Dieringer wins OW, as six U.S. freestyle champions crowned at the Bill Farrell International
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by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling
Alex Dieringer of the USA presses Zelimkhan Khadjiev of France for the pin in the 79 kg finals at the Bill Farrell Memorial. Photo by Justin Hoch.
NEW YORK, N.Y. – Team USA had six individual champions in men’s freestyle as the Bill Farrell Memorial International wrapped up at the historic New York Athletic Club on Saturday night.
In one of the most anticipated finals, National Team member and three-time NCAA champion Alex Dieringer of the Titan Mercury WC defeated Zelimkhan Khadjiev of France by fall in 3:32. Dieringer led 14-2 when he secured the fall. Khadjiev was fifth in the 2015 World Championships. Based upon his strong effort, Dieringer was named Outstanding Wrestler in the freestyle tournament.
“I got taken down right away. But I know how to stay poised and stay in my attacks, stay in my tie-ups, keep moving forward, and don’t’ give him any spaces where he can get those double legs. I knew if I kept moving forward and keeping to my ties, I was going to be all right,” said Dieringer.
Dieringer has moved up to 79 kg, after competing the last few years at 74 kg.
“This is definitely my weight. I am way stronger, and I always wrestle better when I am strong. At 74 kg, I was dropping too much weight, and that hindered my wrestling a little bit. At 79, I feel more comfortable, and I am going for a World title this year.
Joining Dieringer as another past Oklahoma State star who won the Bill Farrell was Jon Morrison of the New York AC, who had a breakout performance at 61 kg. Morrison, who now trains at Michigan, defeated top seed and past National Team member Tyler Graff of the Titan Mercury WC in a competitive finals, 6-5. As in other bouts, he scored his winning points as time was running out.
“I don’t want it to come down to the last seconds like that, but I will take the W every day of the week. I just continued to wrestle. I was able to get a chest lock there with 30 seconds left. A mental lapse on my part, letting him drive me out; I have to be a little more aware there. But, I wrestled through the whistle and was able to go get that takedown,” said Morrison.
Winning a gold medal with a 4-0 record in the roundrobin at 86 kg was past Greco-Roman World Team member Joe Rau of the Minnesota Storm. In his final match of the day, Rau scored a 10-0 technical fall over Nick Reenan of the Wolfpack WC. Rau scored three three technical falls, using a powerful gut wrench to score multiple turns on the freestyle opponents.
“It was a lot of fun. I was in New York until Wednesday, so I wrestled freestyle. I love freestyle. It is about me getting a little older. Making this weight is a lot easier. I used to kill myself to make this weight. Yesterday, I hopped in the sauna for 30 minutes and I ate pasta. It is good,” said Rau.
The fastest final among the U.S. winners came at 65 kg, when former North Carolina star Evan Henderson of the Titan Mercury WC secured a 26 second pin in the finals against Ilman Mukhtarov of France.
U23 World bronze medalist Ty Walz of the Titan Mercury WC won the title at 97 kg, keeping on the pressure to defeat Deron Winn of the Titan Mercury WC, 4-2. Winn, who competes in Mixed Martial Arts, has continued to wrestle on the Senior level as well.
Winning his first major Senior-level freestyle event was former NC State star Tommy Gantt of the Titan Mercury WC, who got his offense untracked in an 11-0 technical fall over Dan Vallimont of the New York AC at 74 kg.
The USA had 11 athletes in the finals, plus Rau who won his roundrobin. The top U.S. medalist in each weight class who has not yet qualified for the World Team Trials Challenge Tournament this year, will advance to compete there in Rochester, Minn. in May.
Kazakhstan entered its 2018 World Cup team which will compete in Iowa City, Iowa next weekend, came home with three individual champions, Sayatpek Okasov at 70 kg, Iliskhan Chilayev at 92 kg and Inkar Yermukambet at 125 kg. Kazakhstan had an impressive performance at 125 kg, sweeping the gold, silver and bronze medal in that weight class.
The other individual champion was Kyrgyzstan’s Samat Nadyrbek Uulu, the champion at 57 kg, who competes for the Pittsburgh Wrestling Club.
The competition was broadcast live on Flowrestling, where archived video can be found.
BILL FARRELL INTERNATIONAL
At New York, N.Y., March 31
57 kg
1st - Samat Nadyrbek Uulu (Pittsburgh/Kyrgyzstan) tech. fall Tim Lambert (Sunkist Kids), 11-0
3rd – Zane Richards (Titan Mercury WC) dec. Austin Miller (Buffalo Valley RTC), 9-0
61 kg
1st - Jon Morrison (NYAC/MWC) dec. Tyler Graff (Titan Mercury WC), 6-5
3rd – Seth Gross (Sunkist Kids) tech. fall Alan Waters (Titan Mercury WC), 11-1 4:04
65 kg
1st - Evan Henderson (TMWC) pin Ilman Mukhtarov (France), 0:26
3rd – John Simmons (NYAC/MWC) dec. Earl Hall (Titan Mercury WC), 10-6
70 kg
1st - Sayatpek Okasov (Kazakhstan) dec. Kyle Ruschell (NYAC/bwc), 6-3
3rd – Meirzhan Ashirov (Kazakhstan) dec. Sanjaa Ganbayar (Mongolia), 6-5
74 kg
1st - Thomas Gantt (Titan Mercury) tech. fall Dan Vallimont (NYAC/PWC).11-0, 3:47
3rd – Franklin Gomez (Puerto Rico) tech. fall Nestor Taffur (Colombia), 10-0 2:41
79 kg
1st - Alex Dieringer (TMWC) pin Zelimkhan Khadjiev (France), 3:32
3rd –Michael Evans (Buies Creek RTC) dec. Josh Asper (Navy-Marine Corps RTC), 8-5
86 kg
1st - Joe Rau (Minnesota Storm)
2nd - Saken Aitzhanov (Kazkhstan)
3rd - Nick Reenan (Wolfpack Wrestling Club)
4th - Evan Hansen (VWC)
5th - Pool Greifo (Peru)
RR 1 Rau tech. fall Hansen, 10-0, Aitzhanov dec. Reenan, 13-6
RR 2 – Rau dec. Pool Greifo (Peru), 5-4, Aitzhanov dec. Hansen, 4-0
RR 3 – Aitzhanov dec. Greifo, 6-0; Reenan tech. fall Hansen, 12-1
RR 4 – Reenan forfeit Greifo, Rau tech. fall Aitzhanov, 12-1
RR5 – Hansen forfeit Greifo, Rau tech. fall Reenan, 10-0
92 kg
1st – Iliskhan Chilayev (Kazakhstan) tech. fall Kenneth Courts (TMWC), 16-6, 4:48
3rd – Elhan Assadov (Kazakhstan) dec. Nikko Reyes (Valley RTC), 5-2
97 kg
1st - Ty Walz (TMWC) dec. Deron Winn (TMWC) , 4-2
3rd – Austin Schaefer (NYAC/FLWC) dec. Blaize Cabell (Valley RTC), 6-2
125 kg
1st - Inkar Yermukambet (Kazakhstan) dec. Oleg Boltin (Kazakstan), 4-2
3rd – Mamed Ibragimov (Kazakhstan) dec. Zachery Roseberry (Navy-Marine Corps RTC), 7-4
NEW YORK, N.Y. – Team USA had six individual champions in men’s freestyle as the Bill Farrell Memorial International wrapped up at the historic New York Athletic Club on Saturday night.
In one of the most anticipated finals, National Team member and three-time NCAA champion Alex Dieringer of the Titan Mercury WC defeated Zelimkhan Khadjiev of France by fall in 3:32. Dieringer led 14-2 when he secured the fall. Khadjiev was fifth in the 2015 World Championships. Based upon his strong effort, Dieringer was named Outstanding Wrestler in the freestyle tournament.
“I got taken down right away. But I know how to stay poised and stay in my attacks, stay in my tie-ups, keep moving forward, and don’t’ give him any spaces where he can get those double legs. I knew if I kept moving forward and keeping to my ties, I was going to be all right,” said Dieringer.
Dieringer has moved up to 79 kg, after competing the last few years at 74 kg.
“This is definitely my weight. I am way stronger, and I always wrestle better when I am strong. At 74 kg, I was dropping too much weight, and that hindered my wrestling a little bit. At 79, I feel more comfortable, and I am going for a World title this year.
Joining Dieringer as another past Oklahoma State star who won the Bill Farrell was Jon Morrison of the New York AC, who had a breakout performance at 61 kg. Morrison, who now trains at Michigan, defeated top seed and past National Team member Tyler Graff of the Titan Mercury WC in a competitive finals, 6-5. As in other bouts, he scored his winning points as time was running out.
“I don’t want it to come down to the last seconds like that, but I will take the W every day of the week. I just continued to wrestle. I was able to get a chest lock there with 30 seconds left. A mental lapse on my part, letting him drive me out; I have to be a little more aware there. But, I wrestled through the whistle and was able to go get that takedown,” said Morrison.
Winning a gold medal with a 4-0 record in the roundrobin at 86 kg was past Greco-Roman World Team member Joe Rau of the Minnesota Storm. In his final match of the day, Rau scored a 10-0 technical fall over Nick Reenan of the Wolfpack WC. Rau scored three three technical falls, using a powerful gut wrench to score multiple turns on the freestyle opponents.
“It was a lot of fun. I was in New York until Wednesday, so I wrestled freestyle. I love freestyle. It is about me getting a little older. Making this weight is a lot easier. I used to kill myself to make this weight. Yesterday, I hopped in the sauna for 30 minutes and I ate pasta. It is good,” said Rau.
The fastest final among the U.S. winners came at 65 kg, when former North Carolina star Evan Henderson of the Titan Mercury WC secured a 26 second pin in the finals against Ilman Mukhtarov of France.
U23 World bronze medalist Ty Walz of the Titan Mercury WC won the title at 97 kg, keeping on the pressure to defeat Deron Winn of the Titan Mercury WC, 4-2. Winn, who competes in Mixed Martial Arts, has continued to wrestle on the Senior level as well.
Winning his first major Senior-level freestyle event was former NC State star Tommy Gantt of the Titan Mercury WC, who got his offense untracked in an 11-0 technical fall over Dan Vallimont of the New York AC at 74 kg.
The USA had 11 athletes in the finals, plus Rau who won his roundrobin. The top U.S. medalist in each weight class who has not yet qualified for the World Team Trials Challenge Tournament this year, will advance to compete there in Rochester, Minn. in May.
Kazakhstan entered its 2018 World Cup team which will compete in Iowa City, Iowa next weekend, came home with three individual champions, Sayatpek Okasov at 70 kg, Iliskhan Chilayev at 92 kg and Inkar Yermukambet at 125 kg. Kazakhstan had an impressive performance at 125 kg, sweeping the gold, silver and bronze medal in that weight class.
The other individual champion was Kyrgyzstan’s Samat Nadyrbek Uulu, the champion at 57 kg, who competes for the Pittsburgh Wrestling Club.
The competition was broadcast live on Flowrestling, where archived video can be found.
BILL FARRELL INTERNATIONAL
At New York, N.Y., March 31
57 kg
1st - Samat Nadyrbek Uulu (Pittsburgh/Kyrgyzstan) tech. fall Tim Lambert (Sunkist Kids), 11-0
3rd – Zane Richards (Titan Mercury WC) dec. Austin Miller (Buffalo Valley RTC), 9-0
61 kg
1st - Jon Morrison (NYAC/MWC) dec. Tyler Graff (Titan Mercury WC), 6-5
3rd – Seth Gross (Sunkist Kids) tech. fall Alan Waters (Titan Mercury WC), 11-1 4:04
65 kg
1st - Evan Henderson (TMWC) pin Ilman Mukhtarov (France), 0:26
3rd – John Simmons (NYAC/MWC) dec. Earl Hall (Titan Mercury WC), 10-6
70 kg
1st - Sayatpek Okasov (Kazakhstan) dec. Kyle Ruschell (NYAC/bwc), 6-3
3rd – Meirzhan Ashirov (Kazakhstan) dec. Sanjaa Ganbayar (Mongolia), 6-5
74 kg
1st - Thomas Gantt (Titan Mercury) tech. fall Dan Vallimont (NYAC/PWC).11-0, 3:47
3rd – Franklin Gomez (Puerto Rico) tech. fall Nestor Taffur (Colombia), 10-0 2:41
79 kg
1st - Alex Dieringer (TMWC) pin Zelimkhan Khadjiev (France), 3:32
3rd –Michael Evans (Buies Creek RTC) dec. Josh Asper (Navy-Marine Corps RTC), 8-5
86 kg
1st - Joe Rau (Minnesota Storm)
2nd - Saken Aitzhanov (Kazkhstan)
3rd - Nick Reenan (Wolfpack Wrestling Club)
4th - Evan Hansen (VWC)
5th - Pool Greifo (Peru)
RR 1 Rau tech. fall Hansen, 10-0, Aitzhanov dec. Reenan, 13-6
RR 2 – Rau dec. Pool Greifo (Peru), 5-4, Aitzhanov dec. Hansen, 4-0
RR 3 – Aitzhanov dec. Greifo, 6-0; Reenan tech. fall Hansen, 12-1
RR 4 – Reenan forfeit Greifo, Rau tech. fall Aitzhanov, 12-1
RR5 – Hansen forfeit Greifo, Rau tech. fall Reenan, 10-0
92 kg
1st – Iliskhan Chilayev (Kazakhstan) tech. fall Kenneth Courts (TMWC), 16-6, 4:48
3rd – Elhan Assadov (Kazakhstan) dec. Nikko Reyes (Valley RTC), 5-2
97 kg
1st - Ty Walz (TMWC) dec. Deron Winn (TMWC) , 4-2
3rd – Austin Schaefer (NYAC/FLWC) dec. Blaize Cabell (Valley RTC), 6-2
125 kg
1st - Inkar Yermukambet (Kazakhstan) dec. Oleg Boltin (Kazakstan), 4-2
3rd – Mamed Ibragimov (Kazakhstan) dec. Zachery Roseberry (Navy-Marine Corps RTC), 7-4
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