Sept 7 World Championship Previews

James Green has represented the United States in men’s freestyle at 70 kilograms the past four years, but the native of New Jersey and former All-American from Nebraska is still looking for one thing: a gold medal … to go along with his previous bronze and silver medals earned in 2015 and ’17.

Meanwhile, both Ellis Coleman and Jenna Burkert, members of the U.S. Army’s World Class Athlete Program, hope to earn a medal as both return to the World Championships in Greco-Roman and women’s freestyle.

Check out previews of these three Americans who will compete at the 2019 UWW World Championships, Sept. 14-22, in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan. Click here or call 888-305-0606 to subscribe to WIN Magazine and get the issue with wall-to-wall World Championships coverage delivered to your mail-box or in-box.

Men’s Freestyle

70 K /154 pounds

James Green

Competing Sept. 20-21

James Green (right) avenged a U.S. Open loss to Ryan Deakin at Final X Lincoln. (Tim Tushla photo)

Bio:Age 26 (born Dec. 19, 1992); native of Willingboro, N.J.; resident of Lincoln, Neb.; Titan Mercury WC/Nebraska RTC; 4-time AA at Nebraska (2012-15).

International Experience: Two-time medalist competed in four Senior Worlds; overall record 10-4; bronze in 2015 (4-1); 7th in 2016 (2-1); silver in 2017 (3-1); did not place in 2018 (1-1); 2014 University Worlds (silver), 2013 World University Games (dnp)

2019 Final X:defeated Ryan Deakin (Northwestern AA) in best-of-three matches, 10-0, 4-3, in Lincoln, Neb.

Projected Top 4 Seeds by UWW: 1. Adam Batirov (Bahrain), ’18 World silver; 2. Nurkozha Kaipanov (Kazakhstan), ’19 Asian gold; 3. Yones Emamichoghaei (Iran), Asian bronze; 4. Devid Safaryan (Armenia), ’13 World gold.

Greco-Roman

67 K / 147.5 pounds

Ellis Coleman

Competing Sept. 15-16

Ellis Coleman (right), who qualified for his fourth World Team, earned the nickname “Flying Squirrel” at past Junior World Championships. (Justin Hoch photo)

Bio:Age 28 (born Aug. 16, 1991); native of Oak Park, Ill.; resident of Colorado Springs, Colo.; U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program; member of USOEC; earned “Flying Squirrel” nickname.

International Experience:competed in three Worlds; overall record of 2-4; did not place in 2013 (0-1), did not place in 2017 (1-1), did not place in 2018 (1-2); competed in 2012 Olympics and did not place (0-1); earned two Junior World bronze medals (2010 and 2011)

2019 Final X: defeated Jamel Johnson (U.S. Marines) in best-of-three matches, 9-1, 6-0, at Rutgers.

Projected Top 4 Seeds by UWW: 1. Artem Surkov (Russia), ’18 World gold; 2. Hansu Ryu (Korea), ’17 World gold; 3. Gevong Sahakyan (Poland), ’18 World bronze; 4. Meiirzhan Shermakhanbet (Kazakhstan), ’18 World bronze.

Women’s Freestyle

57 K / 125.5 pounds

Jenna Burkert

Sept. 18-19

Jenna Burkert (right), who competed as a substitute in last year’s Worlds at 55k, will wrestled at 57k this September. (Justin Hoch photo).

Bio: Age 26 (born May 9, 1993); native of Rocky Point, N.Y.; resident of Colorado Springs, Colo.; U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program; attended Northern Michigan RTC

International Experience:competed in two Senior Worlds; overall record 0-2; did not place in 2014, did not place in 2018 (sub for Alli Ragan); also competed in three Junior Worlds; eighth in 2011, did not place in 2012; eighth in 2013.

2019 Final X: defeated Becka Leathers (Titan Mercury WC) best-of-three matches, 4-2, 5-0, at Rutgers.

Projected Top 4 Seeds by UWW:1. Ningning Rong (China), ’18 World gold; 2. Grace Bullen (Norway), ’18 U23 Worlds gold; 3. Odunayo Adekuoroye (Nigeria), ’17 Worlds silver; 4. Emese Barka (Hungary), ’18 World bronze.

Below are WIN’s daily previews of USA at the Worlds. Click on the date to read the previews of the wrestlers located on that date.