U.S. wins three Greco-Roman medals at CISM Military World Championships in Croatia
Van Stokes USA Wrestling
09/05/2008

Greco-Roman wrestling was completed at the 26th Military World Wrestling Championships in Split, Croatia Friday.

The Islamic Republic of Iran won three gold medals and a silver, while USA wrestlers garnered one silver and two bronze medals.

Organized by the Conseil Internationale du Sport Militare, known as CISM, over 20 sports are conducted annually with the motto of "Friendship Through Sports." The wrestling compeition featured the top military wrestlers from 24 countries.

In 66 Kg., SPC Faruk Sahin, of the Army's World World Class Athlete Program at Fort Carson, Colorado, took the silver medal after losing the championship bout to Afshin Biabanger, of the Islamic Republic of Iran, 0-5, 0-5. Both periods were scoreless after the first minute. Sahin was in the down position first in each period, and Biabanger took full advantage of Sahin with a lift and throw in each period for the margin of victory .

Sahin gained the championship bout by beating Mykola Savchenko, Ukraine, 1-1, 2-1 in the qualification round. Later, Sahin needed all three periods to defeat Hyouk Eom, Korea, 3-4, 5-2, 3-0.

At 55Kg., SPC Jermaine Hodge won the bronze medal by defeating Song Buer, China, 0-2, 4-2, 3-0. Hodge lost his opening bout to Gyu-Jin Choi, Korea, 1-3, 0-3. Choi, the gold medalist in the competition, pulled Hodge into the Repechage bout for the bronze against Buer, who lost to Choi in the semi-final bout.

Against Buer, the first minute of each period was scoreless. Hodge lost the draw in each of the three periods but seemed undaunted in the down position. Buer gained an exposure with a gut wrench and went on to win the first period. In the second period, Hodge lost two points when he was unable to execute the start, but quickly gained them back by turning Buer for two, and then hitting a high gut wrench for the margin.

The final period belonged to Hodge who was placed down first, and then kept Choi from scoring. Hodge picked up two more points when Buer was penalized for the start.

The other bronze medal was earned at 74 Kg. by SGT James Shillow, USMC, who beat Ju Bo of China, 7-0 in the first period. Bo was knocked out of the bout by a separated shoulde after Shillow stuck two gut wrenches and a tilt in the first period.

SPC Aaron Sieracki, Army, lost his bronze medal match at 84 Kg. to Jan Fischer, Germany, 1-1, 0-4, 1-2. Sieracki beat Antti Hakala, Finland, 1-1, 2-1, to gain the medal match

At 96 Kg., SSG Deon Hicks of the Army was eliminated from medal contention in his first match, when he lost to Yasin Deliktas, Turkey, 2-2, 1-3.

At 60 Kg. SGT Donovan Depatto, USMC, defeated Alijaksandr Ruchko, Belarus, 3-0, 0-3, 1-1, before losing his quarterfinal bout to Artem Kudyk of Ukraine, 0-4, 0-6. Depatto was tossed in each period, and finished the competition out of medal contention.

At 120 Kg., SGT David Arendt, USMC, lost his opening bout to Hay Devender of India, 6-0, 1-2, 2-3, who subsequently lost in the semi-finals to the eventual gold medalist, Oleksandr Chernetskyi of Ukraine.

SSG Shon Lewis, of the Army, and the Head Coach of the Armed Forces Team, had high praise for the quality of the competition.

"As I watched the guys warm up, I am looking at four or five European or World Medalists," said Lewis. "This is an international first class tournament. I can't stress enough how tough it is."

When looking at the USA wrestlers, Lewis noted, "This is big for them because this is at such a high level. They need these international matches. This is huge."

Freestyle competition will be conducted on Saturday and Sunday.