PF WC 2010 B63

Results and videos from the World Championships:


Dena and I had breakfast in the hotel and caught the 7:00 bus to the tournament. I got a good warm up. The tournament started at 9:00. My first match was at about 10:15 against Istvan Kleber of Hungary. I was feeling very good going into the match. I scored with a nice ankle pick but paid the price. On the top position my opponent hooked my leg and I somehow got it caught in the mat and aggravated my knee injury. I managed to tough it out and hold onto win the first period 3-1. His point was awarded because I took injury time. In period two, I scored a takedown on a push out with a two-on-one and then a single followed by a leg lace for three more points. Then I defended a single from my opponent and rolled him for two more points to win the second period by technical fall 7-0 and the match.

Here is the site to the YouTube video of the first match against Kleber from Hungary.


The win put me in the semifinals. I got a quick sandwich and was surprised to learn that my second match came up almost right away. With little time between matches I didn't need much of a warm-up. My second match was against Winfried Kuhner of Germany. I scored on a go behind for a point and a front tilt for two in the first period Then I scored twice on top for four more points, two on a trapped arm gut and two more from a scramble for my first period technical fall, 7-0. I scored on a hip toss and hold point in the second period. I was overly aggressive trying to score the two points for a tech in the second period and slipped on a front headlock allowing my opponent to score. Luckily there was little time left and he didn't turn me. I won the second period 4-1 for the match win.

Here is the site to the YouTube video of the semifinal match against Kuhner from Germany.

Dena and I were pretty much stuck at the arena till finals - a 7 hour wait (or so we thought). After some lunch, we took a long walk in town (Domdidier), then got back for the opening ceremonies. I took a nap, then socialized with many of the US wrestlers. By 6:00 pm I was starting to get tired. The jet lag plus matches were taking its tool. I got an expresso at 5:30 thinking that I still had an hour and a half till my match. Unknown to me, the organizing committee changed the finals format and I was called up almost right away. I had about 20 minutes to warm up for the finals. Turn out to be plenty based on my nerves.

They shut down all but our center mat. I had a tough wrestler from Bulgaria, Sevdzhan Adem, in the finals. I watched him wrestle twice in the tournament and he dominated with a two-on-one tie from his feet. I had a plan going into the match to stop that. I underhooked him with my left arm and tried to control his wrist on the right side. It worked against his two-on-one, but he scored first with an arm throw for 1 that I wasn't expected. Down by 1 I got more aggressive with the underhook and scored a point by pushing him out off the mat. With the score 1-1 I was in the drivers seat because the period is awarded to the last wrestler who scores in a tie. So I buried my hook, controlled his opposite had and got good head position to burn the rest of the clock. I won the first period 1-1.

I felt great going into the second period. I got back to work on the underhook and wrist tie and really worked my opponent on position. Lots of snaps and movement. He blocked well with the head so neither one of us could score. I had a couple of chances but would have put myself at risk with a shot or throw so I stuck with the positioning strategy. The period ended 0-0 so we moved to overtime.

Overtime in freestyle is a "clinch." In this case, a colored ball is drawn (red or blue) and the draw determines who must clinch a leg to start overtime. The "clincher" must score in 30 seconds or else the other wrestle gets a point. The draw was red so my opponent had to start with my leg and I had to defend for the period. I false started the first time (resulting in a warning) and then did a good defending job on the true start. He grabbed the leg and on the whistle I was able to get him on the ground with a whizzer. I held him there until he started to push me off the mat. I had to circle out and that forced him to let go of my leg. Still 10 seconds to go in overtime, he desperately attempted a low single and missed, allowing me to circle behind. I scored a point with 3 seconds to go to win the period 1-0, the match, and the World Championship.

Here is the site to the YouTube video of the finals match against Adem from Bulgaria.

The awards ceremony was about 20 minutes later. I got a medal, a Swiss Army Knife, and a new Swiss Watch. I received hardy congrats from all the US Wrestlers and was interviewed by USA Wrestling.