Four U.S. men to compete at UWW Veterans Grappling Worlds in Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 8-9
Share:
by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling
Mike Kelly competition portrait from the 2019 Senior Grappling World Championships by Bin Lin.
Four experienced and successful U.S. Grappling athletes will compete this weekend at the United World Wrestling Veterans Grappling World Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 8-9.
All four of the competitors will enter the No-Gi Grappling tournament on Friday, November 8 and the Gi Grappling tournament on Saturday, November 9.
Leading the U.S. team is Michael Kelly of Hebron, Ill., an eight-time Senior World medalist in Grappling. Kelly’s most recent Senior medal was a bronze at 77 kg in Gi at the 2019 Senior Grappling Worlds in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan. Kelly, who also won a Veterans World gold medal in No-Gi in 2016, will compete at 82 kg in the 41-45 year old division in both styles this weekend in Baku.
Two other past Veterans Grappling World medalists are on this year’s team.
Gabe Beauperthuy of Colorado Springs has won six Veterans World Grappling gold medals, with gold medals in both styles the last three years (2016, 2017, 2018). Beauperthuy has also represented the USA at the Senior Grappling Worlds a number of times. He will compete in the Veterans 41-45 year division in the Over 100 kg weight class.
Jeff Anderson of Zeeland, Mich., who will compete in the Veterans 46-50 years age group, will compete at 92 kg in No-Gi and 100 kg in Gi. He boasts three Veterans World Grappling gold medals, winning both styles in 2017 and claiming a Gi gold medal in 2018. Anderson has also competed on the USA Senior Grappling World Team in the past, including on the Gi team in 2019.
Also competing is Rich Tado of Fox River Grove, Ill, at 77 kg in the Veterans 46-50 year-old division. Tado is one of the top Grappling referees in the world and serves on USA Wrestling’s ad-hoc Associated Styles Committee. He has considerable experience as a Grappling athlete.
The event will feature competition in Veterans Grappling (35 and older) as well as in youth divisions, including Junior, Cadet, Schoolboy and below.
The Veterans division competition will be held starting at 2:00 p.m. local time. Baku is nine hours ahead of U.S. Eastern time zone.
VETERANS GRAPPLING WORLDS
At Baku, Azerbaijan
U.S. No-Gi Grappling roster
Veterans 41-45 years
84 kg – Michael Kelly, Hebron, Ill.
100kg+ - Gabe Beauperthuy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
Veterans 46-50 years
77 kg - Rich Tado, Fox River Grove, Ill.
92 kg - Jeff Anderson, Zeeland, Mich.
U.S. Gi Grappling roster
Veterans 41-45 years
84 kg – Michael Kelly, Hebron, Ill.
100kg+ - Gabe Beauperthuy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
Veterans 46-50 years
77 kg - Rich Tado, Fox River Grove, Ill.
100 kg - Jeff Anderson, Zeeland, Mich.
Event Schedule (nine hours ahead of U.S. Eastern time zone)
Friday, October 8
10:00 a.m. – Youth divisions competition in No-Gi to conclusion
2:00 p.m. – Veterans and Junior competition in No-Gi to conclusion
Saturday, October 9
10:00 a.m. – Youth divisions competition in Gi to conclusion
2:00 p.m. – Veterans and Junior competition in Gi to conclusion
Four experienced and successful U.S. Grappling athletes will compete this weekend at the United World Wrestling Veterans Grappling World Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 8-9.
All four of the competitors will enter the No-Gi Grappling tournament on Friday, November 8 and the Gi Grappling tournament on Saturday, November 9.
Leading the U.S. team is Michael Kelly of Hebron, Ill., an eight-time Senior World medalist in Grappling. Kelly’s most recent Senior medal was a bronze at 77 kg in Gi at the 2019 Senior Grappling Worlds in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan. Kelly, who also won a Veterans World gold medal in No-Gi in 2016, will compete at 82 kg in the 41-45 year old division in both styles this weekend in Baku.
Two other past Veterans Grappling World medalists are on this year’s team.
Gabe Beauperthuy of Colorado Springs has won six Veterans World Grappling gold medals, with gold medals in both styles the last three years (2016, 2017, 2018). Beauperthuy has also represented the USA at the Senior Grappling Worlds a number of times. He will compete in the Veterans 41-45 year division in the Over 100 kg weight class.
Jeff Anderson of Zeeland, Mich., who will compete in the Veterans 46-50 years age group, will compete at 92 kg in No-Gi and 100 kg in Gi. He boasts three Veterans World Grappling gold medals, winning both styles in 2017 and claiming a Gi gold medal in 2018. Anderson has also competed on the USA Senior Grappling World Team in the past, including on the Gi team in 2019.
Also competing is Rich Tado of Fox River Grove, Ill, at 77 kg in the Veterans 46-50 year-old division. Tado is one of the top Grappling referees in the world and serves on USA Wrestling’s ad-hoc Associated Styles Committee. He has considerable experience as a Grappling athlete.
The event will feature competition in Veterans Grappling (35 and older) as well as in youth divisions, including Junior, Cadet, Schoolboy and below.
The Veterans division competition will be held starting at 2:00 p.m. local time. Baku is nine hours ahead of U.S. Eastern time zone.
VETERANS GRAPPLING WORLDS
At Baku, Azerbaijan
U.S. No-Gi Grappling roster
Veterans 41-45 years
84 kg – Michael Kelly, Hebron, Ill.
100kg+ - Gabe Beauperthuy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
Veterans 46-50 years
77 kg - Rich Tado, Fox River Grove, Ill.
92 kg - Jeff Anderson, Zeeland, Mich.
U.S. Gi Grappling roster
Veterans 41-45 years
84 kg – Michael Kelly, Hebron, Ill.
100kg+ - Gabe Beauperthuy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
Veterans 46-50 years
77 kg - Rich Tado, Fox River Grove, Ill.
100 kg - Jeff Anderson, Zeeland, Mich.
Event Schedule (nine hours ahead of U.S. Eastern time zone)
Friday, October 8
10:00 a.m. – Youth divisions competition in No-Gi to conclusion
2:00 p.m. – Veterans and Junior competition in No-Gi to conclusion
Saturday, October 9
10:00 a.m. – Youth divisions competition in Gi to conclusion
2:00 p.m. – Veterans and Junior competition in Gi to conclusion
Read More#
Complete list of USA Wrestling sanctioned events for the next three months, as of October 26
Abbott Blog: Top 10 wrestling stories of 2020
2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Wrestling will be held at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas, April 2-3
Rich Bender Column: Support wrestling’s strong comeback in 2021
