Wrestling fan Sina Etemadi wins journalist prediction contest for 2019 World Championships
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by Mike Willis, USA Wrestling
Colorado Springs, Colo. - Every year, USA Wrestling asks international journalists to predict the winners of the World Wrestling Championships in all three styles. This year, with the World Championships in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan, 18 journalists participated, representing six different countries.
Four individuals picked thirteen correct champions. Sina Etemadi (USA), Ali Feizasa (Iranian News Agency), Ed Gallo (Bloody Elbow) and Byambaa Tsagaanbaatar (MSPU Wrestling – MGL), all tied for the top spot. Etemadi, a wrestling fan who has been competing in the contest since its inception, won the tiebreaking criteria of picking the top-five teams in order of medals won.
Etemadi picked Russia (who finished first), Japan (who finished second), the United States (who tied for third), Iran (who tied for third) and Turkey (who tied for tenth). Etemadi correctly selected 7 out of 10 men’s freestyle champions, which propelled him to victory,
Feizasa finished runner-up and was the top journalist in the field. He picked the same five nations as Etemadi for the tiebreaker but selected Ukraine to finish ahead of Iran. Feizasa picked 6 out of 10 men’s freestyle champions correctly, which was his best category.
Etemadi and Feizasa both finished with 4 correct Greco-Roman champions as well, which was the best in the field.
Gallo finished third in the tiebreaker criteria. He selected Russia first, the United States second, Japan third, then China and Azerbaijan who both finished tied for sixth. Gallo’s best category was also men’s freestyle, where he correctly predicted 7 out of 10 champions.
Tsagaanbaatar did not submit any countries for the tiebreaker, so by default he finished fourth. Tsagaanbaatar’s best category was also men’s freestyle, which he correctly picked 6 out of 10 champions.
Joseph Dashou (49 North – CAN) finished with 12 points and correctly guessed 5 women’s freestyle champions, the most of any journalist. He was the only journalist to select Jacarra Winchester at 55 kg as a champion.
Correct Champion Selections
13 – Sina Etemadi (USA Fan), Ali Feizasa (Iranian News Agency), Ed Gallo (Bloody Elbow – USA) Byambaa Tsagaanbaatar (MSPU Wrestling – MGL)
12 – Joseph Dashou (49 North- CAN), Andrew Hipps (Intermat – USA)
11 – Eric Asselin (49 North Wrestling - CAN), Jason Bryant (Mat Talk Online – USA)
10 – Andy Ross (49 North – CAN), Mike Willis (USA Wrestling), Ikuo Higuchi (Japan Wrestling Federation)
9 – Garry Abbott (USA Wrestling), Tom Franck (Intermat – USA), Mark Lundy (LutteLens – USA), Earl Smith (The Open Mat – USA)
8 – Willie Saylor (Flowrestling – USA)
7 – Dan Fickle (Wrestling USA Magazine)
6 – Tigran Avanian (RUS)
