Ruiz wins gold medal on last day of Vantaa Cup in Finland

Justin Ruiz (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC), claimed a gold medal at 96 kg/211.5 pounds during the final day of competition at the Vantaa Cup in Vantaa, Finland on Sunday.

It was the third gold medal won by an American Greco-Roman wrestler during the two-day tournament. Capturing titles on Saturday were Brad Vering (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) at 84 kg/185 lbs. and Dremiel Byers (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army) at 120 kg/264.5 lbs.

Ruiz, a 2005 World bronze medalist, won four matches to claim the title. He defeated Timo Kallio of Finland in the gold-medal finals, 2-0, 1-1, 5-0.

Other victories were over Pasi Pietila of Finland, 4-0, 7-0, Justin Millard of the United States, 2-4, 7-0, 6-0 and Kim Jung-Sub of Korea by pin in 1:23.

No other U.S. wrestlers won medals on Sunday. Three U.S. wrestlers placed fifth, after losing in the bronze-medal round: Kerry Regner (Darlington, Pa./USOEC) at 60 kg/132 lbs., Glenn Garrison (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army) at 60 kg/132 lbs. and Phil Johnston, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army) at 96 kg/211.5 lbs.

VANTAA CUP
At Vantaa, Finland, Nov. 25

Medalists

60 kg/132 lbs.
Gold - Jung Kyung-Ho (Korea)
Silver - Yuri Denisov (Russia)
Bronze - Maksym Miagkyi (Ukraine)
Bronze - Aslan Abdullin (Russia)

74 kg/163 lbs.
Gold - Jung Tae-Kyun (Korea)
Silver - Julian Kwit (Poland)
Bronze - Adlan Murtazaliev (Russia)
Bronze - Ari Harkanen (Finland)

96 kg/211.5 lbs
Gold - Justin Ruiz (USA)
Silver - Timo Kallio (Finland)
Bronze - Andrzej Deberny (Poland)
Bronze - Pasi Pietila (Finland)

U.S. performances

60 kg/132 lbs. - Willie Madison, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Gator WC), dnp
WIN Terho Kettunen (Finland), 1-2, 4-1, 6-2
LOSS Kerry Regner (USA), 6-0, 1-1, 1-1

60 kg/132 lbs. - Glenn Garrison, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army), 5th
WIN Ville Pasanen (Finland), 5-3, 7-3
WIN Eun-Chol Park (Korea), 1-1, 5-0, 3-0
LOSS Jung Kyung-Ho (Korea), 0-2, 2-6
LOSS Aslan Abdullin (Russia), 4-1, 0-7, 0-2

60 kg/132 lbs. - Andrew Hogan, Quantico, Va. (U.S. Marine Corps), dnp
LOSS Aslan Abdullin (Russia), 0-7, 0-6

60 kg/132 lbs. - Kerry Regner, Darlington, Pa., (USOEC), 5th
WIN Jonni Laulainen (Finland), 5-1, 6-0
WIN Willie Madison (USA), 0-6, 1-1, 1-1
WIN Przemyslaw Podedworny (Poland), 6-0, pin
LOSS Yuri Denisov (Russia), 0-7, 0-3
LOSS Maksym Miagkyi (Ukraine), 0-2, 0-2

60 kg/132 lbs. - Noah Blankenship, Quantico, Va. (U.S. Marine Corps), dnp
LOSS Eun-Chol Park (Korea), 0-6, 0-6

74 kg/163 lbs. - Jess Hargrave, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army), dnp
LOSS Mykola Daragan (Russia), 0-4, 0-3

74 kg/163 lbs. - Curtis Barnes, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army), dnp
LOSS Henri Valimaki (Finland), 2-2, 0-3

74 kg/163 lbs. - Steve Forrest, Quantico, Va. (U.S. Marines), dnp
LOSS Mikko Ankkuri (Finland), 0-3, 1-1

96 kg/211.5 lbs. - Justin Ruiz, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC), 1st
WIN Pasi Pietila (Finland), 4-0, 7-0
WIN Justin Millard (USA), 2-4, 7-0, 6-0
WIN Kim Jung-Sub (Korea) pin 1:23
WIN Timo Kallio (Finland), 2-0, 1-1, 5-0

96 kg/211.5 lbs. - Phil Johnston, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army), 5th
WIN Anatol Moldovan (Moldova), 2-2, 3-0
WIN Sergiy Yeroshkin (Ukraine), 1-1, 0-6, 3-0
LOSS Timo Kallio (Finland), 1-1, 1-1
WIN Juha-Pekka Haapala (Finland), 4-2, 10-2
LOSS Andrzej Deberny (Poland), 0-4, 0-5

96 kg/211.5 lbs. - Justin Millard, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Air Force), dnp
WIN Rait Thomberg (Estonia), 4-4, 3-1, 7-0
LOSS Justin Ruiz (USA), 4-2, 0-7, 0-6
LOSS Pasi Pietila (Finland), inj. dft