Matt Azevedo (Arroyo Grande, Calif./Sunkist Kids) captured a gold medal at 55 kg/121 lbs., the top U.S. performance in the Poland Open International, held in Brzeg Dolny, Poland, March 3-4. The United States placed second in the team standings with 52.5 points, trailing only Germany with 59 points. The Grunwald Poznan club of Poland was third, Hungary was fourth and Belarus was fifth in a field of 27 national or club teams. Five U.S. wrestlers won medals in the competition. Azevedo won three matches on the way to the title. His gold-medal victory came over Marcin Pawlak of Poland. Acevedo opened the meet with a win over Marcel Ewald of Germany, followed by a semifinal win over Aliksei Kandratovich of Belarus. It was the second international gold medal for Azevedo in 2006, to go along with his gold medal at the Dave Schultz Memorial International in Colorado Springs, Colo. in February. Two U.S. wrestlers claimed silver medals: Tyrone Lewis (Stillwater, Okla./Gator WC) at 74 kg/163 lbs. and Andy Hrovat (Ann Arbor, Mich./New York AC) at 84 kg/185 lbs. Lewis won his first two matches, beating Aliaksandr Matyl of Belarus and Lucasz Wiechna of Poland. In the gold-medal finals, he was defeated by Gabor Hatos of Hungary. Hrovat also won his first two bouts, stopping Imants Lagodskis of Latvia and 2005 World silver medalst Arpad Ritter of Hungary. In the gold-medal finals, he was defeated by David Bichinishvili of Germany. Two U.S. wrestlers captured bronze medals: Aaron Holker (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army) at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. and Scott Owen (Annapolis, Md./New York AC) at 74 kg/163 lbs. Holker went 3-1 in the tournament. His only loss came in the semifinals to the eventual champion Peter Englehart of Germany. Holker defeated Ryszard Lesniewski of Poland in the bronze-medal match. Owen lost his first match to the eventual champion, Gabor Hatos of Hungary, then won two bouts in the wrestleback rounds. His bronze-medal victory was over Peter Weisenberger of Germany. Placing fifth in the tournament was Nick Preston (Columbus, Ohio/Sunkist Kids) who had a 2-2 record at 96 kg/211.5 lbs. POLAND OPEN INTERNATIONAL At Brzeg Dolny, Poland, March 3-4 Medalists 55 kg/121 lbs. Gold - Matt Azevedo (USA) Silver - Marcin Pawlak (Poland) Bronze - Marcel Ewald (Germany) Bronze - Andrjez Vasiljevs (Latvia) 5th - Aliksei Kandratovich (Belarus) 5th - Aleksandrs Truskins (Latvia) 60 kg/132 lbs. Gold - Aliaksandr Karnitski (Belarus) Silver - Jurij Afansiev (Russia) Bronze - Kamil Yilmaz (Germany) Bronze - George Bucur (Romania) 5th - Sebastian Karcmarzyk (Poland) 5th - Mario Koch (Germany) 66 kg/145.5 lbs. Gold - Peter Englehardt (Germany) Silver - Adam Sobieraj (Poland) Bronze - Michal Malkiewicz (Poland) Bronze - Aaron Holker (USA) 5th - Anfrzej Grzelak (Poland) 5th - Ryszard Lesniewski (Poland) 74 kg/163 lbs. Gold - Gagor Hatos (Hungary) Silver - Tyrone Lewis (USA) Bronze - Aliaksandr Matyl (Belarus) Bronze - Scott Owen (USA) 5th - Lukasz Wiechna (Poland) 5th - Peter Weisenberger (Germany) 84 kg/185 lbs. Gold - David Binchinishvili (Germany) Silver - Andy Hrovat (USA) Bronze - Arpad Ritter (Hungary) Bronze - Gadjimurad Nurmagomedov (Russia) 5th - Imants Lagodskis (Latvia) 5th - Marc Buschle (Germany) 96 kg/211.5 lbs. Gold - Aleksey Krupniakov (Kyrgyzstan) Silver - Siarhia Borchanka (Belarus) Bronze - Gergely Kiss (Hungary) Bronze - Mateusz Gucman (Poland) 5th - Tomasz Janiszewski (Poland) 5th - Nick Preston (USA) 120 kg/264.5 lbs. Gold - Daniel Chintoan (Romania) Silver - Otto Aubeli (Hungary) Bronze - Dawid Lewicki (Poland) Bronze - Maksymilian Witek (Poland) 5th - Marin Siddiqui (Germany) 5th - Arkadiusz Kordus (Poland) Team Standings 1. Germany, 59 2. United States, 52.5 3. Grunwald Poznan club, Poland, 40.5 4. Hungary, 39.5 5. Belarus, 36 6. Gornik Leczna club, Poland, 28.5 7. Latvia, 23.5 8. Romania, 21.5 9. Russia, 13 10. Kyrgyzstan, 10 (of 27 national and club teams) U.S. performances 55 kg/121 lbs. - Matt Azevedo, Arroyo Grande, Calif. (Sunkist Kids), 1st WIN Marcel Ewald (Germany) WIN Aliksei Kandratovich (Belarus) WIN Marcin Pawlak (Poland) 66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Aaron Holker, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army), 3rd WIN Damian Jakobczyk (Poland) WIN Mihaly Csaba (Romania) LOSS Peter Englehart (Germany) WIN Ryszard Lesniewski (Poland) 66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Phillip Simpson, Nashville, Tenn. (U.S. Army), dnp LOSS Mihaly Csaba (Romania) 74 kg/163 lbs. - Tyrone Lewis, Stillwater, Okla. (Gator WC), 2nd WIN Aliaksandr Matyl (Belarus) WIN Luasz Wiechna (Poland) LOSS Gabor Hatos (Hungary) 74 kg/163 lbs. - Scott Owen, Annapolis, Md. (New York AC), 3rd LOSS Gabor Hatos (Hungary) WIN Bartosz Sofinski (Poland) WIN Peter Weisenberger (Germany) 84 kg/185 lbs. - Andy Hrovat, Ann Arbor, Mich. (New York AC), 2nd WIN Imants Lagodskis (Latvia) WIN Arpad Ritter (Hungary) LOSS David Bichinishvili (Germany) 84 kg/185 lbs. - Chris Pendleton, Stillwater, Okla. (Gator WC), dnp LOSS David Bichinishvili (Germany) LOSS Marc Buschle (Germany) 84 kg/185 lbs. - Greg Parker, New York, N.Y. (New York AC), dnp LOSS Marc Buschle (Germany) 96 kg/211.5 lbs. - Nick Preston, Columbus, Ohio (Sunkist Kids), 5th WIN Stefan Kehrer (Germany) LOSS Aleksey Krupniakov (Kyrgyzstan) WIN Maciej Hasiec (Poland) LOSS Mateusx Gucman (Poland)