Pirozhkova, Green headline U.S. wrestlers in all three styles competing in Poland this weekend
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by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling
Photos of Elena Pirozhkova at the Olympic Trials and James Green at the Freestyle World Cup by Tony Rotundo, Wrestlers Are Warriors
Top U.S. wrestlers in all three styles will compete in Spala, Poland this weekend. The Polish Wrestling Federation is hosting its annual international tournaments all at the same time, the Ziolkowski International in men’s freestyle, the Pytlasinski International in Greco-Roman and the Poland Open in women’s freestyle.
A member of the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team, women’s freestyle star Elena Pirozhkova (Colorado Springs, Colo./Titan Mercury WC) is expected to compete at 63 kg/138.75 lbs. in the Poland Open. Pirozhkova was a 2012 World champion and a four-time World medalist. She will be competing in her second Olympic Games.
There will be seven men’s freestyle wrestlers, led by 2015 World bronze medalist James Green (Lincoln, Neb./Titan Mercury WC/Nebraska WTC) at 70 kg/154 lbs. Green is right off a gold-medal performance at the Freestyle World Cup in Los Angeles, where he was unbeaten in four bouts.
Also competing are past NCAA champions Kyven Gadson, Ames, Iowa (Sunkist Kids) at 97 kg/213 lbs. and Nick Gwiazdowski (Delanson, N.Y./New York AC/Wolfpack WC) at 125 kg/275 lbs. Gwiazdowski won two NCAA titles for NC State, while Gadson was an NCAA champion for Iowa State.
The team also features past Junior World medalists Joey McKenna (Towaco, N.J./Lehigh Valley AC) at 65 kg/143 lbs. and Patrick Downey (Baltimore, Md./New York AC/Cyclone WC) at 86 kg/189 lbs. Both were NCAA Div. I All-Americans this year, McKenna at Stanford and Downey at Iowa State.
Also competing in freestyle are Earl Hall (Homestead, Fla./Cyclone WC) at 61 kg/134 lbs., B.J. Futrell (Ann Arbor, Mich./Titan Mercury WC/Cliff Keen WC) at 65 kg/143 lbs. and Richard Perry, Philadelphia, Pa. (New York AC/Pennsylvania RTC) at 86 kg/189 lbs.
The U.S. Greco-Roman entry is 2015 World Team member Patrick Martinez, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP) at 85 kg/187 lbs.
ZIOLKOWSKI, PYTLASINSKI INTERNATIONAL/POLAND OPEN
At Spala, Poland, June 18-19
U.S. men’s freestyle roster
61 kg/134 lbs. – Earl Hall, Homestead, Fla. (Cyclone WC)
65 kg/143 lbs. - B.J. Futrell, Ann Arbor, Mich. (Titan Mercury WC/Cliff Keen WC)
65 kg/143 lbs. - Joey McKenna, Towaco, N.J. (Lehigh Valley AC)
70 kg/154 lbs. - James Green, Lincoln, Neb. (Titan Mercury WC/Nebraska WTC)
86 kg/189 lbs. - Richard Perry, Philadelphia, Pa. (New York AC/Pennsylvania RTC)
86 kg/189 lbs. - Patrick Downey, Baltimore, Md. (New York AC/Cyclone WC)
97 kg/213 lbs. - Kyven Gadson, Ames, Iowa (Sunkist Kids)
125 kg/275 lbs. - Nick Gwiazdowski, Delanson, N.Y. (New York AC/Wolfpack WC)
U.S. women’s freestyle roster
63 kg/138.75 lbs. – Elena Pirozhkova, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Titan Mercury WC)
U.S. Greco-Roman roster
85 kg/187 lbs. – Patrick Martinez, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP)
Coach - Matt Azevedo, Philadelphia, Pa.
Coach - Jamill Kelly, Redwood City, Calif.
Coach - Valentin Kalika, Aliso Viejo, Calif.
Referee – Mark Anderson, Augusta, Kansas
Medical – Bruce Ferratt, Fairfax, Va.
Event Schedule
Saturday, June 18
Ziolkowski International – Freestyle 57 kg, 65 kg, 74 kg, 97 kg
Pytlasinski International – Greco-Roman 59 kg, 71 kg, 80 kg, 98 kg
Poland Open – Women 48 kg, 55 kg, 60 kg, 69 kg
Sunday, June 19
Ziolkowski International – Freestyle 61 kg, 70 kg, 86 kg, 125 kg
Pytlasinski International – Greco-Roman 66 kg, 75 kg, 85 kg, 130 kg
Poland Open – Women 53 kg, 58 kg, 63 kg, 75 kg
Top U.S. wrestlers in all three styles will compete in Spala, Poland this weekend. The Polish Wrestling Federation is hosting its annual international tournaments all at the same time, the Ziolkowski International in men’s freestyle, the Pytlasinski International in Greco-Roman and the Poland Open in women’s freestyle.
A member of the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team, women’s freestyle star Elena Pirozhkova (Colorado Springs, Colo./Titan Mercury WC) is expected to compete at 63 kg/138.75 lbs. in the Poland Open. Pirozhkova was a 2012 World champion and a four-time World medalist. She will be competing in her second Olympic Games.
There will be seven men’s freestyle wrestlers, led by 2015 World bronze medalist James Green (Lincoln, Neb./Titan Mercury WC/Nebraska WTC) at 70 kg/154 lbs. Green is right off a gold-medal performance at the Freestyle World Cup in Los Angeles, where he was unbeaten in four bouts.
Also competing are past NCAA champions Kyven Gadson, Ames, Iowa (Sunkist Kids) at 97 kg/213 lbs. and Nick Gwiazdowski (Delanson, N.Y./New York AC/Wolfpack WC) at 125 kg/275 lbs. Gwiazdowski won two NCAA titles for NC State, while Gadson was an NCAA champion for Iowa State.
The team also features past Junior World medalists Joey McKenna (Towaco, N.J./Lehigh Valley AC) at 65 kg/143 lbs. and Patrick Downey (Baltimore, Md./New York AC/Cyclone WC) at 86 kg/189 lbs. Both were NCAA Div. I All-Americans this year, McKenna at Stanford and Downey at Iowa State.
Also competing in freestyle are Earl Hall (Homestead, Fla./Cyclone WC) at 61 kg/134 lbs., B.J. Futrell (Ann Arbor, Mich./Titan Mercury WC/Cliff Keen WC) at 65 kg/143 lbs. and Richard Perry, Philadelphia, Pa. (New York AC/Pennsylvania RTC) at 86 kg/189 lbs.
The U.S. Greco-Roman entry is 2015 World Team member Patrick Martinez, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP) at 85 kg/187 lbs.
ZIOLKOWSKI, PYTLASINSKI INTERNATIONAL/POLAND OPEN
At Spala, Poland, June 18-19
U.S. men’s freestyle roster
61 kg/134 lbs. – Earl Hall, Homestead, Fla. (Cyclone WC)
65 kg/143 lbs. - B.J. Futrell, Ann Arbor, Mich. (Titan Mercury WC/Cliff Keen WC)
65 kg/143 lbs. - Joey McKenna, Towaco, N.J. (Lehigh Valley AC)
70 kg/154 lbs. - James Green, Lincoln, Neb. (Titan Mercury WC/Nebraska WTC)
86 kg/189 lbs. - Richard Perry, Philadelphia, Pa. (New York AC/Pennsylvania RTC)
86 kg/189 lbs. - Patrick Downey, Baltimore, Md. (New York AC/Cyclone WC)
97 kg/213 lbs. - Kyven Gadson, Ames, Iowa (Sunkist Kids)
125 kg/275 lbs. - Nick Gwiazdowski, Delanson, N.Y. (New York AC/Wolfpack WC)
U.S. women’s freestyle roster
63 kg/138.75 lbs. – Elena Pirozhkova, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Titan Mercury WC)
U.S. Greco-Roman roster
85 kg/187 lbs. – Patrick Martinez, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP)
Coach - Matt Azevedo, Philadelphia, Pa.
Coach - Jamill Kelly, Redwood City, Calif.
Coach - Valentin Kalika, Aliso Viejo, Calif.
Referee – Mark Anderson, Augusta, Kansas
Medical – Bruce Ferratt, Fairfax, Va.
Event Schedule
Saturday, June 18
Ziolkowski International – Freestyle 57 kg, 65 kg, 74 kg, 97 kg
Pytlasinski International – Greco-Roman 59 kg, 71 kg, 80 kg, 98 kg
Poland Open – Women 48 kg, 55 kg, 60 kg, 69 kg
Sunday, June 19
Ziolkowski International – Freestyle 61 kg, 70 kg, 86 kg, 125 kg
Pytlasinski International – Greco-Roman 66 kg, 75 kg, 85 kg, 130 kg
Poland Open – Women 53 kg, 58 kg, 63 kg, 75 kg
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