Barber Guides Team USA Wrestling to Pair of Gold Medals at 2018 Youth Olympic Games
10/15/2018 4:09:00 PM | Wrestling
They are the first two gold medals in the history of team USA's youth wrestling program
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina – Air Force Academy head wrestling coach Sam Barber has concluded his time as the head coach of Team USA's youth wrestling team at the 2018 Youth Olympic Games, in Buenos Aires, Argentina. It was a historic weekend for Barber and USA Wrestling, as he helped guide a pair of grapplers to the first gold medals in team USA's Youth Wrestling history.
The weekend began with the women's freestyle event, Saturday, Oct. 13, as Emily Shilson of Maple Grove, Minn. became the first U.S. wrestler to win a gold medal at the Youth Olympic Games with her victory at 43 kg. Shilson went a perfect 5-0, including two technical falls and a pin.
On Sunday, Oct. 14, the winning continued for Team USA, as Robert Howard of Cranford, N.J. won a gold medal at 55 kg in men's freestyle. Howard won all three of his matches to take gold, including a 17-6 technical fall in the finals match.
Barber also coached two other athletes in both women's and men's freestyle, as Tiare Ikei of Honolulu, Hawaii took sixth place at 49 kg. after going 2-3, while Carson Manville of Kingston, Pa. placed fourth at 65 kg. with a record of 1-2.
Coming into this year's competition, the USA has won five previous Youth Olympic Games medals, including four silver and a bronze, but Shilson and Howard are now the first male and female wrestlers to take home the gold.
"We had a great team effort. All four athletes competed to the best of their ability. It was a great effort by all. They carried themselves like the professional athletes that they will become. With one coach down here, I couldn't get it done without that team effort. I want to thank the parents, Kelly Howard, Susan Manville, Chad Ikei and Chad Shilson, for stepping in as part of the team. Everyone came together, and the result was a great trip to Argentina," said Barber.
U.S. Women's freestyle performances
43 kg/94.5 lbs - Emily Shilson, Maple Grove, Minn., gold medal
WIN Justine Fanny Vigouroux (France), 5-0
WIN Heloisa Elena Martinez (Brazil), tech. fall 10-0
WIN Shahana Nazarova (Azerbaijan), tech. fall 12-1
WIN Christianah Tolulope Ogansanya (Nigeria) pin
WIN Simran Simran (India), 11-6
49 kg/108 lbs. - Tiare Ikei, Honolulu, Hawaii, 6th place
WIN Maria Jose Mosquera Rojas (Venezuela), tech. fall 12-2
LOSS Natalia Varakina (Belarus), 6-0
LOSS Shokina Akhmedova (Uzbekistan), pin
WIN Nilufar Raimova (Kazakhstan), 8-0
LOSS Roza Szenttamasi (Hungary), 3-0
U.S. Men's freestyle wrestling performance
55 kg/121 lbs. - Robert Howard, Cranford, N.J., gold medal
WIN Hayato Fujita (Japan), tech. fall 13-2
WIN Vladyslav Ostapenko (Ukraine), 10-5
WIN Hernan David Almendra (Argentina), tech. fall, 17-16
65 kg/143 lbs. - Carson Manville, Kingston, Pa., 4th place
WIN Fathi Tarek Fathi Attia Ismail (Egypt), 12-3
LOSS Mohammad Baghi Karimiseifabad (Iran), tech. fall 10-0
LOSS Inayat Ullah (Pakistan), 6-2
The weekend began with the women's freestyle event, Saturday, Oct. 13, as Emily Shilson of Maple Grove, Minn. became the first U.S. wrestler to win a gold medal at the Youth Olympic Games with her victory at 43 kg. Shilson went a perfect 5-0, including two technical falls and a pin.
On Sunday, Oct. 14, the winning continued for Team USA, as Robert Howard of Cranford, N.J. won a gold medal at 55 kg in men's freestyle. Howard won all three of his matches to take gold, including a 17-6 technical fall in the finals match.
Barber also coached two other athletes in both women's and men's freestyle, as Tiare Ikei of Honolulu, Hawaii took sixth place at 49 kg. after going 2-3, while Carson Manville of Kingston, Pa. placed fourth at 65 kg. with a record of 1-2.
Coming into this year's competition, the USA has won five previous Youth Olympic Games medals, including four silver and a bronze, but Shilson and Howard are now the first male and female wrestlers to take home the gold.
"We had a great team effort. All four athletes competed to the best of their ability. It was a great effort by all. They carried themselves like the professional athletes that they will become. With one coach down here, I couldn't get it done without that team effort. I want to thank the parents, Kelly Howard, Susan Manville, Chad Ikei and Chad Shilson, for stepping in as part of the team. Everyone came together, and the result was a great trip to Argentina," said Barber.
U.S. Women's freestyle performances
43 kg/94.5 lbs - Emily Shilson, Maple Grove, Minn., gold medal
WIN Justine Fanny Vigouroux (France), 5-0
WIN Heloisa Elena Martinez (Brazil), tech. fall 10-0
WIN Shahana Nazarova (Azerbaijan), tech. fall 12-1
WIN Christianah Tolulope Ogansanya (Nigeria) pin
WIN Simran Simran (India), 11-6
49 kg/108 lbs. - Tiare Ikei, Honolulu, Hawaii, 6th place
WIN Maria Jose Mosquera Rojas (Venezuela), tech. fall 12-2
LOSS Natalia Varakina (Belarus), 6-0
LOSS Shokina Akhmedova (Uzbekistan), pin
WIN Nilufar Raimova (Kazakhstan), 8-0
LOSS Roza Szenttamasi (Hungary), 3-0
U.S. Men's freestyle wrestling performance
55 kg/121 lbs. - Robert Howard, Cranford, N.J., gold medal
WIN Hayato Fujita (Japan), tech. fall 13-2
WIN Vladyslav Ostapenko (Ukraine), 10-5
WIN Hernan David Almendra (Argentina), tech. fall, 17-16
65 kg/143 lbs. - Carson Manville, Kingston, Pa., 4th place
WIN Fathi Tarek Fathi Attia Ismail (Egypt), 12-3
LOSS Mohammad Baghi Karimiseifabad (Iran), tech. fall 10-0
LOSS Inayat Ullah (Pakistan), 6-2
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