FEATURE: From snow to sand, Greco-Roman athletes take on Cuba

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - While other teammates where training and competing in places like Bulgaria and Serbia where the temperatures were freezing, Joe Betterman, Jake Deitchler and others were enjoying the sun and competition in Havana, Cuba for the Granma Cup.

"Being from Minnesota, Cuba is the coolest place I've ever wrestled," Deitchler said. "I've never been to a country down on the ocean. We went to the beach and got to go for a run there."

Not every day was a trip to the beach for the wrestlers. February 13-14 was strictly business, as the U.S. team wrestled against Argentina, India, Germany, Mexico and Cuba.

All U.S. athletes who competed in the tournament placed in the top five of their weight class.

Dremiel Byers took silver in the 120 kg/264.5 lbs. weight class and John Wechter grabbed the bronze medal at 96 kg/211.5 lbs. Sam Hazewinkel placed in two weight classes, third at 55 kg/121 lbs. and fourth at 60 kg/132 lbs.

Before the competition, the wrestlers got to train with the international wrestlers, exposing them to other styles and techniques. Granma Cup bronze medalist Betterman said going to Cuba was a great learning experience.

"Training in Cuba was awesome. Not only do you have the Germans there who we have learned from before, but we got to train with the Cubans, and we don't usually train with them," Betterman said. "They have a little different style than us and there are small things that we miss so I picked up a lot of techniques from them."

Betterman lost to two-time Junior World bronze medalist Maykel Anache of Cuba in his final match. Even though Betterman medaled, he felt confident that he could have done better.

"I wasn't too happy with my performance," he said. "I felt like I could've won. I made a few small mistakes but I learned a lot. The competition was tough."

The tournament may have been small but the competition was packed with international champions. The field included past World silver medalist Konstantin Schneider of Germany and Olympic and World champion Mijail Lopez of Cuba.

Deitchler, who left family and friends in Minnesota to train at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, said the transition has not been easy but the Granma Cup gave him more confidence. He won the silver medal at 74 kg/163 lbs.



"What was most important for me was to get my head back straight. I am trying to zone in and find my groove again," he said. "Having my heart and my head in it was huge for me. Even though I didn't beat that guy, I learned a lot and had fun with it."

Deitchler and Schneider trained together before the tournament began.

"The day before the match we drilled and he beat me pretty bad, but in the match he beat me 1-0, 4-0," Deitchler said. "So there were some positives knowing I can hang with those guys. It was kind of like last year and how if I am ready then I can be right there with anybody."

U.S. National Greco-Roman Coach Steve Fraser said the team went to Cuba because they have one of the strongest teams in the world. He said that not only did they want to learn and compete with them, but to support their tournament as well.

"They have some rough training conditions," Fraser said. "That's all a part of the experience. I want our guys to see that the Cubans don't have it well down there, but they can produce great champions. It goes show you that the facilities don't make the wrestler, it's what you do with the facilities and what you do with your training that makes the wrestler."