LAS VEGAS, NV • Illinois’ Ellis Coleman and Kamal Bey have Greco’d themselves onto another World Team, and Illinois could not be prouder of the two Oak Park-River Forest alums and Olympians.
Over the years, the journey for each of these young men has been long, as well as filled with the ebbs and flows of an international wrestling career, and just life. However, as they have endured and grown, wrestling may be in their favor now more than ever.
As has been true of many Greco-goers, time wrestled, as well as age, have become more of a benefit to the discipline. In this, advancing and medaling may simply come down to their position, anticipation, and willingness to take chances.
For Ellis Coleman, a 2012 Olympian, his Open challenge tournament did not appear to be too much of a challenge as he won all three matches by way for technical superiority: 8-0, 9-0, 9-0.
In the finals, however, Coleman was pitted against Ildar Hafizov, a WCAP teammate and 2020 Olympian. For Greco fans, Coleman, who was the US representative in 2024, having to face the 2020 representative added a little bit of fanfare to the matchup.
For the first match, it was all Coleman, who seemingly carried over everything that he had already done throughout the course of his tournament. He won another 9-0 technical superiority, this time in 1:44, and he was now one match away from a World Team.
In the second match, however, after Coleman captured an early lead from an early passive point, and then a 2-2-2 sequence, leading 7-0, Coleman was closing in on another shut out and technical superiority. But, after Hafizov answered, going 2-2 to close out the first period, it looked like Coleman would need to dig in a little more heading into the second.
When the second period came, Coleman did just that. The second period would be a great deal of hand fighting, knee position, and wrist ties. In the end, Colman would earn one more point for passivity, and he would win the bout, 8-4.
For Coleman, who is gaining momentum from last year’s Olympic Team Trials, which he won, he will now be heading to his fifth Senior level World Championship.
Kamal Bey, who, in many circles, is considered the most explosive Greco-goer right now, and the US’s best chance at a World medal. The 2024 Olympian came in as the number one seed of the Open, and his Challenge Tournament was like that of Coleman.
Bey would win his first three matches by way of two technical superiorities, 10-0 and 10-0, and stuffed between them was a fall in 0:23.
For his championship bout, he would face a very familiar opponent in Aliaksandr Kikiniou. Prior to this match-up, the two have squared off in three other best-of-three championship series, and Bey won all three of those previous series.
This one, ultimately, would be no different. Bey would win his first match, 7-2, and then the second match, 5-0. With a fourth best-of-three championship win, Bey will move on and represent the United States at this year’s World Championships.
The 2025 World Championships will take place in Zagreb, Croatia, and both Coleman and Bey may be exactly where they need, wrestling possibly their best right now, to be to find success overseas.
Here is a look at Coleman’s tournament at 63kg:
Challenge Tournament
RD.32 • Bye
RD.16 • defeated Jayden Carson, Arkansas RTC • TS, 8-0 (1:26)
QTR-F • defeated Ty Lydic, NYAC • TS, 9-0 (1:53)
SEMI-F • defeated Riley Lomenick, OTC • TS, 9-0 (1:51)
Best-of-Three Championship
MATCH.01 • defeated Ildar Hafizov, Army WCAP • TS, 9-0 (1:44)
MATCH.02 • defeated Ildar Hafizov, Army WCAP • Dec, 8-4
Here is a look at Bey’s tournament at 77kg:
Challenge Tournament
RD.32 • defeated Bye
RD.16 • defeated Hunter Harwood, Southern Oregon RTC • TS, 10-0, 0:27
QTR-F • defeated Glenn Rhees, Greater Heights • Fall, 0:23
SEMI-F • defeated Aydin Rix McElhinn, NYAC/NMU • TS, 10-0 (0:42)
Best-of-Three Championship
MATCH.01 • defeated Aliaksan Kikiniou, NYAC • Dec, 7-2
MATCH.02 • defeated Aliaksan Kikiniou, NYAC • Dec, 5-0
Looking Ahead to Zagreb
Looking ahead, here is the schedule for the Senior World Championships in Zagreb, Croatia, for all three divisions: Greco-Roman, Women’s Freestyle, and Men’s Freestyle. The championships will take place from September 12th through the 21st. All times listed are Central Daylight Times, and they are approximate and as closely aligned with UWW’s schedule as possible.
Saturday, September 13th
03:30 a.m. • MFS:Qualification Round, 61-70-86-125kg
09:30 a.m. • MFS: Semifinals
Sunday, September 14th
03:30 a.m. • MFS:Repechages, 61-70-86-125kg
03:30 a.m. • MFS: Qualification Round, 57, 74, 79, 92kg
09:30 a.m. • MFS: Semifinals, 57, 74, 79, 92kg
11:00 a.m. • MFS: Finals, 61-70-86-125kg and Award Ceremonies
Monday, September 15th
03:30 a.m. • MFS:Repechages, 57-74-79-92kg
03:30 a.m. • MFS: Qualification Round, 65-97kg
03:30 a.m. • WFS: Qualification Round, 55-59kg
09:30 a.m. • MFS: Semifinals, 65-97kg
09:30 a.m. • WFS: Semifinals, 55-59kg
11:00 a.m. • MFS: Finals, 57-74-79-92kg and Award Ceremonies
Tuesday, September 16th
03:30 a.m. • MFS:Repechages, 65-97kg
03:30 a.m. • WFS:Repechages, 55-59kg
03:30 a.m. • WFS: Qualification Round, 50-57-65-76kg
09:30 a.m. • WFS: Semifinals, 50-57-65-76kg
11:00 a.m. • MFS: Finals, 65-97kg and Award Ceremonies
11:00 a.m. • WFS: Finals, 55-59kg and Award Ceremonies
Wednesday, September 17th
03:30 a.m. • WFS:Repechages, 50-57-65-76kg
03:30 a.m. • WFS: Qualification Round, 53-62-68-72kg
09:30 a.m. • WFS: Semifinals, 53-62-68-72kg
11:00 a.m. • WFS: Finals, 50-57-65-76kg and Award Ceremonies
Thursday, September 18th
03:30 a.m. • WFS:Repechages, 53-62-68-72kg
03:30 a.m. • GR: Qualification Round, 55-77-82-130kg
09:30 a.m. • GR: Semifinals, 55-77-82-130kg
11:00 a.m. • WFS: Finals, 53-62-68-72kg and Award Ceremonies
Friday, September 19th
03:30 a.m. • GR:Repechages, 55-77-82-130kg
03:30 a.m. • GR: Qualification Round, 60-72-97kg
09:30 a.m. • GR: Semifinals, 60-72-97kg
11:00 a.m. • GR: Finals, 55-77-82-130kg and Award Ceremonies
Saturday, September 20th
03:30 a.m. • GR:Repechages, 60-72-97kg
03:30 a.m. • GR: Qualification Round, 63-67-87kg
09:30 a.m. • GR: Semifinals, 63-67-87kg
11:00 a.m. • GR: Finals, 60-72-97kg and Award Ceremonies
Sunday, September 21st
09:30 a.m. • GR:Repechages, 63-67-87kg
11:00 a.m. • GR: Finals, 63-67-87kg and Award Ceremonies
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• TC LIFONTI / LEAD WRITER FOR ILLINOIS MATMEN / tclifonti.com
