Bommarito, Benjamin, Loethen headline U.S. Senior team at Beach World Series in Greece, Sept. 21-22

The United States will send an experienced and talented team to the Senior Beach World Series Katerini-Pierria, which will be held at the Aloha Beach Bar in Katerini-Pierria, Greece, September 21-22. This is the fourth of the five scheduled Beach World Series events hosted by United World Wrestling in 2024.

The United States will be led by the only two wrestlers to win a gold medal at a Senior Beach World Series event, Eliana Bommarito of Brighton, Mich.in the women’s Over 70 kg weight class and Justin Benjamin of St. Charles, Ill. in the men’s 70 kg weight class.  

Bommarito is the most successful U.S. athlete in history in Beach wrestling. In 2023, she became the first U.S. Senior Beach World champion, based upon her success in the 2023 Beach World Series events. During her career, Bommarito has won four Senior Beach World Series gold medals. In 2023, Bommarito won Beach World Series events in Mugla, Turkey and Constanta, Romania. So far in 2024, Bommarito won Beach World Series events in Saint Laurent du Var, France and Timisoara, Romania.

Bommarito was a 2023 U20 Beach World Championships gold medalist. She is also entered in the 2024 U20 Beach World Championships in Katerini-Pierria on September 20, seeking to repeat as champion.

Benjamin became the first U.S. male to win a Beach World Series gold medal, when he won the Beach World Series Acapulco in Mexico earlier this year.

Also on the tour is the only other U.S. Beach wrestler to earn a season-long Beach World Series medal, Ty Loethen of Columbia, Mo. at 80 kg. In 2023, Loethen won the overall Beach World Series bronze medal at 80 kg. In 2023, Loethen competed in four of the five Beach World Series events. He was fourth in Constanta, Romania, fifth in Singapore, and seventh in both Buenos Aires, Argentina and Mugla, Turkey.

Competing at Over 90 kg in the men’s division is Kyle Ferriter of Colorado Springs, Colo., who won a 2024 Beach World Series bronze medal earlier this season in Saint Laurent du Var, France.

Bommarito is among four wrestlers competing in the Beach World Series in Greece who also will wrestle in the U20 Beach World Championships, joined by Maura White of New Jersey (women’s 60 kg), Kaylee Anderson of Virginia (women’s 70 kg) and Dominic Porter of Nevada (men’s Over 90 kg).

The U.S. is sending an experienced team to Greece, with eight men and six women. Of the 14 entries, only three of the athletes are competing in their first international Beach Wrestling event.

In the last two Beach World Series events in France and Romania, the United States set a record with three athletes winning a medal in each event. In the most recent competition in Timisoara, Romania, the USA came home with the third place trophy in men’s Beach wrestling.

In the current 20224 Beach World Series rankings, based upon the first three events, five U.S. athletes competing in Greece are ranked in the top 10 of their weight class: Eliana Bommarito (No. 1 at Over 70 kg women), Justin Benjamin (No. 3 at 70 kg men), Ty Loethen (No. 3 at 80 kg men), Gabriel Rangel (No. 6 at Over 90 kg men) and Kyle Ferriter (No. 8 at Over 90 kg men).

Competition on Saturday will include two sessions of Group rounds, held at 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. local time. On Sunday, the final Group round will be held at 10:00 a.m. The elimination rounds and finals will conclude the event at 4:00 p.m. Katerini-Pierria is seven hours ahead of U.S. Eastern time zone.

The competition will be broadcast live on FloWrestling.

https://flosports.link/3v1NY1O

BEACH WORLD SERIES KATERINI-PIERRIA

At Katerini-Pierria, Greece, September 21-22

U.S. Senior Men’s Beach World Series roster

70 kg: Justin Benjamin, St. Charles, Ill.

80 kg: Ty Loethen, Columbia, Mo.

80 kg: Mike Clark, Louisville, Ky.

80 kg: Rodrick Love, Springfield, Ill.

90 kg: Jamal Morris, Miami, Fla.

Over 90 kg: Kyle Ferriter, Colorado Springs, Colo.

Over 90 kg: Gabriel Rangel, Moline, Ill.

Over 90 kg: Dominic Porter, Carson City, Nev.

U.S. Senior Women Beach World Series roster

60 kg: Mia Macaluso, Otisville, N.Y.

60 kg: Rebecca Mathewson, Hillsborough, N.C.

60 kg: Maura White, Jefferson, N.J.

70 kg: Olivia Pizano, Bethlehem, Pa.

70 kg: Kaylee Anderson, Berryville, Va

Over 70 kg: Eli Bommarito, Brighton, Mich

U.S. Beach World Team Coach: Tim Box, Oceanside, Calif.

Coach: Randall Baynard, Naples, N.C.

Coach: Cheryl Baynard, Naples, N.C.

Coach: Brad Leonard, Pottsville, Pa.

Coach: Andy Hrovat, Forney, Texas

Coach: Colin Davis, Hillsborough, N.C.

Team Leader: Ed Duncan, Spruce Pine, N.C.

NF Delegate: Rusty Davidson, Grants, N.M.

Official: Scott Cutbirth, Blue Springs, Mo.

Official: Tod Blank, Brentwood, Calif.

Official: Paul Kruggel, Columbus, Ohio

Medical: Taryn Pennington, Colorado Springs, Colo.

Event Schedule

(local time is seven hours ahead of U.S. Eastern time zone)

Saturday, September 21

10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. - Group rounds (all weight divisions)

4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. - Group rounds (all weight divisions)

Sunday, September 22

10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. – Group rounds (all weight divisions)

4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. – Elimination rounds and finals (all weight divisions)