Hazewinkel, Byers place second at the Hungary Grand Prix

– U.S. wrestlers Dremiel Byers (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army) and Sam Hazewinkel (Norman, Okla./Gator WC) claimed silver medals at the Hungary Grand Prix, March 1-2.

Hazewinkel went 4-0 at 55 kg/121 lbs. with wins over opponents from Romania, Kazakhstan, and two wrestlers from Belarus. He lost in the gold medal finals to Bekkhan Mankiev of Russia in the finals (0-6, 2-3).

Byers dropped a close match to Riza Kayaalp of Turkey (1-1, 0-3, 1-1) in the gold medal match at 120 kg/264.5 lbs. He had previously beaten wrestlers from Belarus, Iran, and two different opponents from Poland to reach the finals. Byers was a 2002 World champion and a 2007 World bronze medalist.

Two other U.S. Greco-Roman wrestlers finished in top 10s, R.C. Johnson (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) was seventh at 96 kg/211.5 lbs. and Spenser Mango (Flourissant, Mo./Gator WC) was 10th at 55 kg/121 lbs.

A total of 16 U.S. athletes took part in the two-day competition. Match results are not yet available for the 96 kg/211.5 lbs. weight class.

Hungary Grand Prix
Szombathely, Hungary
March 1-2, 2008

Greco-Roman Medalists

55 kg/121 lbs.
Gold - Bekkhan Mankiev (Russia)
Silver – Sam Hazewinkel (USA)
Bronze – Natig Baghirov (Azerbaijan)
Bronze – Marat Garipov (Kazakhstan)

60 kg/132 lbs.
Gold – Davor Stefanek (Serbia)
Silver – Hamid Bavavaz (Iran)
Bronze – Nurbakyt Tengizbayev (Kazakhstan)
Bronze – Eun-chol Park (Korea)

66 kg/145.5 lbs.
Gold – Tamas Lorincz (Hungary)
Silver – Farid Mansurov (Azerbaijan)
Bronze – Seref Eroglu (Turkey)
Bronze – Steeve Guenot (France)

74 kg/163 lbs.
Gold – Aleh Michalovich (Belarus)
Silver – Mark Madsen (Denmark)
Bronze – Aliaksandr Kikiniou (Belarus)
Bronze – Tsukasa Turumaki (Japan)

84 kg/185 lbs.
Gold – Badri Khasaia (Georgia)
Silver – Andrei Baranouski (Belarus)
Bronze – Jung-sub Kim (Korea)
Bronze – Viachaslau Makaranka (Belarus)

96 kg/211.5 lbs.
Gold – Jimmy Alexander Lidberg (Sweden)
Silver – Mohamed Gaber Ibrahim Karam (Egypt)
Bronze – Andrzej Deberny (Poland)
Bronze – Mehmet Ozal (Turkey)

120 kg/264.5 lbs.
Gold – Riza Kayaalp (Turkey)
Silver – Dremiel Byers (USA)
Bronze – Siarhei Artsiukhin (Belarus)
Bronze – Bashir Babjanzadeh (Iran)

U.S. Greco-Roman performances

55 kg/121 lbs. – Sam Hazewinkel, Norman, Okla. (Gator WC), silver medal
WIN Jan Hocko (Czech Republic), 3-0, 3-0
WIN Pavel Kramarz (Poland), 3-3, 5-1
WIN Marat Garipov (Kazakhstan), 6-0, 0-3, 8-5
WIN Virgil Munteanu (Romania), 5-2, 5-0
LOSS Bekkhan Mankiev (Russia), 0-6, 2-3

55 kg/121 lbs. – Spenser Mango, Flourissant, Mo. (Gator WC), 10th
WIN Mechman Alaev (Israel), 2-1, 2-4, 7-0
LOSS Marat Garipov (Kazakhstan), 5-4, 0-3, 1-1

55 kg/121 lbs. – Nate Engel, St. Helena, Calif. (Gator WC), DNP/27th
LOSS Virgil Munteanu (Romania), 0-7, 0-5

60 kg/132 lbs. – James Gruenwald, Marquette, Mich. (Sunkist Kids), DNP/20th
LOSS Yury Dubinin (Belarus), 0-4, 3-0, 0-3

60 kg/132 lbs. – Kerry Regner, Darlington, Pa. (USOEC), DNP/23rd
LOSS Edward Barsegjan (Poland), 1-1, 0-5

60 kg/132 lbs. – Glenn Garrison, Colorado Spring, Colo. (U.S. Army), DNP/24th
LOSS Eric Buisson (France), 1-1, 0-4, 0-4

66 kg/145.5 lbs. – Faruk Sahin, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army), DNP/27th
LOSS Tsutomu Fujimura (Japan), 1-2, 0-6

74 kg/163 lbs. – Ken Cook, Sacramento, Calif. (Aggie WC), DNP/11th
WIN Hee-Bok Kang (Korea)
LOSS Aliaksandr Kikiniou (Belarus), 4-4, 1-2

74 kg/163 lbs. – Harry Lester, Akron, Ohio (Gator WC), DNP/18th
LOSS Mark Madsen (Denmark), 0-6, 5-1, 3-6

74 kg/163 lbs. – Cheney Haight, Orem, Utah (New York AC), DNP/30th
LOSS Mohammad Resa Babulfath (Sweden), 0-3, 1-1, 0-4

84 kg/185 lbs. – Keith Sieracki, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army), DNP/15th
WIN Amer Hrustanovic (Austria), 1-1, 0-3, 1-1
LOSS Attila Batky (Slovakia), 0-2, 1-1, 1-1

84 kg/185 lbs. – Jake Plamann, Kaukauna, Wisc. (Gator WC), DNP/21st
LOSS Melonin Noumonvi (France), 1-1, 0-4, 3-4

96 kg/211.5 lbs. – R.C. Johnson, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids), 7th

96 kg/211.5 lbs. – John Wechter,East Lansing, Mich. (Sunkist Kids), DNP/21st

120 kg/264.5 lbs. – Dremiel Byers, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army), silver medal
WIN Marek Ryszard Mikulski (Poland), 3-0, 3-0
WIN Bashir Babjanzadeh (Iran), 2-0, 0-3, 3-0
WIN Lukasz Bahak (Poland), 4-0, 3-0
WIN Loseb Chugoshvili (Belarus), 1-1, 2-1
LOSS Riza Kayaalp (Turkey), 1-1, 0-3, 1-1

120 kg/264.5 lbs. – Cole Konrad, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm), DNP/18th
LOSS Siarhei Artziukhin (B

– U.S. wrestlers Dremiel Byers (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army) and Sam Hazewinkel (Norman, Okla./Gator WC) claimed silver medals at the Hungary Grand Prix, March 1-2.

Hazewinkel went 4-0 at 55 kg/121 lbs. with wins over opponents from Romania, Kazakhstan, and two wrestlers from Belarus. He lost in the gold medal finals to Bekkhan Mankiev of Russia in the finals (0-6, 2-3).

Byers dropped a close match to Riza Kayaalp of Turkey (1-1, 0-3, 1-1) in the gold medal match at 120 kg/264.5 lbs. He had previously beaten wrestlers from Belarus, Iran, and two different opponents from Poland to reach the finals. Byers was a 2002 World champion and a 2007 World bronze medalist.

Two other U.S. Greco-Roman wrestlers finished in top 10s, R.C. Johnson (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) was seventh at 96 kg/211.5 lbs. and Spenser Mango (Flourissant, Mo./Gator WC) was 10th at 55 kg/121 lbs.

A total of 16 U.S. athletes took part in the two-day competition. Match results are not yet available for the 96 kg/211.5 lbs. weight class.

Hungary Grand Prix
Szombathely, Hungary
March 1-2, 2008

Greco-Roman Medalists

55 kg/121 lbs.
Gold - Bekkhan Mankiev (Russia)
Silver – Sam Hazewinkel (USA)
Bronze – Natig Baghirov (Azerbaijan)
Bronze – Marat Garipov (Kazakhstan)

60 kg/132 lbs.
Gold – Davor Stefanek (Serbia)
Silver – Hamid Bavavaz (Iran)
Bronze – Nurbakyt Tengizbayev (Kazakhstan)
Bronze – Eun-chol Park (Korea)

66 kg/145.5 lbs.
Gold – Tamas Lorincz (Hungary)
Silver – Farid Mansurov (Azerbaijan)
Bronze – Seref Eroglu (Turkey)
Bronze – Steeve Guenot (France)

74 kg/163 lbs.
Gold – Aleh Michalovich (Belarus)
Silver – Mark Madsen (Denmark)
Bronze – Aliaksandr Kikiniou (Belarus)
Bronze – Tsukasa Turumaki (Japan)

84 kg/185 lbs.
Gold – Badri Khasaia (Georgia)
Silver – Andrei Baranouski (Belarus)
Bronze – Jung-sub Kim (Korea)
Bronze – Viachaslau Makaranka (Belarus)

96 kg/211.5 lbs.
Gold – Jimmy Alexander Lidberg (Sweden)
Silver – Mohamed Gaber Ibrahim Karam (Egypt)
Bronze – Andrzej Deberny (Poland)
Bronze – Mehmet Ozal (Turkey)

120 kg/264.5 lbs.
Gold – Riza Kayaalp (Turkey)
Silver – Dremiel Byers (USA)
Bronze – Siarhei Artsiukhin (Belarus)
Bronze – Bashir Babjanzadeh (Iran)

U.S. Greco-Roman performances

55 kg/121 lbs. – Sam Hazewinkel, Norman, Okla. (Gator WC), silver medal
WIN Jan Hocko (Czech Republic), 3-0, 3-0
WIN Pavel Kramarz (Poland), 3-3, 5-1
WIN Marat Garipov (Kazakhstan), 6-0, 0-3, 8-5
WIN Virgil Munteanu (Romania), 5-2, 5-0
LOSS Bekkhan Mankiev (Russia), 0-6, 2-3

55 kg/121 lbs. – Spenser Mango, Flourissant, Mo. (Gator WC), 10th
WIN Mechman Alaev (Israel), 2-1, 2-4, 7-0
LOSS Marat Garipov (Kazakhstan), 5-4, 0-3, 1-1

55 kg/121 lbs. – Nate Engel, St. Helena, Calif. (Gator WC), DNP/27th
LOSS Virgil Munteanu (Romania), 0-7, 0-5

60 kg/132 lbs. – James Gruenwald, Marquette, Mich. (Sunkist Kids), DNP/20th
LOSS Yury Dubinin (Belarus), 0-4, 3-0, 0-3

60 kg/132 lbs. – Kerry Regner, Darlington, Pa. (USOEC), DNP/23rd
LOSS Edward Barsegjan (Poland), 1-1, 0-5

60 kg/132 lbs. – Glenn Garrison, Colorado Spring, Colo. (U.S. Army), DNP/24th
LOSS Eric Buisson (France), 1-1, 0-4, 0-4

66 kg/145.5 lbs. – Faruk Sahin, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army), DNP/27th
LOSS Tsutomu Fujimura (Japan), 1-2, 0-6

74 kg/163 lbs. – Ken Cook, Sacramento, Calif. (Aggie WC), DNP/11th
WIN Hee-Bok Kang (Korea)
LOSS Aliaksandr Kikiniou (Belarus), 4-4, 1-2

74 kg/163 lbs. – Harry Lester, Akron, Ohio (Gator WC), DNP/18th
LOSS Mark Madsen (Denmark), 0-6, 5-1, 3-6

74 kg/163 lbs. – Cheney Haight, Orem, Utah (New York AC), DNP/30th
LOSS Mohammad Resa Babulfath (Sweden), 0-3, 1-1, 0-4

84 kg/185 lbs. – Keith Sieracki, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army), DNP/15th
WIN Amer Hrustanovic (Austria), 1-1, 0-3, 1-1
LOSS Attila Batky (Slovakia), 0-2, 1-1, 1-1

84 kg/185 lbs. – Jake Plamann, Kaukauna, Wisc. (Gator WC), DNP/21st
LOSS Melonin Noumonvi (France), 1-1, 0-4, 3-4

96 kg/211.5 lbs. – R.C. Johnson, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids), 7th

96 kg/211.5 lbs. – John Wechter,East Lansing, Mich. (Sunkist Kids), DNP/21st

120 kg/264.5 lbs. – Dremiel Byers, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army), silver medal
WIN Marek Ryszard Mikulski (Poland), 3-0, 3-0
WIN Bashir Babjanzadeh (Iran), 2-0, 0-3, 3-0
WIN Lukasz Bahak (Poland), 4-0, 3-0
WIN Loseb Chugoshvili (Belarus), 1-1, 2-1
LOSS Riza Kayaalp (Turkey), 1-1, 0-3, 1-1

120 kg/264.5 lbs. – Cole Konrad, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm), DNP/18th
LOSS Siarhei Artziukhin (B