BAKU, Azerbaijan – The United States has had a great day in the men’s freestyle competition at the Heydar Aliyev Golden Grand Prix Finals on Friday, placing four athletes in the championship finals and two in the bronze medal round.

Going for the gold later today are American wrestlers:
• Shawn Bunch, Columbus, Ohio (Gator WC) at 60 kg/132 lbs.
• Travis Paulson, Ames, Iowa (Sunkist Kids) at 74 kg/163 lbs.
• Jake Herbert, Evanston, Ill. (New York AC) at 84 kg/185 lbs.
• Tervel Dlagnev, Columbus, Ohio (Sunkist Kids) at 120 kg/264.5 lbs.

Bunch will face Vasyl Fedoryshin of Ukraine in the finals. Paulson draws Aleksander Gostiev of Russia in the finals. Herbert will battle Nauruz Temrezov of Azerbaijan in the finals. Dlagnev was drawn Fatih Cakiroglu of Turkey in the finals.

Bunch and Paulson beat past World champions during their run. Bunch scored a win over 2005 World champion Dilshod Mansurov of Uzbekistan in the first round. Paulson stopped 2003 World champion Irbek Farniev of Russia in the semifinals. Herbert defeated 2008 Olympic silver medalist Soslan Tigiev of Uzbekistan in the second round.

Paulson and Herbert are members of the 2010 U.S. World Team. Bunch and Dlagnev are ranked No. 2 in the USA after placing second at our U.S. World Team Trials.

Herbert was second at the 2009 World Championships and Dlagnev was third at the 2009 World Championships. Dlagnev is a defending champion at the Heydar Aliyev Golden Grand Prix.

Going for bronze medals for the USA are:
• Angel Escobedo, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC) at 55 kg/121 lbs.
• Brent Metcalf, Iowa City, Iowa (New York AC) at 66 kg/145.5 lbs.

Final results will be posted when available.

HEYDAR ALIYEV GOLDEN GRAND PRIX FINAL
At Baku, Azerbaijan, July 16

U.S. men’s freestyle results so far today

55 kg/121 lbs. – Obe Blanc, Stillwater, Okla. (Gator WC)
WIN Amiran Elbakidze (Georgia), 1-0, 2-0
LOSS Angel Escobedo (USA), 0-1, 0-2

55 kg/121 lbs. – Angel Escobedo, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)
WIN Lasha Lomtadze (Georgia), 6-0, 2-0
WIN Obe Blanc (USA), 1-0, 2-0
LOSS Nariman Israpilov (Russia), 0-1, 1-1
WIN Nurlan Makenaliev (Kyrgyzstan), 0-5, 5-0, 8-1
Bronze medal finals - Radislav Velikov (Bulgaria)

60 kg/132 lbs. – Shawn Bunch, Columbus, Ohio (Gator WC)
WIN Dilshod Mansurov (Uzbekistan), 1-0, 0-1, 3-0
WIN Kordiani Malkhaz (Georgia), 1-0, 2-0
WIN Giorgi Baliashvili (Georgia), 1-0, 3-0
Gold Medal Finals - Vasyl Fedoryshin (Ukraine)

66 kg/145.5 lbs. – Brent Metcalf, Iowa City, Iowa (New York AC)
WIN Nozadze Paata (Georgia), 4-0, 1-0
WIN Ruslan Dibirgadijiev (Azerbaijan), 2-0, 2-4, 1-0
LOSS Jabrayil Hasanov (Azerbaijan), 0-6, 0-5
Bronze medal match – Vs,. Ikhtiyor Navruzov (Uzbekistan)

74 kg/163 lbs. – Travis Paulson, Ames, Iowa (Sunkist Kids)
WIN Kamal Malikov (Russia), 1-0, 3-0
WIN Giya Chykhladze (Ukraine), 1-0, 1-0
WIN Abdulkhahim Shapiyev (Kazakhstan), 0-3, pin
WIN Irbek Farniev (Russia), 1-0, 1-0
Gold Medal finals –Vs.  Aleksander Gostiev (Russia)

74 kg/163 lbs. – Andrew Howe, Cedar Lake, Ind. (New York AC)
LOSS Chamsulvara Chamsulvarayev (Azerbaijan), 0-1, 1-2

84 kg/185 lbs. – Jake Herbert, Evanston, Ill. (New York AC)
WIN Georgy Rubaev (Russia), 1-0, 3-3
WIN Soslan Tigiev (Uzbekistan), 6-0, 1-2, 3-2
WIN Esmaeil Nejaevanahmadian (Iran), 1-0, 2-0
Gold Medal finals – Vs. Nauruz Temrezov (Azerbaijan)

84 kg/185 lbs. – Keith Gavin, Pittsburgh, Pa. (Lehigh Valley AC)
WIN Mohammed Hossein Zadeh (Iran), 4-3, 1-4, 2-1
LOSS Sharif Sharipov (Azerbaijan), 0-2, 0-6

96 kg/211.5 lbs. – J.D. Bergman, Columbus, Ohio (New York AC)
WIN Qerashvili Davit (Georgia), 2-0, 1-0
LOSS Jamaladdin Magomedov (Azerbaijan), 1-3, 1-3
LOSS Valerri Andriitsev (Ukraine), default

120 kg/264.5 lbs. – Les Sigman, State College, Pa. (Nittany Lion WC)
WIN Seyed Rasouli (Iran), 3-1, 5-2
LOSS Fatih Cakiroglu (Turkey), 0-2, 1-3
LOSS Davit Modzmanashvili (Georgia), 1-2, 0-2

120 kg/264.5 lbs. – Tervel Dlagnev, Columbus, Ohio (Sunkist Kids)
WIN Ali Asayev (Azerbaijan), 3-1, 3-0
WIN Maksim Pokhorov (Azerbaijan), 3-1, 1-0
WIN Sayed Azarshakib (Iran), 1-0, 1-0
Gold Medal finals – VS. Fatih Cakiroglu (Turkey)