UPDATE: Olympian Daniel Dennis wins freestyle gold medal at Grand Prix of Germany
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by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling
Daniel Dennis of the USA receives the gold medal at 57 kg at the German Grand Prix. Photo by Bill Zadick.
DORTMUND, Germany – Olympian Daniel Dennis (Iowa City, Iowa/Titan Mercury WC/Hawkeye WC) claimed a gold medal in men’s freestyle at 57 kg/125.5. lbs. on the final day of the Grand Prix of Germany.
Dennis defeated Mirjalal Hasan-Zada of Azerbaijan in the finals, 3-2. This is the final tune-up event for the U.S. Olympians in freestyle prior to the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro in August.
Dennis scored in the first period when Hasan-Zada was placed on the shot clock and could not score, leading 1-0 at the break. In the second period, Dennis was put on the shot clock. Dennis took a shot and scored on a double leg takedown with two seconds left on the shot clock to lead 3-0. Later in the second period, Dennis was again put on the shot clock and did not score, making it 3-1. A caution and one point penalty against Dennis with two seconds left made it the final 3-2 margin.
Dennis powered through his half-bracket, scoring a 10-0 technical fall over Roman Walter of Germany and an 11-0 technical fall over Baris Kaya of Turkey.x
"Daniel competed very well today winning the gold medal. In his finals match there were some very inconsistent calls which he handled with poise and great composure. Both of these characteristics will be important for our team when we get into the fire-fight in Rio," said Assistant National Freestyle Coach Bill Zadick.
The U.S. men’s freestyle Olympians went five-for-five on medals during the two-day Grand Prix of Germany.
As a champion, Dennis joined Jordan Burroughs (Lincoln, Neb/Sunkist Kids/Nebraska RTC) at 74 kg/163 lbs. who won his gold on Saturday. Also on Saturday, Frank Molinaro (State College, Pa./Nittany Lion WC) won a silver medal at 65 kg/143 lbs. Winning bronze medals on Saturday were J’den Cox (Columbia, Mo./Missouri Wrestling Foundation) at 86 kg/189 lbs. and Kyle Snyder (Woodbine, Md./Titan Mercury WC/Ohio RTC) at 97 kg/213 lbs.
"Overall, our team performed very well with each of the five Olympians winning medals and finishing with two gold medals. This competition was chosen for our Olympic team to compete in as a testing, learning, and fine tuning event heading into Rio Olympic Games. We have accomplished what we be intended in Germany and are looking forward to our final Rio preparations," said Zadick.
One U.S. athlete competed on Sunday in Greco-Roman, Raymond Bunker (Camp LeJeune, N.C./U.S. Marine Corps), who dropped his only match at 71 kg/156 lbs. and was not eligible for repechage.
GRAND PRIX OF GERMANY
At Dortmund, Germany, July 3
Men’s freestyle medalists
57 kg/125.5 lbs.
Gold - Daniel Dennis (USA)
Silver - Mirjalal Hasan-Zada (Azerbaijan)
Bronze - Marcel Ewald (Germany)
Bronze - Baris Kaya (Turkey)
61 kg/134 lbs.
Gold - Haji Aliyev (Azerbaijan)
Silver - Krzysztof Bienkowski (Poland)
Bronze - Abbas Rakhmanov (Uzbekistan)
Bronze - Mehmet Oeguet (Turkey)
70 kg/154 lbs.
Gold - Gitnomagomed Gadzhiyev (Azerbaijan)
Silver - Lennard Wickel (Germany)
Bronze - Samet Duelger (Germany)
Bronze - Bekzhanov (Kazakhstan)
125 kg/275 lbs.
Gold - Jamaladdin Magomedov (Azerbaijan)
Silver - Daulet Shabanbay (Kazakhstan)
Bronze - Kamil Kaskiewicz (Poland)
Bronze - Danylo Kartavyi (Ukraine)
U.S. men’s freestyle performance
57 kg/125.5 lbs. – Daniel Dennis, Iowa City, Iowa (Titan Mercury WC/Hawkeye WC), gold medal
WIN Roman Walter (Germany), tech. fall 10-0
WIN Baris Kaya (Turkey), tech. fall 11-0
WIN Mirjalal Hasan-Zada (Azerbaijan), 3-2
Greco-Roman medalists
59 kg/130 lbs.
Gold - Sanal Semenov (Russia)
Silver - Lee Jungbaik (Korea)
Bronze - Schambulat Lokejaev (Russia)
Bronze - Dustin Scherf (Germany)
71 kg/154 lbs.
Gold - Maximilian Schwabe (Germany)
Silver - Timo Badusch (Germany)
Bronze - Abuiazid Mantsigov (Russia)
Bronze - Adam Kurak (Russia)
80 kg/176 lbs.
Gold - Selcuk Cebi (Turkey)
Silver - Kim Hyeonwoo (Korea)
Bronze - Mahmoud (Egypt)
Bronze - Eduard Sargsyan (Armenia)
130 kg/286 lbs.
Gold - Riza Kayaalp (Turkey)
Silver - Vitali Shohur (Russia)
Bronze - Eduard Popp (Germany)
Bronze - Mantas Knystautas (Lithuania)
U.S. Greco-Roman performance
71 kg/156 lbs. – Raymond Bunker, Camp LeJeune, N.C. (U.S. Marine Corps), dnp
LOSS Abulazid Mantsigov (Russia), tech. fall, 8-0
DORTMUND, Germany – Olympian Daniel Dennis (Iowa City, Iowa/Titan Mercury WC/Hawkeye WC) claimed a gold medal in men’s freestyle at 57 kg/125.5. lbs. on the final day of the Grand Prix of Germany.
Dennis defeated Mirjalal Hasan-Zada of Azerbaijan in the finals, 3-2. This is the final tune-up event for the U.S. Olympians in freestyle prior to the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro in August.
Dennis scored in the first period when Hasan-Zada was placed on the shot clock and could not score, leading 1-0 at the break. In the second period, Dennis was put on the shot clock. Dennis took a shot and scored on a double leg takedown with two seconds left on the shot clock to lead 3-0. Later in the second period, Dennis was again put on the shot clock and did not score, making it 3-1. A caution and one point penalty against Dennis with two seconds left made it the final 3-2 margin.
Dennis powered through his half-bracket, scoring a 10-0 technical fall over Roman Walter of Germany and an 11-0 technical fall over Baris Kaya of Turkey.x
"Daniel competed very well today winning the gold medal. In his finals match there were some very inconsistent calls which he handled with poise and great composure. Both of these characteristics will be important for our team when we get into the fire-fight in Rio," said Assistant National Freestyle Coach Bill Zadick.
The U.S. men’s freestyle Olympians went five-for-five on medals during the two-day Grand Prix of Germany.
As a champion, Dennis joined Jordan Burroughs (Lincoln, Neb/Sunkist Kids/Nebraska RTC) at 74 kg/163 lbs. who won his gold on Saturday. Also on Saturday, Frank Molinaro (State College, Pa./Nittany Lion WC) won a silver medal at 65 kg/143 lbs. Winning bronze medals on Saturday were J’den Cox (Columbia, Mo./Missouri Wrestling Foundation) at 86 kg/189 lbs. and Kyle Snyder (Woodbine, Md./Titan Mercury WC/Ohio RTC) at 97 kg/213 lbs.
"Overall, our team performed very well with each of the five Olympians winning medals and finishing with two gold medals. This competition was chosen for our Olympic team to compete in as a testing, learning, and fine tuning event heading into Rio Olympic Games. We have accomplished what we be intended in Germany and are looking forward to our final Rio preparations," said Zadick.
One U.S. athlete competed on Sunday in Greco-Roman, Raymond Bunker (Camp LeJeune, N.C./U.S. Marine Corps), who dropped his only match at 71 kg/156 lbs. and was not eligible for repechage.
GRAND PRIX OF GERMANY
At Dortmund, Germany, July 3
Men’s freestyle medalists
57 kg/125.5 lbs.
Gold - Daniel Dennis (USA)
Silver - Mirjalal Hasan-Zada (Azerbaijan)
Bronze - Marcel Ewald (Germany)
Bronze - Baris Kaya (Turkey)
61 kg/134 lbs.
Gold - Haji Aliyev (Azerbaijan)
Silver - Krzysztof Bienkowski (Poland)
Bronze - Abbas Rakhmanov (Uzbekistan)
Bronze - Mehmet Oeguet (Turkey)
70 kg/154 lbs.
Gold - Gitnomagomed Gadzhiyev (Azerbaijan)
Silver - Lennard Wickel (Germany)
Bronze - Samet Duelger (Germany)
Bronze - Bekzhanov (Kazakhstan)
125 kg/275 lbs.
Gold - Jamaladdin Magomedov (Azerbaijan)
Silver - Daulet Shabanbay (Kazakhstan)
Bronze - Kamil Kaskiewicz (Poland)
Bronze - Danylo Kartavyi (Ukraine)
U.S. men’s freestyle performance
57 kg/125.5 lbs. – Daniel Dennis, Iowa City, Iowa (Titan Mercury WC/Hawkeye WC), gold medal
WIN Roman Walter (Germany), tech. fall 10-0
WIN Baris Kaya (Turkey), tech. fall 11-0
WIN Mirjalal Hasan-Zada (Azerbaijan), 3-2
Greco-Roman medalists
59 kg/130 lbs.
Gold - Sanal Semenov (Russia)
Silver - Lee Jungbaik (Korea)
Bronze - Schambulat Lokejaev (Russia)
Bronze - Dustin Scherf (Germany)
71 kg/154 lbs.
Gold - Maximilian Schwabe (Germany)
Silver - Timo Badusch (Germany)
Bronze - Abuiazid Mantsigov (Russia)
Bronze - Adam Kurak (Russia)
80 kg/176 lbs.
Gold - Selcuk Cebi (Turkey)
Silver - Kim Hyeonwoo (Korea)
Bronze - Mahmoud (Egypt)
Bronze - Eduard Sargsyan (Armenia)
130 kg/286 lbs.
Gold - Riza Kayaalp (Turkey)
Silver - Vitali Shohur (Russia)
Bronze - Eduard Popp (Germany)
Bronze - Mantas Knystautas (Lithuania)
U.S. Greco-Roman performance
71 kg/156 lbs. – Raymond Bunker, Camp LeJeune, N.C. (U.S. Marine Corps), dnp
LOSS Abulazid Mantsigov (Russia), tech. fall, 8-0
