Two U.S. women wrestlers, Clarissa Chun (Colorado Springs, Colo./Gator WC) and Sally Roberts (Colorado Springs, Colo./Gator WC) won gold medals during the first day of competition at the the Vehbi Emre Golden Grand Prix in Izmir, Turkey, Feb. 24.

This tournament is one of the new FILA Golden Grand Prix events, which provides prize money to athletes based upon their placement. Competition is being held in men's Greco-Roman wrestling and women's freestyle wrestling.

Chun won three matches on the way to the title, including a pin of Elcin Demiritas of Turkey in the second period during the gold-medal match.

She opened with a 6-0, 8-0 technical fall over Fatima Malay of Turkey, then scored a second period injury default over Denitza Semkova of Bulgaria.

Chun is currently ranked No. 2 in the United States in her weight class. She was a 2004 U.S. Olympic Trials runner-up.

Roberts, a two-time World bronze medalist, also won three times to capture the title. In the gold-medal match, she scored an injury default win over Ashilihan Boyal of Turkey.

Roberts opened up with a second period pin over Gazime Acis of Turkey, then scored another second period pin over Halime Ozkul of Turkey.

Roberts claimed bronze medals at the 2003 and 2005 World Championships. 

Two members of the 2005 U.S. Greco-Roman World Team also competed on Friday, and were eliminated from medal contention when the athlete they lost to did not qualify for the gold-medal finals. Under new FILA rules, only athletes who lose to finalists qualify for the wrestle-back rounds.

At 74 kg/163 lbs., T.C. Dantzler (Colorado Springs, Colo./Gator WC) opened the tournament with a 3-2, 3-0 win over Velin Marinov of Bulgaria. In the second round, Dantzler lost to Cedelis Herrero of Cuba, 3-3, 0-3. When Herrero did not qualify for the finals, Dantzler was eliminated.

2002 World champion Dremiel Byers (Colorado Springs, Colo./Gator WC) lost his only match of the tournament at 120 kg/264.5 lbs., falling to Y. Yilmaz Gul of Turkey, by disqualification in the third period. Gul did not make the finals, knocking Byers out of the competition. Gul eventually won a bronze medal.

The competition continues Saturday and Sunday with more action in both men's Greco-Roman and women's freestyle wrestling.

VEHBI EMRE GOLDEN GRAND PRIX 
At Izmir, Turkey, Feb 24

Men's Greco-Roman medalists

55 kg/121 lbs.
Gold - Kim Jong Iae (Korea)
Silver - Uran Kalilov (Kyrgyzstan)
Bronze - Unal Orel (Turkey)
Bronze - Yeva Emamba (Kazakhstan)

74 kg/163 lbs.
Gold - Seref Tufenk (Turkey)
Silver - Viktar Aniskavets (Belarus)
Bronze - Mahmut Altay (Turkey)
Bronze - Sumagi Saltkhutsishvili (Georgia)

120 kg/264.5 lbs.
Gold - Mijian Lopez (Cuba)
Silver - Mindaugas Mizgaitis (Lithuania)
Bronze - Mihaly Deak Bardos (Hungary)
Bronze - Y. Yilmaz Gul (Turkey)

U.S. Greco-Roman performances

74 kg/163 lbs. - T.C. Dantzler, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Gator WC), dnp
WIN Velin Marinov (Bulgaria), 3-2, 3-0
LOSS Cedelis Herrero (Cuba), 3-3, 0-3

120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Dremiel Byers, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army), dnp
LOSS Y. Yilmaz Gul (Turkey), 3-0, 0-3, disq.

Women's Freestyle medalists

48 kg/105.5 lbs.
Gold - Clarissa Chun (USA)
Silver - Elcin Demiritas (Turkey)

59 kg/130 lbs.
Gold - Sally Roberts (USA)
Silver - Ashlihan Boyali (Turkey)

U.S. women's performances 

48 kg/105.5 lbs. - Clarissa Chun, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids), 1st
WIN Fatima Malay (Turkey), 6-0, 8-0
WIN Denitza Semkova (Bulgaria), 6-0, inj. dft.
WIN Elcin Demiritas (Turkey), 1-1, pin 1:07

59 kg/130 lbs. - Sally Roberts, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Gator WC), 1st
WIN Gazime Acis (Turkey), 6-0, 1:20
WIN Halime Ozkul (Turkey), 8-0, 3:15
WIN Ashilihan Boyali (Turkey), inj. dft.