Rau and Woods take fifth in Greco-Roman at Polyak & Varga Memorial Ranking Event in Hungary

BUDAPEST, Hungary –2024 U.S. Olympian Joe Rau (97 kg) and two-time Senior World Team member Spencer Woods (82 kg) placed fifth in Greco-Roman after losing their bronze-medal matches at the Polyak Imre & Varga Janos Memorial Ranking Event on Sunday

Rau was defeated in the bronze-medal bout by 2020 Olympian Georgi Melia of Georgia, 11-4.

Rau scored first when Melia was hit for passivity midway through the first period to lead 1-0. Melia was hit for a caution and one point penalty on a foul, blocking a front headlock. A Melia challenge was lost, giving Rau another point and making it 4-0 at the break. In the second period, Rau was hit for passivity, closing the lead to 4-1. Four gut wrench turns by Melia gave him a 9-4 lead. A Rau challenge was lost, making it 10-4. A step out closed it out at 11-4.

Rau dropped his opening match to 2021 World champion and three-time World medalist Mohammadhadi Saravi of Iran by technical fall, 10-1. Rau was pulled back into repechage when Saravi powered into the finals. In repechage, Rau won by forfeit over 2022 World bronze medalist Tamas Levai of Hungary.

Woods was pinned by two-time U23 World medalist Karlo Kodric of Croatia in 1:33 in his bronze-medal match and placed fifth.

Kodric scored first on a step out to lead 1-0. Woods attempted a double overhood throw, but Kodric countered and put Woods to his back, securing the fall at the 1:33 mark.

Woods won his first match in the quarterfinals over Ashkan Saadati Fard of Iran, 10-3. In the semifinals, Woods fell to 2018 U23 World champion and 2022 European silver medalist Gela Bolkvadze of Georgia in a 9-0 technical fall.

The three other U.S. Greco-Roman wrestlers competing on Sunday lost their first match and were eliminated when their opponent failed to reach the finals: 2024 U.S. Olympian Payton Jacobson (87 kg), 2020 U.S. Olympian Alejandro Sancho (72 kg) and past Senior World Team member Jesse Porter (77 kg). None were able to place in the top 10 of their weight class.

The United States entered seven Greco-Roman athletes in Hungary, with Rau and Woods having the best performance with fifth place. Also placing in the top 10 was Dalton Roberts, who was eighth at 60 kg on Saturday.

POLYAK IMRE & VARGA JANOS MEMORIAL

At Budapest, Hungary, June 9

Greco-Roman medal match results

55 kg

Gold - Eldaniz Azizli (Azerbaijan)

Silver - Poya Soulat Dad Marz (Iran)

Bronze - Nugzari Tsurtsumia (Georgia)

Note: Four-athlete round robin

67 kg

Gold – Luis Orta Sanchez (Cuba) dec. Leri Abuladze (Georgia), 4-0

Bronze – Mohammadreza Geraie (Iran) dec. Andres Montano Arroyo (Ecuador), 3-3

Bronze – Saeid Esmaeli Leivesi (Iran) dec. Kyotaro Sogabe (Japan), 6-5

72 kg:

Gold – Hasrat Jafarov (Azerbaijan) dec. Moustafa Fathy Alameldin (Egypt), 5-2

Bronze - Sayed Sohrabi (Iran) dec. Shmagi Bolkvadze (Georgia), 7-0

Bronze – Krisztian Vancza (Hungary) dec. Gagik Snjoyan (France), 2-1

77 kg:

Gold – Nao Kusaka (Japan) inj. dft. Aik Mnatsakanian (Bulgaria), 0:25

Bronze -  Yosvanys Pena Floress (Cuba) inj. dft. Burhan Akbudak (Turkey), 0:00

Bronze –Mohammed Mokhtari (Iran) inj. dft. Sanan Suleymanov (Azerbaijan), 0:00

82 kg:

Gold - Erik Szilvassy (Hungary) dec. Gela Bolkvadze (Georgia), 3-1

Bronze – Mihai Bradu (Moldova) dec. Peter Doemoek (Hungary), 3-0

Bronze – Karlo Kodric (Croatia) pin Spencer Woods (USA), 1:33

87 kg:

Gold – Semen Novikov (Bulgaria) inj. dft. David Losonczi (Hungary), 0:00

Bronze - Mohammadhossein Mahmoodi (Iran) dec. Ali Cengiz (Turkey), 10-4

Bronze – Bachir Sid Azara (Algeria) forfeit over Istvan Takacs (Hungary)

97 kg:

Gold - Mohammadhadi Saravi (Iran) dec. Alex Szoke (Hungary), 3-1

Bronze – Giorgi Melia (Georgia) dec. Josef Rau (USA), 11-4

Bronze – Shayan Habibizare (Iran) inj. dft. Kevin Mejia Castillo (Honduras), 0:00

U.S. Greco-Roman results

72 kg: Alejandro Sancho (U.S. Army WCAP), 11^th place

LOSS Shmagi Bolkvadze (Georgia), 3-2

77 kg: Jesse Porter (New York AC), 18^th place

LOSS Burhan Akbudak (Turkey), tech fall 9-0

82 kg: Spencer Woods (U.S. Army WCAP), 5^th place

WIN Ashkan Saddati Fard (Iran), 10-3

LOSS Gela Bolkvadze (Georgia), tech fall 9-0

LOSS Karlo Kodric (Croatia), 1:33

87 kg: Payton Jacobson (Sunkist Kids/NMU NTS), 14^th place

LOSS Ali Cengiz (Turkey), 4-1

97 kg: Josef Rau (Titan Mercury WC), 5^th place

LOSS Mohammadhadi Saravi (Iran), tech fall, 10-1

WIN Tamas Levai (Hungary), forfeit

LOSS Giorgi Melia (Georgia), 11-4