U.S., Russia win opening round

Douglas, Gutches shine in 21-9 victory over Turkey

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Posted: Saturday July 25, 1998 10:32 PM

NEW YORK (AP) -- Wrestler Melvin Douglas, who turns 36 next month, raised his own level of competition and helped pace a big American victory over Turkey.

Douglas, the 1993 world champion at 213 pound (96 kg) from Mesa, Arizona, scored a 3-0 overtime decision over Kasif Sakiroglu, one of six U.S. victories in eight matches.

Les Gutches, of Corvallis, Oregon, scored the biggest victory of the contest, a technical-superiority defeat of Ali Ozen.

Gutches led 11-0 when the referee stopped the bout at 4:49, earning four points for the United States.

Other U.S. winners were Sam Henson at 119 pounds, Lincoln McIlvary (152), Steve Marianetti, in overtime (168) and Kerry McCoy (286).

Russia won five of the eight matches to defeat Iran 17-12, in the opening bout

Iran opened with three straight victories, as Behnam Taiebi (54 kg), Mohammed Talaie (58 kg) and Medhi Kaveh (63 kg) claimed victories. Kaveh's victory was a major upset, a 5-2 victory over 1994 World Champion Magomed Azizov.

Russia rebounded with five straight victories to close out the match.

At 69 kg, Velhikan Alakhverdiev started the comeback with a 6-3 win over Mohsen Babaei. 1996 Olympic Champion Bouvaisa Saitiev kept up the momentum with an 8-0 win over Masoud Jamshidi at 76 kg. At 85 kg, 1996 Olympic champion Khadzimurad Magomedov followed with 4-3 overtime win over Abbas Majidi.

The key win came at 97 kg, where Saghuid Mourtasaliev upset 1996 Olympic silver medalist Abbas Jadidi of Iran in a 2-2 referee's decision. Mourtasaliev was awarded the win because he had fewer passivity calls.

In the final bout, three-time World Cup champion Andrei Shumilin of Russia stopped 1996 Olympic champion Rasul Khadem of Iran, 3-1 in overtime at 7:53. Khadem won his Olympic title at 198 pounds, and was giving up close to 50 pounds to the larger Shumilin.

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