ROME, Italy - Two-time Olympian Jim Gruenwald was injured and defeated in his first match at the Greco-Roman Olympic Qualifying Tournament on Saturday, falling short in his attempt to qualify the United States for the 2008 Olympics at 60 kg/132 lbs.

In the opening round, Gruenwald was beaten by Vitali Rahimov of Azerbaijan in the first round, 0-7, injury default 1:15.

"He separated his shoulder," said National Greco-Roman Coach Steve Fraser. "He wrestled him pretty well. He had him gassed, and that is when it happened. Gruenwald basically wrestled with one arm for a minute in the second period. In the par terre, he got gut wrenched on the same side over that shoulder."

Gruenwald (Marquette, Mich./Sunkist Kids) re-injured the shoulder which he initially damaged in the semifinals of the 2003 World Championships, where he had to take an injury default and place fourth. 

Rahimov was a 2004 Olympian and has made the last three World Teams for Azerbaijan. His highest finish in any of those major events was 13th in the 2006 Worlds. He won the European Championships in 2005.

When Rahimov was defeated in the next match by Davor Stefanek of Serbia, Gruenwald was eliminated from the competition. Stefanek went on to win the gold medal at the weight class, qualifying his nation for the Olympics. Rahimov wrestled back to win one of the bronze medals, also qualifying his nation for the Olympics.

Gruenwald made U.S. Olympic Teams in 2000 and 2004. Gruenwald retired shortly after the 2004 Olympics, but returned to the mat last fall.

Fraser has announced that 2007 U.S. World Team member Joe Betterman (Chicago, Ill./New York AC) would compete in the second and final Olympic qualifier for Greco-Roman, scheduled for May 24-25 in Serbia. Gruenwald defeated Betterman in the finals of the U.S. National Championships in April.

Five-time World Team member T.C. Dantzler is scheduled to compete on Sunday at 74 kg/163 lbs., attempting to qualify the United States at that weight class.

Dantzler has received his draw for the competition. His first match will be against Graham Keitani of the Federated States of Micronesia. Keitani was second in the 2008 Oceania Championships, and has never placed in the top 10 at the World Championships in two tries in freestyle and two tries in Greco-Roman.

If he wins that match, Dantzler will face the winner of the bout between Felipe Macedo of Brazil and Jonut Strambeanu of Romania. Neither of these athletes have been a placewinner at the World Championships, either.

There are 36 wrestlers in his weight class. Top athletes in Dantzler's half-bracket include 2006 World Champion Vladimir Shatskikh of Ukraine, 2007 Junior World champion Arsen Julfalakyan of Armenia and 2007 Pan American Games champion Odelis Herrero of Cuba. 

Dantzler defeated Herrero at the 2008 Pan American Championships in the semifinals, before losing to Sixto Ochoa of Peru in the championship match. The Pan American Championships was a qualifying event for the Olympics, with Ochoa advancing at the weight class.

Dantzler (Colorado Springs, Colo./Gator WC) has made the last five U.S. World Teams in Greco-Roman wrestling. He placed fifth at the 2006 World Championships.

The U.S. Greco-Roman team, which won the team title at the 2007 World Championships, has qualified the other five Greco-Roman weight classes for the Olympics.

The U.S. has qualified 14 of 18 weight classes overall for the Olympics. The U.S. has qualified 5-of-7 classes in Greco-Roman, 6-of-7 classes in freestyle and 3-of-4 classes in women's freestyle. Two qualifiers remain in women's freestyle