MINSK, BELARUS - Alaina Berube (Escanaba, Mich./New York AC) placed first at 63 kg/138.75 lbs., Randi Miller (Colorado Springs, Colo./Gator WC) was a close second at the Alexander Medved International, March 9, in Minsk, Belarus, and Kristie Marano (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) earned at bronze medal at 72 kg/158.5 lbs.

"I was pleased that our team secured three more medals," said U.S. Coach Levi Weikel-Magden. "Our girls found themselves in a few tight spots and had to fight hard to get out of them.  We didn't win all the battles, but our girls showed some grit after a long tour."

Berube and Miller met in the championship match with Berube eventually outlasting Miller to take the title.

"It was a nice tournament win for Berube," said Weikel-Magden. "She is still young, but she seems to be maturing fast as a competitor under coach Kevin Black's guidance.  For the girls that lost, I will be making sure that they know what they need to adjust before Nationals.  This is what tours are about: finding our weaknesses so we can get better."

Marano overcame a fall in her second round match to beat Dina Ivanova of Azerbaijan in her third match for the bronze medal.

At 120 kg/264.5 lbs. Nick Preston (Morgantown, W.V./Sunkist Kids) was the only men's freestyle wrestler in action for the U.S. at day three of the tournament.  After getting a pin in the first round, he failed to place.

A total of six U.S. wrestlers medaled over the course of the tournament.  In addition to the three receiving medal March 9, Patricia Miranda (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) earned a gold medal at 48 kg/105.5 lbs. March 7, and Travis Paulson (Ames, Iowa/Sunkist Kids) and Sharon Jacobsen (Colorado Springs, Colo./Gator WC) both placed third in competition on March 8.

ALEXANDER MEDVED INTERNATIONAL
At Minsk, Belarus, March 9

Men's freestyle medalists:

96 kg/211.5 lbs.
Gold - Yuri Belonovski (Russia)
Silver - Nurzhan Kataev (Kazakhstan)
Bronze - Saidhasan Abubakirov (Russia)
Bronze - Berdukhi Bavashelishvili (Georgia)

120 kg/264.5 lbs.
Gold - Rares Chintoah (Romania)
Silver - Fatih Cakiroglu (Turkey)
Bronze - Recep Kara (Turkey)
Bronze - Aidyn Polatchi (Turkey)

Women's freestyle medalists:

63 kg/138.75 lbs.
Gold - Alaina Berube (USA)
Silver - Randi Miller (USA)
Bronze - Oksana Shalikova (Ukraine)
Bronze - Ekaterina Dombrovskaya (Ukraine)

67 kg/147.5 lbs.
Gold - Irina Bogdanova (Russia)
Silver - Volha Ihnatsiuk (Belarus)
Bronze - Lise Legrand (France)

72 kg/158.5 lbs.
Gold - Ekaterina Bukina (Russia)
Silver - Iryna Tsyrkevich (Belarus)
Bronze - Kristie Marano (USA)
Bronze - Marina Gastl (Austria)

U.S. men's results

120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Nick Preston, Morgantown, W.V. (Sunkist Kids), dnp
WIN Peter Pecha (Slovakia), Pin
LOSS Rares Chintoah (Romania), 0-5, 0-5
LOSS Sergei Priadun (Ukraine), 0-7, 0-4

U.S. women's results

63 kg/138.75 lbs. - Alaina Berube, Escanaba, Mich. (New York AC), 1st
WIN Oksana Shlikova (Ukraine), 1-0, 6-0
WIN Michala Spoustova (Czech Republic), 3-0, 6-0
WIN Randi Miller (USA), 4-0, 0-2, 5-1

63 kg/138.75 lbs. - Randi Miller, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Gator WC), 2nd
WIN Laura Skuinya (Latvia), 1-1, 1-0
WIN Ekaterina Dombrovskaya (Ukraine), 0-6, 2-2, 3-0
WIN Olesya Zamula (Azerbaijan), 0-1, 3-2, 4-0
LOSS Alaina Berube (USA), 0-4, 2-0, 1-5

72 kg/158.5 lbs. - Kristie Marano, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC), 3rd
WIN Nina Sklenkova (Czech Republic), 4-0, 3-0
LOSS Ekaterina Bukina (Russia), 4-2, 3-0 pin
WIN Dina Ivanova (Azerbaijan), 0-2, 1-0, 4-0