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Vera is possible for repechage, Jones and Omania eliminated in Greco-Roman at Senior Worlds in Oslo

by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling

Alan Vera (USA) competing at the 2021 Senior Worlds. Photo by Justin Hoch.


OSLO, Norway – The three U.S. Greco-Roman entries in Group Three of the Greco-Roman tournament at the Senior World Championships were defeated in their first matches on Saturday morning. All three were competing in the first Senior World Championships of their career.


Alan Vera lost in an 8-0 technical fall to 2021 European Junior champion Turpal-Ali Bisultanov of Denmark at 87 kg. Vera was hit for passivity to put Bisultanov up 1-0. Bisultanov hit a gut wrench to make it 3-0, then followed up with a lift near the edge. Vera seemingly blocked the throw, but officials awarded Bisultanov a point for the lift, then a caution and two points for fleeing the mat, to make it 6-0. Bisultanov finished the match off with one more turn from par terre.


Bisultanov won his next two matches to qualify for the semifinals, where he will face No. 1 seed and 2020 Olympic bronze medalist Zurabi Datunashvili of Serbia. Bisultanov must win his semifinals bout against Datunishvili for Vera to be eligible for repechage. Only those who lost to a finalist are eligible for the repechage.


Vera is a naturalized U.S. citizen who emigrated from Cuba and was competing on his first U.S. Senior World Team.


The two other U.S. entries who competed have been eliminated because the athlete who defeated them has not qualified for the finals, Sam Jones at 63 kg and Peyton Omania at 67 kg.


Sam Jones was pinned by 2014 Military World bronze medalist Deniz Menekse of Germany in 4:11 at 63 kg. Jones scored first on a passivity call against Menekse, then scored a two-point lift and throw from par terre to take a 3-0 lead into the break. In the second period, Jones was called for passivity to make it 3-1. In par terre, Menekse locked up around Jones head and arm, turned him to his back and secured the fall.


Jones was eliminated when Menekse was defeated in his next match by 2019 U23 World champion Mehsam Dalkhani of Iran by technical fall.


2019 Junior World bronze medalist Peyton Omania lost his opening bout to 2021 Junior World champion Hasrat Jafarov of Azerbaijan at 67 kg. After Omania was hit for passivity to trail 1-0, Jafarov lifted Omania for a throw, then locked him up and turned him again on the edge. Referees gave Jafarov four points for both throws and the USA corner challenged, saying they were two-point moves. The challenge was denied, giving Jafarov another point and a 10-0 technical fall. Omania is a student-athlete at Michigan State.


Jafarov won his next match but was then beaten by technical fall in the quarterfinals by No. 1 seed and 2020 Olympic champion Mohammadreza Geraei of Iran. This eliminated Omania from the tournament.


The repechage bouts for Group Two were also held, and the opponent for G’Angelo Hancock of the USA in a 97 kg bronze-medal bout has been determined. Peter Oehler of Germany defeated Yevhenii Savta of Ukraine in repechage to advance to the match against Hancock. Oehler was a 2012 Junior World silver medalist and placed ninth in the 2015 World Championships.


Saturday's Group Three semifinals begin at 5:00 p.m. local time, with the Group Two finals to follow at 6:00 p.m. Olso is six hours ahead of U.S. Eastern time zone. See the action live on FloWrestling.

SENIOR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

At Oslo, Norway,



Group Three Greco-Roman semifinal pairings



63 kg

Erik Torba (Hungary) vs. Leri Abuladze (Georgia)

Taleh Mammadov (Azerbaijan) vs. Meysam Dalkhani (Iran)


67 kg

Mohammadreza Geraei (Iran) vs. Remaz Zoidze (Georgia)

Almat Kebispayev (Kazakhstan) vs. Nazir Abdullaev (Russian Wrestling Federation)


87 kg

Turpan Ali Bisultanov (Denmark) vs. Zurabi Datunashvili (Serbia)

Istvan Takacz (Hungary) vs. Kiril Maskevich (Belarus)

Group Three U.S. Greco-Roman results


63 kg – Sam Jones (East Lansing, Mich./New York AC)

LOSS Deniz Menekse (Germany), pin 4:11


67 kg – Peyton Omania (Concord, Calif./New York AC)

LOSS Hasrat Jafarov (Azerbaijan), tech. fall 10-0, 1:44


87 kg – Alan Vera (Jersey City, N.J./NYC RTC/New York AC)

LOSS Turpal-Ali Bisultanov (Denmark), tech fall 8-0, 2:12

U.S. Greco-Roman Group Two results


60 kg – Dalton Roberts (Colorado Springs, Colo./Army WCAP)

LOSS Gevorg Gharibyan (Armenia), 8-4


97 kg – No. 3 seed G’Angelo Hancock (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids)

WIN Ibrahim Tigci (Turkey), 5-0

WIN Kiril Milov (Bulgaria), 6-0

LOSS Alex Szoke (Hungary), 4-4 criteria

Bronze Medal Match – vs. Peter Oehler (Germany)


130 kg – Cohlton Schultz (Parker, Colo./Sunkist Kids)

LOSS Iakobi Kajaia (Georgia), 5-3