Cael Sanderson captures title at Ion Corneanu Memorial in Romania

[California USA Wrestling1]

Cael Sanderson captures title at Ion Corneanu Memorial in Romania
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By Craig Sesker USA Wrestling 08/06/2011 Cael Sanderson (right) and Chas Betts won medals at the Ion Corneanu Memorial on Saturday in Romania. TARGOVISTE, Romania – Cael Sanderson’s return to international competition was a successful one. Sanderson dominated in three matches to win the Ion Corneanu Memorial on Saturday. Sanderson swept Moldova’s Balaur Dionis 6-0, 6-0 in the freestyle finals at 84 kg/185 lbs. Sanderson, 32, the head coach at Penn State, was competing internationally for the first time since he won the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece. American Chas Betts won a bronze medal in the Greco-Roman competition on Saturday at 84 kg/185 lbs. Sanderson opened with a first-period pin over Shota Thurashvili of Austria before downing Jaime Espinal of Puerto Rico 1-1, 6-0. Espinal trains with Sanderson at the Nittany Lion Wrestling Club. Espinal placed third. Espinal has placed as high as second at the Pan American Championships and took fourth at the 2011 Dave Schultz Memorial International. Sanderson returned to the mat this year and won the U.S. World Team Trials in June. He will compete in next month’s World Championships in Istanbul, Turkey. Sanderson won a silver medal at the only World Championships he competed in during the 2003 Worlds in New York City. American Jake Varner will compete on Sunday at 96 kg/211.5 lbs. Varner was a quarterfinalist at the 2009 World Championships in Denmark and will compete at the Worlds next month. Betts, a 2009 World Team member, fell to Hungary’s Peter Bacsi in the semifinals. Bacsci placed second in the 2011 European Championships and fifth in the 2008 Olympic Games. Betts defeated Fisnik Zahiti of Sweden in the bronze-medal match. Zahiti competed in the 2009 World Championships. U.S. freestyle results 84 kg/185 lbs. – Cael Sanderson, State College, Pa. (Nittany Lion WC) – 1st WIN Shota Thurashvili (Austria), pin 1st period WIN Jaime Espinal (Puerto Rico) 1-1, 6-0 WIN Balaur Dionis (Moldova), 6-0, 6-0 U.S. Greco-Roman results 55 kg/121 lbs. – Nikko Triggas, Moraga, Calif. (Ohio RTC) WIN David Borsos (Hungary) LOSS Jorge Cordoza (Venezuela) LOSS Islamov Donior (Moldova) 66 kg/145.5 lbs. – C.P. Schlatter, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm) LOSS Cojocari Ilie (Moldova) 84 kg/185 lbs. – Ryan Hope, Carol Stream, Ill. (USOEC) LOSS Ben Provisor (USA) 84 kg/185 lbs. – Ben Provisor, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids) WIN Ryan Hope (USA) WIN Vincenzo Scibilia (Italy) LOSS Peter Bacsi (Hungary) LOSS Fisnik Zahiti (Sweden) 84 kg/185 lbs. – Chas Betts, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Minnesota Storm) – 3rd WIN Parvan Dorin (Romania) WIN Oleg Shokalov (Russia) LOSS Peter Bacsi (Hungary) WIN Fisnik Zahiti (Sweden) 120 kg/264.5 lbs. – Brandon Rupp, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids) LOSS Anatolie Moldovan (Moldova)

[ex-coach]

In recent weeks we have read where several US wrestlers and teams have been wrestling in international events, my question is where is Cejudo? If Sanderson can hit the road after eight years, then cretainly Cejudo can do it after four. He is out there trying to make money in a couple of different programs intended to help Olympic athletes, when it seems he really is not longer an athlete.

[Inukshuk]

In recent weeks we have read where several US wrestlers and teams have been wrestling in international events, my question is where is Cejudo? If Sanderson can hit the road after eight years, then cretainly Cejudo can do it after four. He is out there trying to make money in a couple of different programs intended to help Olympic athletes, when it seems he really is not longer an athlete.

Maybe he has weight problems these days, I don't recall that he wrestled in Oklahoma City early in the summer.

[grappler48]

In recent weeks we have read where several US wrestlers and teams have been wrestling in international events, my question is where is Cejudo? If Sanderson can hit the road after eight years, then cretainly Cejudo can do it after four. He is out there trying to make money in a couple of different programs intended to help Olympic athletes, when it seems he really is not longer an athlete.

I have heard that Cejudo plans on competing in Russia this October. Cejudo won Gold at the Olympics once already. I am certain he knows what it takes and what he has to do to get to the top.

[ex-coach]

I have heard that Cejudo plans on competing in Russia this October. Cejudo won Gold at the Olympics once already. I am certain he knows what it takes and what he has to do to get to the top.

I would like to see medals in the next Olympics, not what someone did the last time around. My issue is that he is out trying to gain sponsorship money from corporate programs and doing PR stuff. There are others out there who are working hard and can use the money, no matter what the sport.

[grappler48]

I would like to see medals in the next Olympics, not what someone did the last time around. My issue is that he is out trying to gain sponsorship money from corporate programs and doing PR stuff. There are others out there who are working hard and can use the money, no matter what the sport.

He is trying to get all he can out of his Olympic Gold medal. I can't blame him for that. I agree there are others working hard but how many of them have won an Olympic medal? Cejudo will do just fine.