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Macaluso, White place fifth at Beach World Series – Katerini in Greece
by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling
Mia Macaluso (USA) squares off with Daria Medvetska of Ukraine at 60 kg in Katerini, Greece. Photo courtesy of the U.S. Beach athletes.
KATERINI, Greece – The weather improved enough for organizers to complete the Beach World Series – Katerini today, with a majority of the competition completed on Paralia Beach on Saturday. Rain shortened Saturday’s competition day, so most of the event was held on Sunday.
Two U.S. women placed fifth in their weight class, Mia Macaluso of Otisville, N.Y. at 60 kg and Laura White of Duanesburg, N.Y. at 50 kg.
Competing in her second Beach World Series event, Macaluso won her first Beach World Series match with 3-0 decision over No. 14 ranked Ana Paulos Pereira Monteiro of Portugal in 59 seconds. Earlier in the day, Macaluso fell to No. 8 ranked Daria Medvetksa of Ukraine, 3-0 in 1:15. Macaluso lost her first round match on Saturday, to finish with a 1-2 record in Group A. Only two athletes from each Group advance to the semifinals, and Macaluso did not. In the final standings, she finished highest of the athletes who did not reach the semifinals.
Macaluso, who placed fourth in the 2022 NCWWC Nationals for East Stroudsburg, came into the event with a No. 21 Beach World Series ranking, which should improve after this week’s efforts.
White, also in her second Beach World Series, dropped four round robin matches at 50 kg, including all three matches on Sunday. Coming in with a No. 12 Beach World Series ranking, White added points to her total for this year’s season.
Two other U.S. wrestlers finished 0-2 in their pools and placed seventh in their weight class, Mitchell Cook of Orland Park, Ill. at 70 kg in the men’s draw, and Maren Anderson of Tinley Park, Ill. at Over 70 kg in the women’s draw.
Cook, who was fifth in the previous two Beach World Series events, had a tough draw in loaded Group A. Coming in with a No. 14 ranking, Cook fell to No. 1 Levan Kelekhsashvili of Georgia and No. 8 Ramiz Hasanov of Azerbaijan, both by 3-0 scores. He did not advance to the semifinals.
Anderson, in her first Beach World Series appearance, dropped two matches in Group A, No. 1 Catalina Axente of Romania and No. 8 Stefania Zacheila of Greece by 3-0 scores.
All four of these U.S. athletes are currently scheduled to compete in the final Beach World Series event of 2022, which will be held on Mamaia Beach in Constanta, Romania, Sept. 3-4.
This is the second of five Beach World Series events which will set the field for the 2023 World Beach Games in Bali, Indonesia, next August 5-12. The remaining Beach World Series event in Romania this year will also be a qualifier, as will be the first two Beach World Series events of 2023. The top eight athletes per weight category and gender from these five events will earn a quota place for their National Olympic Committee at the World Beach Games.
USA Wrestling is working to put together a large and talented Senior team to compete in the final Beach World Series event in Constanta, Romania, Sept. 3-4. In addition, it is recruiting athletes for two age-group Beach World Teams, for the U17 Beach World Championships and the U20 Beach World Championships in Constanta, Romania, Sept. 1-2.
How to sign up for U17/U20 Beach Worlds or Final Beach World Series events in Romania, Sept. 1-4
BEACH WORLD SERIES – KATERINI
At Paralia Beach, Katerini, Greece, July 9-10
Women's medalists
50 kg
Gold - Stefania Claudia Priceputu (Romania)
Silver - Blanka Reczi (Hungary)
Bronze - Cristina Andujar Ojeda (Spain)
60 kg
Gold - Iryna Khariv (Ukraine)
Silver - Daria Medvetska (Ukraine)
Bronze - Elena Simona Ionescu (Romania)
70 kg
Gold - Agoro Papavasileiou (Greece)
Silver - Olena NIikitinska (Ukraine)
Bronze - Yuliia Kremenza Malyk (Ukraine)
Over 70 kg
Gold - Catalina Axente (Romania)
Silver - Liudmyla Pavlovets Tychyna (Ukraine)
Bronze - Angelique Carole Gonzalez (France)
Men's medalists
70 kg
Gold - Levan Kelekhsashvili (Georgia)
Silver - Stefan Ionut Coman (Romania)
Bronze - Ramiz Hasanov (Azerbaijan)
80 kg
Gold - Nika Kentchadze (Georgia)
Silver - Csaba Vida (Hungary)
Bronze - Omid Abdolali Kamaliaghdam (Azerbaijan)
90 kg
Gold - Ibrahim Yusubov (Azerbaijan)
Silver - Davit Khutsishvili (Georgia)
Bronze - Dato Piruzashvili (Georgia)
Over 90 kg
Gold - Mamuka Kordzaia (Georgia)
Silver - Richard Vegh (Hungary)
Bronze - Niazi Impis (Greece)
U.S. women’s performances
50 kg – Laura White, Duanesburg, N.Y. (Curby 3 Style WC), 5th place
Round Robin
LOSS Cristina Andujar Ojeda (Spain), fall 2:14
LOSS Stefania Claudia Priceputu (Romania), 3-0, 1:04
LOSS Blanka Reczi (Hungary), fall 0:37
LOSS Justine Fanny Vigouroux (France), 3-0, 1:24
60 kg – Mia Macaluso, Otisville, N.Y., 5th place
LOSS Auore Cabanne (France), 3-2, 1:59
LOSS Daria Medvetska (Ukraine), 3-0, 1:15
WIN Ana Paulos Pereira Monteiro (Portugal), 3-0, 0:59
Over 70 kg – Maren Anderson, Tinley Park, Ill. (Natural Athlete WC), 7th place
LOSS Catalina Axente (Romania), 3-0, 0:31
LOSS Stefania Zacheila (Greece), 3-0, 0:49
U.S. men’s performance
70 kg – Mitchell Cook, Orland Park, Ill. (Natural Athlete WC), 7th place
LOSS Levan Kelekhsashvili (Georgia), 3-0, 1:24
LOSS Ramiz Hasanov (Azerbaijan), 3-0, 0:35
KATERINI, Greece – The weather improved enough for organizers to complete the Beach World Series – Katerini today, with a majority of the competition completed on Paralia Beach on Saturday. Rain shortened Saturday’s competition day, so most of the event was held on Sunday.
Two U.S. women placed fifth in their weight class, Mia Macaluso of Otisville, N.Y. at 60 kg and Laura White of Duanesburg, N.Y. at 50 kg.
Competing in her second Beach World Series event, Macaluso won her first Beach World Series match with 3-0 decision over No. 14 ranked Ana Paulos Pereira Monteiro of Portugal in 59 seconds. Earlier in the day, Macaluso fell to No. 8 ranked Daria Medvetksa of Ukraine, 3-0 in 1:15. Macaluso lost her first round match on Saturday, to finish with a 1-2 record in Group A. Only two athletes from each Group advance to the semifinals, and Macaluso did not. In the final standings, she finished highest of the athletes who did not reach the semifinals.
Macaluso, who placed fourth in the 2022 NCWWC Nationals for East Stroudsburg, came into the event with a No. 21 Beach World Series ranking, which should improve after this week’s efforts.
White, also in her second Beach World Series, dropped four round robin matches at 50 kg, including all three matches on Sunday. Coming in with a No. 12 Beach World Series ranking, White added points to her total for this year’s season.
Two other U.S. wrestlers finished 0-2 in their pools and placed seventh in their weight class, Mitchell Cook of Orland Park, Ill. at 70 kg in the men’s draw, and Maren Anderson of Tinley Park, Ill. at Over 70 kg in the women’s draw.
Cook, who was fifth in the previous two Beach World Series events, had a tough draw in loaded Group A. Coming in with a No. 14 ranking, Cook fell to No. 1 Levan Kelekhsashvili of Georgia and No. 8 Ramiz Hasanov of Azerbaijan, both by 3-0 scores. He did not advance to the semifinals.
Anderson, in her first Beach World Series appearance, dropped two matches in Group A, No. 1 Catalina Axente of Romania and No. 8 Stefania Zacheila of Greece by 3-0 scores.
All four of these U.S. athletes are currently scheduled to compete in the final Beach World Series event of 2022, which will be held on Mamaia Beach in Constanta, Romania, Sept. 3-4.
This is the second of five Beach World Series events which will set the field for the 2023 World Beach Games in Bali, Indonesia, next August 5-12. The remaining Beach World Series event in Romania this year will also be a qualifier, as will be the first two Beach World Series events of 2023. The top eight athletes per weight category and gender from these five events will earn a quota place for their National Olympic Committee at the World Beach Games.
USA Wrestling is working to put together a large and talented Senior team to compete in the final Beach World Series event in Constanta, Romania, Sept. 3-4. In addition, it is recruiting athletes for two age-group Beach World Teams, for the U17 Beach World Championships and the U20 Beach World Championships in Constanta, Romania, Sept. 1-2.
How to sign up for U17/U20 Beach Worlds or Final Beach World Series events in Romania, Sept. 1-4
BEACH WORLD SERIES – KATERINI
At Paralia Beach, Katerini, Greece, July 9-10
Women's medalists
50 kg
Gold - Stefania Claudia Priceputu (Romania)
Silver - Blanka Reczi (Hungary)
Bronze - Cristina Andujar Ojeda (Spain)
60 kg
Gold - Iryna Khariv (Ukraine)
Silver - Daria Medvetska (Ukraine)
Bronze - Elena Simona Ionescu (Romania)
70 kg
Gold - Agoro Papavasileiou (Greece)
Silver - Olena NIikitinska (Ukraine)
Bronze - Yuliia Kremenza Malyk (Ukraine)
Over 70 kg
Gold - Catalina Axente (Romania)
Silver - Liudmyla Pavlovets Tychyna (Ukraine)
Bronze - Angelique Carole Gonzalez (France)
Men's medalists
70 kg
Gold - Levan Kelekhsashvili (Georgia)
Silver - Stefan Ionut Coman (Romania)
Bronze - Ramiz Hasanov (Azerbaijan)
80 kg
Gold - Nika Kentchadze (Georgia)
Silver - Csaba Vida (Hungary)
Bronze - Omid Abdolali Kamaliaghdam (Azerbaijan)
90 kg
Gold - Ibrahim Yusubov (Azerbaijan)
Silver - Davit Khutsishvili (Georgia)
Bronze - Dato Piruzashvili (Georgia)
Over 90 kg
Gold - Mamuka Kordzaia (Georgia)
Silver - Richard Vegh (Hungary)
Bronze - Niazi Impis (Greece)
U.S. women’s performances
50 kg – Laura White, Duanesburg, N.Y. (Curby 3 Style WC), 5th place
Round Robin
LOSS Cristina Andujar Ojeda (Spain), fall 2:14
LOSS Stefania Claudia Priceputu (Romania), 3-0, 1:04
LOSS Blanka Reczi (Hungary), fall 0:37
LOSS Justine Fanny Vigouroux (France), 3-0, 1:24
60 kg – Mia Macaluso, Otisville, N.Y., 5th place
LOSS Auore Cabanne (France), 3-2, 1:59
LOSS Daria Medvetska (Ukraine), 3-0, 1:15
WIN Ana Paulos Pereira Monteiro (Portugal), 3-0, 0:59
Over 70 kg – Maren Anderson, Tinley Park, Ill. (Natural Athlete WC), 7th place
LOSS Catalina Axente (Romania), 3-0, 0:31
LOSS Stefania Zacheila (Greece), 3-0, 0:49
U.S. men’s performance
70 kg – Mitchell Cook, Orland Park, Ill. (Natural Athlete WC), 7th place
LOSS Levan Kelekhsashvili (Georgia), 3-0, 1:24
LOSS Ramiz Hasanov (Azerbaijan), 3-0, 0:35