Bey soars to finals, five Americans seek bronze at Granma Cup
Share:
by Richard Immel, USA Wrestling
Photo: Kamal Bey works a reverse lift on Yurisandi Hernandez of Cuba at the Granma Cup (Richard Immel/USA Wrestling).
HAVANA, Cuba - High-flying Kamal Bey lived up to his reputation on Saturday in Havana. The reigning Junior World champion navigated to the Granma Cup finals thanks to spectacular throw after spectacular throw.
Bey remained patient throughout his three bouts, heeding sound advice from the U.S. coaching staff. He ousted Yurisandi Hernandez of Cuba by pin to start the day, followed by an 8-0 thumping of Mexico's five-time Pan American medalist Juan Escobar and an 11-4 win over Venezuela's two-time Pan American medalist Luis Avendano to cap it off.
"The biggest thing I was working on was my pummeling. In the past, I know I've struggled with it, so I was just hanging in there for the first periods and trying to feel the guy out. Toward the second period we figured it out and it opened up a lot of scoring opportunities for me," Bey remarked.
Standing opposite Bey in tomorrow afternoon's 77 kg/170 lbs. Greco-Roman final is Ariel Fiz of Cuba, who is largely unknown to the international wrestling community.
"I love wrestling different opponents, and the Cuban people, they have such a different style of being so loose. I think tomorrow we will have some good sparks, some nice throws, me and [Fiz] together," he added.
Five Americans join Bey for the second-day festivities after finding places in bronze-medal matches.
After a sluggish opener, U23 World Team representative Dalton Roberts found solid footing. He finished the day with a 2-2 record at 60 kg/132 lbs., owning sound wins over Chile's Cristobal Torres and Honduras' Jorge Gonzalez. Roberts will take on Andrej Ginc of Germany for the bronze medal.
Fellow U23 World Team member Alejandro Sancho will see Venezuela's two-time Olympian Wilexys Rivas for the 67 kg/147 lbs. bronze. Sancho looked sharp in his first-round battle versus Defrion Mejia of Honduras, emerging with a 2-1 win. He dropped his next two bouts in tough fashion to Rivas and 2016 Olympic champion Ismael Borrero Molina of Cuba.
U.S. World Team Trials finalist and recent Dave Schultz Memorial International champion Hayden Zillmer took an all-American scrap over Enock Francois in round one, 5-1. He was bounced to the 97 kg/213 lbs. bronze-medal bout by Cuba's Gabriel Rosillo, 10-0, in the semis. It'll be another Cuban, Monteaqudo Reinier, facing Zillmer tomorrow.
Talented up-and-comer Kevin Radford dropped his opener to reigning U23 World champion Erik Szilvassy of Hungary, 5-0. He was pulled into an 87 kg/191 lbs. bronze bout against Cuba's Daniel Gregorych after Szilvassy made the finals.
Northern Michigan pupil Logan Kass is the final American competing in the medal round. After a 1-2 performance on the day, Kass moved on to face Anthony Sander of Germany for the 72 kg/158 lbs. bronze.
It was tougher sledding for the remaining five American participants. Patrick Martinez, Enock Francois, Micah Burak and Nick Boykin all dropped their initial bouts of the day and were not eligible to wrestle back for bronze. Additionally, Ryan Cummings finished with an 0-3 record in his pool and did not move into medal contention.
The Greco-Roman medal matches at the Granma Cup will take place at 2 p.m. (ET) on Sunday. Complete results and a live stream of the event can be found at unitedworldwrestling.org.
2018 GRANMA CUP
At Havana, Cuba, Feb. 17-18
Medal Matches
60 kg/132 lbs.
Gold - Luis Orta (Cuba) vs. Javier Dumenigo (Cuba)
Bronze - Andrej Ginc (Germany) vs. Dalton Roberts (United States)
67 kg/147 lbs.
Gold - Ismael Borrero Molina (Cuba) vs. Miquel Martinez (Cuba)
Bronze - Alejandro Sancho (United States) vs. Wilexys Rivas (Venezuela)
72 kg/158 lbs.
Gold - Balint Korpasi (Hungary) vs. Yosvani Pena (Cuba)
Bronze - Anthony Sander (Germany) vs. Logan Kass (United States)
77 kg/170 lbs.
Gold - Ariel Fiz (Cuba) vs. Kamal Bey (United States)
Bronze - Juan Escobar (Mexico) vs. Luis Avendano (Venezuela)
87 kg/191 lbs.
Gold - Erik Szilvassy (Hungary) vs. Viktor Lorincz (Hungary)
Bronze - Friedrich Fouda (Germany) vs. Geovanis Carreras (Cuba)
Bronze - Kevin Radford (United States) vs. Daniel Gregorych (Cuba)
97 kg/213 lbs.
Gold - Luigi Perez (Venezuela) vs. Gabriel Rosillo (Cuba)
Bronze - Monteaqudo Reinier (Cuba) vs. Hayden Zillmer (United States)
Bronze - Kevin Mejia (Honduras) vs. Pablo Reinier (Cuba)
130 kg/286 lbs.
Gold - Yasmany Lugo Cabrera (Cuba) vs. Oscar Pino (Cuba)
Bronze - Diego Almendra (Chile) vs. Balint Lam (Hungary)
Bronze - Eduardo Morrell (Puerto Rico) vs. Franz Richter (Germany)
U.S. Greco-Roman Results
60 kg/132 lbs. - Dalton Roberts (Fowlerville, Mich./New York AC)
LOSS Luis Orta (Cuba), 8-0
WIN Cristobal Torres (Chile), 7-1
WIN Jorge Gonzalez (Honduras), 10-2
LOSS Javier Dumenigo (Cuba), 6-4
Vs. Andrej Ginc (Germany)
67 kg/147 lbs. - Alejandro Sancho (Miami, Fla./ New York AC)
WIN Defrion Mejia (Honduras), 2-1
LOSS Wilexys Rivas (Venezuela), 7-4
LOSS Ismael Borrero Molina (Cuba), Fall 1:03
Vs. Wilexys Rivas (Venezuela)
72 kg/158 lbs. - Logan Kass (New Prague, Minn./NMU-OTS)
WIN Vincente Fernando (Mexico), 8-0
LOSS Balint Korpasi, 9-0
LOSS Yosvani Pena (Cuba), 11-0
Vs. Anthony Sander (Germany)
77 kg/170 lbs. - Ryan Cummings (San Jose, Calif./NMU-OTS)
LOSS Ariel Fiz (Cuba), 8-0
LOSS Luis Avenolano (Venezuela), 8-0
LOSS Luis Guterrez (Cuba), 11-0
77 kg/170 lbs. - Kamal Bey (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids)
WIN Yurisandi Hernandez (Cuba), Fall
WIN Juan Escobar (Mexico), 8-0
WIN Luis Avendano (Venezuela), 11-4
Vs. Ariel Fiz (Cuba)
87 kg/191 lbs. - Patrick Martinez (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC)
LOSS Geovanis Carreras (Cuba), 2-1
87 kg/191 lbs. - Kevin Radford (Tempe, Ariz./Sunkist Kids)
LOSS Erik Szilvassy (Hungary), 5-0
Vs. Daniel Gregorych (Cuba)
97 kg/213 lbs. - Enock Francois (Ithaca, N.Y./New York AC)
LOSS Hayden Zillmer (United States), 5-1
97 kg/213 lbs. - Hayden Zillmer (Minneapolis, Minn./Minnesota Storm)
WIN Enock Francois (United States), 5-1
LOSS Gabriel Rosillo (Cuba), 10-0
Vs. Monteaqudo Reinier (Cuba)
97 kg/213 lbs. - Micah Burak (Colorado Springs, Colo./Titan Mercury WC)
LOSS Pablo Reinier (Cuba), 2-0
130 kg/286 lbs. - Nick Boykin (Colorado Springs, Colo./USOTC)
LOSS Balint Lam (Hungary), 8-0
HAVANA, Cuba - High-flying Kamal Bey lived up to his reputation on Saturday in Havana. The reigning Junior World champion navigated to the Granma Cup finals thanks to spectacular throw after spectacular throw.
Bey remained patient throughout his three bouts, heeding sound advice from the U.S. coaching staff. He ousted Yurisandi Hernandez of Cuba by pin to start the day, followed by an 8-0 thumping of Mexico's five-time Pan American medalist Juan Escobar and an 11-4 win over Venezuela's two-time Pan American medalist Luis Avendano to cap it off.
"The biggest thing I was working on was my pummeling. In the past, I know I've struggled with it, so I was just hanging in there for the first periods and trying to feel the guy out. Toward the second period we figured it out and it opened up a lot of scoring opportunities for me," Bey remarked.
Standing opposite Bey in tomorrow afternoon's 77 kg/170 lbs. Greco-Roman final is Ariel Fiz of Cuba, who is largely unknown to the international wrestling community.
"I love wrestling different opponents, and the Cuban people, they have such a different style of being so loose. I think tomorrow we will have some good sparks, some nice throws, me and [Fiz] together," he added.
Five Americans join Bey for the second-day festivities after finding places in bronze-medal matches.
After a sluggish opener, U23 World Team representative Dalton Roberts found solid footing. He finished the day with a 2-2 record at 60 kg/132 lbs., owning sound wins over Chile's Cristobal Torres and Honduras' Jorge Gonzalez. Roberts will take on Andrej Ginc of Germany for the bronze medal.
Fellow U23 World Team member Alejandro Sancho will see Venezuela's two-time Olympian Wilexys Rivas for the 67 kg/147 lbs. bronze. Sancho looked sharp in his first-round battle versus Defrion Mejia of Honduras, emerging with a 2-1 win. He dropped his next two bouts in tough fashion to Rivas and 2016 Olympic champion Ismael Borrero Molina of Cuba.
U.S. World Team Trials finalist and recent Dave Schultz Memorial International champion Hayden Zillmer took an all-American scrap over Enock Francois in round one, 5-1. He was bounced to the 97 kg/213 lbs. bronze-medal bout by Cuba's Gabriel Rosillo, 10-0, in the semis. It'll be another Cuban, Monteaqudo Reinier, facing Zillmer tomorrow.
Talented up-and-comer Kevin Radford dropped his opener to reigning U23 World champion Erik Szilvassy of Hungary, 5-0. He was pulled into an 87 kg/191 lbs. bronze bout against Cuba's Daniel Gregorych after Szilvassy made the finals.
Northern Michigan pupil Logan Kass is the final American competing in the medal round. After a 1-2 performance on the day, Kass moved on to face Anthony Sander of Germany for the 72 kg/158 lbs. bronze.
It was tougher sledding for the remaining five American participants. Patrick Martinez, Enock Francois, Micah Burak and Nick Boykin all dropped their initial bouts of the day and were not eligible to wrestle back for bronze. Additionally, Ryan Cummings finished with an 0-3 record in his pool and did not move into medal contention.
The Greco-Roman medal matches at the Granma Cup will take place at 2 p.m. (ET) on Sunday. Complete results and a live stream of the event can be found at unitedworldwrestling.org.
2018 GRANMA CUP
At Havana, Cuba, Feb. 17-18
Medal Matches
60 kg/132 lbs.
Gold - Luis Orta (Cuba) vs. Javier Dumenigo (Cuba)
Bronze - Andrej Ginc (Germany) vs. Dalton Roberts (United States)
67 kg/147 lbs.
Gold - Ismael Borrero Molina (Cuba) vs. Miquel Martinez (Cuba)
Bronze - Alejandro Sancho (United States) vs. Wilexys Rivas (Venezuela)
72 kg/158 lbs.
Gold - Balint Korpasi (Hungary) vs. Yosvani Pena (Cuba)
Bronze - Anthony Sander (Germany) vs. Logan Kass (United States)
77 kg/170 lbs.
Gold - Ariel Fiz (Cuba) vs. Kamal Bey (United States)
Bronze - Juan Escobar (Mexico) vs. Luis Avendano (Venezuela)
87 kg/191 lbs.
Gold - Erik Szilvassy (Hungary) vs. Viktor Lorincz (Hungary)
Bronze - Friedrich Fouda (Germany) vs. Geovanis Carreras (Cuba)
Bronze - Kevin Radford (United States) vs. Daniel Gregorych (Cuba)
97 kg/213 lbs.
Gold - Luigi Perez (Venezuela) vs. Gabriel Rosillo (Cuba)
Bronze - Monteaqudo Reinier (Cuba) vs. Hayden Zillmer (United States)
Bronze - Kevin Mejia (Honduras) vs. Pablo Reinier (Cuba)
130 kg/286 lbs.
Gold - Yasmany Lugo Cabrera (Cuba) vs. Oscar Pino (Cuba)
Bronze - Diego Almendra (Chile) vs. Balint Lam (Hungary)
Bronze - Eduardo Morrell (Puerto Rico) vs. Franz Richter (Germany)
U.S. Greco-Roman Results
60 kg/132 lbs. - Dalton Roberts (Fowlerville, Mich./New York AC)
LOSS Luis Orta (Cuba), 8-0
WIN Cristobal Torres (Chile), 7-1
WIN Jorge Gonzalez (Honduras), 10-2
LOSS Javier Dumenigo (Cuba), 6-4
Vs. Andrej Ginc (Germany)
67 kg/147 lbs. - Alejandro Sancho (Miami, Fla./ New York AC)
WIN Defrion Mejia (Honduras), 2-1
LOSS Wilexys Rivas (Venezuela), 7-4
LOSS Ismael Borrero Molina (Cuba), Fall 1:03
Vs. Wilexys Rivas (Venezuela)
72 kg/158 lbs. - Logan Kass (New Prague, Minn./NMU-OTS)
WIN Vincente Fernando (Mexico), 8-0
LOSS Balint Korpasi, 9-0
LOSS Yosvani Pena (Cuba), 11-0
Vs. Anthony Sander (Germany)
77 kg/170 lbs. - Ryan Cummings (San Jose, Calif./NMU-OTS)
LOSS Ariel Fiz (Cuba), 8-0
LOSS Luis Avenolano (Venezuela), 8-0
LOSS Luis Guterrez (Cuba), 11-0
77 kg/170 lbs. - Kamal Bey (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids)
WIN Yurisandi Hernandez (Cuba), Fall
WIN Juan Escobar (Mexico), 8-0
WIN Luis Avendano (Venezuela), 11-4
Vs. Ariel Fiz (Cuba)
87 kg/191 lbs. - Patrick Martinez (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC)
LOSS Geovanis Carreras (Cuba), 2-1
87 kg/191 lbs. - Kevin Radford (Tempe, Ariz./Sunkist Kids)
LOSS Erik Szilvassy (Hungary), 5-0
Vs. Daniel Gregorych (Cuba)
97 kg/213 lbs. - Enock Francois (Ithaca, N.Y./New York AC)
LOSS Hayden Zillmer (United States), 5-1
97 kg/213 lbs. - Hayden Zillmer (Minneapolis, Minn./Minnesota Storm)
WIN Enock Francois (United States), 5-1
LOSS Gabriel Rosillo (Cuba), 10-0
Vs. Monteaqudo Reinier (Cuba)
97 kg/213 lbs. - Micah Burak (Colorado Springs, Colo./Titan Mercury WC)
LOSS Pablo Reinier (Cuba), 2-0
130 kg/286 lbs. - Nick Boykin (Colorado Springs, Colo./USOTC)
LOSS Balint Lam (Hungary), 8-0
Read More#
Melelashvili clinches Greco-Roman gold, six other U.S. wrestlers power into Senior Pan American finals
Thomas, Davino among unexpected semifinalists in men’s freestyle at CLAW U.S. Open
Media Reports: Freestyle National Team member and NCAA runner-up Sammy Sasso reportedly sh...
Drury, Matthews and Voelker pulled into repechage in Greco-Roman at U20 World Championships
