Gruenwald Wins the Gold Medal at the Hungary Grand Prix in Nyiregyhaza, Hungary, March 4

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Heather Van Peursem (USA Wrestling)
03/06/2001


  Gruenwald wins the gold medal at the Hungary Grand Prix of Greco-Roman wrestling in Nyiregyhaza, Hungary, March 4     2000 Olympian  Jim Gruenwald (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) won the gold medal at 127.75 pounds at the Hungary Grand Prix in Nyiregyhaza, Hungary, March 4.     Gruenwald placed sixth at the 2000 Olympic Games. He scored four decisions in his victories at the Grand Prix. He defeated Szuren Hevorkjan of Ukraine, 9-0, and Laszlo Bona of Hungary, 3-0, in his pool to advance. In the semifinals, he decisioned Yuri Krabrov of Belarus, 11-4, then decisioned Marian Sandu ofRomania, 4-3, in the gold-medal final.      Five members of the U.S. Olympic Training Center resident program placed for the United States; Two-time Olympian Shawn Sheldon (Colorado Springs, Colo./NYAC) at 119 pounds, Joe Warren (Colorado Springs, Colo./Michigan WC) at 138.75 pounds, 2000 Olympian Kevin Bracken (Colorado Springs, Colo./NYAC) at 152 pounds, Ethan Bosch (Colorado Springs, Colo./NYAC) at 187.25 pounds and 2000 Olympic gold medalist Rulon Gardner (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) at 286 pounds.     Sheldon finished in 10th place. He won one match and lost one match and did not make it out of his pool. He first lost a decision to Olecs Vakulenko of Ukraine, 7-0, then decisioned Imre Szarka of Hungary, 4-0.     Warren finished in sixth place by winning his pool, but losing in the quarterfinals. In the preliminaries, he decisioned Szergej Afanaszjev of Ukraine, 6-5 in overtime, then lost a 4-1 decision to Mohamed Barguaoui of Tunisia, 4-1. He lost in the quarterfinals by a technical fall to Armen Vardanyan of Ukraine, 10-0.     Bracken placed sixth in the 2000 Olympic Games. He finished 10th at the Grand Prix with a 1-1 record. He placed second in his pool but did not advance. He first won by a technical fall over Cicvaric Jurica of Croatia, 12-1, then lost a decision to Victor Khomjatchenko of Ukraine, 5-1.     Bosch finished seventh at 187.25 pounds. He won his pool with two victories, first over Vinko Kadecka of Croatia, 10-2, then over Filie Soukup of the Czech Republic, 5-4. In the semifinals, he lost to eventual silver medalist Alexandre Sardarjan of Ukraine, 10-0.     2000 Olympic gold medalist Rulon Gardner (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) placed 10th in his first tournament since Sydney. He lost his first match to eventual gold medalist Mihaly Deak-Bardos of Hungary, 2-0, in overtime, then lost a decision to David Szoldadze of Ukraine, 3-0. He didn't make it out of his pool. Deak-Bardos competed in the 2000 Olympics and finished eleventh, and is a former World silver medalist.