Former college wrestling champs Cael Sanderson and Jordan Burroughs are among the picks to win gold at the 2012 World Wrestling Championships this week in Istanbul, according to a survey of 20 international wrestling journalists by TheMat.com posted Saturday.
Wrestling writers were asked to predict the champs in each weight class in men’s and women’s freestyle, and men’s Greco-Roman competition.
Sanderson, a four-time undefeated NCAA Division I mat champ at Iowa State (1999-2002) and 2004 Olympic gold medalist in freestyle, was named as the gold medal winner in 84 kg/185 pound freestyle competition by 15 of the 20 journalists surveyed. The 32-year-old Sanderson, currently head coach of the 2011 NCAA Division I team titlewinners Penn State, has not wrestled in international competition since winning gold in Athens at the 2004 Olympics.
Burroughs, a two-time NCAA D1 champ for the University of Nebraska, garnered seven votes from journalists who thought the 2011 Dan Hodge Trophy winner would claim gold in freestyle at 74 kg/163 pounds.
Three other former collegiate matmen each received one vote in the journalist survey:
- Reece Humphrey, NCAA All-American for Ohio State, competing in freestyle at 60 kg/132 pounds
- Jake Varner, two-time NCAA D1 champ at Iowa State, wrestling freestyle at 96 kg/211.5 pounds
- Tervel Dlagnev, two-time NCAA Division II heavyweight champ at University of Nebraska-Kearney, competing at 120 kg/264.5 pounds freestyle
Want to know more? Visit TheMat.com’s special coverage section for the 2011 World Wrestling Championships, Sept. 12-19, from Istanbul, Turkey. Section includes weight class previews, brackets, blogs, photos and more.
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