Two U.S. Greco-Roman wrestlers won medals at the World University Championships in Ulan Bator, Mongolia, Friday, June 16. Capturing a gold medal was Spenser Mango (Flourissant, Mo./USOEC/Gator WC) at 55 kg/121 lbs. Winning a silver medal was .Chas Betts (St. Michael, Minn. (USOEC/Minnesota Storm) at 84 kg/185 lbs. Mango won three matches on the way to his gold medal. He opened the tournament with a 4-2 victory over Dan Finh Hue of Vietnam. In the semifinals, Mango stopped K. Hasegawa of Japan, 1-1, 5-7, 6-0. In the gold-medal match, Mango defeated B. Yasein of Iran, 5-4, 2-1. It was the first World title for Mango at any age level. Mango becomes the first American to win a gold medal in Greco-Roman at the World University Championships, going back to 1998. Mango was second at the U.S. Nationals on the Senior level this year. He won gold medals at both the University National Championships and the FILA Junior National Championships this spring. Betts was defeated in the gold-medal finals by T. Saman of Iran, 0-6, 0-3. He won three matches to reach the championship round. In the preliminaries, he stopped Tserenchunt of Mongolia, 3-0, 6-0. His quarterfinal win was over T. Ito of Japan, 1-1, 3-0. In the semifinals, Betts stopped Jarantai of China, 3-1, 1-3, 2-1. Betts was second at the 2006 University Nationals this year. Two other U.S. wrestlers who competed on Friday were defeated in their first match, and were eliminated from medal contention: Jacob Curby (LaGrange, Ill./USOEC/Gator WC) at 66 kg/145.5 lbs and Jake Marquardt (Marquette, Mich./USOEC) at 120 kg/264.5 lbs. Curby lost in his opening match to Sonk Duk Jae of Korea, 2-3, 3-2, 0-5. Marquardt fell to A. Tchernichek of Russia, 0-3, 0-6 in his first bout. When their opponents were unable to qualify for the gold-medal finals, Curby and Marquardt were not eligible for the wrestleback rounds. Marquardt placed fifth in the final standings, while Curby placed 10th. Organizers announced the final placements of the wrestlers who competed on Thursday, and two Americans were in the top 10 in the standings. Jacob Fisher (Platte City, Mo./USOEC) was seventh at 74 kg/163 lbs. and Jeremiah Davis (El Cajon, Calif./USOEC/Sunkist Kids) was eighth at 60 kg/132 lbs. The United States placed fifth in the team standings with 31 points. Iran won the team title with 62 points, followed by Turkey with 44 points, Japan with 40 points and Russia with 39 points. There were 21 nations in the tournament. All seven of the U.S. Greco-Roman competitors at the World University Championships competed with the U.S. Olympic Education Center program at Northern Michigan Univ. this past season. There will be three weight classes in women's freestyle wrestling contested on Saturday. Competing for the United States on Saturday will be Liz Short (Lombard, Ill./USOEC) at 48 kg/105.5 lbs., Sharon Jacobson (El Cajon, Calif./Gator WC/USOEC) at 55 kg/121 lbs., Alaina Berube (Escanaba, Mich./New York AC) at 63 kg/138.75 lbs. and Tabetha Golt (Chesapeake, Va./Univ. of the Cumberlands) at 72 kg/158.5 lbs. The web page for the World University Championships is: http://www.mssf.mn/index.aspx WORLD UNIVERSITY CHAMPIONSHIPS At Ulan Bator, Mongolia, June 16, 2006Team Standings Final Team Standings 1. Iran, 62 2. Turkey, 44 3. Japan, 40 4. Russia, 39 5. United States, 31 6. Kazakhstan, 30 7. Korea, 28 8. Lithuania, 25 9. Mongolia, 21 10. China, 16 11. Estonia, 12 12. Poland, 9 13. Uzbekistan, 8 14. Vietnam, 6 15. France, 6 of 21 nations Greco-Roman medalists 60 kg/132 lbs. Gold - Eon Hyuk (Korea) Silver - B. Hamid (Iran) Bronze - Adomaitis Svajunas (Lithuania) Bronze - Tufenk Ugur (Turkey) 5th - R. Matsumoto (Japan) 5th - Darkhan Sagindykov (Kazakhstan) 7th - Kristian Fris (Serbia Montenegro) 8th - Jermaine Davis (USA) 9th - Mandakhnaran (Mongolia) 10th - B. Bottaev (Russia) 74 kg/163 lbs. Gold - Tufek Seref (Turkey) Silver - V. Venckiazis (Lithuania) Bronze - Adilov Asser (Kazakhstan) Bronze - A. Demankine (Russia) 5th - H. Goto (Japan) 5th - A Habiollah (Iran) 7th - Jacob Fisher (USA) 8th - Cedric Lazon (France) 9th - Tomas Sobecky (Czech Republic) 10th - Mandah (China) 96 kg/211.5 lbs. Gold - Atilia Guzel (Turkey) Silver - F. Reza (Iran) Bronze - Nabi Heiki (Estonia) Bronze - Lee Eoe (Korea) 5th - A Debemi (Poland) 5th - D. Mazyshkov (Russia) 7th - Sun Shin Run (China) 8th - Vincent Vidal (France) 9th - Berov Shalkybokev (Kazakhstan) 10th - Daigoro Timoncini (Italy) U.S. performances 55 kg/121 lbs - Spenser Mango (Flourissant, Mo./USOEC/Gator WC), 1st WIN Dan Finh Hue (Vietnam), 4-2, 4-1 WIN K. Hasegawa (Japan), 1-1, 5-7, 6-0 WIN B. Yasein (Iran), 5-4, 2-1 66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Jacob Curby (LaGrange, Ill./USOEC/Gator WC), 10th LOSS Sonk Duk Jae (Korea), 2-3, 3-2, 0-5 84 kg/185 lbs. - Chas Betts (St. Michael, Minn./USOEC/Minnesota Storm), 2nd WIN Tserenchunt (Mongolia), 3-0, 6-0 WIN T. Ito (Japan), 1-1, 3-0 WIN Jarantai (China), 3-1, 1-3, 2-1 LOSS T. Saman (Iran), 0-6, 0-3 120 kg/264.5 lbs - Jake Marquardt (Marquette, Mich./USOEC), 5th LOSS A. Tchernichek (Russia), 0-3, 0-6