U.S. National Champions Vering, Ruiz and Byers to lead U.S. squad at O.Karavaev Memorial Internation

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John Fuller (USA Wrestiling)
05/05/2005


Colorado Springs, Colo. - USA Wrestling has announced that it will send a Greco-Roman squad to Minsk, Belarus for the O.Karavaev Memorial International, May 21-22. The event is being held in memory of two-time World champion and 1960 Olympic gold medalist Oleg Karavaev who competed for the former Soviet Union and lived in Minsk.    This tour event will be funded by the U.S. Army and the New York Athletic Club.    Leading the U.S. squad will be 2005 U.S. Nationals champions Brad Vering (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) at 84 kg/185 lbs., Justin Ruiz (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) at 96 kg/211.5 lbs. and Dremiel Byers (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army) at 120 kg/264.5 lbs.    Vering, a 2004 Olympian, placed fifth at the 2002 and 2003 World Championships. He has won three straight U.S. Nationals titles.    Ruiz won silver medals at the 2003 World Cup and the 2003 Pan American Games. He also competed in the 2003 World Championships. He has won two consecutive U.S. Nationals titles.    Byers, fresh off his fifth U.S. Nationals title, won a World gold medal in 2002. He placed second at the 2004 U.S. Olympic Team Trials.    Oscar Wood (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army), a 2004 Olympian and U.S. Nationals champion, will compete at 66 kg/145.5 lbs.    Also competing for the U.S. will be 2005 U.S. Nationals finalists Lindsey Durlacher (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) at 55 kg/121 lbs., Keith Sieracki (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army) at 84 kg/185 lbs. and Russ Davie (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) at 120 kg/264.5 lbs.    Durlacher placed fourth at the 2004 U.S. Olympic Team Trials and is a four-time U.S. Nationals runner-up.    Sieracki was a 2001 U.S. World Team member. He also placed first at the 2004 U.S. Olympic Team Trials, though the U.S. did not qualify his weight class to compete at the Olympic Games. He is a four-time U.S. Nationals champion and seven-time Armed Forces champion.    Davie also placed seventh at the 2004 U.S. Olympic Team Trials.    Rounding out the U.S. roster will be Neal Rodak (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army) at 55 kg/121 lbs. and Glenn Garrison (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army) at 66 kg/145.5 lbs.    Rodak placed seventh at the 2005 U.S. Nationals.    Garrison placed fourth at the 2004 U.S. Olympic Team Trials and third at the 2005 U.S. Nationals.    Coaching the U.S. team will be Momir Petkovic, USA Wrestling Assistant Greco-Roman National Coach, and Shon Lewis, head coach of the U.S. Army team.      O.Karavaev Memorial International  at Minsk, Belarus, May 21-22  U.S. Roster  55 kg/121 lbs. - Lindsey Durlacher, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)  55 kg/121 lbs. - Neal Rodak, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army)  66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Glenn Garrison, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army)  66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Oscar Wood , Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army)  84 kg/185 lbs. - Keith Sieracki, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army)  84 kg/185 lbs. - Brad Vering, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)  96 kg/211.5 lbs. - Justin Ruiz, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)  120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Dremiel Byers, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army)  120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Russ Davie, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)  Coaches: Shon Lewis, Colorado Springs, Colo. and Momir Petkovic, Colorado Springs, Colo.