Top U.S. wrestlers expected at Dave Schultz Memorial International in Colorado Springs, Colo., Feb. 5-6
Josi Carlson/USA Wrestling
Some of the nation’s top Olympic-caliber wrestlers will compete at the Dave Schultz Memorial International Feb. 5-6 in Colorado Springs, Colo.
The tournament will be held at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Sports Center I and will feature men’s freestyle, men’s Greco-Roman and women’s freestyle competitors.
Along with the U.S. athletes, a number of elite international wrestlers will be competing.
Athletes from Albania, Australia, Austria, Belarus, Bulgaria, Canada, Columbia, Egypt, Germany, India, Japan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Niger, Russia, Spain, Sweden and Tajikistan are expected to compete.
American wrestlers who are champions at the Dave Schultz Memorial International tournament will qualify for the Challenge Tournament at the 2005 World Team Trials in Ames, Iowa, June 18-19.
Among the top U.S. athletes expected are:
Men’s Freestyle
“¢ Tolly Thompson (Cedar Falls, Iowa/Sunkist Kids), Second in 2004 U.S. Olympic Team Trials, Second in 2001-03 U.S. Nationals , Third in 1997, 2000 and 2004 U.S. Nationals, 1998 U.S. Nationals champion
“¢ Jared Lawrence (Minneapolis, Minn./Minnesota Storm), Second in 2004 U.S. Olympic Team Trials, Fifth in 2004 U.S. Nationals
“¢ Eric Larkin (Tempe, Ariz./Sunkist Kids), Fourth in 2004 U.S. Nationals, Fifth in 2000 U.S. Nationals
“¢ Jesse Jantzen (Shoreham, N.Y./New York AC), Third in 2001 U.S. Nationals
“¢ Danny Felix (Charlottesville, Va./Sunkist Kids), Fourth in 2004 U.S. Nationals, Second in 2000 U.S. Nationals
“¢ Jared Frayer (Cambridge, Mass./Dave Schultz WC), Third in 2004 U.S. Nationals
“¢ Tommy Rowlands (Columbus, Ohio/Dave Schultz WC), Fourth in 2004 U.S. Olympic Team Trials, Fourth in 2004 U.S. Nationals
Men’s Greco-Roman
“¢ Dremiel Byers (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army), 2002 World Champion, 1999 and 2002-04 U.S. Nationals champion
“¢ Jim Gruenwald (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids), 2004 Olympian, Fourth in 2003 World Championships, Eighth in 2002 World Championships, Sixth in the 2000 Olympics
“¢ Joe Warren (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC), Second in 2004 U.S. Olympic Team Trials, Third in 2003-04 U.S. Nationals, Fourth in 2001 and 2002 U.S. Nationals
“¢ Keith Sieracki (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army), 1996, 2001-03 U.S. Nationals champion
“¢ Jake Clark (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Marine Corps), Second in 2004 U.S. Olympic Team Trials, Second in 2004 U.S. Nationals
“¢ Justin Ruiz (W. Salt Lake City, Utah/New York AC), 2003 World Team member, Second in 2004 U.S. Olympic Team Trials, 2004 U.S. Nationals champion
Women’s Freestyle
“¢ Tela O’Donnell (Colorado Springs, Colo./Dave Schultz WC), 2004 U.S. Olympic Team member
“¢ Tina George (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC), Two-time World silver medalist
“¢ Stephanie Murata (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids), 2001 World silver medalist
“¢ Sally Roberts (Colorado Springs, Colo./Gator WC), 2003 World bronze medalist
“¢ Katie Downing (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids), 2003 U.S. Nationals champion
“¢ Stephany Lee (Honolulu, Hawaii/Missouri Valley), 2004 University World champion
“¢ Malinda Ripley (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids), 2004 U.S. Nationals champion
“¢ Alaina Berube (Escanaba, Mich./New York AC), 2004 U.S. Olympic Trials runner-up
The tournament will utilize the new international wrestling rules that were implemented following the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece.
On Friday Feb. 4, the participating athletes will have medical control and weigh-ins.
On Saturday, Feb. 5 the following weight classes will be featured and the schedule is as follows:
Men’s Freestyle: 60 kg/132 lbs., 74 kg/163 lbs., 96 kg/211.5 lbs.
Greco-Roman: 55 kg/121 lbs., 66 kg/145.5 lbs., 84 kg/185 lbs., 120 kg/264.5 lbs.
Women’s Freestyle: 48 kg/105.5 lbs., 55 kg/121 lbs., 63 kg/138.5 lbs., 72 kg/158.5
“¢ Preliminaries, quarterfinals and consolations 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
“¢ Semifinals and consolations 3 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
“¢ Finals 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.
On Sunday, Feb. 6 the following weight classes will be featured and the event is scheduled to run from 9 a.m. to about 4 p.m. (All times are subject to change)
Men’s Freestyle: 55 kg/121 lbs., 66 kg/145.5 lbs., 84 kg/185 lbs., 120 kg/264.5 lbs.
Greco-Roman: 60 kg/132 lbs., 74 kg/163 lbs., 96 kg/211.5 lbs.
Women’s Freestyle: 51 kg/112 lbs., 59 kg/130 lbs., 67 kg/147.5 lbs.
Tickets are available at the door. Adult all-session tickets are $15 or $5 per session on Saturday and Sunday. For medals and finals matches only, adult tickets are $8. High school students with an I.D. and senior citizens over 62 are $5 per day and youth are $4 per day. Coaches get in free with five paid wrestlers.
USA Wrestling and the Dave Schultz Wrestling Foundation have worked together to create the Dave Schultz Memorial International. The event honors the memory and achievements of Olympic Champion Dave Schultz, who was tragically killed in 1996.
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