2000 Olympic champion and 2001 World Champion Rulon Gardner (Cascade, Colo./Sunkist Kids) was defeated in the semifinals at 120 kg/264.5 lbs. in Greco-Roman wrestling at the Ano Liossia Olympic Hall in Athens, Greece, Tuesday August 24.     Gardner lost to Georgi Tsurtsumia of Kazakhstan in the semifinal match, 4-1 in overtime. Tsurtsumia moves on to the gold-medal match, where he will face 2003 World champion Khassan Baroev of Russia.    Gardner will now face Sajad Barzi of Iran in the bronze-medal match during the 5:30 p.m. session on Wednesday night.    In Gardner's bout against Tsurtsumia, there was no scoring in the first period. Tsurtsumia locked the clinch first and immediately threw Gardner for a one-point takedown and a 1-0 lead. Later in the period, with Tsurtsumia tiring, Gardner forced Tsurtsumia out of bounds in control, receiving one point and a caution against Tsurtsumia. Gardner kept up the pressure, but although it seemed Tsurtsumia was fatigued, he could not score before the period ended tied at 1-1.    In the clinch in overtime, Gardner locked up first. After working for position, Tsurtsumia hit a hip toss for three-points to win the match.    Gardner had wrestled Tsurtsumia twice in the past. At the 2003 Dave Schultz Memorial International, Gardner beat him 3-0 in overtime. At the 2003 Titan Games, Gardner beat him 3-0.    2000 Olympian Jim Gruenwald (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) opened his tournament at 60 kg/132 lbs. by pinning Hugo Passos of Portugal in 5:41.    The match started poorly for Gruenwald, who fell behind 7-0 in the first period. Passos threw Gruenwald for a spectacular five-point throw, lifting him high and receiving an additional appreciation point on the lift.    Gruenwald scored a reversal and an exposure for three points to make the score 7-3 at the end of the first period. In the second period, Gruenwald quickly hit a three-point bodylock and a two-point gut wrench to take the lead at 8-7. On the edge of the mat, Gruenwald scored a two-point turn, then ran the move again and pinned Passos at the 5:41 mark.    Gruenwald will have a match in the 5:30 p.m. session, facing Eusebio Iancu Diancono of Romania to complete his pool competition.    2000 Olympic bronze medalist Garrett Lowney (Freedom, Wis./Minnesota Storm) dropped both of his matches at 96 kg/211.5 lbs. and was eliminated from the competition.    Lowney lost his opening bout. to 2001 World silver medalist Ernesto Pena of Cuba, 3-1.    Pena opened the scoring in the first period by getting Lowney offbalance, then pushing him to the mat for a takedown with exposure for two points. In the second period, Pena added a go behind takedown going out of bounds for a 3-0 lead. Lowney scored an escape from the bottom for one point to trail 3-1 but was unable to penetrate Pena's defense as time ran out.    He dropped his second match of the session to Lajos Virag of Hungary, 4-0 in overtime at 7:21. There was no first period scoring. From the clinch starting the second period, Virag countered a throw attempt by Lowney for a one-point takedown, and the regulation ended with a 1-0 score. In the overtime clinch, Virag scored another point when Lowney released his lock and was penalized, going ahead 2-0.    Virag attempted a lift and throw, and Lowney countered the move, putting Virag to his back. Officials awarded no points, then reviewed the move on the videotape. The decision was to award Virag two points,  penalizing Lowney for using his legs to block the throw attempt.    The gold and bronze medal match finals in the first four weight classes are set for the 5:30 p.m. session on Wednesday. This includes 55 kg, 66 kg, 84 kg and 120 kg. Also in the 5:30 session will be the completion of the pool competitions at 60 kg, 74 kg and 96 kg.     In the semifinals at 84 kg/185 lbs., two-time Olympic champion Hamza Yerlikaya of Turkey was defeated by 2002 World Champion Ara Abrahamian of Sweden, 3-0. Yerlikaya is one of three athletes in the Greco-Roman draw who were attempting to win a third Olympic title. The other two, Armen Nazarian of Bulgaria at 60 kg and Filiberto Azcuy of Cuba at 74 kg, started their competition this morning.    U.S. results for 9:30 a.m. session on Wednesday, August 25    60 kg/132 lbs.  Jim Gruenwald (USA) pin Hugo Passo (Portugal), 5:41    96 kg/211.5 lbs.  Ernesto Pena (Cuba) dec. Garrett Lowney (USA), 3-1  Lajos Virag (Hungary) dec. Garrett Lowney (USA), 4-0, ot, 7:21    120 kg/264.5 lbs.  Semifinals - Georgi Tsurtsumia (Kazakhstan) dec. Rulon Gardner (USA), 4-1, ot, 6:27    Semifinal results from Wednesday, August 25, 9:30 a.m. session    55 kg/121 lbs.  Istvan Majoros (Hungary) dec. Oleksiy Vakulenko (Ukraine), 3-1  Gueidar Mamedaliev (Russia) dec. Artiom Kiourgkian (Greece), 7-2    66 kg/145.5 lbs.  Farid Mansurov (Azerbaijan) dec. Jimmy Samuelsson (Sweden), 3-1, ot, 7:00  Seref Eroglu (Turkey) pin Mkkhitar Manukyan (Kazakhstan), 5:12    84 kg/185 lbs.  Alexei Michine (Russia) dec. Viacheslav Makaranka (Belarus), 6-0  Ara Abrahamian (Sweden) dec. Hamza Yerlikaya (Turkey), 3-0    120 kg/264.5 lbs.  Hassan Baroev (Russia) dec. Sajad Barzi (Iran), 4-0  Georgiy Tsurtsumia (Kazakhstan) dec. Rulon Gardner (USA), 4-1, ot, 6:27    Medal Match Pairings for Wednesday, August 25 at 5:30 p.m.    55 kg/121 lbs.  Gold - Istvan Majoros (Hungary) vs. Gueidar Mamedaliev (Russia)  Bronze - Oleksiy Vakulenko (Ukraine) vs. Artiom Kiourgkian (Greece)    66 kg/145.5 lbs.  Gold - Seref Eroglu (Turkey) vs. Farid Mansurov (Azerbaijan)  Bronze - Mkkhitar Manukyan (Kazakhstan) vs. Jimmy Samuelsson (Sweden)    84 kg/185 lbs.  Gold - Alexei Michine (Russia) vs. Ara Abrahamian (Sweden)  Bronze -Viacheslav Makaranka (Belarus) vs. Hamza Yerlikaya (Turkey)     120 kg/264.5 lbs.  Gold - Hassan Baroev (Russia) vs. Georgiy Tsurtsumia (Kazakhstan)  Bronze - Rulon Gardner (USA) vs. Sajad Barzi (Iran)