No. 1 ranked Greco-Roman wrestler Dremiel Byers (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army) captured a silver medal at 120 kg/264.5 lbs. from the Cristo Lutte Championships in Cretiel, France.  He lost in the finals to Revaz Chelidze of Georgia. 

Byers was the World champion in 2002 and a five-time U.S. Nationals champion  (1999, 2002-05).  Chelidze was a silver medalist in the 2003 Junior World Championship and a bronze medalist in the 2002 Junior European Championship.

At 96 kg/211.5 lbs., No. 5 ranked R.C. Johnson (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) received a bronze medal.  Johnson's only loss came in the semifinals to Aslanbek Khustov of Russia, the eventual champion.  

Jeremy McLean (Quantico, Va./U.S./NC) placed fifth in the 60 kg/132 lbs. weight class.  McLean was defeated in the bronze medal match by Eric Buisson of France.  

Jeremy Pederson (Quantico, Va./U.S. Marines) also competed at 84 kg./185 lbs., but was defeated early in the tournament.


Cristo Lutte Championships at Cretiel, France, Feb. 18-19

Top 10 Placements
55 kg/121 lbs.
Gold - Roman Amoyan (Armenia)
Silver - Thomas Ronmingen (Norway)
Bronze - Anders Ronmingen (Norway)
Bronze - Irakli Chochua (Georgia)
5th - Mourad El Bakali (France)
5th - Revaz Lashkhi (Georgia)
7th - Nazyr Mankiev (Russia)
8th - Rafal Pyka (Poland)
9th - Vicente Lillo (Spain)
10th - Jonathan Thiam Lemaire (France)

60 kg/132 lbs.
Gold - Karen Mnatsakanyan (Armenia)
Silver - Svajunus Adomaitis (Lithuania)
Bronze - Eric Buisson (France)
Bronze - Vyacheeslav Dzhaste (Russia)
5th - Jeremy Mclean (United States)
5th - David Bedinadze (Georgia)
7th- Simon Kathan (Austria)
8th - Stig Andre Berge (Norway)
9th - Sebastien Hidalgo (France)
10th - Tarik Belmadani (France)

66 kg/145.5 lbs.
Gold - Vahram Hunanyan (Armenia)
Silver - Ruslan Belkharoev (Russia)
Bronze - Steeve Guenot (France)
Bronze - Artak Arutyunyan (Armenia)
5th - Rocco Fabio Spano (Italy)
5th - Aleksej Djakonov (Lithuania)
7th - Michael Belin (Israel)
8th - Alexander Chekhirkin (Russia)
9th - Alexandre Tabatadze (Georgia)
10th - Didier Darcier (France)

74 kg/163 lbs.
Gold - Manuchar Kvirkelia (Georgia)
Silver - Ganadi Gogishvili (Georgia)
Bronze - Magomed Magomadov (Russia)
Bronze - Vldemaras Venckaitis (Lithuania)
5th - Izahk Eligulashvili (Israel)
5th - Ilia Shafran (Isreal)
7th - Cedric Lafon (France)
8th - Mkhitar Hunanyan (Armenia)
9th - Aurelien Bozonet (France)
10th - Frederic Paul (France)

84 kg/185 lbs.
Gold - Melonin Noumonvi (France)
Silver - Shalva Gadabadze (Georgia)
Bronze - Andrea Minguzzi (Italy)
Bronze - Tigran Sahakyan (Armenia)
5th - Michael Jauch (Switzerland)
5th - Dmitry Oralov (Russia)
7th - Mats Rolfsen (Norway)
8th - Reto Bucher (Switzerland)
9th - Denis Nikolaev (Israel)
10th - Alain Hassli (France)

96 kg/211.5 lbs.
Gold - Aslanbek Khustov (Russia)
Silver - Fritz Aanes (Norway)
Bronze - Robert Petrosyan (Armenia)
Bronze - R.C. Johnson (United States)
5th - Mathieu Lorentz (France)
5th - Marcin Olejniczak (Poland)
7th - Vincent Vidal (France)
8th - Ramaz Nozadze (Georgia)
9th - Waldo Moreno (Spain)
10th - Jeremie Ballais (France)

120 kg/264.5 lbs.
Gold - Revaz Chelidze (Georgia)
Silver - Dremiel Byers (United States)
Bronze - Vladimir Guralski (Israel)
Bronze - Yannick Szczepaniak (France)
5th - David Millien (France)
5th - Rocco Daniel Ficara (Italy)
7th - Giorgi Gobava (Georgia)


U.S. Placements
60 kg/132 lbs. - Jeremy McLean (Quantico, Va./U.S./NC), 5th
84 kg/185 lbs. - Jeremy Pederson (Quantico, Va./U.S. Marines), dnp
96 kg/211.5 lbs.- R.C. Johnson (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC), 3rd
120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Dremiel Byers (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army), 2nd