USA Wrestling Championships Return to Northeast Ohio this April

March 8, 2011 - PRLog -- USA Wrestling and the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission are pleased to announce that two wrestling events will return to Northeast Ohio this April.  The U.S. Open and FILA Junior National Championships will take place April 7-10 at Cleveland Public Hall while the ASICS University and FILA Cadet National Championships will return to the University of Akron from April 20-23.

The U.S. Open Wrestling Championships will feature the nation’s top wrestlers in the three Olympic styles of men’s freestyle, women’s freestyle and Greco-Roman.  The Men’s FILA Junior National Championships will also return to Cleveland alongside the U.S. Open, which includes the nation’s top athletes who are 17-20 years old, competing in freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling.

Up to 850 athletes are expected to participate in both the U.S. Open and the FILA Junior National competitions that weekend, pumping an estimated $850,000 into the local economy. The nation’s best international wrestlers are expected to compete. Among those to watch are 2000 and 2003 Women’s World champion Kristie Davis, 2002 Greco-Roman World champion Dremiel Byers and 2008 Women’s Freestyle World champion Clarissa Chun.

Other past World medalists expected in the field include two-time World bronze medalist Tatiana Padilla in women’s freestyle, World silver medalist Jake Herbert in men’s freestyle, World bronze medalist Justin Ruiz in Greco-Roman and World bronze medalist Tervel Dlagnev in men’s freestyle.  Many local wrestling stars who grew up in Ohio, or live and train in the state, are also expected to compete. Among those who intend to compete are 2008 Olympian Andy Hrovat and two-time Olympian Matt Ghaffari, both Cleveland residents.

“As a Clevelander, I am proud to support the USA Wrestling Championship right here in our city, and I am looking forward to a great tournament,” said Matt Ghaffari.  

USA Wrestling and the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission are offering an exclusive ticket package for Ohio wrestling coaches and clubs to see the nation’s best wrestlers compete at the U.S. Open Wrestling Championships.  For $100, USA Wrestling sanctioned clubs and coaches can reserve 20 all-day admission tickets for members ages 18 and under to attend the final championships on Saturday, April 9, 2011. Also, when a coach registers their club, they will be entered for a chance to win a free wrestling clinic with Tommy Rowlands of the Ohio State Regional Training Facility.  For $150, non USA Wrestling sanctioned clubs will receive the same ticket package in addition to an official USA Wrestling club membership for the 2010-11 season.  To take advantage of this special offer and to reserve tickets, please contact Kate Kusinic at kkusinic@clevelandsports.org. Offer valid through April 1, 2011. Tickets only valid for members ages 18 and under.

In addition to the U.S. Open Championships, Northeast Ohio will also host the ASICS University and FILA Cadet National Championships.  This four-day event will take place April 20-23 at the University of Akron's Louis and Freda Stile Athletic Field House. ASICS University athletes are 18 to 24 years of age and will feature some of the nation's top wrestlers from college wrestling programs and the U.S. Military teams. FILA Cadet Nationals will also feature many of the best high school wrestlers in the United States ages 15 to 17. This is the fifth consecutive year that Akron will host the Championships.

Numerous NCAA champions and All-Americans have competed in the ASICS University National Championships since the event was created in 1990. This tournament has also been a proving ground for future U.S. Olympic and World Team members.

The U.S. Cadet World teams in men’s freestyle and Greco-Roman will be determined at the 2011 ASICS FILA Cadet National Championships. The 2011 FILA Cadet World Championships will be held in Szombethely, Hungary, August 25-28, 2011 and will feature competition in the three Olympic disciplines of men’s freestyle, women’s freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling.  

The last year that the Cadet World Championships were hosted was in 1999. That year, U.S. wrestlers winning Cadet World titles were Justin Lester in men’s freestyle and Mary Kelly in women’s freestyle. Both have since competed on U.S. Senior World Teams, with Lester winning two World bronze medals in Greco-Roman.

The U.S. has a long history of success in FILA Cadet World Championships, going back to mid-1970s. There have been 26 Cadet World men’s freestyle champions from the United States, 17 Cadet World Greco-Roman champions from the United States and two Cadet World champions in women’s freestyle from the United States.

Past Cadet World champions who went on to make U.S. Olympic teams are Eric Guerrero, Cary Kolat, Travis West and Jason Gleasman. Other Cadet World champions who qualified for U.S. Senior World Teams include Kelly, Lester, Kolat and Guerrero, plus Joe Melchiore and Cory Baze.

For more information on the U.S. Open Wrestling Championships or the ASICS University and FILA Cadet National Championships, please visit www.clevelandsports.org.