UPDATE 2 - Nine U.S. wrestlers win medals at Clan International Tournament in Canada, Nov. 13

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Gary Abbott (USA Wrestling)
11/15/2004


Nine American wrestlers claimed medals at the Clan International Tournament in Burnaby, Canada, Saturday, Nov. 13.    This international competition, featuring a strong men's team from Russia and many of Canada's best men and women wrestlers, utilized the new rules of international wrestling.    Winning a gold medal in the women's division was Ali Bernard (New Ulm. Minn./.Univ. of Regina) at 67 kg/147.5 pounds.    Winning silver medals  in the men's division were Jesse Brock (Wassila, Alaska/Bronco) at 60 kg/132 lbs., Jared Lawrence (Minneapolis, Minn./Minnesota Storm) at 66 kg/145.5 lbs., Luke Becker (Minneapolis, Minn./Minnesota Storm) at 74 kg/163 lbs. and Mohammed Lawal (Stillwater, Okla./Gator WC) at 96 kg/211.5 lbs.    Silver medallists in the women's division were Sally Roberts (Colorado Springs, Colo./Gator WC) at 59 kg/130 lbs. and Irene Proulx (Susanville, Calif./Lassen College) at heavyweight.    Winning bronze medals were men's wrestler Clint Wattenberg (Ithaca, N.Y./New York AC) at 84 kg/185 lbs. and women's wrestler Ashley Truchon (Hilo, Hawaii/Pacific Univ.) at heavyweight.    Bernard, an American who is a freshman and competes at the Univ. of Regina, defeated Stephanie Howorun of McMaster Univ. in Canada in the championship match. Bernard was a 2003 Junior World champion for the United States, and was named TheMat.com/ASICS High School Girls Wrestler of the Year in 2004.    Brock, who was a two-time Pac-10 champion at Boise State, was defeated in the finals by past Canadian World Team member Sayed Azerbaijani. Brock scored an impressive victory earlier in the tournament over Russia's Sasha Kontoev, who was a Russian World Team member in the past.    Lawrence, who holds a No. 2 national ranking in the United States, was defeated in the gold-medal finals by 2004 Olympian Evan McDonald of Canada. The match went the full three periods, according to Mike Jones, coach at host Simon Fraser.    Becker and Lawal were stopped by Russian wrestlers. 2003 World Champion Irbek Farniev defeated Becker in the gold-medal match. Russia's Ketag Gazumov beat Lawal in the championship bout. After defeating Becker in the finals, Farniev was named Outstanding Wrestler of the men's division.    Roberts, a 2003 World bronze medalist, was defeated by past World placewinner Emily Richardson of Canada. The match went the full three periods, with Richardson winning the first period and Roberts taking the second period. In the deciding third period, Richardson scored a number of leg attack takedowns for the win.    In the women's heavyweight final (a non-Olympic division), Proulx was defeated by Shayla Turcotte of Canada, who is a student from the host Simon Fraser Univ.    Complete scores of the U.S. wrestlers will be posted when available from the hosts.