MINSK, Belarus - Danny Felix (Morgantown, W.Va./Sunkist Kids) placed fifth at 55 kg/121 lbs., the top U.S. men's freestyle placement at the Alexander Medved International on Friday. Felix was defeated in a bronze-medal match by Yuriy Ledenev of Ukraine, 1-1, 1-0. "For 3rd place, Danny was winning 1-0 and continued to stay on the attack throughout the period. On one attack, he was driving Ledenev out when Ledenev changed the angle and scored the final one point to win the first period. And, in the second period, Danny lost the ball pull and got taken down in the clinch," said Assistant National Freestyle Coach Brandon Slay. Felix won his first two matches, then was defeated in the semifinals by 2008 Olympic bronze medalist Rizvan Gadzhiev of Belarus. Felix was a member of the 2009 U.S. World Team. "Danny wrestled with much more fire in this tournament to reach the third-place match. In the semifinals, he got taken down in the last three seconds of the first period and didn't finish the clinch in the second period, which cost him a trip to the finals," said Assistant National Freestyle Coach Brandon Slay. "Learning lessons like these in the clinch and how to finish periods strong are very painful yet extremely valuable as long as our team corrects them and changes heading into the U.S. Open, World Team Trials, and World Championships in Moscow," continued Slay. Also going 2-1 in the first session was Shawn Bunch (Columbus, Ohio/Gator WC) at 60 kg/132 lbs. In the first round, Bunch avenged a loss from the 2009 World Championships after defeating Anatoli Guidea of Bulgaria. In his third match, Bunch was beaten by Aliaskandr Kontoev of Belarus. Bunch also lost to Kontoev in the Freestyle World Cup last weekend. "Shawn Bunch got to avenge his first-round loss from the 2009 Worlds against Guidea from Bulgaria, which was a solid win. He lost for the second time in less than week to Kontoev from Belarus. Bunch is learning that he must hand fight harder and create better set ups to his attacks to beat the best," said Slay. The U.S. had five wrestlers in the men's freestyle tournament on Friday. "Medved is a very solid tournament, and we are seeing many of the same wrestlers who competed in the World Cup and against us in the Russian duals in Vladikavkaz and Nilchik. And, since these are some of the best wrestlers in the world, this tournament is great experience for Team USA," said Slay. "Our men are deeply realizing that not finishing a period strong and not finishing clinches will cost you a match and more importantly a title. They are realizing that if they desire to be on the podium in Moscow, Istanbul, and London, then they must sharpen their skills and battle even harder in every single position - not giving up anything," he said. A U.S. women's wrestling team is also competing at the Medved International this weekend. Results will be posted when received. ALEXANDER MEDVED INTERNATIONAL At Minsk, Belarus, March 12, 2010 U.S. men's freestyle results 55 kg/121 lbs. - Danny Felix, Morgantown, W.Va. (Sunkist Kids), 5th WIN Evgen Popov (Russia), 1-0, 3-0 WIN Ramil Rejepov (Turkmenistan), 1-0, 1-0 LOSS Rizvan Gadzhiev (Belarus), 1-1, 0-1 LOSS Yuriy Ledenev (Ukraine), 1-1, 0-1 55 kg/121 lbs. - Paul Donahoe, Iowa City, Iowa (Hawkeye WC), dnp WIN Nodar Aribidze (Russia), 2-0, 3-0 LOSS Ghenadie Tulbea (Moldova), 1-6, 0-6 LOSS Muslim Gabibov (Russia), 0-1, 0-1 60 kg/132 lbs. - Shawn Bunch, Columbus, Ohio (Gator WC), dnp WIN Anatoli Guidea (Bulgaria), 3-0, 1-0 WIN Shamil Mutaev (Russia), 2-0, 2-3, 6-0 LOSS Aliaskandr Kontoev (Belarus), 0-1, 0-1 60 kg/132 lbs. - Nick Simmons, Corvallis, Ore. (Sunkist Kids), dnp WIN Andrehs Vasilijevs (Latvia), pin LOSS Rahul Mann (India), 2-8, 0-3 74 kg/163 lbs. - Lloyd Rogers, Iowa City, Iowa (Hawkeye WC), dnp LOSS Muslim Dadaev (Russia), pin