Sullivan, Roberts get silvers as U.S. wins six Greco-Roman medals in Valamar Cup in Croatia

POREC, Croatia - The United States claimed six medals at an international Greco-Roman competition on Saturday, the Valamar Cup, held at the Sports Hall “Finida.”

Claiming silver medals for Team USA were Billy Sullivan (55 kg) and two-time Senior World Team member and 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials champion Dalton Roberts (60 kg)

Sullivan, a 2024 U23 World Team member, lost in the gold-medal finals to Koryun Sahradian of Ukraine, 7-0. Sahradian scored six of his points in the first period, on a four-point takedown, a step out and a passivity point. The only point in the second period was a second passivity against Sullivan. Sahradian is a three-time Senior World Team member for Ukraine.

Roberts dropped his first match in a 2-2 criteria to young U.S. star Max Black. He rebounded with an impressive 13-10 victory over 2023 U23 World champion Giorgi Tokhadze of Georgia. When Tokhadze scored a 10-0 technical over Black, the three wrestlers ended up with 1-1 records. Tokhadze earned the gold, Roberts the silver and Black the bronze.

Black was the runner-up to Ildar Hafizov at the Senior World Team Trials at 63 kg and is a member of the Senior National Team.

Joining Black as bronze medalists were 2024 World Team member Benji Peak at 72 kg, Beka Melalashvili at 82 kg and 2024 Olympian Payton Jacobson at 87 kg.

Peak opened with an 8-5 win over Paulo Alessio of Italy. He was edged in his second match by 2019 European bronze medalist Dominik Etlinger of Croatia, 3-2. In his final match, Peak clinched the bronze with a 3-2 win over

Andreas Vetsch of Switzerland.

Melalashvili opened with a strong 8-1 win over Elmar Nuraliiev of Ukraine. He was beaten by 2017 World bronze medalist Pascal Eisele of Germany, 6-2. He closed it out with an 11-3 technical fall over Sebastian Aak of Norway.

Jacobson lost a close 3-2 match to 2020 Olympian Ivan Huklek of Croatia. He powered back for the bronze medal with a 5-2 win over 2022 U23 World champion Exauce Mukubu of Norway, 5-2.

The United States placed third as a team in the tournament, and will be coming home with a trophy from the event.

Sullivan, Black, Melelashvili and Jacobson are all set to compete at the U23 World Championships next month in Tirana, Albania. Peak is preparing for the 2024 Senior World Championships, also in Tirana.

2020 Olympian Ildar Hafizov, who will also wrestle in the 2024 Senior World Championships, did not medal with an 0-2 record at 63 kg. His losses were close, both by two points.  

The athletes will stay in Poreč, Croatia, following the tournament for a training camp with many international Greco-Roman athletes.

2024 VALAMAR CUP

At Porec, Croatia, September 28

U.S. Greco-Roman results

55 kg: Billy Sullivan (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army WCAP), silver medal

LOSS Koryun Sahradian (Ukraine), 7-0

60 kg: Dalton Roberts (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army WCAP), silver medal

LOSS Max Black (USA), 2-2

WIN Giorgi Tokhadze (Georgia), 13-10

60 kg: Max Black (Castle Rock, Colo./NMU-National Training Center), bronze medal

WIN Dalton Roberts (USA), 2-2

LOSS Giorgi Tokhadze (Georgia), tech fall 10-0

63 kg: Ildar Hafizov (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army WCAP), did not medal

LOSS Aleksandrs Jurkjans (Latvia), 3-2

LOSS Viktor Petryk (Ukraine), 2-0

72 kg: Benjamin Peak (Elkhorn, Wis./Combat W.C. School of Wrestling), bronze medal

WIN Paolo Alessio (Italy), 8-5

LOSS Dominik Etlinger (Croatia), 3-2

WIN Andreas Vetsch (Switzerland), 3-2

82 kg: Beka Melelashvili (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC), bronze medal

WIN Elmar Nuraliiev (Ukraine), 8-1

LOSS Pascal Eisele (Germany), 6-2

WIN Sebastian Aak (Norway), tech fall 11-3

87 kg: Payton Jacobson (Elkhorn, Wis./ NMU-NTS/Sunkist Kids WC), bronze medal

LOSS Ivan Huklek (Croatia), 3-2

WIN Exauce Mukubu (Norway), 5-2