GROZNY, Russia — The Cliff Keen Wrestling Club’s Jimmy Kennedy captured a bronze medal at 60 kg/132 pounds at the Ramzan Kadyrov Cup on Sunday (Oct. 14) at the Wrestling Hall. The medal was the first for Kennedy in his international freestyle career.
Kennedy finished the tournament with a 4-1 record. He opened up with victories over two Russian opponents and a forfeit win over 2012 University World champion Vasyl Shuptar of Ukraine.
He rallied to claim his quarterfinal match against Russia’s Akhmed Chakaev, 0-3, 4-3, 5-2, opening up the contest with a three-point takedown late in the second period before gassing the Russian in the third to complete the comeback.
“I thought I wrestled extremely tough in this tournament,” said Kennedy. “I got on my attacks right away and was able to score. It was a real big ego booster winning that quarterfinal match the way I did, coming back after losing that first period. I was winning 1-0 in the second and hit a real nice single that I changed off to a double when he went to bodylock me and I planted him right on his back. After that score, I really started feeling it. I knew in my head I could win the tournament, and I was right there with these guys, so that’s what I wanted to make sure I did. I didn’t want to get comfortable losing to foreigners and being okay with it, so after universities I told myself I wasn’t coming home empty handed. This tournament was more of a test against myself than anything else.”
Kennedy’s only loss came in the semifinals, when he was defeated by eventual champion Alexander Bogomaev of Russia, 1-0, 5-0. Bogomaev won the match on a first-period clinch and a pair of takedowns, including a late three-pointer and subsequent hold, in the second. Bogomaev has already won five international tournaments in 2012, and was third at the 2012 Ivan Yarygin Grand Prix.
Kennedy bounced back to win his bronze-medal match 1-0, 1-0 over a Russian opponent, scoring on a first-period pushout and second-period clinch.
CKWC Results
Jimmy Kennedy, 60kg/132 pounds
First round – tech. fall Saidmagomed Masiev (Russia), 6-0, 6-0
Second Round – win by forfeit over Vasyl Shuptar (Ukraine)
Quarterfinals – dec. Akhmed Chakaev (Russia), 0-3, 4-3, 5-2
Semifinals – dec. by Alexander Bogomaev (Russia), 1-0, 5-0
Bronze-Medal Match – dec. (Russia), 1-0, 1-0
Claimed bronze with a 4-1 record