Six U.S. wrestlers weigh in and receive draws for Sunday competition in Poland

James Green (USA) at the 2016 Freestyle World Cup in Los Angeles, Calif. Photo: Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com.

SPALA, Poland – Six U.S. athletes have weighed in and received their draws for the Ziolkowski International and Poland Open competitions to be held on Sunday.


Two-time Olympian and four-time World medalist Elena Pirozhkova (Colorado Springs, Colo./Titan Mercury WC) is the only women’s freestyle competitor for the U.S. at the Poland Open. The 2012 World champion is set to open against Agata Tatar of Poland in the first round at 63 kg/138.75 lbs.


2015 World bronze medalist James Green (Lincoln, Neb./Titan Mercury WC) headlines a group of five U.S. men’s freestyle competitors that will compete in the Ziolkowski International tomorrow.


Fresh off an undefeated performance at the Men’s Freestyle World Cup in Los Angeles, Calif., Green will look to keep the momentum going at 70 kg/154 lbs. against Zafer Dama of Turkey in the first round in Poland. Green is currently ranked No. 5 in the World at 70 kg by United World Wrestling.


Two-time NCAA champion Nick Gwiazdowski (Delanson, N.Y./New York AC/Wolfpack WC) will open against 2016 Russia Nationals champion Muhamadgazi Magomedov at 125 kg/275 lbs. Gwiazdowski, who finished in fourth place at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials, will represent the U.S. at the World University Championships in Oct.


2016 Alexander Medved International silver medalist Richard Perry (Philadelphia, Pa./New York AC/Pennsylvania RTC) is set to face Slovakia’s Michael Bodnar in the first round at 86 kg/189 lbs.


Also at 86 kg for the U.S. is Junior World silver medalist and NCAA All-American for Iowa State Patrick Downey (Baltimore, Md./New York AC/Cyclone WC). He will do battle against 2015 Ziolkowski International and Yasar Dogu bronze medalist Ahmed Bilici of Turkey in round one.


Rounding out the list of U.S. competitors in Poland is 2014 University World silver medalist B.J. Futrell at 61 kg/134 lbs. Futrell will face 2012 Olympic champion and 2015 World Military Games champion Dyamal Otarsultanov of Russia in his first match.


Action from Poland will begin at 9 a.m. local time with competition in all three international styles. For those wishing to follow live in the U.S., competition will begin at 3 a.m. (ET), with a live stream and brackets being hosted at http://sportzona.pl/app/events/view/wrestling/1166. 


Joey McKenna (Towaco, N.J./Lehigh Valley AC) and Patrick Martinez (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army WCAP) earned bronze medals for the U.S. on the first day of competition in Poland.

ZIOLKOWSKI, PYTLASINSKI INTERNATIONAL/POLAND OPEN

At Spala, Poland, June 18-19

U.S. draws for Sunday

Men’s Freestyle

61 kg/134 lbs. - B.J. Futrell, Ann Arbor, Mich. (Titan Mercury WC/Cliff Keen WC)

Vs. Dyamal Otarsultanov (Russia), 2012 Olympic champion, 2015 World Military Games champion


70 kg/154 lbs. - James Green, Lincoln, Neb. (Titan Mercury WC/Nebraska WTC)

Vs. Zafer Dama (Turkey), 10th at 2016 Yasar Dogu


86 kg/189 lbs. - Richard Perry, Philadelphia, Pa. (New York AC/Pennsylvania RTC)

Vs. Michael Bodnar (Slovakia), 5th at 2016 U23 European Championships, 5th at 2016 Dan Kolov – Nikola Petrov International


86 kg/189 lbs. - Patrick Downey, Baltimore, Md. (New York AC/Cyclone WC)

Vs. Ahmed Bilici (Turkey), 2015 Ziolkowski Inernational bronze, 2015 Yasar Dogu bronze


125 kg/275 lbs. - Nick Gwiazdowski, Delanson, N.Y. (New York AC/Wolfpack WC)

Vs. Muhamadgazi Magomedov (Russia), 2016 Russia Nationals champion, 2016 President Cup of Buryatia Republic bronze

Women’s Freestyle

63 kg/138.75 lbs. – Elena Pirozhkova, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Titan Mercury WC)

Vs. Agata Tatar (Poland), 5th at 2015 Flatz Open