Gardner, Marano and Gaber Presented With Championships At 2003 New York Athletic Club Christmas International

Article by Mark Palmer, Photos by Danielle Hobeika

 

Former Harvard heavyweight Dawid Rechul (top, red) wrestles Tim Hartun in the 96 kg freestyle semifinals. Rechul upset Melvin Douglas in the preliminary pool round and ended up placing 4th

Christmas came early for some wrestlers this year – while others found the equivalent of a lump of coal in their stocking – at the 2003 New York Athletic Club Christmas International Championships on December 20-21.

 

Wrestlers who left New York feeling like a kid at Christmas included champions Rulon Gardner, Kristie Marano and Karam Gaber.  Among those who might have felt like the Grinch stole their holiday joy: mat veterans Chris Bono and Melvin Douglas.

 

The two-day event – held at the prestigious New York Athletic Club in midtown Manhattan – drew nearly 200 wrestlers from as close as the New York Athletic Club itself, to as far away as Belarus, Egypt and Italy, for men’s and women’s freestyle and men’s Greco-Roman competition.

 

Not what they were expecting for Christmas.  The event saw a couple seasoned mat veterans go down to defeat:

• Rechul upset Douglas.  The 40-year-old Melvin Douglas had earned the title “comeback kid” at the 2003 Sunkist Open in October, coming off a nearly three-year layoff to make it to the freestyle heavyweight finals, losing in a close match to Steve Mocco.  This time, Douglas was competing in the 96 kg/211.25 lb weight class.  His opening match was against David Rechul, originally from Poland but who had been an All-American at Harvard and now wrestling for the New York Athletic Club.  Pre-match expectations were not high for Rechul; he was not even listed in the top ten in TheMat.com’s November rankings.  However, Rechul scored three points on an edge-of-the-mat takedown right at the beginning of the bout… then added a gutwrench to put the score at 4-0.  Then it was Douglas’ turn, with the comeback kid narrowing the score to 4-3 in the second period.  Rechul answered back, scoring another takedown with back exposure.  Even with Douglas adding another point, the final score was 7-4 Rechul.  After the loss, Douglas told TheMat’s Gary Abbott: “This helps me know where I am now… I am not upset about this. There is no pressure on me.”

• Jared Frayer (blue) upsets two time World Team Member Chris Bono (red) 7-4 in the 66 kg freestyle finals

  Bono fell to Frayer.   In the freestyle finals at 66 kg/145.5 lbs, two-time World Team member Chris Bono had narrowed Jared Frayer’s lead to just 4-3 in the second period.  In a controversial call, Bono accused Frayer of holding his singlet… but, instead of being penalized, the Oklahoma graduate was awarded a point for a takedown.  Bono was upset in more ways than one, with the final score being 7-4 Frayer.

 

Gifts to the fans.  Those in attendance at the New York Athletic Club were presented with some exciting wrestling with interesting outcomes:

• Gaber wowed the crowd.   Two-time world silver medallist Karam Gaber from Egypt is known for his spectacular throws… and he didn’t disappoint his fans in New York.  The Greco-Roman grappler won his second 96 kg/211.25 lb title at this event in large part to a five-point throw of his Armenian opponent Khoren Papoyan.  The final score was 8-1.
• Marano moved up a weight… and pinned a title.  Two-time world champion Kristie Marano found that no one else had entered the tournament at her normal 67 kg/147.5 lb weight class, so she stepped up to 72 kg/158.5 lb... and found herself in the finals facing two-time silver medallist Tocarra Montgomery just like last year.   In 2002, Montgomery won the title.  This year, the match was tied 3-3 at the beginning of the second period, when Marano was able to turn Montgomery and pinned her at 4:00.  For this, Marano was also named Outstanding Wrestler in women’s wrestling.    

• Diletta Giampiccolo of Italy (right) defeated Tela O'Donnell of the Dave Schultz Wrestling Club (left) 3-1 in the women's 55 kg finals

  Giampiccolo: Moving up in the world.  Diletta Giampiccolo of Italy, wrestling at 55 kg/121 lbs, surprised a number of fans by defeating 2003 silver medallist Tina George in the semifinals 6-0… then beat Tela O’Donnell 3-1 in the finals.  Giampiccolo had come a long way since the 2003 World Freestyle Championships in September, where she placed eleventh.
• The end of Rechul’s run.  The 96 kg/211.5 lb men’s freestyle class was one of the most exciting at the tournament.  The man who beat Melvin Douglas, David Rechul, lost in the semifinals to 2002 world team member Tim Hartung 11-4.  Rechul ended up finishing fourth, as he lost to Jon Trenge in the match for third place, 4-3.  (Douglas had earned the right to compete in the semifinals by beating Trenge in the wrestle-backs, but withdrew from the event, allowing Trenge to advance.)   Hartung lost in the finals to Dean Morrison 5-1.  Morrison, who wrestled in high school on Long Island, was named Outstanding Wrestler in men’s freestyle.
• Mocco wrapped up the competition.   Steve Mocco, the 2003 NCAA heavyweight champion, won the 120 kg/264.5 lb freestyle title in dominating fashion.  In four matches, he racked up a combined score of 30-2, including two technical falls.  The only man who scored upon Mocco was Orville Palmer in a relatively close 4-2 match.  A much-anticipated match-up between Mocco and 2003 silver medallist Kerry McCoy did not occur, as the Long Island native was in the audience but did not compete.
• Gardner vs. Byers: War of the world champions.  Two of the best big men in Greco faced off against each other again at the 120 kg/264.5 lb finals: Rulon Gardner, the 2000 Olympic gold medallist and 2001 world champion, and 2002 world champion Dremiel Byers.  There was no score in the first period, so the second period began with a clinch.  Byers broke the clinch first, making the score 1-0 Gardner… until Byers lifted and threw the Wyoming dairy farmer to tie up the score 1-1 at end of regulation.  In overtime, each man scored one point, knotting up the score 2-2.  Gardner was awarded the match based on the criteria of fewer passivity calls; Byers had three passivities against him to Gardner’s one.  Gardner also earned Outstanding Wrestler in Greco-Roman.

 

Finals results

 

 

MEN’S FREESTYLE FINALS

Lee Fullhart of the Gator Wrestling Club attempts to turn Randy Pugh of the NYAC in the men's freestyle 84 kg finals

• 55 kg/121 lbs
  • Silver: Shawn Contos (unattached)
  • Gold: Leroy Vega (Minnesota Storm)
• 60 kg/132 lbs
  • Bronze: Ryan Lewis (Minnesota Storm) dec. Dane Valdez (Gold Mine) 8-2
  • Gold: Michael Lightner (Dave Schultz WC) dec. Yero Washington (Sunkist Kids) 4-3 OT at 6:33
• 66 kg/145.5 lbs
  • Bronze: Eric Larkin (Sunkist Kids) pinned Jamar Billman (New York AC) 2:14
  • Gold: Jared Frayer (Dave Schultz WC) dec. Chris Bono (Sunkist Kids) 7-4
• 74 kg/163 lbs
  • Bronze:  Donny Pritzlaff (Dave Schultz WC) dec. Sean Harrington (New York AC) 5-3
  • Gold: Joe Williams (Sunkist Kids) won by tech fall over Matt Lackey (New York AC) 10-0 in 4:16
• 84 kg/185 lbs
  • Bronze: Nick Preston (Sunkist Kids) dec. Tony Gansen (Gator WC) 5-
  • Gold: Lee Fullhart (Gator WC) dec. Randy Pugh (New York AC) 3-2
• 96 kg/211.5 lbs
  • Bronze: Jon Trenge (New York AC) dec. David Rechul (New York AC) 4-3
  • Gold: Dean Morrison (New York AC) dec. Tim Hartung (Minnesota Storm) 5-1
• 120 kg/264.5 lbs
  • Bronze: Orville Palmer (Heinz) dec. Tony Walters (Gator WC) 5-0
  • Gold: Steve Mocco (New York AC) dec. Mike Faust (Dave Schultz WC) 6-0

 

Outstanding Wrestler: Dean Morrison

 

WOMEN’S FREESTYLE FINALS

• 48 kg/105.5 lbs
  • Gold: Mary Kelly (New York Athletic Club) won by tech fall over Amantha Hordagoda (Dave Schultz WC) 10-0 at 2:59
• 51 kg/112.25 lbs
  • Bronze: Amy Borgnini (New York AC)
  • Silver: Cheryl Wong (Dave Schultz WC)
  • Gold: Malinda Ripley (Sunkist Kids)
• 55 kg/121 lbs
  • Bronze: Tina George (US Army) dec. Jenny Wong (Sunkist Kids) 3-2
  • Gold: Diletta Giampiccolo (Italy) dec. Tela O’Donnell (Dave Schultz WC) 3-1
• 59 kg/130 lbs
  • Bronze: Othella Lucas (New York AC)
  • Silver: Leigh Jaynes (New York AC)
  • Gold: Erin Tomeo (Sunkist Kids)
• 63 kg/138.75 lbs
  • Bronze: Nikola Hartman (Austria)
  • Silver: Kaci Lyle (Sunkist)
  • Gold: Sara McMann (Sunkist Kids)
• 67 kg/147.5 lbs
  • No contestants
• 72 kg/158.5 lbs
  • Bronze: Iris Smith (US Army) dec. Marina Garth (Austria) 7-0
  • Gold: Kristie Marano (New York AC) pinned Toccara Montgomery (New York AC) 4:00

 

Outstanding Wrestler: Kristie Marano

 
 

 

MEN’S GRECO-ROMAN FINALS

• 55 kg/121 lbs
  • Bronze: Joe Betterman (USOEC) dec. Anthony Gibbons (US Army) 6-1 OT at 6:35
  • Gold: Lindsey Durlacher (New York AC) won by referee’s decision over Alexei Shaipak (Belarus) 2-0 OT at 9:00
• 60 kg/132 lbs
  • Bronze: Marco Lara (USOEC) won by injury default over Jeremy Wyria (unattached) 0:00
  • Gold: Joe Warren (New York AC) won by tech fall over Willie Madison (USOEC) 11-0 at 1:30
• 66 kg/145.5 lbs
  • Bronze: Faruk Sahin (US Army) dec. Cory Posey (New York AC) 6-1
  • Gold: Harry Lester (USOEC) dec. Eduard Apelvich (Belarus) 11-7
• 74 kg/163 lbs
  • Bronze:  Brandon McNab (New York AC) dec. Darryl Christian (New York AC) 4-3
  • Gold: Oleg Mivalovich (Belarus) dec. Ken Cook (Sunkist Kids) 3-2
• 84 kg/185 lbs
  • Bronze: Jake Clark (USMC) won by injury default over Kenny Owens (US Army) 0:00
  • Gold: Ethan Bosch (New York AC) dec. Keith Sieracki (US Army) 3-1
• 96 kg/211.5 lbs
  • Bronze: Dan Hicks (USMC) dec. Nate Patrick (Dave Schultz WC) 9-2
  • Gold: Karam Gaber (Egypt) dec. Khoren Papoyan (Sunkist Kids) 8-1
• 120 kg/264.5 lbs
  • Bronze: Paul Devlin (US Army) won by injury default over Tim Taylor (USMC) 0:00
  • Gold: Rulon Gardner (Sunkist Kids) won by referee’s decision over Dremiel Byers (US Army) 2-2 OT at 9:00

 

Outstanding Wrestler: Rulon Gardner

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