Corps coach Jason Loukides coached the team.
“Zagreb ran an outstanding event which gave us the opportunity to compete under the new rules against high caliber competition. Our guys prepared well and fought hard and will benefit from this event as we move forward. It was a big test to see where we are and what we need to do to adjust to the new rules,” said Loukides.
Three other wrestlers on the tour placed in the top 10, Colton Rasche (Emerald Isle, N.C. / U.S. Marines), who was seventh at 63 kg/138 lbs., German Diaz Maldonado (Camp LeJeune, N.C., U.S. Marines/Puerto Rico), who was seventh at 67 kg/148 lbs. and Trent Osnes (Camp Lejeune, N.C. / U.S. Marines), who was eighth at 130 kg/286 lbs. Diaz Maldonado, who represents Puerto Rico internationally, won his first match by technical fall before being eliminated in a second-round loss.
GRAND PRIX ZAGREB OPEN
At Zagreb, Croatia, Feb. 3
Greco-Roman medalists
55 kg/121 lbs.
Gold - Dogus Ayazci (Turkey)
Silver - Marat Garipov (Brazil)
Bronze – Muslim Alinli (Turkey)
Bronze – Krisztian Kecskemeti (Hungary)
60 kg/132 lbs.
Gold - Virgil Munteanu (Romania)
Silver - Maksim Kazjarski (Belarus)
Bronze – Xavier Johnson (USA)
63 kg/138.75 lbs.
Gold – Radu Mihut (Romania)
Silver - Rahman Bilici (Turkey)
Bronze – Erik Torba (Hungary)
67 kg/148 lbs.
Gold - Yasin Ozay (France)
Silver - Mamadassa Sylla (France)
Bronze – Volkan Cakil (Turkey)
Bronze – Pavel Saleev (Russia)
72 kg/158 lbs.
Gold - Aleksandar Maksimovic (Serbia)
Silver - Yunus Ozel (Turkey)
Bronze – Istvan Kozak (Hungary)
Bronze – Evrik Nikoghosvan (France)
77 kg/170 lbs.
Gold - Kilou Kazbek (Belarus)
Silver - Dominik Etlinger (Croatia)
Bronze – Antonio Kamenjasevic (Croatia)
Bronze – Ruslan Vardanyan (Russia)
82 kg/180.5 lbs.
Gold - Božo Starcevic (Croatia)
Silver - Viktar Sasunouski (Belarus)
Bronze - Samuel Ojoci (Romania)
Bronze – Laszlo Szabo (Hungary)
87 kg/192 lbs.
Gold - Viktor Lorincz (Hungary)
Silver - Erik Szilvassy (Hungary)
Bronze – Ivan Huklek (Croatia)
Bronze – Ilia Nikiforov (Russia)
97 kg/213 lbs.
Gold - Adam Varga (Hungary)
Silver - Siarhei Staradub (Belarus)
Bronze – Aleksandr Hrabovik (Belarus)
Bronze – Mikhel Kajaia (Serbia)
130 kg/286 lbs.
Gold - Ioseb Chugoshvili (Belarus)
Silver - Ramazan Sarri (Turkey)
Bronze – Alic Alexuc (Romania)
Bronze – Boban Zivanovic (Serbia)
U.S. Greco-Roman performances
60 kg/132 lbs. – Xavier Johnson (Camp Lejeune, N.C. / U.S. Marines), bronze medal
LOSS Kerim Kamal (Turkey), 8-0, tech fall
WIN Benc Kovacz (Hungary), 4-2
LOSS Maksim Kazharski (Belarus), pin
WIN Karim Kamal (Turkey), pin
63 kg/138 lbs. – Colton Rasche (Emerald Isle, N.C. / U.S. Marines), 7th
LOSS Erik Torba (Hungary), 8-4
LOSS Ivan Lizatovic (Croatia), 9-0
LOSS Mihai Mihut (Romania)
67 kg/148 lbs. – German Diaz Maldonado (Camp LeJeune, N.C., U.S. Marines/Puerto Rico), 7th
WIN Ismail Lucio (Argentina), 8-0 tech fall
LOSS Pavel Salieev (Russia), 9-0 tech fall
77 kg/170 lbs. – Peyton Walsh (Glen Allen, Va. / U.S. Marines), 9th
LOSS Antonio Kamnjasevic (Croatia), 1-1
87 kg/192 lbs. – Vaughn Monreal-Berner (Camp Lejeune, N.C. / U.S. Marines), dnp/13th
LOSS Ilia Nikforov (Russia), 6-4
97 kg/214 lbs. – Daniel Miller (Berlin, Md. / U.S. Marines), dnp /13th
LOSS Suleyman Demirci (Turkey), 2-1
97 kg/214 lbs. – Michael Rogers (Spring Mills, Pa. / U.S. Olympic Training Center), dnp/17th
LOSS Alexandr Hrabovic (Belarus), 6-0
130 kg/286 lbs. – Trent Osnes (Camp Lejeune, N.C. / U.S. Marines), 8th
LOSS Ramazan Sari (Turkey), 3-1
LOSS Behnam Zivanovic (Serbia), 3-0
FIVEPOINTMOVE: Johnson scores bronze as lone US medalist
ZAGREB, Croatia – Xavier Johnson (Camp Lejeune, N.C. / U.S. Marines), won a bronze medal at 60 kg/132 lbs., the top U.S. performance at the Grand Prix Zagreb Open on Saturday.
Johnson scored a first-period pin in his bronze-medal match over 2017 Junior World champion Kerim Kamal of Turkey. He avenged a first-round lost to Kamal in this tournament, which he lost by technical fall.
It was the format of the tournament which allowed Johnson to get another shot at Kamal. The weight was split into two pools, After his opening loss to Kamal, Johnson beat Benc Kovacz of Hungary, 4-2. This gave Johnson second place in his pool, which allowed him to advance to a semifinal match against the winner of the other pool. After Johnson lost to Maksim Kazharski of Belarus in the semifinals, he drew Kamal for the bronze, after Kamal also suffered a loss in the semifinals.
The other major element of this tournament was that it was held under updated Greco-Roman rules, released recently by United World Wrestling.
Johnson was the only U.S. wrestler to reach a medal match. The team featured seven members of the U.S. Marines Corps, plus an additional athlete from the U.S. Olympic Training Center. U.S. Marine Corps coach Jason Loukides coached the team.
“Zagreb ran an outstanding event which gave us the opportunity to compete under the new rules against high caliber competition. Our guys prepared well and fought hard and will benefit from this event as we move forward. It was a big test to see where we are and what we need to do to adjust to the new rules,” said Loukides.
Three other wrestlers on the tour placed in the top 10, Colton Rasche (Emerald Isle, N.C. / U.S. Marines), who was seventh at 63 kg/138 lbs., German Diaz Maldonado (Camp LeJeune, N.C., U.S. Marines/Puerto Rico), who was seventh at 67 kg/148 lbs. and Trent Osnes (Camp Lejeune, N.C. / U.S. Marines), who was eighth at 130 kg/286 lbs. Diaz Maldonado, who represents Puerto Rico internationally, won his first match by technical fall before being eliminated in a second-round loss.
GRAND PRIX ZAGREB OPEN
At Zagreb, Croatia, Feb. 3
Greco-Roman medalists
55 kg/121 lbs.
Gold - Dogus Ayazci (Turkey)
Silver - Marat Garipov (Brazil)
Bronze – Muslim Alinli (Turkey)
Bronze – Krisztian Kecskemeti (Hungary)
60 kg/132 lbs.
Gold - Virgil Munteanu (Romania)
Silver - Maksim Kazjarski (Belarus)
Bronze – Xavier Johnson (USA)
63 kg/138.75 lbs.
Gold – Radu Mihut (Romania)
Silver - Rahman Bilici (Turkey)
Bronze – Erik Torba (Hungary)
67 kg/148 lbs.
Gold - Yasin Ozay (France)
Silver - Mamadassa Sylla (France)
Bronze – Volkan Cakil (Turkey)
Bronze – Pavel Saleev (Russia)
72 kg/158 lbs.
Gold - Aleksandar Maksimovic (Serbia)
Silver - Yunus Ozel (Turkey)
Bronze – Istvan Kozak (Hungary)
Bronze – Evrik Nikoghosvan (France)
77 kg/170 lbs.
Gold - Kilou Kazbek (Belarus)
Silver - Dominik Etlinger (Croatia)
Bronze – Antonio Kamenjasevic (Croatia)
Bronze – Ruslan Vardanyan (Russia)
82 kg/180.5 lbs.
Gold - Božo Starcevic (Croatia)
Silver - Viktar Sasunouski (Belarus)
Bronze - Samuel Ojoci (Romania)
Bronze – Laszlo Szabo (Hungary)
87 kg/192 lbs.
Gold - Viktor Lorincz (Hungary)
Silver - Erik Szilvassy (Hungary)
Bronze – Ivan Huklek (Croatia)
Bronze – Ilia Nikiforov (Russia)
97 kg/213 lbs.
Gold - Adam Varga (Hungary)
Silver - Siarhei Staradub (Belarus)
Bronze – Aleksandr Hrabovik (Belarus)
Bronze – Mikhel Kajaia (Serbia)
130 kg/286 lbs.
Gold - Ioseb Chugoshvili (Belarus)
Silver - Ramazan Sarri (Turkey)
Bronze – Alic Alexuc (Romania)
Bronze – Boban Zivanovic (Serbia)
U.S. Greco-Roman performances
60 kg/132 lbs. – Xavier Johnson (Camp Lejeune, N.C. / U.S. Marines), bronze medal
LOSS Kerim Kamal (Turkey), 8-0, tech fall
WIN Benc Kovacz (Hungary), 4-2
LOSS Maksim Kazharski (Belarus), pin
WIN Karim Kamal (Turkey), pin
63 kg/138 lbs. – Colton Rasche (Emerald Isle, N.C. / U.S. Marines), 7th
LOSS Erik Torba (Hungary), 8-4
LOSS Ivan Lizatovic (Croatia), 9-0
LOSS Mihai Mihut (Romania)
67 kg/148 lbs. – German Diaz Maldonado (Camp LeJeune, N.C., U.S. Marines/Puerto Rico), 7th
WIN Ismail Lucio (Argentina), 8-0 tech fall
LOSS Pavel Salieev (Russia), 9-0 tech fall
77 kg/170 lbs. – Peyton Walsh (Glen Allen, Va. / U.S. Marines), 9th
LOSS Antonio Kamnjasevic (Croatia), 1-1
87 kg/192 lbs. – Vaughn Monreal-Berner (Camp Lejeune, N.C. / U.S. Marines), dnp/13th
LOSS Ilia Nikforov (Russia), 6-4
97 kg/214 lbs. – Daniel Miller (Berlin, Md. / U.S. Marines), dnp /13th
LOSS Suleyman Demirci (Turkey), 2-1
97 kg/214 lbs. – Michael Rogers (Spring Mills, Pa. / U.S. Olympic Training Center), dnp/17th
LOSS Alexandr Hrabovic (Belarus), 6-0
130 kg/286 lbs. – Trent Osnes (Camp Lejeune, N.C. / U.S. Marines), 8th
LOSS Ramazan Sari (Turkey), 3-1
LOSS Behnam Zivanovic (Serbia), 3-0
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