Trent Paulson (Council Bluffs, Iowa/Sunkist Kids) won a gold medal at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. in men's freestyle wrestling during the first day of the Kiev International Championships in Kiev, Ukraine on Feb. 23.

Paulson was one of four U.S. wrestlers to claim a medal on Saturday. The other medalists were in women's freestyle. Claiming a silver medal was Clarissa Chun (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) at 48 kg/105.5 lbs. Winning bronze medals were Stephanie Murata (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) at 48 kg/105.5 lbs. and Iris Smith (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army) at 72 kg/158.5 lbs.

Paulson had a 6-0 record in the tournament, becoming the only medalist from the U.S. in men's freestyle. Paulson defeated veteran Viktor Bilokoptyy of Ukraine in the championship finals for the victory.

It was Paulson's second international title this month, after claiming a gold medal at the Dave Schultz Memorial International Championships two weeks ago.

Paulson opened with a win over Bharap Getinov of Russia, then defeated fellow American Jared Frayer in his second match. After victories over Aramas Van Hovsel of Armenia and Arsen Dzhaparov of Russia, Paulson reached the semifinals, where he defeated Akjurek Tamatarov of Kazakhstan.

Chun was defeated in the women's gold-medal finals by Yana Stadnyk of Ukraine, 2-0, 1-0

Chun won four matches to qualify for the finals, including a pin over No. 1 ranked U.S. wrestler Stephanie Murata (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) in the second round.

Murata bounced back after the loss to Chun with three wins in the repechage rounds. She stopped Maria Livach of Ukraine in her bronze medal bout, 1-0, 4-0.

Smith, a 2005 World champion, had a 3-1 record, including a 2-1, 2-0 over Elena Diana Mudrag (Romania), 2-1, 2-0 in the bronze-medal bout. 

Smith won her first two matches, before she was defeated in the semifinals by 2004 Olympic silver medalist and 2007 World bronze medalist Guzel Manurova of Russia. Manurova went on to win the gold medal at the weight class.

In the men's division, Jared Frayer (Colorado Springs, Colo./Gator WC) had a 3-2 record at 66 kg/145.5 lbs., falling one match short of the medal rounds. After an opening win over H. Mohammednejad of Iran, he was beaten by Paulson. He won two more matches in the repechage rounds, before losing to eventual bronze medalist Arsen Dzhaparov of Russia.

KIEV INTERNATIONAL
At Kiev, Ukraine, Feb. 23

U.S. men's performances

55 kg/121 lbs. - Michael Martinez, Pagosa Springs, Colo. (Cowboy WC), dnp
LOSS Asalam Koshti (Russia)

66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Trent Paulson, Council Bluffs, Iowa (Sunkist Kids), champion
WIN Bharap Getinov (Russia)
WIN Jared Frayer (USA)
WIN Aramas Van Hovsel (Armenia)
WIN Arsen Dzhaparov (Russia)
WIN Akjurek Tamatarov (Kazakhstan)
WIN Viktor Bilokoptyy (Ukraine)

66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Jared Frayer, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Gator WC), dnp
WIN H. Mohammednejad (Iran)
LOSS Trent Paulson (USA)
WIN Bharap Getinov (Russia)
WIN Aramas Van Hovsel (Armenia)
LOSS Arsen Dzhaparov (Russia)

84 kg/185 lbs. - Lee Fullhart, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Gator WC), dnp
WIN Oleg Kushnir (Ukraine)
LOSs Abduladji Taimov (Russia)

84 kg/185 lbs. - Bryce Hasseman, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC), dnp
WIN Inal Azadorov (Slovakia)
LOSS Soslan Ktsoyev (Russia)
LOSS Alan Kotchiev (Russia)

84 kg/185 lbs. - Jake Herbert, Wexford, Pa. (New York AC), dnp
WIN Kayzar Boranbayev (Kazakhstan)
LOSS Ludvig Alborov (Russia)

84 kg/185 lbs. - Clint Wattenberg, Ithaca, N.Y. (New York AC), dnp
LOSS Viktor Mokhta (Ukraine)

120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Steve Mocco, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC), dnp
WIN D, Modzmanmashvili (Georgia)
LOSS David Musulbes (Slovakia)

U.S. women's performances

48 kg/105.5 lbs. - Stephanie Murata, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids), 3rd place
WIN Natalya Pulkovska (Ukraine), 1-0, 3-0
LOSS Clarissa Chun (USA), 2-3, 1-0, pin
WIN Tabaeva (Russia), 
WIN Maryana Bezruka (Ukraine), 5-0, 1-0
WIN Maria Livach (Ukraine), 1-0, 4-0

48 kg/105.5 lbs - Clarissa Chun, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids), 2nd place
WIN Tabaeva (Russia), pin
WIN Stephanie Murata, 3-2, 0-1, pin
WIN Maryana Bezruka (Ukraine)
WIN Maria Livach (Ukraine)
LOSS Yana Stadnyk (Ukraine), 2-0, 1-0

55 kg/121 lbs. - Jenny Wong, Gaffney, S.C. (Sunkist Kids), dnp
LOSS Marwa Amri (Tunisia), pin 1st period

72 kg/158.5 lbs. - Iris Smith, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army), 3rd place
WIN Daria Nazarova (Russia), 1-0, 1-0
WIN Svetlana Sayenko (Ukraine), 3-4, 2-2
LOSS Guzel Manurova (Russia)
WIN Elena Diana Mudrag (Romania), 2-1, 2-0

72 kg/158.5 lbs. - Katie Downing, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids), dnp
WIN Yana Panova (Kyrgysztan), pin
LOSS Elena Perepolkina (Russia), 0-1, 0-1
WIN Oksana Vaschuk (Ukraine), 1-0, 5-0
LOSS Ekatarina Bukina (Russia), 2-7, 3-0 

Men's freestyle medalists

55 kg/121 lbs.
Gold - M. Saydulbataov (Ukraine)
Silver - Genadiy Tulbea (Moldova)
Bronze - Gevork Markaryan (Ukraine)
Bronze - Artumir Khromov (Russia)

66 kg/145.5 lbs.
Gold - Trent Paulson (USA)
Silver - Viktor Bilokoptyy (Ukraine)
Bronze - Renat Ramazanov (Russia)
Bronze - Arsen Dzhaparov (Russia)

84 kg/185 lbs.
Gold - Soslan Ktsoyev (Russia)
Silver - Taras Danko (Ukraine)
Bronze - Revaz Mindorashvili (Geprgia)
Bronze - Ludvig Alborov (Russia)

120 kg/264.5 lbs.
Gold - Marid Mutalibov (Kazakhstan)
Silver - Aleksey Shemarov (Russia)
Bronze - Ruslan Basiyev (Armenia)
Bronze - Ali Isayev (Azerbaijan)

Women's gold medal bouts

48 kg/105.5 lbs.
Yana Stadnyk (Ukraine) dec. Clarissa Chun (USA), 2-0, 1-0

55 kg/121 lbs.
Tatyana Lazareva (Ukraine) dec. Natalya Synyshyn (Ukraine), 1-0, 1-0

63 kg/138.75 lbs.
Elena Kartashova (Russia) dec. Liubov Volosova (Russia)

72 kg/158.5 lbs.
Guzel Manurova (Russia) dec. Elena Perepolkina (Russia), 2-3, 1-0, 4-0

Updated results will be posted when available