UPDATE: Three U.S. wrestlers win gold at the 2000 Poland Open

Three U.S. wrestlers win gold medals at the 2000 Poland Open in Varvosie, Poland, February 24-26

Three U.S. wrestlers claimed gold medals for the U.S. at the 2000 Poland Open in Varvosie, Poland, February 24-26.

The gold medalists for the U.S. were: Les Gutches (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) at 187.25 pounds, Sean Bormet (Ann Arbor, Mich./Cliff Keen WC) at 167.5 pounds and Pat Santoro (Bethlehem, Pa./New York AC) at 152 pounds.

Gutches won five matches on his way to the gold medal. He won his pool first with a technical fall over Piotr Goral of Poland, 11-1, then a decision over Choi Dong-Ya of Korea, 8-0, then a pin over Tomasz Szczerek of Poland. In the semifinal match Gutches decisioned Alexsley Krupniakow of Russia, 10-1. He pinned Choi Dong-Ya of Korea in the finals.

Bormet won by a technical fall and pin over his first two opponents, then pinned Yacek Buzko of Poland in the semifinals. He decisioned Moon Eui-Yae of Korea, 6-0, to win the gold medal.

Santoro won his pool with a pin and a decision over his opponents. In the semifinals, Santoro decisioned Rusean Kokayev of Russia, 8-1, and won by a technical fall in the finals over Andrzey Kubiak of Poland, 10-0.

The U.S. claimed two silver medals at the tournament: Cary Kolat (Morgantown, W.Va./Dave Schultz WC) claimed the silver medal at 138.75 pounds and John Kading (Evanston, Ill./Wildcat WC) won the silver medal at 213.75 pounds.

Kolat won his pool with three technical falls over his opponents. He pinned Baek Jin-Kuk of Korea in the semifinals before losing by a pin to 1996 Olympic silver medalist Jang Jae-Sung of Korea in the finals.

Kading first decisioned Bartolomiey Bartnick of Poland, 8-3, then lost by technical fall to Siergiey Kabalewski of Russia, 10-0. He came back to pin Piotr Lesniak of Poland and win by technical fall over Andrey Kondratowicz of Poland, 10-0. Kading decisioned Mikolay Cukrow of Russia, 3-0 to make it to the gold-medal match but lost by a pin to Siergiey Kabalewski of Russia.

Those winning bronze medals for the U.S. were: Brian Dolph (Ridley Park, Pa./Dave Schultz WC) at 167.5 pounds, Johnny Curtis (Manassas, Va./Dave Schultz WC) at 213.75 pounds and Airron Richardson (Shaker Heights, Ohio/Team Excel) at 286 pounds.

Others placing for the U.S. include: Tim Dernlan (Columbus, Ohio/Ohio International) who finished fifth at 119 pounds, John Guira (New York, N.Y./Dave Schultz WC) placed seventh at 152 pounds and Tom Erikson (W. Lafayette, Ind./Sunkist Kids) finished eighth at 286 pounds. Erikson withdrew from the tournament due to an injury.

The United States placed third as a team, behind champion Russia and second-place Korea.

2000 POLAND OPEN

at Varvosie, Poland, February 24-26

Medalists

119 - 1st - Lazar Daninajev (Russia); 2nd - Pawet Kapitonov (Russia); 3rd - Siemion Nogowicyn (Russia)

127.75 - 1st - Yong Man-Park (Korea); 2nd - Matwiev Matviev (Russia); 3rd - Tadeusz Kowalski (Poland)

138.75 - 1st - Jang Yae-Sung (Korea); 2nd - Cary Kolat (USA); 3rd - Stas Zacharov (Russia)

152 - 1st - Pat Santoro (USA); 2nd - Andrzey Kubiak (Poland); 3rd - Rusean Kokayev (Russia)

167.5 - 1st - Sean Bormet (USA); 2nd - Moon Eui-Yae (Korea); 3rd - Brian Dolph (USA)

187.25 - 1st - Les Gutches (USA); 2nd - Choi Dong-Ya (Korea); 3rd - Mateusz Guchman (Poland)

213.75 - 1st - Sergei Kabalewski (Russia); 2nd - John Kading (USA); 3rd - Johnny Curtis (USA)

286 - 1st - Andrey Shumilin (Poland); 2nd - Marek Garmulewicz (Poland); 3rd - Airron Richardson (USA)

Team Standings

1. Russia, 2. Korea, 3. United States; 26 nations or Polish clubs participated in the event.

U.S. Performances

119 - Tim Dernlan, Columbus, Ohio, 5th- pinned Yacek Gavor (Poland); won by tech. fall over Waleriy Kulbertinov (Russia), 10-0; lost dec. to Lazar Damininayev (Russia), 6-4; won by tech. fall over Gienadiy Tulbea (Poland), 13-0; lost dec. to Jung Soon-Won (Korea), 10-1

138.75 - Cary Kolat, Morgantown, W. Va., 2nd - won by tech. fall over Ryszard Uesniewski (Poland), 11-0; won by tech. fall over Szymon Piatkowski (Poland), 10-0; won by tech. fall over Vlado Chamula (Poland), 11-0; pinned Baek Yin-Kuk (Korea); lost by pin to Jang Yae-Sung (Korea)

152 - Pat Santoro, Bethlehem, Pa., 1st - pinned Cezary Yastreb (Poland); dec. Krystan Brzozowski (Poland), 6-1; dec. Rusean Kokayev (Russia), 8-1; won by tech. fall over Andrzey Kubiak (Poland), 10-0

152 - John Guira, New York, N.Y., 7th - lost dec. to Yurly Zwierzysnki (Poland), 5-0; pinned Piotr Piecyk (Poland); lost dec. to Rusean Kokayev (Russia), 8-0

167.5 - Sean Bormet, Ann Arbor, Mich., 1st - won by tech. fall over Marek Yozwik (Poland), 11-0; pinned Inat Dzagurov (Russia); pinned Yacek Buzko (Poland); dec. Moon Eui-Yae (Korea), 6-0

167.5 - Brian Dolph, Ridley Park, Pa., 3rd - dec. Krzysztof Dyka (Poland), 9-0; pinned Yuray Dancak (Poland); lost by pin to Moon Eui-Yae (Korea)

187.25 - Les Gutches, Colorado Springs, Colo., 1st - won by tech. fall over Piotr Goral (Poland), 11-1; dec. Choi Don-Ya (Korea), 8-0; pinned Tomasz Szczerek (Poland); dec. Alexei Krupniakov (Russia), 10-1; pinned Choi Dong-Ya (Korea)

213.75 - John Kading, Evanston, Ill., 2nd - dec. Bartolomiey Bartnick (Poland), 8-3; lost by tech. fall to Siergiey Kabalewski (Russia), 10-0; pinned Piotr Lesniak (Poland); won by tech. fall over Andrey Kondratowicz (Poland), 10-0; dec. Nikolay Cukrow (Russia), 3-0; lost by pin to Siergiey Kabalewski (Russia)

213.75 - Johnny Curtis, Manassas, Va., 3rd - dec. Piotr Lesniak (Poland), 5-3; won by tech. fall over Victor Skrobacz (Poland), 11-0; lost dec. to Sergei Kabalewski (Russia), 3-1

286 - Airron Richardson, Shaker Heights, Ohio, 3rd -won by tech. fall over Przemyslov Sarnowski (Poland), 10-0; lost dec. to Andriey Shumlin (Poland), 3-1

286 - Tom Erikson, W. Lafayette, Ind., 8th - withdrew from tournament due to injury