Richards, Parker, Schultz, Macchiavello, Gwiazdowski win men’s freestyle titles at Bill Farrell Memorial International

Nick Gwiazdowski (TMWC) in the 125-kg finals at the Bill Farrell Memorial International. Photo by Larry Slater.


NEW YORK, N.Y. – Five U.S. men’s freestyle wrestlers won gold medals on the final day of the Bill Farrell Memorial International on Saturday night.


Individual U.S. champions were Zane Richards of the Titan Mercury WC (57 kg), Ian Parker of the West Point WC (70 kg), Eric Schultz of the Nebraska Wrestling Training Center (92 kg), Michael Macchiavello of Titan Mercury WC (97 kg) and Nick Gwiazdowski of Titan Mercury WC (125 kg).


Richards, a member of the Senior National Team, won a four-athlete roundrobin with a perfect 3-0 record, all by technical fall. He defeated runner-up Guesseppe Rea Villarroel of Ecuador, 10-0 to clinch the title.


Parker jumped to a 3-0 lead over 19-year-old Cody Chittum of Tennessee, and showed outstanding defense in the second period for a 3-2 win and his first major international title. Parker was a star at Iowa State, and now coaches at Army West Point.


Schultz, who starred at Nebraska, came on strong late in his finals match to beat Morgan McIntosh of U.S. Army WCAP, 6-6. Schultz trailed 6-0 early in the second period, but scored three straight takedowns to tie the match and secure the win by criteria.


Macchiavello, a Senior National Team member, scored the only points in a rugged 3-0 victory over Murazi Mchedlidze of Ukraine. There was a key exchange in the second period which Macchiavello scored, and a Ukrainian challenge was denied.


Gwiazdowski, wrestling for the first time since Final X last June, controlled the action for a 5-2 victory over Dimitrius Thomas of Michigan, 5-2. Gwiazdowski scored the first five points in the bout. He is a two-time World bronze medalist for Team USA.


Other international champions included Andrii Yatsenko of Ukraine (61 kg), who scored in the last second to edge Nashon Garrett of Titan Mercury WC, 6-6.


At 65 kg, Taiyrbek Zhumashbek Uulu of Kyrgyzstan (65 kg) opened up his offense to score a 14-4 technical fall over Nick Lee of the Nittany Lion WC. Zhumashbek Uulu was named Outstanding Wrestler of the competition.


Mukhammed Aliiev of Ukraine scored late in the match to edge 18-year-old Illinois high school star Brayden Thompson, 5-3 at 86 kg.


There were two finals where both of the finalists were from other international teams. Winning those weight classes were Orozobek Toktomambetov of Kyrgyzstan (74 kg) and Vasyl Mykhailov of Ukraine (79 kg).


Previously known as the New York Athletic Club International, the tournament is named in honor of the late Hall of Famer Bill Farrell, a giant in international wrestling, who was involved with the NYAC for decades as an athlete, coach and leader.

BILL FARRELL MEMORIAL INTERNATIONAL

At New York, N.Y., October 19, 2022


Men’s freestyle results

57 kg

Gold – Zane Richards (Titan Mercury Wrestling Club)

Silver – Guesseppe Rea Villarroel (Ecuador),

Bronze – Joseph Manchio (New York City RTC)

4th - Dalton Henderson (Davis Wrestling Enterprises, LLC)

Henderson dec. Rea, 5-4

Richards tech fall Manchio, 11-0

Rea pin Manchio, 5:48

Richards tech fall Henderson, 10-0

Richards tech fall Rea, 10-0

Manchio dec. Henderson, 7-6


61 kg

1st - Andrii Yatsenko (Ukraine) dec. Nahshon Garrett (TMWC/LVWC), 6-6

3rd – Austin DeSanto (Hawkeye WC) tech fall. Bekzat Almaz Uulu (Kyrgyzstan), 10-0


65 kg –

1st - Taiyrbek Zhumashbek Uulu (Kyrgyzstan) tech. fall Nick Lee (Nittany Lion Wrestling Club), 14-4

3rd – Matthew Kolodzic (NYAC) dec. Patricio Lugo (Hawkeye WC), 7-4


70 kg

1st - Ian Parker (West Point Wrestling Club) dec. Cody Chittum (Tennessee), 3-2

3rd – Oleksii Boruta (Ukraine) dec. Erik Arushanian (Ukraine), 11-3


74 kg

1st -. Orozobek Toktomambetov (Kyrgyzstan) dec. Arman Andreasyan (Armenia), 7-6

3rd – Mitch Finesilver (Israel) dec. Thomas Gantt (Titan Mercury WC), 7-0


79 kg

1st - Vasyl Mykhailov (Ukraine) dec. Avtendil Kentchadze (Georgia), 8-7

3rd – Alex Marinelli (Hawkeye WC) dec. David McFadden (TMWC), 10-6


86 kg

1st - Mukhammed Aliiev (Ukraine) dec. Brayden Thompson (Illinois), 5-3

3rd - Myles Amine (San Marino/Cliff Keen) by forfeit over Arman Avagyan (Armenia)


92 kg

1st - Eric Schultz (Nebraska Wrestling Training Center) dec. Morgan McIntosh (Army WCAP), 6-6

3rd – Illia Archaia (Ukraine) dec. Jay Aiello (Cavalier WC), 8-3


97 kg

1st - Michael Macchiavello (Titan Mercury Wrestling Club) dec. Murazi Mchedlidze (Ukraine), 3-0

3rd – Vasyl Sova (Ukraine) tech fall Nishan Randhawa (Canada), 12-2


125 kg

1st - Nick Gwiazdowski (Titan Mercury Wrestling Club) dec. Demetrius Thomas (Missouri), 5-2

3rd – Dominique Bradley (Sunkist Kids) dec. Mamed Ibragimov (Kazakhstan), 2-1