Ruiz Second Former Husker to Medal at Worlds

All-America wrestler Justin Ruiz was the second former NU wrestler to earn a medal at the 2005 World Championships in Budapest, Hungary.  Ruiz won the bronze medal in the 96kg division of Greco-Roman wrestling, joining 120kg freestyle bronze medalist Tolly Thompson as former Huskers who earned medals at the World Championships.

 

Ruiz began his run to the bronze with a dominant victory over Azat Erkimbaev of Kazakhastan.  Ruiz won the first period 4-0 and was ahead 1-0 when Erkimbaev was disqualified for his third caution.

 

In the preliminaries, Ruiz defeated Marek Svec of the CzechRepublic, 3-0, 0-5, 1-1.  Ruiz won the first period 3-0, then rebounded from a five-point reverse body lock from Svec in the second period to earn the win in the third period.

 

Ruiz rebounded from his quarterfinal loss to Hungary’s Lajos Virag to defeat Shata Narmaniya of Belarus, 3-1, 2-0, in his first wrestleback match.  Ruiz clinched the bronze medal when his opponent, Margulan Assembekov of Kazakhstan, was disqualified in the third period.

 

Another former Husker, Brad Vering, lost by fall to Ntante Charempasvili of Greece in his first round match in Greco-Roman Wrestling at 84kg.