Gantt, Brooks win golds, as five U.S. men’s freestylers get medals at Henri Deglane Challenge in France
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by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling
Photo of Sammy Brooks receiving his 86 kg gold medal in France courtesy of Mark Perry.
NICE, France – Athletes from the United States won two gold medals and five overall medals in the men’s freestyle division at the Grand Prix of France/Henri Deglane Challenge on Saturday.
Gold medals went to Tommy Gantt (Raleigh, N.C./TMWC/Wolfpack RTC) at 74 kg/163 lbs. and Sammy Brooks (Iowa City, Iowa/New York AC/Hawkeye WC) at 86 kg/189 lbs.
Gantt, the past NC State star, won three matches on the way to his title, including a 6-2 win over Maxim Basilioglo of Romania in the finals. He opened with wins over Eduard Tatarinov of Germany, in a 12-2 technical fall and Zurab Erbotsonashvili of Georgia, 10-7.
It is Gantt’s second international gold medal, to go along with his Bill Farrell International title in 2018.
Brooks, who was a star for Iowa, also won his three matches, with two technical falls and a decision. In the gold-medal match, he stopped Tarzan Maisurade of Georgia in a 14-3 technical fall. His earlier victories were a 14-4 technical fall over Johannes Deml of Germany and a 9-3 win over Patrik Szurovski of Hungary.
Brooks has made three U.S. age-group World teams, and most recently was seventh at the Ivan Yarygin Grand Prix in Russia.
Winning silver medals for the USA were Cory Clark (Iowa City, Iowa (Titan Mercury WC/Hawkeye WC) at 61 kg/134 lbs. and Timmy McCall (Raleigh, N.C./Titan Mercury WC/Wolfpack RTC), at 92 kg/202.5 lbs.
Clark, an NCAA champion for Iowa, opened with a pin of Chakir Ansari of Morocco and a tight 11-9 win over Andrei Bekreneu of Belarus. In the gold-medal finals, he fell by a 10-0 technical fall to 2016 World silver medalist Beka Lomtadze of Georgia.
McCall, who competed for Wisconsin and now trains at NC State, won three straight matches to reach the finals, beating opponents from Romania, Germany and Hungary. In the championship finals, McCall was defeated by Istvan Vereb of Hungary.
Winning a bronze medal at 70 kg/154 lbs. was Brandon Sorensen (Iowa City, Iowa/Titan Mercury WC/Hawkeye WC), who finished with a 2-1 record including a 9-0 win over Evgheni Volkov of Romania in the bronze-medal round. Sorensen’s only lost came in the semifinals to Zurabi Iakobishvili of Georgia, 2-1. Sorensen won his second medal in consecutive week, after claiming a silver at the Dave Schultz Memorial International last Sunday.
The USA, which included athletes from the Hawkeye WC and the Wolfpack RTC, placed fifth in the team standings with 43 points, among 21 nations which scored team points. Georgia won the team title with 86 points.
GRAND PRIX OF FRANCE/HENRI DEGLANE CHALLENGE
At Nice, France, February 2, 2019
Men’s freestyle medalists
57 kg
Gold - Otar Gogava (Georgia)
Silver - Uladzislau Andreyeu (Belarus)
Bronze - Lasha Lomtadze (Georgia)
61 kg
Gold - Beka Lomtadze (Georgia)
Silver - Cory Clark (USA)
Bronze - Arman Eloyan (France)
Bronze - Andrei Bekreneu (Belarus)
65 kg
Gold - Bekkhan Goigereev (Russia)
Silver - Niurhun Skriabin (Belarus)
Bronze - Agustin Desiribats (Argentina)
Bronze - George Bucur (Romania)
70 kg
Gold - Zurab Iakobishvili (Georgia)
Silver - George Koliev (Belarus)
Bronze - Brandon Sorensen (USA)
Bronze - Nicolae Cojocaru (Great Britain)
74 kg
Gold - Thomas Gantt (USA)
Silver - Maxim Vasilioglo (Romania)
Bronze - Andrei Karpach (Belarus)
Bronze - Zurab Erbotsonashvili (Georgia)
79 kg
Gold - Davit Khutsishvili (Georgia)
Silver - Omaraskhab Nazmudinov (Romania)
Bronze - Krzysztof Sadowik (Belarus)
Bronze - Franco Buttner (Germany)
86 kg
Gold - Samuel Brooks (USA)
Silver - Tarzan Maisurade (Georgia)
Bronze - Johannes Deml (Germany)
Bronze - Akhmed Aibuev (France)
92 kg
Gold - Istvan Vereb (Hungary)
Silver - Timothy McCall (USA)
Bronze - Bendeguz Toth (Hungary)
97 kg
Gold - Valerii Andriitsev (Ukraine)
Silver - Dzianis Khramiankou (Belarus)
Bronze - Mamuka Kordzaia (Georgia)
Bronze - Gennadij Cudinovic (Germany)
125 kg
Gold - Kamil Kosciolek (Poland)
Silver - Mihaly Nagy (Hungary)
Bronze - Nick Matuhin (Germany)
Bronze - Rolandi Andriadze (Georgia)
U.S. men’s freestyle performances
61 kg/134 lbs. - Cory Clark, Iowa City, Iowa (Titan Mercury WC/Hawkeye WC), SILVER MEDAL
WIN Chakir Ansari (Morocco), pin
WIN Andrei Bekreneu (Belarus), 11-9
LOSS Beka Lomtadze (Georgia), tech. fall 10-0
70 kg/154 lbs. - Brandon Sorensen, Iowa City, Iowa (Titan Mercury WC/Hawkeye WC), BRONZE MEDAL
WIN Notono Gulyas (Hungary), tech. fall 10-0
LOSS Zurabi Iakobishivili (Georgia), 2-1
WIN Evgheni Volkov (Romania), 9-0
74 kg/163 lbs - Tommy Gantt, Raleigh, N.C. (TMWC/Wolfpack RTC), GOLD MEDAL
WIN Eduard Tatarinov (Germany), tech. fall 12-2
WIN Zurab Erbotsonashvili (Georgia), 10-7
WIN Maxim Vasilioglo (Romania), 6-2
86 kg/189 lbs. - Sammy Brooks, Iowa City, Iowa (New York AC/Hawkeye WC), GOLD MEDAL
WIN Johannes Deml (Germany), tech. fall 14-4
WIN Patrik Szurovski (Hungary), 9-3
WIN Tarzan Maisurade (Georgia), tech. fall 14-3
92 kg/202.5 lbs.- Timmy McCall, Raleigh, N.C. (Titan Mercury WC/Wolfpack RTC), SILVER MEDAL
WIN Michael Manea (Romania), 8-2
WIN Ilia Matuhin (Germany), 9-1
WIN Bendeguz Toth (Hungary), tech fall 10-0
LOSS Istvan Vereb (Hungary), 4-0
92 kg/202.5 lbs. - Michael Macchiavello, Raleigh, N.C. (Wolfpack RTC), dnp
LOSS Gennadij Cudinovic (Germany), 10-10
Team Standings
1. Georgia 86
2. Germany 72
3. Belarus 52
4. Romania 45
5. United States 43
6. Hungary 43
7. Poland 22
8. France 18
9. Argentina 17
10. Belgium 17
(of 21 countries which scored points)
NICE, France – Athletes from the United States won two gold medals and five overall medals in the men’s freestyle division at the Grand Prix of France/Henri Deglane Challenge on Saturday.
Gold medals went to Tommy Gantt (Raleigh, N.C./TMWC/Wolfpack RTC) at 74 kg/163 lbs. and Sammy Brooks (Iowa City, Iowa/New York AC/Hawkeye WC) at 86 kg/189 lbs.
Gantt, the past NC State star, won three matches on the way to his title, including a 6-2 win over Maxim Basilioglo of Romania in the finals. He opened with wins over Eduard Tatarinov of Germany, in a 12-2 technical fall and Zurab Erbotsonashvili of Georgia, 10-7.
It is Gantt’s second international gold medal, to go along with his Bill Farrell International title in 2018.
Brooks, who was a star for Iowa, also won his three matches, with two technical falls and a decision. In the gold-medal match, he stopped Tarzan Maisurade of Georgia in a 14-3 technical fall. His earlier victories were a 14-4 technical fall over Johannes Deml of Germany and a 9-3 win over Patrik Szurovski of Hungary.
Brooks has made three U.S. age-group World teams, and most recently was seventh at the Ivan Yarygin Grand Prix in Russia.
Winning silver medals for the USA were Cory Clark (Iowa City, Iowa (Titan Mercury WC/Hawkeye WC) at 61 kg/134 lbs. and Timmy McCall (Raleigh, N.C./Titan Mercury WC/Wolfpack RTC), at 92 kg/202.5 lbs.
Clark, an NCAA champion for Iowa, opened with a pin of Chakir Ansari of Morocco and a tight 11-9 win over Andrei Bekreneu of Belarus. In the gold-medal finals, he fell by a 10-0 technical fall to 2016 World silver medalist Beka Lomtadze of Georgia.
McCall, who competed for Wisconsin and now trains at NC State, won three straight matches to reach the finals, beating opponents from Romania, Germany and Hungary. In the championship finals, McCall was defeated by Istvan Vereb of Hungary.
Winning a bronze medal at 70 kg/154 lbs. was Brandon Sorensen (Iowa City, Iowa/Titan Mercury WC/Hawkeye WC), who finished with a 2-1 record including a 9-0 win over Evgheni Volkov of Romania in the bronze-medal round. Sorensen’s only lost came in the semifinals to Zurabi Iakobishvili of Georgia, 2-1. Sorensen won his second medal in consecutive week, after claiming a silver at the Dave Schultz Memorial International last Sunday.
The USA, which included athletes from the Hawkeye WC and the Wolfpack RTC, placed fifth in the team standings with 43 points, among 21 nations which scored team points. Georgia won the team title with 86 points.
GRAND PRIX OF FRANCE/HENRI DEGLANE CHALLENGE
At Nice, France, February 2, 2019
Men’s freestyle medalists
57 kg
Gold - Otar Gogava (Georgia)
Silver - Uladzislau Andreyeu (Belarus)
Bronze - Lasha Lomtadze (Georgia)
61 kg
Gold - Beka Lomtadze (Georgia)
Silver - Cory Clark (USA)
Bronze - Arman Eloyan (France)
Bronze - Andrei Bekreneu (Belarus)
65 kg
Gold - Bekkhan Goigereev (Russia)
Silver - Niurhun Skriabin (Belarus)
Bronze - Agustin Desiribats (Argentina)
Bronze - George Bucur (Romania)
70 kg
Gold - Zurab Iakobishvili (Georgia)
Silver - George Koliev (Belarus)
Bronze - Brandon Sorensen (USA)
Bronze - Nicolae Cojocaru (Great Britain)
74 kg
Gold - Thomas Gantt (USA)
Silver - Maxim Vasilioglo (Romania)
Bronze - Andrei Karpach (Belarus)
Bronze - Zurab Erbotsonashvili (Georgia)
79 kg
Gold - Davit Khutsishvili (Georgia)
Silver - Omaraskhab Nazmudinov (Romania)
Bronze - Krzysztof Sadowik (Belarus)
Bronze - Franco Buttner (Germany)
86 kg
Gold - Samuel Brooks (USA)
Silver - Tarzan Maisurade (Georgia)
Bronze - Johannes Deml (Germany)
Bronze - Akhmed Aibuev (France)
92 kg
Gold - Istvan Vereb (Hungary)
Silver - Timothy McCall (USA)
Bronze - Bendeguz Toth (Hungary)
97 kg
Gold - Valerii Andriitsev (Ukraine)
Silver - Dzianis Khramiankou (Belarus)
Bronze - Mamuka Kordzaia (Georgia)
Bronze - Gennadij Cudinovic (Germany)
125 kg
Gold - Kamil Kosciolek (Poland)
Silver - Mihaly Nagy (Hungary)
Bronze - Nick Matuhin (Germany)
Bronze - Rolandi Andriadze (Georgia)
U.S. men’s freestyle performances
61 kg/134 lbs. - Cory Clark, Iowa City, Iowa (Titan Mercury WC/Hawkeye WC), SILVER MEDAL
WIN Chakir Ansari (Morocco), pin
WIN Andrei Bekreneu (Belarus), 11-9
LOSS Beka Lomtadze (Georgia), tech. fall 10-0
70 kg/154 lbs. - Brandon Sorensen, Iowa City, Iowa (Titan Mercury WC/Hawkeye WC), BRONZE MEDAL
WIN Notono Gulyas (Hungary), tech. fall 10-0
LOSS Zurabi Iakobishivili (Georgia), 2-1
WIN Evgheni Volkov (Romania), 9-0
74 kg/163 lbs - Tommy Gantt, Raleigh, N.C. (TMWC/Wolfpack RTC), GOLD MEDAL
WIN Eduard Tatarinov (Germany), tech. fall 12-2
WIN Zurab Erbotsonashvili (Georgia), 10-7
WIN Maxim Vasilioglo (Romania), 6-2
86 kg/189 lbs. - Sammy Brooks, Iowa City, Iowa (New York AC/Hawkeye WC), GOLD MEDAL
WIN Johannes Deml (Germany), tech. fall 14-4
WIN Patrik Szurovski (Hungary), 9-3
WIN Tarzan Maisurade (Georgia), tech. fall 14-3
92 kg/202.5 lbs.- Timmy McCall, Raleigh, N.C. (Titan Mercury WC/Wolfpack RTC), SILVER MEDAL
WIN Michael Manea (Romania), 8-2
WIN Ilia Matuhin (Germany), 9-1
WIN Bendeguz Toth (Hungary), tech fall 10-0
LOSS Istvan Vereb (Hungary), 4-0
92 kg/202.5 lbs. - Michael Macchiavello, Raleigh, N.C. (Wolfpack RTC), dnp
LOSS Gennadij Cudinovic (Germany), 10-10
Team Standings
1. Georgia 86
2. Germany 72
3. Belarus 52
4. Romania 45
5. United States 43
6. Hungary 43
7. Poland 22
8. France 18
9. Argentina 17
10. Belgium 17
(of 21 countries which scored points)
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