Peak Performance – Day 1 Wrap for Greco-Roman at Senior Nationals
2023 U. S. Senior Nationals – Fort Worth, Texas
There are many different paths to arrive at the top of the mountain. Most strike out on the proven path, tracing the journey of other warriors from base camp to the summit, while others attack from an unconventional direction, risking all to realize their dream.
No stranger to risk Benji Peak’s road to another finals match included a semi-final win vs workout parter Payton Jacobson (Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club) “We wrestle each other every day and we were kind of sure that the final score would be 1-1. Benji praised his practice parter “I truly believe he is the second best man in the bracket. I’m here because of him.”
The charismatic Mahmoud Sebie, won four matches on Friday, earning a spot in the finals vs Spencer Woods. Sebie a 2016 Olympian (Egypt) and “Prince of Egypt” on the MMA circuit competed in his first competition as a U.S. citizen. Woods enters the 87kg finals with complete confidence in his skill and the talent of the Army World Class Athlete Program. “We came to Nationals to win. We win big tournaments and this is our show.”
Former World Team member Peyton Omania (67kg) took a completely different path to Finals. “I decided to leave my college program and put my career in my own hands. I’m a 24 year old kid who moved to southern California by myself, without coaches or greco training parthers. I was training how I wanted and I am blessed that the work is paying off” Omania will have the opportunity to exchange effort for results Saturday when he faces 2020 Olympian Alejandro Sancho. “I’m just having fun out there, and we will see what happens tomorrow.”
All the paths converge for the Finals Saturday night.
Semifinal Results for Greco-Roman
60 kg: Max Black (NMU-National Training Center) Winner by decision vs Randon Miranda (Greco-Roman National Team) Dec 2-1
60 kg: Hayden Tuma (NYAC) Winner by decision vs Sammy Jones (Sunkist Kids WC) Dec 3-1
67 kg: Alejandro Sancho (Army (WCAP)) Winner by decision vs Robert Perez 111 (Sunkist Kids WC) Dec 3-1
67 kg: Peyton Omania (Michigan) Winner by decision vs David Stepanian (NYAC) Dec 7-5
77 kg: Benjamin Peak (Sunkist Kids WC) Winner by decision vs Aliaksandr Kikiniou (California) Dec 5-1
77 kg: Payton Jacobson (Sunkist Kids WC) Winner by decision vs RaVaughn Perkins (NYAC) Dec 5-1
87 kg: Spencer Woods (Army (WCAP)) Winner by decision vs Zachary Braunagel (Illinois RTC/Illini WC) Dec 4-2
87 kg: Mahmoud Sebie (Florida) Winner by decision vs Richard Carlson (Minnesota Storm) Dec 7-1
97 kg: Josef Rau (Titan Mercury WC(TMWC)) Winner by decision vs Nicholas Boykin (Sunkist Kids WC) Dec 10-4
97 kg: Alan Vera (NYAC) Winner by fall vs Christian DuLaney (Minnesota Storm) Fall 1:58
130 kg: Adam Coon (Cliff Keen WC) Winner by tech fall vs Aden Attao (Beaver Dam Wrestling RTC) TF 9-0
130 kg: Courtney Freeman (Marines) Winner by fall vs Donny Longendyke (Minnesota Storm) Fall 2:17
USA Wrestling is using the 2023 Senior Nationals as its qualifying event for the U.S. Greco-Roman team that will compete in the 2024 Pan American Olympic Games Qualifier in Acapulco, Mexico, February 28-March 1.
The Greco-Roman Finals are set for 7:00 p.m., Saturday night. Here are the finals pairings.
60 kg – Ildar Hafizov (Army WCAP) vs. Hayden Tuma (New York Athletic Club)
67 kg – Alejandro Sancho (Army WCAP) vs. Peyton Omania (Michigan)
77 kg – Kamal Bey (Army WCAP) vs. Benjamin Peak (Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club)
87 kg – Spencer Woods (Army WCAP) vs. Mahmoud Sebie (Florida)
97 kg – Josef Rau (Titan Mercury Wrestling Club) vs. Alan Vera (New York Athletic Club)
130 kg – Cohlton Schultz (Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club) vs. Adam Coon (Cliff Keen Wrestling Club)