Ramos wins two matches before stumbling at World Championships

LAS VEGAS – Tony Ramos received a second chance.

As much as he tried to take advantage of it, he couldn't parlay it into a medal-winning performance.

The Hawkeye Wrestling Club member and former University of Iowa NCAA champion was able to win two matches before being eliminated in the repechage round of the World Wrestling Championships Saturday at the Orleans Arena.

It was an improvement from last year's debut when he was 0-1 in this tournament, but still did not meet his expectations.

'I didn't get what I wanted,” Ramos said. 'I won a few matches. I got back on the backside. I battled hard with the guy I think is going to win the tournament. I've got to get over that hump and win that match.”

Ramos claimed his first two bouts, but fell to Iran's fourth-ranked Hassan Rahimi, who won a controversial finish on criteria between them in the World Cup in Los Angeles earlier this year.

When Rahimi made his way to the finals, Ramos was able to enter consolation competition for a chance to wrestle for bronze, but lost to Asadulla Lachinau of Belarus, ending his medal hopes.

'His scoring potential is greater than he showed,” said Iowa associate head coach Terry Brands, who was in his corner with twin brother and Hawkeye head coach, Tom Brands. 'He needs to understand that he has to have confidence in what he can do.”

Not much action occurred in the first with Rahimi taking a 1-0 lead to the break when Ramos didn't score while on the 30-second shot clock.

Things heated up when Ramos tied it 1-1 with a step out. With a little more than a minute left, Rahimi was placed on the clock, having to score or Ramos would take the lead. Rahimi shot as the clock wound down.

Ramos appeared to have defended it when he tried to score points of his own with a lift for exposure. Rahimi was able to come out on top to get a takedown and 3-1 win.

'I was trying to win the match,” Ramos said. 'I was trying to end it there.”

He may have been able to prevent points by clinching Rahimi, earning the point for a lead.

'You have to have awareness,” Terry Brands said, 'and the fortitude to know where you're at.”

Ramos can build on his successes. He dominated his opening match, scoring eight points in the final period for a 10-1 win over Columbia's Wber Munoz.

The second was tougher but he gutted out a victory against Uzbekistan's Makhmudjon Shavkatov, advancing to face Rahimi. Ramos had created offensive opportunities but couldn't capitalize. He fired a few shots in a row, getting in on a single and finishing for a 3-2 lead. Shavkatov added a point for a push out, but Ramos won 3-3 on criteria with the biggest scoring move.

'He has to come to the realization that things he does are good,” Terry Brands said. 'He can get better.”

Efforts similar to those two will be crucial to replicate as he tries to grow for the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team Trials in April that will be held at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City.

'I have to wrestle like I did those first three matches,” Ramos said. 'Smart, great position and getting into my offense. That second match (loss) I was out of position a lot. Let him get to my legs a lot and doing dumb things I wasn't doing earlier in the day. Just try and wrestle great through the whole tournament.”

The United States captured seven total medals, including titles from Kyle Snyder at 213 pounds in men's freestyle and Helen Maroulis (121) and Adeline Gray (165) in women's freestyle. Gray earned her fifth straight World medal and third title.

Jordan Burroughs reached the finals at 163, giving him a chance at a fourth World crown, which includes Olympic gold in 2012. Andy Bisek (165) added bronze in Greco-Roman and Leigh Janes (132) nabbed bronze in women's freestyle. James Green pinned Bulgaria's Miroslav Kirov for bronze at 154.

Snyder was impressive, becoming the youngest U.S. World champion at the age of 19. He was an NCAA runner-up as a freshman for Ohio State in March. Now, he's on top of the world, preparing for the Olympics.

'He doesn't appear to be 19,” USA Wrestling men's freestyle coach Bruce Burnett said. 'He's so mature for his age, but he's such a good student of the sport and he's looking and learns and filters out the good and the bad.

'He's tenacious. He works hard. He's on a mission every time he gets on the mat.”

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