UWW Junior World freestyle selection process changed to allow four to compete against Iran in Times Square
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by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling
2015 Junior World bronze medalist Stevan Micic competes at the 2015 UWW Junior World Team Trials. Micic is registered to compete in the UWW Junior Nationals this year at 60 kg, one of the weights that will be contested in Times Square. Photo by John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com
USA Wrestling had a good problem to solve this spring. Iran has agreed to bring four UWW Junior freestyle wrestlers to the United States to compete against top U.S. athletes on the UWW Junior level at the Beat the Streets “United in the Square” dual meet in Times Square in New York City, May 19. What a wonderful opportunity!
However, the UWW Junior World Team Trials in freestyle is scheduled just a few days later in Irving, Texas, May 20-22.
In order to allow top wrestlers to have the opportunity to compete in Times Square and also wrestle for a spot on the UWW Junior World Team, USA Wrestling has adjusted its UWW Junior World Team Selection Procedures.
The four UWW weight classes which Iran is planning to bring to Times Square are 55 kg, 60 kg, 74 kg and 84 kg.
Athletes who will compete for the USA in these weights will be determined by this weekend’s UWW Junior National Championship, held in the South Point Hotel in Las Vegas, Nev., April 28-30.
Champions in the four weight classes will be offered the opportunity to wrestle in Times Square. If they choose to wrestle against Iran, they will have the right to delay their best-of-three Championship Series for the UWW Junior World Team to a later date for any reason. They could choose to go the Irving, Texas to wrestle a few days later, or they could delay their series against the Challenge Tournament winner to a later date.
If the champions do not decide to compete in Times Square, USA Wrestling will offer the opportunity to the runner-up, then third place, etc. If somebody who is not the UWW Junior champion chooses to compete in Times Square, the wrestler will not have the option to delay a World Team Trials series. However, this athlete will automatically be the No. 1 seed in the Challenge Tournament in Irving, Texas, and will receive the first available bye in the World Team Trials Challenge Tournament in Irving.
This is the first time that there will be an age-group international match as part of the Beat the Streets Gala events, which have been held in New York City since 2010. The UWW Junior freestyle wrestlers who earn the right to compete against top Iranian Juniors will have an amazing opportunity, not only to challenge and improve themselves, but also to compete in one of the most exciting environments in wrestling outside in Times Square. This is an amazing honor.
2016 UWW Junior World Team Selection Procedures
The representatives to the UWW Junior World Championships will be selected based upon a team trials process to be held as soon after the college school year as possible.
In Freestyle, the winner of the UWW Junior National Championships at the UWW Championship weights will earn automatic berth to the best of three final wrestle-off against the challenge tournament champion. The winners of the non-UWW weights from the UWW National Championships must choose a UWW Championship weight and will be drawn into the challenge tournament.
UWW Nationals Champions at 55KG, 60KG, 74KG, and 84KG (weights subject to change) will have a special opportunity to compete in the Beat the Streets dual meet against an Iranian Junior Team in New York City on Thursday, May 19th. This is a very rare opportunity for our top developmental athletes to test themselves against the Iranians on home soil. This event will raise the profile of the athletes involved and their high school/college programs as it will be highly publicized. Additionally, the mat time with strong foreign opponents will be extremely beneficial for the individual athletes as they continue their international careers.
If, for any reason, the Champion at one of the weights is unable to compete, USA Wrestling will work down the final standings at the UWW Nationals to fill the spot (i.e. first offer to second place competitor, next offer to third place competitor, etc.). In the case where the National Champion does not compete, the wrestler who claims the spot will be awarded the following benefits:
• A bye in the first round of the challenge tournament if there is an uneven number of competitors
• An automatic 1st seed in the challenge tournament
Delay of Final Wrestle-off may occur in two situations:
• A delay in a final wrestle-off may occur if a previous Junior World medalist, who has earned automatic berth to the final wrestle-off, is unable to compete for medical reasons. The athlete must provide certified medical documentation in order for the wrestle-off to be considered.
• If the UWW National Champion at specified weight classes (55K, 60K, 74K, and 84K) competes in the Beat the Streets Iranian Dual on Thursday, May 19th, he may request a delay for any reason up to the end of weigh-ins for the UWW Junior World Team Trials in Irving, TX. No documentation is required if such a delay is requested. Note: This applies only to UWW National Champions who wrestle at the UWW World Team Trials in the weight in which they earned the automatic berth to the final wrestle-off.
• Any delayed wrestle-off will be a best of three series at a time to be determined by the athletes involved as well as National Teams Staff.
USA Wrestling had a good problem to solve this spring. Iran has agreed to bring four UWW Junior freestyle wrestlers to the United States to compete against top U.S. athletes on the UWW Junior level at the Beat the Streets “United in the Square” dual meet in Times Square in New York City, May 19. What a wonderful opportunity!
However, the UWW Junior World Team Trials in freestyle is scheduled just a few days later in Irving, Texas, May 20-22.
In order to allow top wrestlers to have the opportunity to compete in Times Square and also wrestle for a spot on the UWW Junior World Team, USA Wrestling has adjusted its UWW Junior World Team Selection Procedures.
The four UWW weight classes which Iran is planning to bring to Times Square are 55 kg, 60 kg, 74 kg and 84 kg.
Athletes who will compete for the USA in these weights will be determined by this weekend’s UWW Junior National Championship, held in the South Point Hotel in Las Vegas, Nev., April 28-30.
Champions in the four weight classes will be offered the opportunity to wrestle in Times Square. If they choose to wrestle against Iran, they will have the right to delay their best-of-three Championship Series for the UWW Junior World Team to a later date for any reason. They could choose to go the Irving, Texas to wrestle a few days later, or they could delay their series against the Challenge Tournament winner to a later date.
If the champions do not decide to compete in Times Square, USA Wrestling will offer the opportunity to the runner-up, then third place, etc. If somebody who is not the UWW Junior champion chooses to compete in Times Square, the wrestler will not have the option to delay a World Team Trials series. However, this athlete will automatically be the No. 1 seed in the Challenge Tournament in Irving, Texas, and will receive the first available bye in the World Team Trials Challenge Tournament in Irving.
This is the first time that there will be an age-group international match as part of the Beat the Streets Gala events, which have been held in New York City since 2010. The UWW Junior freestyle wrestlers who earn the right to compete against top Iranian Juniors will have an amazing opportunity, not only to challenge and improve themselves, but also to compete in one of the most exciting environments in wrestling outside in Times Square. This is an amazing honor.
2016 UWW Junior World Team Selection Procedures
The representatives to the UWW Junior World Championships will be selected based upon a team trials process to be held as soon after the college school year as possible.
In Freestyle, the winner of the UWW Junior National Championships at the UWW Championship weights will earn automatic berth to the best of three final wrestle-off against the challenge tournament champion. The winners of the non-UWW weights from the UWW National Championships must choose a UWW Championship weight and will be drawn into the challenge tournament.
UWW Nationals Champions at 55KG, 60KG, 74KG, and 84KG (weights subject to change) will have a special opportunity to compete in the Beat the Streets dual meet against an Iranian Junior Team in New York City on Thursday, May 19th. This is a very rare opportunity for our top developmental athletes to test themselves against the Iranians on home soil. This event will raise the profile of the athletes involved and their high school/college programs as it will be highly publicized. Additionally, the mat time with strong foreign opponents will be extremely beneficial for the individual athletes as they continue their international careers.
If, for any reason, the Champion at one of the weights is unable to compete, USA Wrestling will work down the final standings at the UWW Nationals to fill the spot (i.e. first offer to second place competitor, next offer to third place competitor, etc.). In the case where the National Champion does not compete, the wrestler who claims the spot will be awarded the following benefits:
• A bye in the first round of the challenge tournament if there is an uneven number of competitors
• An automatic 1st seed in the challenge tournament
Delay of Final Wrestle-off may occur in two situations:
• A delay in a final wrestle-off may occur if a previous Junior World medalist, who has earned automatic berth to the final wrestle-off, is unable to compete for medical reasons. The athlete must provide certified medical documentation in order for the wrestle-off to be considered.
• If the UWW National Champion at specified weight classes (55K, 60K, 74K, and 84K) competes in the Beat the Streets Iranian Dual on Thursday, May 19th, he may request a delay for any reason up to the end of weigh-ins for the UWW Junior World Team Trials in Irving, TX. No documentation is required if such a delay is requested. Note: This applies only to UWW National Champions who wrestle at the UWW World Team Trials in the weight in which they earned the automatic berth to the final wrestle-off.
• Any delayed wrestle-off will be a best of three series at a time to be determined by the athletes involved as well as National Teams Staff.
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