New York City, New York
With the 2016 Rio Olympic Games a few months in the past, athletes for the Minnesota Storm have begun to take aim at the Olympic Games in Tokyo in 2020. At the beginning of this new quadrennial, the objective of winning in Tokyo may seem like a distant goal. There will be a lot of tournaments over the next four years that will draw much of their focus and attention. For many of the athletes on the roster, this won’t be their first quadrennial of international competition. They understand the short-term and long-term objectives that lie ahead and they have perspective enough to appreciate that Tokyo isn’t so far down the road.
The Bill Farrell International Tournament in New York City was one of the first of many opportunities for members of the Minnesota Storm to take inventory of where they are in the process of achieving their goals. Overall, it was a successful tournament for the MN Storm as they secured five medals in freestyle and Greco competition. Tony Nelson lead the way for the Storm by winning the tournament at 125 kilograms (275 lbs) in freestyle. Zach Sanders, Jayson Ness and Pat Smith each finished third at their respective weights. Also, Hayden Zillmer dropped a close match in the finals at 96 kilograms (215 lbs) to win his first medal in an international tournament.
Upcoming, a few Storm athletes will be traveling to Europe to train and compete. Their next domestic tournament will be the U.S. Open, December 16-18, in Las Vegas, NV.
NYAC Bill Farrell International Results
Freestyle:
57kg – Zach Sanders 3-1 BRONZE
*61kg – Jayson Ness 4-1 BRONZE
125kg – Tony Nelson 3-0 GOLD
Greco-Roman:
59kg – Justin LaValle 3-2
*71kg – Pat Smith 3-1 BRONZE
*71kg – Alec Ortiz 1-2
75kg – Brad Dolezal 2-2 4th
*80kg – Barrett Stanghill 2-2 4th
98kg – Hayden Zilmmer 3-1 SILVER