Horton wins silver medal at Veterans Greco-Roman World Championships in Russia
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by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling
Stephen Horton of the USA has his arm raised after a technical fall victory in the Veterans World Greco-Roman semifinals over Kimmo Tolsa of Finland. Photo courtesy of Chris Brown.
PERM, Russia – Stephen Horton of Cibolo, Texas, the only U.S. athlete in the draw on Saturday, won a silver medal at 70 kg in Div. D (51-55 years old) at the Veterans World Greco-Roman Championships on Saturday.
Horton powered to the finals with two dominant wins, pinning Amar Akli of France in the quarterfinals in 35 seconds, then stopping Kimmo Tolsa of Finland in the semifinals with a 9-0 technical fall in the first period.
In the finals, Horton lost a heartbreaking 3-3 criteria decision to Domenico Piccinini of Italy. It was the first medal for Team USA at the Veterans Greco-Roman Worlds this year so far.
Piccinini was a Veterans World Greco-Roman champion last year as well at this weight class and age level. U.S. fans may remember Piccinini, who won a double title at USA Wrestling’s Masters Nationals this April in Las Vegas, where foreign competitors are encouraged.
This is Horton’s second Veterans World medal in consecutive weekends, as last weekend, Horton won a bronze medal at the Veterans World Freestyle Championships in Skopje, Macedonia.
Two U.S. Greco-Roman will compete on Sunday in Div. A (35-40 years old), Milton Yates of Washington, D.C. at 78 kg and James Medeiros of Van Nuys, Calif. at 100 kg. Yates opens against Antti Pauli Raskinkangas of Finland, while Medeiros draws Arlan Darkhambayev of Kazakhstan.
In UWW international events, Veterans are 35 years old through 60 years old, and compete in five different age divisions.
The Veterans World Greco-Roman Championships is being streamed live on TrackWrestling. Perm is nine hours ahead of U.S. Eastern time zone.
The Team Leader/Coach is two-time Veterans World Greco-Roman champion Chris Brown of Maryland, who is also a member of USA Wrestling’s Associated Styles Committee.
VETERANS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Perm, Russia,
U.S. Greco-Roman results
Div. D (51-55 years old)
70 kg – Stephen Horton, Cibolo, Texas, silver medal
WIN Amar Akli (France), pin 0:35
WIN Kimmo Tolsa (Finland), tech. fall 9-0, 1:19
LOSS Domenico Piccinini (Italy), 3-3
Medalists at Div. D (51-55 years old)
Gold - Domenico Piccinini (Italy)
Silver - Stephen Horton (USA)
Bronze - Kimmo Juhani Tolsa (Finland)
Bronze - Aleksandr Smirnov (Russia)
U.S. Greco-Roman draws for Sunday
Div. A (35-40 years old)
78 kg – Milton Yates, Washington, D.C.
Vs. Antti Pauli Raskinkangas (Finland),
100 kg – James Medeiros, Van Nuys, Calif.
Vs. Arlan Darkhambayev (Kazakhstan)
PERM, Russia – Stephen Horton of Cibolo, Texas, the only U.S. athlete in the draw on Saturday, won a silver medal at 70 kg in Div. D (51-55 years old) at the Veterans World Greco-Roman Championships on Saturday.
Horton powered to the finals with two dominant wins, pinning Amar Akli of France in the quarterfinals in 35 seconds, then stopping Kimmo Tolsa of Finland in the semifinals with a 9-0 technical fall in the first period.
In the finals, Horton lost a heartbreaking 3-3 criteria decision to Domenico Piccinini of Italy. It was the first medal for Team USA at the Veterans Greco-Roman Worlds this year so far.
Piccinini was a Veterans World Greco-Roman champion last year as well at this weight class and age level. U.S. fans may remember Piccinini, who won a double title at USA Wrestling’s Masters Nationals this April in Las Vegas, where foreign competitors are encouraged.
This is Horton’s second Veterans World medal in consecutive weekends, as last weekend, Horton won a bronze medal at the Veterans World Freestyle Championships in Skopje, Macedonia.
Two U.S. Greco-Roman will compete on Sunday in Div. A (35-40 years old), Milton Yates of Washington, D.C. at 78 kg and James Medeiros of Van Nuys, Calif. at 100 kg. Yates opens against Antti Pauli Raskinkangas of Finland, while Medeiros draws Arlan Darkhambayev of Kazakhstan.
In UWW international events, Veterans are 35 years old through 60 years old, and compete in five different age divisions.
The Veterans World Greco-Roman Championships is being streamed live on TrackWrestling. Perm is nine hours ahead of U.S. Eastern time zone.
The Team Leader/Coach is two-time Veterans World Greco-Roman champion Chris Brown of Maryland, who is also a member of USA Wrestling’s Associated Styles Committee.
VETERANS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Perm, Russia,
U.S. Greco-Roman results
Div. D (51-55 years old)
70 kg – Stephen Horton, Cibolo, Texas, silver medal
WIN Amar Akli (France), pin 0:35
WIN Kimmo Tolsa (Finland), tech. fall 9-0, 1:19
LOSS Domenico Piccinini (Italy), 3-3
Medalists at Div. D (51-55 years old)
Gold - Domenico Piccinini (Italy)
Silver - Stephen Horton (USA)
Bronze - Kimmo Juhani Tolsa (Finland)
Bronze - Aleksandr Smirnov (Russia)
U.S. Greco-Roman draws for Sunday
Div. A (35-40 years old)
78 kg – Milton Yates, Washington, D.C.
Vs. Antti Pauli Raskinkangas (Finland),
100 kg – James Medeiros, Van Nuys, Calif.
Vs. Arlan Darkhambayev (Kazakhstan)
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