BELGRADE, SERBIA - Brad Vering (Colorado Springs/New York AC) won a gold medal at 84 kg/185 lbs. one of seven U.S. medalists at the Ljubomir Invanovic Gedz Greco-Roman Tournament, March 3. Vering won three matches on the way to the title, defeating Canbas Akif of Turkey in the gold-medal match, 1-1, 2-0. The other opponents he defeated were Dejan Franjkovic of Bosnia-Herzegovina, 3-0, 7-0 and Zied Yacoubi of Tunisia, 7-0, 7-0. Vering was a member of the 2004 U.S. Olympic team, and placed fifth in the 2002 and 2003 World Championships. Russ Davie (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) won a silver medal at 120 kg/264.5 lbs. Davie was beaten in the finals by Alexander Cernichenko of Russia, 3-0, 0-4, 2-3. His victories were over Yavus Guvendi of Tunisia, 3-1, 1-1, 3-0 and Radomir Petkovic of Serbia by pin in the second period. Five U.S. wrestlers earned bronze medals: Spencer Mango (Flourissant, Mo./Gator WC/USOEC) and Jermaine Hodge (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army) at 55 kg/121 lbs., Joe Betterman (Chicago, Ill./New York AC/USOEC) at 60 kg/132 lbs., James Shillow (Quantico, Va./U.S. Marines) at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. and Justin Ruiz (Colorado Springs/New York AC) at 96 kg/211.5 lbs. The United States placed second in the team standings behind champion Russia, with host Serbia placing third. A total of 10 nations were represented in the tournament. The competition was hosted by Belgrade's Partizan Sports Club. The Outstanding Wrestler award went to Serbia's 60 kg Champion, Davor Stefanek. Russia's Head Caoch received the Outstanding Coach award. The award given for Outstanding Officiating went to USA's own Ron Fazio, of New Jersey. Coaching the U.S. wrestlers were Assistant Greco-Roman National Coach Momir Petkovic, plus Rusty Davidson (Grants, N.M.), James Johnson (Phoenix, Ariz.), Shon Lewis (Colorado Springs, Colo.) and Dan Hicks (Quantico, Va.). GEDZ TOURNAMENT At Belgrade, Serbia, March 3 55 kg/121 lbs. Gold - Velin Venkov, Bulgaria Silver - Baykara Hasim, Turkey Bronze - Spenser Mango, USA Bronze - Jermaine Hodge, USA 60 kg/132 lbs. Gold - Davor Stefanek, Serbia Silver - Aslan Abdulin, Russia Bronze - Joseph Betterman, USA Bronze - Ugur, Turkey 66 kg/145.5 lbs. Gold - Sergei Kovalenko, Russia Silver - Aleksandar Maksimovic, Serbia Bronze - James Shillow, USA Bronze - Plamen Petrov, Bulgaria 74 kg/163 lbs. Gold - Javor Janakiev, Bulgaria Silver - Mihajlo Bajlovic, Serbia Bronze - Stepan Kirkuha, Russia Bronze - Koznikov, Russia 84 kg/185 lbs. Gold - Brad Vering, USA Silver - Canbas Akif, Turkey Bronze - Kurakov, Russia Bronze - Bojanic', Serbia 96 kg/211.5 lbs. Gold - Kaladze, Russia Silver - Balasz Kiss, Hungary Bronze - Justin Ruiz, USA Bronze - Dinchev Ivanov, Bulgaria 120 kg/264.5 lbs. Gold - Aleksander Chernichenko, Russia Silver - Russ Davie, USA Bronze - Radomir Petkovic, Serbia Bronze - Gyola Branda Balin, Hungary U.S. performances 55 kg/121 lbs. - Spenser Mango, Flourissant, Mo. (Gator WC/USOEC), 3rd LOSS Baykara Hasim, Turkey, 2-3, 2-3 WIN Srdan Nikoloic', Serbia, 2-1, 3-0 55 kg/121 lbs. - Jermaine Hodge, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army), 3rd LOSS Velin Venkov, Bulgaria, 0-7, 1-7 60 kg/132 lbs. - Joe Betterman, Chicago, Ill. (New York AC/USOEC), 3rd LOSS Davor Stefanek, Serbia, 0-7, 0-4 WIN Hugo Silva, Portugal, 4-3, 0-3, 1-1 60 kg/132 lbs. - Jeremy McLean, Quantico, Va. (U.S. Marines),dnp LOST Tonimr Sokol, Croatia, 0-6, 2-3 60 kg/132 lbs. - Donny DePatto, Quantico, Va. (U.S. Marines), dnp LOSS Aslan Abudil, Russia, 0-5, 0-4 LOSS Tonimir Sokol, Croatia, 3-3, 1-1 66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Glen Garrison, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army), 5th WIN Balint Korpasi, Hungary, 0-2, 1-1, 1-1 WIN Hamza Lovati, Tunisia, 0-4, 3-1, 3-2 LOSS Seregei Kovalenko, Russia, 1:17 LOSS Plamen Petrov, Bulgaria, 1-1, 1-2 66 kg/ 145.5 lbs. - James Shillow, Quantico, Va. (U.S. Marines), 3rd WIN Ilie Georgiev, Macedonia, 7-0, 6-0 WIN Marcel Cooper, USA, 4-3, 4-0 LOSS Aleksandar Maksimovic', Serbia, 0-2, 1-1 WIN Ile Georgiev, Macedonia, forfeit 66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Mark Rial, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Gator WC), dnp LOSS Sergei Kovalenko, Russia, 0-3, 0-6 LOSS Plamen Petrov, Bulgaria, 2-1, 0-3, 1-1 66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Marcel Cooper, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army), dnp WIN Danijel Stefanek, Serbia, 7-0, 0-3, 5-0 LOSS James Shillow, USA, 3-4, 0-4 74 kg/163 lbs. - Phillip Padilla, Phoenix, Ariz. (Team Arizona), dnp LOSS Vyacheslov Koznikov, Russia Fall 3:04 74 kg/163 lbs. - Keith Sieracki, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army), dnp LOSS Javor Janakijev, Bulgaria, 1-1, 1-1 WIN Vyacheslav Kozinikov, Russia, 1-1, 2-2 LOSS Stepan Krikuha, Russia, 2-2, 1-1, 0-3 74 kg/163 lbs. - Sasa Petkovic, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC), dnp LOSS Mihajlo Bajlovic, Serbia, 0-5, 0-2 74 kg/163 lbs. - Steven Forrest, Quantico, Va. (U.S. Marines), dnp LOSS Fethi Benanni, Tunisia, 2-4, 0-7 74 kg/163 lbs. - Faruk Sahin, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army), dnp WIN Petar Balo, Serbia, 4-4, 3-0, 4-0 WIN Renato Kun, Hungary, 3-0, 1-1, 1-1 LOSS Stepan Krikuha, Russia, 0-4, 0-3 84 kg/185 lbs. - Chas Betts, St. Michael, Minn. (USOEC/Minnesota Storm), dnp LOSS Zoltan Fodor, Hungary, 0-3, 0-5 84 kg/185 lbs. - Brad Vering, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC), 1st WIN Dejan Franjkovic, Bosnia-Herzegovina, 3-0, 7-0 WIN Zied Yacoubi, Tunisia, 7-0, 7-0 WIN Canbas Akif, Turkey, 1-1, 2-0 96 kg/211.5 lbs. - Justin Ruiz, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC), 3rd WIN Vladimir Radoslavljevic', Serbia, 3-4, 5-0, 6-0 WIN Adam Wheeler, USA, 1-1, 1-1 LOSS Kiss Balasz, Hungary, 0-2, 0-2 LOSS Bojan Mijatov, Serbia, 0-3, 0-6 96 kg/211.5 lbs. - Adam Wheeler, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Gator WC), dnp WIN Deni Lipic, Croatia, 6-0, 0-3, 4-0 LOSS Justin Ruiz, USA, 1-1, 1-1 96 kg/211.5 lbs. - RC Johnson, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC), dnp LOSS Ivan Nemet, Hungary, 0-3, 3-2, 1-2 96 kg/211.5 lbs, - Phil Johnston, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army), dnp LOSS to Dinchev Ivanov, Bulgaria, 0-4, 2-5 120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Russ Davie, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC), 2nd WIN Yavus Guvendi, Tunisia, 3-1, 1-1, 3-0 WIN Radomir Petkovic, Serbia, 3:12 pin LOSS Alexander Cernichenko, Russia, 3-0, 0-4, 2-3 120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Dremiel Byers, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army), dnp WIN Ivan Stojanov Ivanov, Bulgaria, 3-0, 3-0 LOSS Alexander Chernichenko, Russia, 0-3, 1-1 LOSS Brandon Ruiz, USA, forfeit 120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Brandon Ruiz, Salt Lake City, Utah, dnp LOSS Alexander Chernichenko, Russia, 1-4, 1-4 WIN Dremiel Byers, USA, forfeit LOSS Gyola Branda Balin, Hungary, 1-3, 0-3 Teams Gold - Russia Silver - USA Bronze - Serbia (of 10 nations)