Snyder, Green, Gwiazdowski, Gilman, Retherford and Macchiavello to compete at Alans International this weekend in Russia
Share:
by Taylor Miller, USA Wrestling
USA Wrestling is sending six men’s freestyle athletes to the Alans International Tournament for Dec. 7-8 in Vladikavkaz, Russia.
Five of the six wrestlers have been on at least one Senior World Team.
Leading the squad is 2016 Olympic champion, two-time World champion Kyle Snyder, who will compete at 97 kg. In addition to his three World and Olympic golds, Snyder, who recently moved to State College, Pa., to train at the Nittany Lion Wrestling Club, is also a 2018 World silver medalist and 2019 World bronze medalist.
Most recently, Snyder won the Bill Farrell International in New York City last month.
There are three other World medalists making the trip, including Thomas Gilman at 57 kg, James Green at 74 kg and Nick Gwiazdowski at 125 kg.
Gilman, who has been on two Senior World Teams, is a 2017 World silver medalist. So far in this 2019-20 season, Gilman has collected two international medals, counting a gold medal at the Yusup Abdusalamov International and a bronze medal at the Intercontinental Cup shortly after.
2015 World bronze medalist and 2017 World silver winner Green will wrestle at a new weight, as he has bumped up to 74 kg for the Olympic year.
This weekend will mark Green’s sixth international tournament of the year. His results included his fifth-straight appearance at the World Championships and a bronze medal at the Dan Kolov UWW Ranking Series Event.
Last year at the Alans International, Green snagged a bronze medal at 70 kg.
Competing at 125 kg is 2017 and 2018 World bronze medalist Nick Gwiazdowski, who also won a Pan Am Games title earlier this year in Lima, Peru.
Gwiazdowski recently competed in a German professional league, wrestling other exceptional heavyweights from around the world.
Two-time World Team member Zain Retherford will suit up for the Red, White and Blue at 65 kg. Retherford competed at the 2017 and 2019 World Championships.
Fresh off a silver-medal finish at 97 kg at the Bill Farrell International, 2019 National Team member Mike Macchiavello will travel to Russia to wrestle at 92 kg.
USA Wrestling will update as results and live video are made available.
ALANS INTERNATIONAL TOURNAMENT
at Vladikavkaz, Russia (8 hours ahead of ET)
U.S. men’s freestyle roster
57 kg: Thomas Gilman (Iowa City, Iowa/Titan Mercury WC)
65 kg: Zain Retherford (State College, Pa./Nittany Lion WC)
74 kg: James Green (Lincoln, Neb./Sunkist Kids)
92 kg: Mike Macchiavello (Raleigh, N.C./Titan Mercury WC)
97 kg: Kyle Snyder (State College, Pa./Titan Mercury WC)
125 kg: Nick Gwiazdowski (Raleigh, N.C./Titan Mercury WC)
Coach: Bill Zadick, Colorado Springs, Colo.
Coach: Joe Russell, Colorado Springs, Colo.
Coach: Jake Varner, State College, Pa.
Referee: Brandon Harrison, Hendersonville, N.C.
Medical: Taryn Pennington, Colorado Springs, Colo.
Team leader: Paul Kieblesz, New York, N.Y.
Schedule
Saturday, Dec. 7
10 a.m. – Preliminary rounds
5 p.m. – Opening Ceremony
5:30 p.m. – Semifinals
Sunday, Dec. 8
10 a.m. – Repechage and bronze-medal matches
1 p.m. – Finals
