Two U.S. Greco-Roman wrestlers claimed gold medals during the first day of competition at the Vantaa Cup in Vantaa, Finland on Saturday.

Capturing titles were 2007 World silver medalist Brad Vering (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) at 84 kg/185 lbs. and 2007 World bronze medalist Dremiel Byers (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army) at 120 kg/264.5 lbs.

Vering won five matches on the way to the title, including a 1-1, 2-0 victory over Mykhaylo Ganaga of Ukraine in the gold-medal finals. Vering also defeated Alo Toom of Estonia in the semifinals, 5-0, 3-0. Two of the athletes Vering defeated were from the United States, Chas Betts and Brad Ahearn.

Byers, who was also a 2002 World champion, won three matches during the tournament. In the championship finals, he stopped teammate Tim Taylor (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army), 4-0, 3-0. He also defeated Lukasz Banak of Poland, 4-0, 1-1 and Han Tae-Young of Koream 6-0, 1-1.

Taylor earned his silver medal after opening with two victories, beating Matti Hamalainen of Finland, 4-2, 2-1 and Heiko Soopart of Estonia, 3-0, 4-0.

The U.S. captured six medals on the first day of the tournament, including bronze medals from Sam Hazewinkel (Norman, Okla./Gator WC) at 55 kg/121 lbs., Faruk Sahin (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army) at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. and Chas Betts (St. Michael, Minn./Minnesota Storm/USOEC) at 84 kg/185 lbs.

In the bronze-medal round, Hazewinkel defeated Mariusz Los of Poland, 1-1, 0-2, 3-1, Sahin defeated Valeriy Voronkin of Ukraine, 3-2, 5-0 and Betts stopped Alo Toom of Estonia, 1-1, 2-0.

The final three weight classes will be contested on Sunday (60 kg, 74 kg. 96 kg).

VANTAA CUP
At Vantaa, Finland, Nov. 24

55 kg/121 lbs. 
Gold - Damir Akhmedzyanov (Russia)
Silver - Lee Jung-Baik (Korea)
Bronze - Sam Hazewinkel (USA)
Bronze - Ievgen Miagkyi (Ukraine)

66 kg/145.5 lbs.
Gold - Yun Jong-Hyu (Korea)
Silver - Jung Ji-Hyun (Korea)
Bronze - Faruk Sahin (USA)
Bronze - Vahab Daneshvar (Sweden)

84 kg/185 lbs.
Gold - Brad Vering (USA)
Silver -Mykhaylo Ganaga (Ukraine)
Bronze - Chas Betts (USA)
Bronze - Oleg Shokalov (Russia)

120 kg/264.5 lbs.
Gold - Dremiel Byers (USA)
Silver - Tim Taylor (USA)
Bronze - Lukasz Banak (Poland)
Bronze - Heiko Soopart (Estonia)

U.S. performances

55 kg/121 lbs. - Jermaine Hodge, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army), 5th
WIN Niko Ohukainen (Finland), 4-0, 3-0
WIN Josh Habeck (USA), 3-0, 1-1, 1-1
LOSS Damir Akhmedzyanov (Russia), 1-3, 1-1
LOSS Ievgen Miagkyi (Ukraine), 1-1, 0-2

55 kg/121 lbs. - Josh Habeck, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army), dnp
LOSS Jermaine Hodge (USA), 0-3, 1-1, 1-1

55 kg/121 lbs. - Sam Hazewinkel, Norman, Okla. (Gator WC), 3rd
WIN Donior Ismalov (Moldova), 7-5, 4-5, 7-0
LOSS Lee Jung-Baik (Korea), 2-2, 0-5
WIN Mariusz Los (Poland), 1-1, 0-2, 3-1

55 kg/121 lbs. - Nate Engel, St. Helena, Calif. (Sunkist Kids/USOEC), dnp
LOSS Ievgen Miagkyi (Ukraine), 0-5, 4-4

66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Faruk Sahin, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army), 3rd
WIN Joonas Kylonen (Finland), 6-0, 8-0
WIN Toni Toru (Finland), 3-0, 4-0
LOSS Yun Ji-Hyun (Korea), 1-3, 1-5
WIN Magvan Amirkkhani (Finland), pin 1:50
WIN Valeriy Voronkin (Ukraine), 3-2, 5-0

66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Oscar Wood, Fountain, Colo. (U.S. Army), dnp
LOSS Valeriy Voronkin (Ukraine), 0-4, 0-7

66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Marcel Cooper, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army), dnp
LOSS Vladimir Pogudin (Russia), 1-1, 1-1

66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Brandon McNab, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army), dnp
LOSS Tudor Gaivan (Moldova), 2-3, 1-1

84 kg/185 lbs. - Aaron Sieracki, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army)
LOSS Oleg Shokalov (Russia), 0-2, 0-8

84 kg/185 lbs. - Brad Ahearn, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army), dnp
WIN Cho Hyo-Chul (Korea), 2-1, 1-1
WIN Marin Cazac (Moldova), 2-1, 1-1
LOSS Brad Vering (USA), 1-2, 0-3
LOSS Chas Betts (USA), 0-3, 3-0, 1-3

84 kg/185 lbs. - Brad Vering, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC), 1st
WIN Chas Betts (USA), 2-0, 2-0
WIN Gasan Zarakhov (Russia), 2-1, 6-0
WIN Brad Ahearn (USA), 2-1, 3-0
WIN Alo Toom (Estonia), 5-0, 3-0
WIN Mykhaylo Ganaga (Ukraine), 1-1, 2-0

84 kg/185 lbs. - Chas Betts, St. Michael, Minn. (Minnesota Storm/USOEC), 3rd
LOSS Brad Vering (USA), 0-2, 0-2
WIN Gasan Zarakhov (Russia), 3-2, 3-1
WIN Brad Ahearn (USA), 3-0, 0-3, 3-1
WIN Alo Toom (Estonia), 1-1, 2-0

74 kg/163 lbs. - Keith Sieracki, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army)
WIN Jonas Nyberg (Sweden), 0-6, 1-1, 5-0
LOSS Alo Toom (Estonia), 0-3

120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Dremiel Byers, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army), 1st
WIN Han Tae-Young (Korea), 6-0, 1-1
WIN Lukasz Banak (Poland), 4-0, 1-1
WIN Tim Taylor (USA), 4-0, 3-0

120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Tim Taylor, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army), 2nd
WIN Matti Hamalainen (Finland), 4-2, 2-1
WIN Heiko Soopart (Estonia), 3-0, 4-0
LOSS Dremiel Byers (USA), 0-3, 0-4

120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Cole Konrad, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm), dnp
LOSS Heiko Soopart (Estonia), 1-1, 4-0, 1-1