Olympians Henson, Williams and Cormier to compete in 2005 men’s freestyle Winter Tour events
John Fuller/USA Wrestling
The U.S. men’s freestyle team will compete at two winter tour events in 2005, with the possibility of a third event being added. The first Winter Tour event will be the Ivan Yarygin Memorial International held in Krasnoyarsk, Russia, January 30.
The team will be led by three Olympians: 2000 Olympian Sammie Henson (St. Louis, Mo./Sunkist Kids) at 55 kg/121 lbs. and 2004 Olympians Joe Williams (Ames, Iowa/Sunkist Kids) at 84 kg/185 lbs. and Daniel Cormier (Stillwater, Okla./Gator WC) at 96 kg/211.5 lbs.
Henson won a silver medal at the 2000 Olympic Games and was a 1998 World champion. He placed second at the 2004 U.S. Olympic Team Trials.
Williams placed fifth at the 2004 Olympic Games at 74 kg/163 lbs., one weight class below his weight for this tournament. In 2001, he captured a World bronze medal and has won five U.S. Nationals titles.
Cormier placed fourth at the 2004 Olympic Games. He also placed fifth at the 2003 World Championships and has won two consecutive U.S. Nationals titles.
2004 U.S. Nationals champion Lee Fullhart (Blacksburg, Va./Gator WC) will compete at 84 kg/185 lbs. He placed second at the 2004 U.S. Olympic Team Trials and is also a two-time U.S. World Team Trials runner-up.
Also competing will be 2004 U.S. Olympic Team Trials runners-up Mike Zadick (Iowa City, Iowa/Hawkeye WC) at 60 kg/132 lbs. and Tolly Thompson (Cedar Falls, Iowa/Sunkist Kids) at 120 kg/264.5 lbs.
Zadick was also a runner-up at the 2003 U.S. World Team Trials. Thompson has placed second at the U.S. Nationals three times.
Chris Bono (Gilbert, Iowa/Sunkist Kids) will compete at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. Bono was a 2001 U.S. World Team member and won a gold medal at the 2003 World Cup.
Rounding out the U.S. team will be Eric Larkin (Tempe, Ariz./Sunkist Kids) at 66 kg/145.5 lbs., Mo Lawal (Stillwater, Okla./Gator WC) at 84 kg/185 lbs. and Tommy Rowlands (Columbus, Ohio/Dave Schultz WC) at 96 kg/211.5 lbs.
Larkin and Lawal both placed third at the 2004 U.S. Olympic Team Trials to earn spots on the U.S. National Team. Rowlands placed fourth at the 2004 U.S. Olympic Team Trials.
Coaching the U.S. squad in Russia will be Ed Giese (Chicago, Ill.), Kevin Jackson (Colorado Springs, Colo.) and John Peterson (Minneapolis, Minn.).
At last year’s Ivan Yarygin Memorial International, Cael Sanderson won a silver medal at 84 kg/185 lbs. and Dean Morrison won a bronze medal at 96 kg/211.5 lbs.
A. team of U.S. wrestlers will also compete at the Cerro Pelado International in Sancti Spiritus, Cuba on February 25.
Competing in this tour event are Henson, Fullhart, Lawal, Rowlands and Thompson.
Joining them will be 2004 U.S. Olympic Team Trials runners-up Jared Lawrence (Minneapolis, Minn./Minnesota Storm) at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. and Joe Heskett (Grover Beach, Calif./Gator WC) at 74 kg/163 lbs.
Lawrence also placed fourth in the 2004 U.S. Nationals. Heskett was also a 2003 U.S. World Team Trials runner-up.
Rounding out the U.S. roster in Cuba are Danny Felix (Charlottesville, Va./Sunkist Kids) at 60 kg/132 lbs., Jared Frayer (Cambridge, Mass./Dave Schultz WC) at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. and Doug Schwab (Blacksburg, Va./Gator WC) at 66 kg/145.5 lbs.
Felix placed third at the 2004 U.S. Olympic Team Trials, earning a spot on the U.S. National Team.
Also at the 2004 U.S. Olympic Team Trials, Schwab placed fifth and Frayer placed sixth.
The U.S. team will be coached by Dan Chaid (San Jose, Calif.) and Joe Seay (Charlottesville, Va.).
The U.S. last competed in this event in 2003, when Henson won a gold medal at 55 kg/121 lbs., Casey Cunningham won a silver medal at 74 kg/163 lbs. and Fullhart won a silver medal at 84 kg/185 lbs. leading the U.S. to a second-place team finish.
Ivan Yarygin Memorial International
at Krasnoyarsk, Russia, Jan. 30, 2005
U.S. Roster
55 kg/121 lbs. – Sammie Henson, St. Louis, Mo. (Sunkist Kids)
60 kg/132 lbs. – Mike Zadick, Iowa City, Iowa (Hawkeye WC)
66 kg/145.5 lbs. – Chris Bono, Gilbert, Iowa (Sunkist Kids)
66 kg/145.5 lbs. – Eric Larkin, Tempe, Ariz. (Sunkist Kids)
84 kg/185 lbs. – Lee Fullhart, Blacksburg, Va. (Gator WC)
84 kg/185 lbs. – Mo Lawal, Stillwater, Okla. (Gator WC)
84 kg/185 lbs. – Joe Williams, Ames, Iowa (Sunkist Kids)
96 kg/211.5 lbs. – Daniel Cormier, Stillwater, Okla. (Gator WC)
96 kg/211.5 lbs. – Tommy Rowlands, Columbus, Ohio (Dave Schultz WC)
120 kg/264.5 lbs. – Tolly Thompson, Cedar Falls, Iowa (Sunkist Kids)
Coaches: Ed Giese, Chicago, Ill., Kevin Jackson, Colorado Springs, Colo. and John Peterson, Minneapolis, Minn.
Cerro Pelado International
at Sancti Spiritus, Cuba, February 25, 2005
U.S. Roster
55 kg/121 lbs. – Sammie Henson, St. Louis, Mo. (Sunkist Kids)
60 kg/132 lbs. – Danny Felix, Charlottesville, Va. (Sunkist Kids)
66 kg/145.5 lbs. – Jared Frayer, Cambridge, Mass. (Dave Schultz WC)
66 kg/145.5 lbs. – Jared Lawrence, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm)
66 kg/145.5 lbs. – Doug Schwab, Blacksburg, Va. (Gator WC)
74 kg/163 lbs. – Joe Heskett, Grover Beach, Calif. (Gator WC)
84 kg/185 lbs. – Lee Fullhart, Blacksburg, Va. (Gator WC)
84 kg/185 lbs. – Mo Lawal, Stillwater, Okla. (Gator WC)
96 kg/211.5 lbs. – Tommy Rowlands, Columbus, Ohio (Dave Schultz WC)
120 kg/264.5 lbs. – Tolly Thompson, Cedar Falls, Iowa (Sunkist Kids)
Coaches: Dan Chaid, San Jose, Calif. and Joe Seay, Charlottesville, Va.
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