Martinez, Haight, Smith get Greco-Roman draws for final day of Golden Grand Prix Finals in Azerbaijan
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by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling
Patrick Martinez, shown in the finals of the Non-Olympic Weight World Team Trials in New York, will compete Saturday at the UWW Golden Grand Prix Finals. Photo by Justin Hoch.
BAKU, Azerbaijan – Three U.S. Greco-Roman wrestlers have weighed in and received their draws for the final day of the 2016 UWW Golden Grand Prix Finals, which concludes on Saturday.
2016 U.S. World Team member Patrick Martinez (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army WCAP) will use this respected event as a tune-up for the upcoming Non-Olympic Weights World Championships in Hungary, competing at 80 kg/176 lbs. He will open up against 2016 Junior World bronze medalist Bachir Sid Azara of Algeria in his opener. Martinez was also a member of the 2015 U.S. World Team at this weight class.
Cheney Haight (Colorado Springs, Colo./NYAC/USOTC), a 2011 World Team member, moves up in weight to compete at 85 kg/187 lbs., where he faces Sultan Ismayilov of Azerbaijan. Haight tried out for the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team at 75 kg/165 lbs, then tried out for the 2016 U.S. World Team at 80 kg/176 lbs. Haight did wrestle a number of years earlier in his career at 84 kg/185 lbs.
2016 Pan American champion Pat Smith (Minneapolis, Minn./Minnesota Storm) will battle 2016 Asian bronze medalist Rhidong Zhang of China in his opener at 71 kg/156 lbs.
United World Wrestling is provide a live stream of this tournament which finishes with Greco-Roman on Saturday. Men’s freestyle was held on Thursday and women’s freestyle on Friday.
For live stream video and results, visit the UWW website for the event at:
https://unitedworldwrestling.org/event/golden-grand-prix-final
The event provides prize money to medalists, including $5,000 for gold, $3,000 for silver and $1,000 for bronzes.
Baku is nine hours ahead of USA Eastern time zone. The preliminary session begins at 10:00 a.m. Baku time, which is 1:00 a.m. in USA Eastern time zone. The finals begin at 5:00 p.m. in Baku, which is 8:00 a.m. Eastern time.
GOLDEN GRAND PRIX FINALS
Baku, Azerbaijan
U.S. Greco-Roman draws for Saturday
71 kg/156 lbs. – Pat Smith, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm)
Vs. Rhidong Zhang (China), 3rd in 2016 Asian Championships, 2014 and 2015 World Team member, 3rd in 2015 UWW Golden Grand Prix Finals (Azerbaijan)
80 kg/176 lbs. – Patrick Martinez, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP)
Vs. Bachir Sid Azara (Algeria), 3rd in 2016 Junior World Championships, 2015 and 2016 African champion
85 kg/187 lbs. – Cheney Haight, Colorado Springs, Colo. (NYAC/USOTC)
Vs. Sultan Ismayilov (Azerbaijan), 14th in 2015 UWW Golden Grand Prix Finals (Azerbaijan)
BAKU, Azerbaijan – Three U.S. Greco-Roman wrestlers have weighed in and received their draws for the final day of the 2016 UWW Golden Grand Prix Finals, which concludes on Saturday.
2016 U.S. World Team member Patrick Martinez (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army WCAP) will use this respected event as a tune-up for the upcoming Non-Olympic Weights World Championships in Hungary, competing at 80 kg/176 lbs. He will open up against 2016 Junior World bronze medalist Bachir Sid Azara of Algeria in his opener. Martinez was also a member of the 2015 U.S. World Team at this weight class.
Cheney Haight (Colorado Springs, Colo./NYAC/USOTC), a 2011 World Team member, moves up in weight to compete at 85 kg/187 lbs., where he faces Sultan Ismayilov of Azerbaijan. Haight tried out for the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team at 75 kg/165 lbs, then tried out for the 2016 U.S. World Team at 80 kg/176 lbs. Haight did wrestle a number of years earlier in his career at 84 kg/185 lbs.
2016 Pan American champion Pat Smith (Minneapolis, Minn./Minnesota Storm) will battle 2016 Asian bronze medalist Rhidong Zhang of China in his opener at 71 kg/156 lbs.
United World Wrestling is provide a live stream of this tournament which finishes with Greco-Roman on Saturday. Men’s freestyle was held on Thursday and women’s freestyle on Friday.
For live stream video and results, visit the UWW website for the event at:
https://unitedworldwrestling.org/event/golden-grand-prix-final
The event provides prize money to medalists, including $5,000 for gold, $3,000 for silver and $1,000 for bronzes.
Baku is nine hours ahead of USA Eastern time zone. The preliminary session begins at 10:00 a.m. Baku time, which is 1:00 a.m. in USA Eastern time zone. The finals begin at 5:00 p.m. in Baku, which is 8:00 a.m. Eastern time.
GOLDEN GRAND PRIX FINALS
Baku, Azerbaijan
U.S. Greco-Roman draws for Saturday
71 kg/156 lbs. – Pat Smith, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm)
Vs. Rhidong Zhang (China), 3rd in 2016 Asian Championships, 2014 and 2015 World Team member, 3rd in 2015 UWW Golden Grand Prix Finals (Azerbaijan)
80 kg/176 lbs. – Patrick Martinez, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP)
Vs. Bachir Sid Azara (Algeria), 3rd in 2016 Junior World Championships, 2015 and 2016 African champion
85 kg/187 lbs. – Cheney Haight, Colorado Springs, Colo. (NYAC/USOTC)
Vs. Sultan Ismayilov (Azerbaijan), 14th in 2015 UWW Golden Grand Prix Finals (Azerbaijan)
