UPDATED: Williams wins Uzbekistan Golden Grand Prix and Zadick claims a silver, giving Team USA seven medals
Gary Abbott USA Wrestling
The U.S. men’s freestyle team won two more medals on the final day of the Uzbekistan Independence Cup Grand Prix in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, March 12, giving the United States an impressive seven medals for the two-day event.
Claiming a gold medal on Sunday was Joe Williams (Ames, Iowa/Sunkist Kids) at 74 kg/163 lbs. Capturing a silver medal was Mike Zadick (Iowa City, Iowa/Hawkeye TC).
Williams became the third champion from the United States in the tournament, joining individual champions Sammie Henson (Flintstone, Ga./Sunkist Kids) at 55 kg/121 lbs. and Mo Lawal (Colorado Springs, Colo./Gator WC) at 84 kg/185 lbs. who won their titles on Saturday.
This is one of the FILA Golden Grand Prix events, where prize money is awarded based upon placement. The United States had the most medal of any nation with seven, followed by Russia with six and Georgia with five. Many of the world’s top wrestling nations had their elite athletes at the competition.
Williams defeated Gela Sagirishvili of Georgia in the championship finals. He won four matches on the way to the title. In the opening round, he stopped Rustam Rakhimov of Uzbekistan, and defeated Arsen Gitinov of Russia in the quarterfinals. His semifinal victory was over Mihail Ganev of Bulgaria.
Williams is a two-time World bronze medalist (1999, 2005) and was a member of the 2004 U.S. Olympic team, placing fifth.
Zadick was defeated in the championship finals by Ramzan Saritov of Russia. He won his first three matches of the tournament. In the opening round, Zadick beat Maksot Zhaktylykov of Kyrgyzstan, then stopped Kamol Ustarkhanov of Russia in the quarterfinals. In the semifinals, he defeated Bahram Ermatov of Uzbekistan.
Zadick was second in the 2004 U.S. Olympic Trials, and is currently ranked No. 3 on Freestyle Team USA.
The other U.S. wrestler in competition on Sunday, 2005 U.S. World team member Michael Lightner (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) did not place in the top 10 in his division, finishing in 14th place.
2004 Olympian Daniel Cormier (Stillwater, Okla./Gator WC) missed weight at 96 kg/211.5 lbs. and did not compete on Sunday.
UZBEKISTAN INDEPENDENCE CUP GOLDEN GRAND PRIX
At Tashkent, Uzbekistan, March 12
55 kg/121 lbs.
Gold “Sammie Henson (USA)
Silver “Dilshod Mansurov (Uzbekistan)
Bronze “Inaba Yasuhiro (Japan)
Bronze “Adham Achilov (Uzbekistan)
5th “Hideki Taoka (Japan)
5th “Namik Abdullaev (Azerbaijan)
7th “Namik Sevdimov (Azerbaijan)
8th “Ulu Nurlan Turakbaek (Kyrgyzstan)
60 kg/132 lbs.
Gold “Ramzan Saritov (Russia)
Silver “Mike Zadick (USA)
Bronze “Kamol Ustarkhanov (Russia)
Bronze “Murad Ramazanov (FYR Macedonia)
5th “Bahram Ermatov (Uzbekistan)
5th “Noriuki Takatsuka (Japan)
7th “Farhad Urazimbetov (Uzbekistan)
8th “Mlkhaz Kurdiani (Georgia)
66 kg/145.5 lbs.
Gold “Andrey Sementsov (Russia)
Silver “Chris Bono (USA)
Bronze “Jared Lawrence (USA)
Bronze “Jirair Oganesyan (Armenia)
5th “David Nozadze (Georgia)
5th “Arslan Khutaliev (Uzbekistan)
7th “Berdiya Kelehsaev (Russia)
8th “Elman Asgarov (Azerbaijan)
74 kg/163 lbs.
Gold “Joe Williams (USA)
Silver “Gela Sagirashvili (Georgia)
Bronze “Talant Zhekshenov (Kyrgyzstan)
Bronze “Arsen Gitinov (Russia)
5th “Leonid Spiridonov (Kazakhstan)
5th “Mihail Ganev (Bulgaria)
7th “Semen Semenov (Kazakhstan)
8th “Sanjar Shodmanov (Uzbekistan)
84 kg/185 lbs.
Gold “Mo Lawal (USA)
Silver “Revaz Mindorashvili (Georgia)
Bronze “Abdul Ammaev (Uzbekistan)
Bronze “Murad Gaidarov (Belarus)
5th “Taras Danko (Ukraine)
5th “Gennady Laliev (Kazakhstan)
7th “Askar Kataev (Kazakhstan)
8th “Zaurbek Sokhiev (Uzbekistan)
96 kg/211.5 lbs.
Gold “Khadjimurad Gatsalov (Russia)
Silver “Kurban Kurbanov (Russia)
Bronze “Sergey Pernikou (Belarus)
Bronze “Georgy Gogsehlidze (Georgia)
5th “Pavel Lysenko (Kazakhstan)
5th “Ruslan Sheyhov (Belarus)
7th “Oleg Kallogov (Uzbekistan)
8th “Bekbolsun Kushubakov (Kyrgyzstan)
120 kg/264.5 lbs.
Gold “Artur Taymazov (Uzbekistan)
Silver “Alex Modebadze (Georgia)
Bronze “Tolly Thompson (USA)
Bronze “Eldar Kurtanidze (Georgia)
5th “Sergey Pryadun (Ukraine)
5th “Marid Mutalimov (Kazakhstan)
7th “Zairhon Magomedaliev (Russia)
8th “Andrey Gontsov (Russia)
U.S. placements on Sunday, March 12
60 kg/132 lbs. – Michael Lightner, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids), dnp/14th
LOSS Maldhaz Kurdiani (Georgia)
60 kg/132 lbs. “Mike Zadick, Iowa City, Iowa (Hawkeye TC), 2nd
WIN Maksot Zhaktylykov (Kyrgyzstan)
WIN Kamol Ustarkhanov (Russia)
WIN Bahram Ermatov (Uzbekistan)
LOSS Ramzan Saritov (Russia)
74 kg/163 lbs – Joe Williams (Ames, Iowa/Sunkist Kids), 1st
WIN Rustam Rakhimov (Uzbekistan)
WIN Arsen Gitinov (Russia)
WIN Mihail Ganev (Bulgaria)
WIN Gela Sagirashvili (Georgia)
Wrestling Gear
