Byers wins silver in Heydar Aliyev Golden Grand Prix in Azerbaijan
Share:
by Gary Abbott
BAKU, Azerbaijan - Dremiel Byers (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army) won a silver medal in Greco-Roman at the Heydar Aliyev Golden Grand Prix tournament on July 19 in Baku. This event is the final of the FILA Golden Grand Prix series.
Byers, a 2002 World Champion and 2008 U.S. Olympian, lost in the championship finals at 120 kg/264.5 to Masoud Hashemzadeh of Iran. Hashemzadeh is a two-time Asian champion and a 2008 World University champion.
Byers opened with a win over Vladimir Berdzik of Belarus. In the semifinals, Byers scored a big win over four-time World silver medalist Mihaly Deak-Bardos of Hungary.
Champions in each weight class at the tournament in Baku will receive $10,000 with $5,000 for a silver medal and $2,000 for a bronze medal.
Two other U.S. World Team members who are on the U.S. Army team also competed but were defeated and eliminated in their first match.
Jeremiah Davis (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army) lost his opening match to Bavafa Hamid of Iran at 60 kg/132 lbs. He was eliminated when Hamid was defeated in his next match.
Faruk Sahin (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army) was beaten in the first round at 74 kg/163 lbs. by Genadi Gogishvili of Georgia. When Gogishvili was beaten in the semifinals, Sahin was not eligible for the repechage rounds.
Sahin was up one weight class from where he will wrestle at the World Championships. He is the U.S. World Team member at 66 kg/145.5 lbs.
The athletes were coached by U.S. Army Coach Shon Lewis, who is also a coach for the 2009 U.S. Greco-Roman World Team.
The U.S. was tied for 10th in the team standings. Host Azeerbaijan placed first, with Georgia in second and Iran in third.
The women's competition is set for Saturday, as well as a dual meet between Azerbaijan and the USA in men's freestyle. On Sunday is the men's freestyle division, which will include a U.S. team.
HEYDAR ALIYEV GOLDEN GRAND PRIX
At Baku, Azerbaijan, July 17
Greco-Roman results
55 kg/121 lbs.
Gold - Kosei Hasegawa (Japan)
Silver - Mohsen Haji Pour (Iran)
Bronze - Rovshan Bayramov (Azerbaijan)
Bronze - Ildar Hafizov (Uzbekistan)
5th - Péter Modos (Hungary)
5th - Hasim Baykara (Turkey)
60 kg/132 lbs.
Gold - Aslan Abdullin (Russia)
Silver - Vitaliy Rahimov (Azerbaijan)
Bronze - Sakit Jalilov (Azerbaijan)
Bronze - Revaz Lashi (Georgia)
5th - Hamid Bavafa (Iran)
5th - Fuad Aliyev (Azerbaijan)
66 kg/145.5 lbs.
Gold - Farid Mansurov (Azerbaijan)
Silver - Byabangard Afshin (Iran)
Bronze - Tamas Lorinjs (Hungary)
Bronze - Emin Ahmadov (Azerbaijan)
5th - Beibit Nugumanov (Kazakhstan)
5th - Alexandr Maksimovich (Serbia)
74 kg/163 lbs.
Gold - Rafiq Huseynov (Azerbaijan)
Silver - Jakhongir Muminov (Uzbekistan)
Bronze - Renátó Kun (Hungary)
Bronze - Genadi Gogishvili (Georgia)
5th - Manuchari Kvirkvelia (Georgia)
5th - Elvin Mursaliyev (Azerbaijan)
84 kg/185 lbs.
Gold - Habibollah Akhlaghi (Iran)
Silver - Evgeny Bogomolov (Russia)
Bronze - Badri Khasia (Georgia)
Bronze - Zoltan Fodor (Hungary)
5th - Elgiz Mammadov (Azerbaijan)
5th - Akaki Cokhadze (Georgia)
96 kg/211.5 lbs.
Gold - Rustam Totrov (Russia)
Silver - Ramaz Nozadze (Georgia)
Bronze - Denis Michin (Azerbaijan)
Bronze - Balasz Kiss (Hungary)
5th - Heiko Nabi (Estonia)
5th - Reza Farzizadeh (Iran)
120 kg/264.5 lbs.
Gold - Masoud Hashemzadeh (Iran)
Silver - Dremiel Byers (USA)
Bronze - Yekta Yilmaz Gul (Turkey)
Bronze - Vladzimir Berdzik (Belarus)
5th - Revaz Chelidze (Georgia)
5th - Mihali Deak-Bardos (Hungary)
Team Standings
1 Azerbaijan, 98
2 Georgia, 61
3 Iran, 58
4 Hungary, 46
5 Russia, 29
5 Turkey, 29
7 Uzbekistan, 18
8 Kazakhstan, 14
9 Japan, 12
10 United States, 9
10 Belarus, 9
U.S. performances
60 kg/132 lbs. - Jeremiah Davis, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army), dnp
LOSS Bavafa Hamid (Iran)
74 kg/163 lbs. - Faruk Sahin, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army), dnp
LOSS Genadi Gogishvili (Georgia)
120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Dremiel Byers, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army), 2nd
WIN Vladimir Berdzik (Belarus)
WIN Mihaly Deak-Bardos (Hungary)
LOSS Masoud Hashemzadeh (Iran)
Byers, a 2002 World Champion and 2008 U.S. Olympian, lost in the championship finals at 120 kg/264.5 to Masoud Hashemzadeh of Iran. Hashemzadeh is a two-time Asian champion and a 2008 World University champion.
Byers opened with a win over Vladimir Berdzik of Belarus. In the semifinals, Byers scored a big win over four-time World silver medalist Mihaly Deak-Bardos of Hungary.
Champions in each weight class at the tournament in Baku will receive $10,000 with $5,000 for a silver medal and $2,000 for a bronze medal.
Two other U.S. World Team members who are on the U.S. Army team also competed but were defeated and eliminated in their first match.
Jeremiah Davis (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army) lost his opening match to Bavafa Hamid of Iran at 60 kg/132 lbs. He was eliminated when Hamid was defeated in his next match.
Faruk Sahin (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army) was beaten in the first round at 74 kg/163 lbs. by Genadi Gogishvili of Georgia. When Gogishvili was beaten in the semifinals, Sahin was not eligible for the repechage rounds.
Sahin was up one weight class from where he will wrestle at the World Championships. He is the U.S. World Team member at 66 kg/145.5 lbs.
The athletes were coached by U.S. Army Coach Shon Lewis, who is also a coach for the 2009 U.S. Greco-Roman World Team.
The U.S. was tied for 10th in the team standings. Host Azeerbaijan placed first, with Georgia in second and Iran in third.
The women's competition is set for Saturday, as well as a dual meet between Azerbaijan and the USA in men's freestyle. On Sunday is the men's freestyle division, which will include a U.S. team.
HEYDAR ALIYEV GOLDEN GRAND PRIX
At Baku, Azerbaijan, July 17
Greco-Roman results
55 kg/121 lbs.
Gold - Kosei Hasegawa (Japan)
Silver - Mohsen Haji Pour (Iran)
Bronze - Rovshan Bayramov (Azerbaijan)
Bronze - Ildar Hafizov (Uzbekistan)
5th - Péter Modos (Hungary)
5th - Hasim Baykara (Turkey)
60 kg/132 lbs.
Gold - Aslan Abdullin (Russia)
Silver - Vitaliy Rahimov (Azerbaijan)
Bronze - Sakit Jalilov (Azerbaijan)
Bronze - Revaz Lashi (Georgia)
5th - Hamid Bavafa (Iran)
5th - Fuad Aliyev (Azerbaijan)
66 kg/145.5 lbs.
Gold - Farid Mansurov (Azerbaijan)
Silver - Byabangard Afshin (Iran)
Bronze - Tamas Lorinjs (Hungary)
Bronze - Emin Ahmadov (Azerbaijan)
5th - Beibit Nugumanov (Kazakhstan)
5th - Alexandr Maksimovich (Serbia)
74 kg/163 lbs.
Gold - Rafiq Huseynov (Azerbaijan)
Silver - Jakhongir Muminov (Uzbekistan)
Bronze - Renátó Kun (Hungary)
Bronze - Genadi Gogishvili (Georgia)
5th - Manuchari Kvirkvelia (Georgia)
5th - Elvin Mursaliyev (Azerbaijan)
84 kg/185 lbs.
Gold - Habibollah Akhlaghi (Iran)
Silver - Evgeny Bogomolov (Russia)
Bronze - Badri Khasia (Georgia)
Bronze - Zoltan Fodor (Hungary)
5th - Elgiz Mammadov (Azerbaijan)
5th - Akaki Cokhadze (Georgia)
96 kg/211.5 lbs.
Gold - Rustam Totrov (Russia)
Silver - Ramaz Nozadze (Georgia)
Bronze - Denis Michin (Azerbaijan)
Bronze - Balasz Kiss (Hungary)
5th - Heiko Nabi (Estonia)
5th - Reza Farzizadeh (Iran)
120 kg/264.5 lbs.
Gold - Masoud Hashemzadeh (Iran)
Silver - Dremiel Byers (USA)
Bronze - Yekta Yilmaz Gul (Turkey)
Bronze - Vladzimir Berdzik (Belarus)
5th - Revaz Chelidze (Georgia)
5th - Mihali Deak-Bardos (Hungary)
Team Standings
1 Azerbaijan, 98
2 Georgia, 61
3 Iran, 58
4 Hungary, 46
5 Russia, 29
5 Turkey, 29
7 Uzbekistan, 18
8 Kazakhstan, 14
9 Japan, 12
10 United States, 9
10 Belarus, 9
U.S. performances
60 kg/132 lbs. - Jeremiah Davis, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army), dnp
LOSS Bavafa Hamid (Iran)
74 kg/163 lbs. - Faruk Sahin, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army), dnp
LOSS Genadi Gogishvili (Georgia)
120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Dremiel Byers, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army), 2nd
WIN Vladimir Berdzik (Belarus)
WIN Mihaly Deak-Bardos (Hungary)
LOSS Masoud Hashemzadeh (Iran)
Read More#
McKenna, Parker, Wick, Hidlay, Rademacher, Hendrickson to go for gold in men’s freestyle at Pan American Championship
Kilty, Drury to meet at 65 kg in women’s freestyle at 2025 Final X in Newark, N.J.
2025 Senior World Team Trials Challenge Tournament qualifier list updated after U.S. Open
2024 USA Wrestling Greco-Roman Awards: Payton Jacobson (Wrestler), Andy Bisek (Coach)
