#WrestleCoralville

Hosts USA announces FS/WW World Cup teams

By Gary Abbott

CORALVILLE, Iowa (November 15) --- USA Wrestling announced its lineups for both its men’s and women’s freestyle teams which will compete at the Freestyle and Women’s Freestyle World Cup at Xtream Arena in Coralville, Iowa, December 10-11.

The World Cup is the annual international dual meet championships. The top five teams in men’s freestyle and the top five teams in women’s freestyle from the 2022 Senior World Championships in Belgrade, Serbia in September have confirmed their participation. There is also an All-World Team in each discipline, featuring the top available athlete from the World Championships in each weight class that were not from a nation that qualified for the World Cup.

The U.S. World Cup teams will feature two Olympic champions, four world champions and 10 past world medalists. It will also include a number of talented young stars who are making an impact internationally.

The freestyle team will feature a pair of Olympic and world champions, Jordan BURROUGHS at 79kg and Kyle SNYDER at 97kg. Burroughs is a 2012 Olympic champion, a six-time world champion and has won 10 career world and Olympic medals. Burroughs is the first U.S. wrestler to win seven world and Olympic titles. Snyder is a 2016 Olympic champion, 2020 Olympic silver medalist, a three-time world champion and has won eight career world and Olympic medals.

Yianni DIAKOMIHALIS, a 2022 world silver medalist, will compete at 65kg. Two other members of the 2022 world team are on the USA lineup, Seth GROSS at 61kg and Hayden ZILLMER at 125kg. Nick GWIAZDOWSKI, a two-time world bronze medalist, is also on the U.S. freestyle team at 125kg. 

The United States, which won the 2022 world team title, will be joined in the World Cup by second-place Iran, third-place Japan, fourth-place Mongolia and fifth-place Georgia, in addition to the All-World Team.

In women’s wrestling, a pair of world champions are on the team, 2019 world champion Jacarra WINCHESTER at 55kg and 2022 world champion Amit ELOR at 72kg. Winchester was also a member of the 2020 Olympic team. Elor became the first USA wrestler to win three world titles in the same year, also capturing a U20 world title and a U23 world title.

The team also features two-time world silver medalist Kayla MIRACLE at 62kg, two-time world bronze medalist Alyssa LAMPE at 50kg, two-time world bronze medalist Mallory VELTE at 65kg and 2021 world bronze medalist Jenna BURKERT at 55kg. Also competing on the U.S. team is 2022 World Team member Dymond GUILFORD at 76kg. 

The women’s team features a local athlete, Felicity TAYLOR at 53kg, who is a member of the women’s wrestling team at the University of Iowa and is a native Iowan. 

The United States, which was second at the 2022 World Championships in women’s wrestling, will be joined in the World Cup by World champion Japan, third place China, fourth place Mongolia and fifth place Ukraine, in addition to the All-World Team. 

Ticket packages for the 2022 Men’s and Women’s Freestyle World Cup are currently on sale. The seating capacity for Xtream Arena for the World Cup will be approximately 5,300. Ticket packages include a Gold package for $275, a Silver package for $200 and All-Session tickets for $90.

A special presentation of teams and Team USA Meet & Greet will also be held on Friday, December 9, with tickets available at $10. Fans can receive a free youth ticket for the Friday night event, with the purchase of an adult general admission ticket.

Men’s and Women’s Freestyle World Cup tickets -> https://worldcupiowacity.com/tickets/

USA's Freestyle World Cup Team:
57kg – Zane RICHARDS 
57kg – Nick SURIANO 
61kg – Seth GROSS 
61kg – Daniel DESHAZER 
65kg – Yianni DIAKOMIHALIS 
65kg – Evan HENDERSON|
70kg – Tyler BERGER
70kg – Alec PANTALEO 
74kg – Jason NOLF 
74kg – Vincenzo JOSEPH
79kg – Jordan BURROUGHS 
79kg – Chance MARSTELLER 
86kg – Zahid VALENCIA 
86kg – Mark HALL
92kg – Nathan JACKSON
92kg – Jay AIELLO 
97kg – Kyle SNYDER 
97kg – Kollin MOORE 
125kg – Hayden ZILLMER 
125kg – Nick GWIAZDOWSKI 

USA's Women's Wrestling World Cup Team:
50 kg – Alyssa LAMPE 
50 kg – Erin GOLSTON 
53 kg – Felicity TAYLOR
53 kg – Ronna GROSS
55 kg – Jacarra WINCHESTER 
55 kg – Jenna BURKERT
57 kg – Alexandra HEDRICK
57 kg – Amanda MARTINEZ
59 kg – Lexie BASHAM 
59 kg – Michaela BECK 
62 kg – Kayla MIRACLE 
62 kg – Jennifer ROGERS 
65 kg – Mallory VELTE
68 kg – Sienna RAMIREZ
68 kg – Solin PIEARCY 
72 kg – Amit ELOR 
72 kg – Skylar GROTE 
76 kg – Dymond GUILFORD 
76 kg – Yelena MAKOYEV 

#BeachWrestling

PHOTOS: Bird, Beats, Beach and Wrestling in Dakar

By Vinay Siwach

DAKAR, Senegal (June 22) -- Wrestling in Senegal? Nothing new to the country. It is the most popular sport, at least the traditional one. The stands are filled, music blaring, wrestlers are superstars in the country and people love it.

The second edition of the African Championships in Beach Wrestling traveled to Dakar, Senegal. More than 100 wrestlers entered to compete for the glory of becoming the champion of the continent.

But there is so much to wrestling in Dakar outside the two rings on the sand. The colors, music, cheering, dance and crowd are inseparable.

Obviously, there is wrestling with big throws, tackles, takedowns.

DakarPhoto: United World Wrestling / Helena Courtis

Wrestling remains the same. Mat, sand, mud, ice. Those throws are supreme. Here's an example.

 

DakarPhoto: United World Wrestling / Helena Courtis

Once you get thrown like that, you will be covered in sand. So you need to wash it. We got water right next to the rings.

 

DakarPhoto: United World Wrestling / Helena Courtis

Outside the sand rings, no one should be that serious in wrestling. No way in beach wrestling. Come on, Mouhamed BAYO (SEN).

 

DakarPhoto: United World Wrestling / Helena Courtis

We managed to convince him. Look at that flex. Thanks, Bayo!

 

DakarPhoto: United World Wrestling / Helena Courtis

The National Arena de Lutte in Dakar came prepared. The traditional Senegalese wrestling begins with the sounds of drums. There was no other way to begin during the opening ceremony at Beach Wrestling. Adding to the drums, some colors and music. Nothing better.

 

DakarPhoto: United World Wrestling / Helena Courtis

At all wrestling venues, a battle ensues. It's between the wrestlers and security. Are the wrestlers more well-built or the policemen? We will let you decide.

 

DakarPhoto: United World Wrestling / Helena Courtis

Back to wrestling. Do you think this is a point?

 

DakarPhoto: United World Wrestling / Helena Courtis

Thankfully, you are a referee only by looking at the screen in front of you. On the sand, our referees need to be as quick, both with their decisions and stepping away from the line of action.

 

DakarPhoto: United World Wrestling / Helena Curtis

If someone mentioned a story about how a wrestler in Dakar managed a bird to sit on his head with no trouble, no one would believe that. But here you are, a wrestler in Dakar with a bird sitting on his head. Our photographer captured it so we have to believe.

 

DakarPhoto: United World Wrestling / Helena Courtis

In the end, it is about being happy after watching wrestling. These kids surely enjoyed it.

Well, if you are looking for the results from the matches, here's the link for all the results. CLICK HERE