2013 U.S. OPEN
Burroughs, Russell among 21 to win titles
Greco-Roman star Spenser Mango and World women’s freestyle champion Elena Pirozhkova earned their fifth Open crowns
By Craig Sesker
LAS VEGAS - Championships won by top-seeded Jordan Burroughs and unseeded Kellen Russell provided some of the biggest storylines during the U.S. Open on April 18-20 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
There were 21 champions crowned - seven in men’s freestyle, seven in Greco-Roman and seven in women’s freestyle - during the three-day event. The champions in men’s and women’s freestyle advance to the best-of-3 finals of June’s U.S. World Team Trials in Stillwater, Okla. Champions in Greco-Roman will draw the No. 1 seed in their weight classes for the Trials. Here is a day-by-day recap of the event: April 18
Jessica Medina kept her composure in downing Haley Augello 2-0, 0-1, 2-0 in the finals. Medina earned her third U.S. women’s freestyle title at 51
kg/112.25 lbs. Medina took control in the decisive third period, scoring a
takedown on a leg attack en route to the win. Medina is a two- time World Team member. “I took some time off after the Olympic Trials and I’m getting fired up for this Olympic quad,” Medina said. “I want to get the best out of myself because I know the best is yet to come. It starts here.” Two-time Junior World bronze medalist Alli Ragan looked strong in sweeping 2011 U.S. Open champion Deanna Betterman 3-0, 5-0 in the finals at 59 kg/130 lbs. The 20-year- old Ragan won her first U.S. Open crown. Veronica Carlson won her first U.S. Open title by defeating
Tamyra Mensah 5-0, 6-0 in the finals at 67 kg/147.5 lbs. 2012 Olympian Ben Provisor swept past World Team member Jake Fisher 1-0, 2-0 in the Greco-Roman finals at 74 kg/163 lbs. Provisor won his second U.S. Open title. He previously won in 2011 when he also defeated Fisher in the finals. Provisor returned to competition after having nerve surgery on his back after the Olympics.
“74 is a tough weight class and everyone is coming back this
year,” Provisor said. “I feel like this is my weight class and my spot. I’m 100 percent again and I feel like I can dominate in any position.”
Jordan Holm earned his second U.S. Open title by defeating 8 USA Wrestler
Olympic champ Jordan Burroughs looks to take David Taylor down during the U.S. Open finals in Las Vegas. Burroughs downed Taylor 3-1, 1-0. Tony Rotundo photo.
Zac Nielsen 3-0, 1-0 in the Greco finals at 84 kg/185 lbs. Holm previously won in 2011. April 19
Being unseeded didn’t appear to faze Kellen Russell. Russell had to go through the qualifying tournament on April 18 and then knocked off the No. 2, 3 and 4 seeds the next day to win a freestyle title at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. Russell, a two-time NCAA champion for Michigan, capped his improbable two-day run by downing two-time NCAA champion Jordan Oliver 0-1, 2-2, 1-0 in the finals.
“I’ve put in a lot more time working on freestyle and it is good Continued on page 9
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