Sally Roberts Wins Gold @ Yarygin Tournament

Sally Roberts wins gold medal at Ivan Yarygin Tournament in Russia
Gary Abbott/USA Wrestling

2003 World bronze medalist Sally Roberts (Colorado Springs, Colo./Gator WC) won four straight matches to claim a gold medal at the Ivan Yarygin Tournament in Krasnoyarsk, Russia, February 28.

Roberts defeated Helen Shalygina of Russia in the gold-medal match. The score of this bout is not currently available, but will be posted when received.

Roberts opened the tournament with a victory over Eugenia Perepoylkina of Russia, winning the bout two periods to one period. In her second match, Roberts stopped Marina Kolebaeva of Russia in two straight periods.

Her semifinal victory came in two straight periods over Julia Ratkevich of Belarus.

National Women’s Coach Terry Steiner was very pleased with her performance.

“She wrestled a great tactical tournament; it looked like the old Sally again,” said Steiner. “She worked hard in every match and made her opponents work for every point they scored. She never gave up any easy points and took risks only when she had to.”

“Sally won by scoring the last point in three of the six periods she was in prior to the finals. She also won in the clinch as the offensive person,” he said.

Two other U.S. wrestlers competed on Friday, both losing and falling short of the medal rounds.

2001 World silver medalist Stephanie Murata (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) lost twice and was eliminated at 51 kg/112.25 lbs.

In her first match, Murata lost to Japan’s Hitomi Sakamoto by pin. Because Sakamoto qualified for the gold-medal finals, Murata was pulled back into the repechage, with a chance to advance to a bronze medal. However, in her first repechage match, Murata was defeated by Vanessa Boubriem of France, two periods to none.

High school star Nicole Woody (Odenton, Md.) was defeated in her first match, losing to Olympian Lorisa Oorzhak of Russia by pin. When Oorzhak lost in the semifinals to Makiko Sakimoto of Japan, Woody was not eligible for the repechage rounds, as only losers to gold-medal finalists may wrestle back in the new international system.

Four women’s weight classes were contested on Friday (48 kg, 51 kg. 59 kg and 67 kg). On Saturday, the final three women’s divisions will be held (55 kg, 66 kg, 72 kg) and the first three men’s divisions will be held (55 kg, 66 kg, 120 kg). On Sunday, the final five men’s weight classes will be contested (50 kg, 60 kg, 74 kg, 84 kg, 96 kg).

There is an official web page for the Ivan Yarygin Tournament:
http://www.wrestrus.ru