Byers reaches finals of Pytlasinski Tournament in Poland
Share:
by Gary Abbott
MYSLOWICE, Poland - 2002 World champion Dremiel Byers (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army) has reached the gold-medal finals at 120 kg/264.5 lbs. at the prestigious Pytlasinski International Tournament in Myslowice, Poland on Saturday.
Byers won three matches to qualify for the gold-medal finals, where he will face Dimitri Javakhishvili of Georgia for the title.
Competitors from many of the world's most successful Greco-Roman programs are entered in this prestigious pre-World Championships tuneup event.
Byers opened with a victory over Vladimir Berdik of Belarus. His quarterfinal victory was against Jalmar Sjoberg of Sweden. It was a big win for Byers, because Sjoberg was the athlete who defeated him at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China last year.
In the semifinals, Byers defeated five-time World silver medalist Mihaly Deak-Bardos of Hungary.
Byers is a two-time World medalist, winning a World bronze medal in 2007 to go along with his World title in 2002. He is a member of the 2009 U.S. World Team which will compete in Herning, Denmark, Sept. 21-27.
The three other 2009 U.S. World Team members who competed on Saturday dropped a preliminary match and were eliminated from medal contention when their opponent failed to reach the finals.
At 55 kg/121 lbs., Spenser Mango (St. Louis, Mo./New York AC) won his first match over Jan Hocko of the Czech Republic. In his second bout, Mango was defeated by two-time Junior World champion Aleksandar Kostadinov of Bulgaria. Kostadinov was defeated in the semifinals by Ukraine's Vugar Ragymov, which eliminated Mango from the event.
At 66 kg/145.5 lbs., Faruk Sahin (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army) was defeated in his first match by Sylwester Charzewski of Poland. Charzewski was beaten in the next round, knocking Sahin out of the tournament.
At 84 kg/185 lbs., Chas Betts (St. Michael, Minn./Minnesota Storm) won his opening bout over 2003 World bronze medalist Atilla Batky of Slovakia, then was defeated by 2008 Olympic silver medalist Zoltan Fodor of Hungary. When Fodor lost to Melonin Noumonvi of France in the semifinals, Betts was not eligible for the repechage rounds.
Three U.S. wrestlers will weigh in on Saturday and are scheduled to compete on Sunday: Jeremiah Davis (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army) at 60 kg/132 lbs., Joe Betterman (Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC) at 60 kg/132 lbs. and R.C. Johnson (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) at 96 kg/211.5 lbs. Davis and Johnson are members of the 2009 U.S. Greco-Roman World Team.
PYTLASINSKI INTERNATIONAL TOURNAMENT
at Myslowice, Poland, August 15
U.S. Greco-Roman performances
55 kg/121 lbs. - Spenser Mango, St. Louis, Mo. (New York AC)
WIN Jan Hocko (Czech Republic)
LOSS Aleksandar Kostadinov (Bulgaria)
66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Faruk Sahin, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army)
LOSS Sylwester Charzewski (Poland)
84 kg/185 lbs. - Chas Betts, St. Michael, Minn. (Minnesota Storm)
WIN Atilla Batky (Slovakia)
LOSS Zoltan Fodor (Hungary)
120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Dremiel Byers, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army)
WIN Vladimir Berdik (Belarus)
WIN Jalmar Sjoberg (Sweden)
WIN Mihaly Deak-Bardos (Hungary)
vs. Dimitri Javakhishvili (Georgia) in gold-medal finals
Byers won three matches to qualify for the gold-medal finals, where he will face Dimitri Javakhishvili of Georgia for the title.
Competitors from many of the world's most successful Greco-Roman programs are entered in this prestigious pre-World Championships tuneup event.
Byers opened with a victory over Vladimir Berdik of Belarus. His quarterfinal victory was against Jalmar Sjoberg of Sweden. It was a big win for Byers, because Sjoberg was the athlete who defeated him at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China last year.
In the semifinals, Byers defeated five-time World silver medalist Mihaly Deak-Bardos of Hungary.
Byers is a two-time World medalist, winning a World bronze medal in 2007 to go along with his World title in 2002. He is a member of the 2009 U.S. World Team which will compete in Herning, Denmark, Sept. 21-27.
The three other 2009 U.S. World Team members who competed on Saturday dropped a preliminary match and were eliminated from medal contention when their opponent failed to reach the finals.
At 55 kg/121 lbs., Spenser Mango (St. Louis, Mo./New York AC) won his first match over Jan Hocko of the Czech Republic. In his second bout, Mango was defeated by two-time Junior World champion Aleksandar Kostadinov of Bulgaria. Kostadinov was defeated in the semifinals by Ukraine's Vugar Ragymov, which eliminated Mango from the event.
At 66 kg/145.5 lbs., Faruk Sahin (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army) was defeated in his first match by Sylwester Charzewski of Poland. Charzewski was beaten in the next round, knocking Sahin out of the tournament.
At 84 kg/185 lbs., Chas Betts (St. Michael, Minn./Minnesota Storm) won his opening bout over 2003 World bronze medalist Atilla Batky of Slovakia, then was defeated by 2008 Olympic silver medalist Zoltan Fodor of Hungary. When Fodor lost to Melonin Noumonvi of France in the semifinals, Betts was not eligible for the repechage rounds.
Three U.S. wrestlers will weigh in on Saturday and are scheduled to compete on Sunday: Jeremiah Davis (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army) at 60 kg/132 lbs., Joe Betterman (Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC) at 60 kg/132 lbs. and R.C. Johnson (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) at 96 kg/211.5 lbs. Davis and Johnson are members of the 2009 U.S. Greco-Roman World Team.
PYTLASINSKI INTERNATIONAL TOURNAMENT
at Myslowice, Poland, August 15
U.S. Greco-Roman performances
55 kg/121 lbs. - Spenser Mango, St. Louis, Mo. (New York AC)
WIN Jan Hocko (Czech Republic)
LOSS Aleksandar Kostadinov (Bulgaria)
66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Faruk Sahin, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army)
LOSS Sylwester Charzewski (Poland)
84 kg/185 lbs. - Chas Betts, St. Michael, Minn. (Minnesota Storm)
WIN Atilla Batky (Slovakia)
LOSS Zoltan Fodor (Hungary)
120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Dremiel Byers, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army)
WIN Vladimir Berdik (Belarus)
WIN Jalmar Sjoberg (Sweden)
WIN Mihaly Deak-Bardos (Hungary)
vs. Dimitri Javakhishvili (Georgia) in gold-medal finals
Read More#
Winchester, Makoyed lock in quarterfinal pins at Senior World Team Trials
Benjamin wins silver, Bommarito adds bronze at Beach World Series Monterrey in Mexico
Jimenez, Blades, Baublitz win golds, Schwab claims silver, Martinez gets bronze in women’s freestyle at Pan American Championships
Olympic medalists Snyder, Blades among 20 U.S. Open champions qualified for 2025 Final X in Newark, N.J.
