1Congratulating Pennsylvania wrestlers for their performance in
2the USA Wrestling 2014 Asics National Open Championships.

3WHEREAS, USA Wrestling, the national governing body of the
4great Olympic sport of wrestling, hosted the 2014 Asics Open
5Wrestling Championships consisting of the U.S. Senior Open,
6Junior National Championships, Veterans National Championships
7and other events on April 19, 2014, in Las Vegas, Nevada; and

8WHEREAS, Pennsylvania, long a powerhouse in scholastic,
9collegiate and international wrestling, was well represented at
10the 2014 USA Wrestling National Open Championships; and

11WHEREAS, The USA Wrestling 2014 Asics National Open
12Championships, which was all the more notable because the
13Honorable Peter J. Wirs of the Pennsylvania Wrestling Club,
14Philadelphia, made international sports history by becoming the
15oldest person, at 59 years of age, to step onto an Olympic-
16sanctioned wrestling mat for his very first competitive bout in
17the Veterans Division, Class E, 85 Kg, Freestyle; and

18WHEREAS, Jake Varner of the Nittany Lions Wrestling Club,

1State College, continued his extraordinary career by winning the
2gold medal in the Seniors Division, 97 Kg, Freestyle, while
3teammate David Taylor won a silver medal in the Seniors
4Division, 74 Kg, Freestyle, in a thrilling bout against reigning
5Olympic gold medalist Jordan Burroughs, 7-6; and

6WHEREAS, The Nittany Lions Wrestling Club's Edward Ruth won a
7bronze medal and Quentin Wright placed 7th in the Seniors
8Division, 86 Kg, Freestyle, while David Zabriskie of Lehigh
9Valley Athletic Club, Bethlehem, placed 6th in the Seniors
10Division, 96 Kg, Freestyle, and teammate Zachery Rey placed 4th
11at 125 Kg, Freestyle; and

12WHEREAS, Mark Marshall, of Latrobe, and Eduard Aliakseyenka,
13of Philadelphia, each won the gold medal by technical fall in
14the Veterans Division, at Class D, 97 Kg, Freestyle, and Class
15C, 85 Kg, Freestyle, respectively; and

16WHEREAS, Mohammad Taheri, of the Pennsylvania Wrestling Club,
17placed 5th in the Veterans Division, Class E, 85 Kg, Freestyle
18and 4th in the Greco-Roman Division; and

19WHEREAS, Zain Retherford of the Nittany Lions Wrestling Club
20won the silver medal in the Junior Division, 66 Kg, Freestyle,
21while teammates Cody Law placed 7th in 70 Kg, Freestyle, and
22Garett Hammond placed 8th in 74 Kg, Freestyle; and

23WHEREAS, Pennsylvania was not represented in the Women's
24Senior Division nor in the Women's Greco-Roman Division, a
25matter which all Pennsylvania wrestling clubs are dedicated to
26resolving in future competition; therefore be it

27RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives extend its
28deepest appreciation and fullest congratulations to each of the
29wrestlers who, through exemplary dedication and discipline,
30represented this Commonwealth at the USA Wrestling 2014 Asics

1National Open Championships in wrestling, mankind's oldest and
2most demanding of all athletic competitions; and be it further

3RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution congratulating each
4wrestler be provided to the wrestlers' respective clubs.