On Sunday, the 35-year-old Felix battled his way through a weight class -- 55 kg -- that was filled with youth. In the Challenge Tournament, he defeated two college-age wrestlers and a high school wrestler half his age. On Sunday night, Felix defeated U.S. Nationals champion Nick Simmons to make his first U.S. World team.
"It's indescribable, really," said an emotional Felix after his finals victory. "I've just been working so hard and for so long. I've moved from state to state, just trying to pursue my dreams."
In Felix's corner coaching him was World champion Sammie Henson, a man who has been through thick and thin with Felix.
"Me and Sammie are best friends," said Felix, who made the decision to move down from 60 kg to 55 kg after Henson retired from competition. "Me and Sammie know each other probably better than our wives. I shouldn't say that, but … He's so special to me. He's in my heart. I've always been there for him through his tournaments and stuff. He's there for me now. It's perfect. I don't think it could have worked out any better."
Felix now sets his sights on competing at the 2009 World Wrestling Championships in Herning, Denmark, Sept. 21-27.
"I can't wait to get back in the room and work some things and scout my opponents and people who are in my weight in the world," said Felix. "I feel I'm the best guy out there. If I wrestle to my ability, I'm the best guy."
The other three U.S. World Team Trials champions crowned on Saturday night in the freestyle competition were Trent Paulson (66 kg), Jake Herbert (84 kg), and Tervel Dlagnev (120 kg).
Paulson, a Council Bluffs native, electrified his home crowd, with two straight victories over Challenge Tournament champion Jared Frayer. For Paulson the last two days have been an emotional rollercoaster. Last night, his twin brother, Travis, lost in the best-of-3 finals at 74 kg to Dustin Schlatter.
"Last night kind of broke my heart," said Paulson, who won an NCAA title in 2007 for Iowa State. "It was pretty hard for me to get going today. I did the best thing I could do to lift Travis' spirits, which was make that World team, and bring him as my training partner."
Herbert, who recently capped off his collegiate wrestling career at Northwestern with his second NCAA title, needed three matches to defeat Bryce Hasseman. Herbert had high praise for his finals opponent.
"Bryce is very tough," said Herbert. "He's been wrestling fantastic. Each year, he gets better and better. He's so big and he's so strong. And he's so solid in position. It's really hard for me to get moving and get through him. He's probably the biggest 84-kg guy in the world."
He likes the makeup up the new-look U.S. World team.
"I'm excited," said Herbert. "We have a great World team. We're pretty young. Great group of guys. It's going to be fun. The rest of the world better watch out because USA is coming."
"We're all really close, which is great," continued Herbert. "That's just going to help that team unity."
Dlagnev, who won the Challenge Tournament, defeated 2008 Olympian Steve Mocco in an intense, controversial three-match series.
"It feels amazing, especially in front of so many of my friends and family," said Dlagnev, who won two NCAA titles at Nebraska Kearney, a college located less than 200 miles from Council Bluffs. "My coaches have been so great. I can't take any of the credit."
All three U.S. World Team Trials champions crowned in the Greco-Roman competition on Sunday night were first-time champions. Those wrestlers included Jeremiah Davis (60 kg), Faruk Sahin (66 kg), and R.C. Johnson (96 kg).
Davis, who started his Greco-Roman career at Northern Michigan before joining the U.S. Army wrestling team, defeated teammate Glenn Garrison in two straight matches. Five U.S. Army wrestlers reached the Greco-Roman finals, three won titles, and several placed. So what's the competition like in the wrestling Army room?
"It's ridiculous," said Davis. "It's Nationals every day. That's how I could describe it."
Sahin, who was born and raised in Turkey but naturalized as a U.S. citizen in 2004, defeated Mark Rial in two straight matches, posting shutouts in all four periods.
"I knew all of my opponents," said Sahin, who admitted that he was battling injuries and wasn't ready for the competition. "It was all tactical and it worked. They are all great wrestlers. I love wrestling with them. I wish I were their age so I could go push them a little harder."
Johnson, a Minnesota native who spent time at Northern Michigan before moving to Colorado Springs to train at the U.S. Olympic Training Center. He placed third at the Trials in 2006, 2007, and 2008.
"I feel good," said Johnson. "It's about time. Long overdue."
In the women's freestyle competition on Sunday night, Clarissa Chun (48 kg), Tatiana Padilla (55 kg), Elena Pirozhkova (63) won titles.
BEST-OF-3 FINALS RESULTS
FREESTYLE
55 kg/121 lbs.
Danny Felix defeated Nick Simmons, 2 matches to 1
Felix dec. Simmons 0-1, 2-0, 1-0
Simmons dec. Felix, 1-1, 2-0
Felix dec. Simmons, 2-1, 1-0
66 kg/145.5 lbs.
Trent Paulson defeated Jared Frayer, 2 matches to 0
Paulson dec. Frayer, 1-0, 0-3, 2-2
Paulson dec. Frayer, 2-0, 1-0
84 kg/185 lbs.
Jake Herbert defeated Bryce Hasseman, 2 matches to 1
Herbert dec. Hasseman 0-1, 3-2, 1-0
Hasseman dec. Herbert, 0-1,1-0, 3-1
Herbert dec. Hasseman, 1-0, 1-1
120 kg/264.5 lbs.
Tervel Dlagnev defeated Steve Mocco, 2 matches to 1
Dlagnev dec. Mocco, 0-1, 1-0, 1-0
Mocco dec. Dlagnev, 0-3, 3-0, 2-2
Dlagnev dec. Mocco, 3-0, 1-1
GRECO-ROMAN
60 kg/132 lbs.
Jeremiah Davis defeated Glenn Garrison, 2 matches to 0
Davis dec. Garrison, 2-0, 0-1, 2-0
Davis dec. Garrison, 4-0, 5-0
66 kg/145.5 lbs.
Faruk Sahin defeated Mark Rial, 2 matches to 0
Sahin dec. Rial, 2-0, 1-0
Sahin dec. Rial, 1-0, 5-0
96 kg/211.5 lbs.
R.C. Johnson defeated Peter Gounaridis, 2 matches to 0
Johnson dec. Gounaridis, 1-0, 1-0
Johnson dec. Gounaridis, 4-3, 1-0
WOMEN'S FREESTYLE
48 kg/105.5 lbs.
Clarissa Chun defeated Alyssa Lampe, 2 matches to 0
Chun dec. Lampe, 4-0, 1-1
Chun pins Lampe, 0:17
55 kg/121 lbs.
Tatiana Padilla defeated Leigh Jaynes, 2 matches to 1
Jaynes dec. Padilla, 3-0, 1-0
Padilla pinned Jaynes, 0-3, 1:27
Padilla dec. Jaynes, 2-0, 2-0
63 kg/138.75 lbs.
Elena Pirozhkova defeated Vanessa Oswalt, 2 matches to 0
Pirozhkova dec. Oswalt, 2-0, 4-0
Pirozhkova dec. Oswalt, 2-0, 4-1
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