Victory photos of John Morgan, Travis Clark and Gabe Beauperthuy from the Grappling Worlds in Astana are courtesy of Rich Tado.

ASTANA, Kazakhstan – The United States won four medals, including three gold medals, in Veterans No-Gi Grappling on the first day of the 2018 United World Wrestling Grappling World Championships on Thursday.

Claiming gold medals in the Veterans 35-39 year old division were John Morgan (Huntington Beach, Calif./Hyper Modern Jiu Jitsu) at 71 kg and Travis Clark (Fort Worth, Texas (All American Wrestling Club) at Over 100 kg. In the Veterans 40-44 year old division, Gabe Beauperthuy (Colorado Springs, Colo./UTC) won a gold medal at Over 100 kg.

Morgan clinched his gold medal during round robin competition, winning his first two matches by submission, with rear naked chokes. He submitted Ravshanbek Sadyrbekov of Kazakhstan in 2:50 and Medet Tolegenov of Kazakhstan in 2:13. He did not compete in his third bout against Oleg Khachaturov of Russia, deciding to focus on the upcoming days of competition on the Veterans and Senior level.

“Morgan had the best jiujitsu of the night with go-go-gadget leg rides for the Rear Naked Choke,” said U.S. coach Eddy Ellis.

Clark won both of his bouts in a three-athlete roundrobin. He opened with an injury default win, taking down Murat Berdenov of Kazakhstan hard on the edge of the mat. Berdenov could not continue, and Clark won in just 12 seconds. In his second match, he broke open a close match late to stop Evgeniy Belyshev of Russia, 10-1.

Beauperthuy had one other opponent in his weight class, Aleksandr Astapov of Kazakhstan, which led to a best-of-three series for the gold. Scoring the only takedown, Beauperthuy won the first match 2-1. In the second round, Astapov chose to forfeit, giving the series to Beauperthuy. It was the third straight year Beauperthuy had won a gold medal in Veterans Grappling.

Adding a silver medal at 62 kg in the Veterans 40-44 age division was Aaron Johnson (Greenwood, Ind./Impact Indiana), with a 1-1 record. Johnson was edged in his opening bout by criteria, 2-2, against Aleksandr Serebrinnikov of Russia. He finished off his three-athlete roundrobin with a 2-1 win over Turlan Turuntayev of Kazakhstan.

Also competing on Thursday was Jeff Anderson, Zeeland, Mich. (Chicago WC) at 92 kg in the Veterans 45 and over division. Anderson lost his opening bout and did not qualify for repechage.

The list of medalists will be updated when the finals session ends.

The tournament continues with the Veterans division Gi Grappling on Friday, September 7. The Senior division will follow, with No-Gi competition on Saturday, September 8 and Gi competition on Sunday, September 9.

The entire tournament is being streamed live on FloGrappling. Astana is 10 hours ahead of U.S. Eastern time zone.

GRAPPLING WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Astana, Kazakhstan, September 6, 2018

U.S. Veterans No-Gi Grappling results

Veterans 35-39

71 kg – John Morgan, Huntington Beach, Calif. (Hyper Modern Jiu Jitsu), gold medal
WIN Ravshanbek Sadyrbekov (Kazakhstan), submission, 2:50, rear naked choke
WIN Medet Tolegenov (Kazakhstan), submission, 2:13, rear naked choke
LOSS Oleg Khachaturov (Russia), forfeit

100+ kg – Travis Clark, Fort Worth, Texas (All American Wrestling Club), gold medal
WIN Murat Berdenov (Kazakhstan), injury default, 0:12
WIN Evgeniy Belyshev (Russia), 10-1

Veterans 40-44

62 kg – Aaron Johnson, Greenwood, Ind. (Impact Indiana), silver medal
LOSS Aleksandr Serebrinnikov (Russia), 2-2 criteria
WIN Turlan Turuntayev (Kazakhstan), 2-1

100+ kg – Gabe Beauperthuy, Colorado Springs, Colo. (UTC), gold medal
WIN Aleksandr Astapov (Kazakhstan), 2-1
WIN Aleksandr Astapov (Kazakhstan), forfeit

Veterans 45 and over

92 kg – Jeff Anderson, Zeeland, Mich. (Chicago WC), did not medal
LOSS Makhat Adyl (Kazakhstan), 12-4
Veterans No-Gi Medalists

Veterans 35-39 medalists

62 kg
Gold – Zhalyn Romankulov(KAZ)
Silver – Yergali Zheksenbaiev (KAZ)
Bronze – Aibek Arsymbaev (KGZ)

66 kg
Gold – Aliy Tygyz (RUS)
Silver – Alexey Reznikov (RUS)
Bronze – Onalbek Sabyrzhulov (KAZ)

71 kg
Gold – John Morgan (USA)
Silver – Medet Tolegenov (KAZ)
Bronze – Oleg Khachaturov (RUS)

77 kg
Gold – Aslan Algeriev (RUS)
Silver – Kanat Primzhanov (KAZ)
Bronze – Vladyslav Soroka (UKR)

84 kg
Gold – Murad Sheykhov (RUS)
Silver – Seitbek Yesirkep (KAZ)
Bronze – Egor Tarasov (RUS)

92 kg
Gold – Arbi Umarov (KAZ)
Silver – Akbar Hadiyev (AZE)
Bronze – Nurbek Orosulbaev (KGZ)

100 kg
Gold – Muslim Tapaev (RUS)
Silver – Rustam Malayev (KAZ)
Bronze – Karen Pashikyan (KAZ)

Over 100 kg
Gold – Travis Clark (USA)
Silver – Evgeniy Belyshev (RUS)
Bronze – Marat Berdenov (KAZ)

71 kg and over Women
Gold – Caroline De Lazzer Cardoso (BRA)
Silver – Zhuldyz Aitmagambetova (KAZ)

Veterans 40-44 medalists

62 kg
Gold – Aleksandr Serebrinnikov (RUS)
Silver – Aaron Johnson (USA)
Bronze – Turlan Turuntayev (KAZ)

71 kg
Gold – Georgii Bozrov (RUS)
Silver – Kuanysh Topayev (KAZ)
Bronze – Almaz Ikhansov (KAZ

77 kg
Gold – Makism Egorov (RUS)
Silver – Daniyar Tilibaev (KGZ)

84
Gold – Marat Bolatbekov (KAZ)
Silver – Adam Mutsaev (RUS)
Bronze – Arman Akhmetzhanov (KAZ)

92
Gold – Abay Shuishiv (KAZ)
Silver – Viktor Korolev (RUS)

100 kg
Gold – Abdulla Aslanov (KAZ)
Silver – Jeyhun Guluzade (AZE)
Bronze – Nurlan Amanzhol (KAZ)

Over 100 kg
Gold – Gabe Beauperthuy (USA)
Silver – Aleksandr Astapov (KAZ)

Veterans 45 and over medalists

62 kg
Gold – Said Magomed Masiev (RUS)
Silver – Istvan Kleber (HUN)
Bronze – Victor Ilyenko (RUS)

66 kg
Gold – Marat Karakanov (KAZ)
Silver – Nurakhan Utepbergenov (KAZ)
Bronze – Nurkeldy Temirbekov (KAZ)

71 kg
Gold – Murat Marzhokhov (RUS)
Silver – Serikbay Nurmagambetov (KAZ)
Bronze – Evgeny Didenko (RUS)

77 kg
Gold – Dilshod Mirzakhodjaev (Uzbekistan)
Silver – Konstantin Ivlev (Kazakhstan)
Bronze – Omer Ephrat (Israel)

84 kg
Gold – Nurzhan Assilbekov (KAZ)
Silver – Sayat Shalabaev (KAZ)

92 kg
Gold – David Armendariz (Spain)
Silver – Askar Klushev (Kazakhstan)
Bronze – Imre Pogacsas (Hungary)
Bronze – Makhat Adyl (Kazakhstan)

100 kg
Gold – Batyrbek Ikhsatov (KAZ)
Silver – Khon Atama (KAZ)

Over 100 kg
Gold – Anuar Uksumbayev (KAZ)
Silver – Myrza Kuanish (KAZ)
Bronze – Sunatkul Egamberdiyev (KAZ)