Members of the U.S. Greco-Roman wrestling world team poses for a photo at the 2018 Senior Greco-Roman World Team Trials on June 22, 2018 in Tulsa, Okla.
Seasoned Greco-Roman wrestling veterans and world team hopefuls alike converged on Tulsa, Oklahoma, this week for the 2018 Senior Greco-Roman World Team Trials, and the 10-man roster that will travel to Budapest, Hungary, for the 2018 Senior World Wrestling Championships in October is now set. Among the winners were three Olympians.
The 130 kg. class saw a rematch of the U.S. Open as Adam Coon took on 2016 Olympian Robby Smith. Smith defeated Coon in the U.S. Open final but Coon won the first match on Friday by decision and then took out Smith in the second match to earn the world team spot. Coon was scheduled to fly to Pennsylvania later in the day to compete at the third and final Final X on Saturday for a spot on the freestyle world team at 125 kg.
It was another U.S. Open rematch at 55 kg., where 2012 freestyle Olympian Sam Hazewinkel took on U.S. Open champion Max Nowry. Hazewinkel earned his spot on the world team with an 11-0 technical over Nowry.
At 72 kg., Jon Jay Chavez defeated favored RaVaughn Perkins, the 2016 Olympic Trials champion, to earn his first trip to the world championships.
Kamal Bey won the redemption he was looking for at 77 kg. by defeating Mason Manville in a rematch of the 2017 World Team Trials. Bey, who was the U.S. Open and 2017 junior world champion and heavily favored to win last year, instead dropped two matches and had to watch 2014 Youth Olympic silver medalist Manville earn the spot on the team. This year, however, Bey won both the first two matches to make his first world team.
G’Angelo Hancock is heading to his second straight world championships after winning his last match 6-3 on Friday. He beat U.S. Open champion Daniel Miller at 97 kg.
Ildar Hafizov was also seeking his sixth trip to the world championships, but reigning U.S. Open champ Dalton Roberts edged the 2017 world team member at 60 kg. Hafizov was a 2008 Olympian for Uzbekistan.
At 63 kg., 2016 Olympian Jesse Thielke will be going to the world championships for the first time since 2013 after defeating U.S. Open champ Ryan Mango, brother of 2012 Olympian Spenser, who was looking to make his first world team. Thielke beat Mango in both the first two matches.
2012 Olympian and two-time world team member Ellis Coleman will return for his third worlds after beating 2017 U23 world team member Alejandro Sancho. They also met in the 2017 World Team Trials with Coleman coming out on top in that matchup as well.
At 82 kg., Cheney Haight came out of Thursday’s challenge tournament but could not defend his spot on the world team as U.S. Open champ Geordan Speiller earned the victory.
Finally, two-time world team member Patrick Martinez and two-time Olympian Ben Provisor met once again at 87 kg., with Martinez earning the win.
Karen Price is a reporter from Pittsburgh who has covered Olympic sports for various publications. She is a freelance contributor to TeamUSA.org on behalf of Red Line Editorial, Inc.
