RACIBORZ, Poland – Justin Ruiz (Boise, Idaho/New Yorh AC) has qualified for a bronze medal match at the respected Pytlasinski International Tournament on Saturday.

Ruiz, a 2005 World bronze medalist, will face Artur Shakhbanov of Russia for a bronze medal at 96 kg/211.5 lbs.

Ruiz opened with victories against Dimitry Timchenko of Ukraine, 1-0, 2-1 and Kaloyan Dinchev of Bulgaria, 3-0, 2-0. He was defeated in the semifinals by Nikita Melnikov of Russia, 0-1, 0-6.

"Justin Ruiz showed some very good skills today beating his first two opponents,” said National Greco-Roman coach Steve Fraser. “he got caught in body lock and thrown to lose to the  Russian in the semifinals.

The three other U.S. athletes who competed on Sunday lost matches. None of them were eligible for the repechage rounds, because the athletes who defeated them did not qualify for the gold-medal finals.

2008 Olympian Spenser Mango (St. Louis, Mo./New York AC) went 1-1 at 60 kg/132 lbs. Mango usually competes at 55 kg/121 lbs.

At 74 kg/163 lbs., Jake Fisher (Boise, Idaho/New York AC) lost to 2000 Olympic champion and two-time World champion Varteres Samurgashev of Russia, 0-1, 0-5.

Jeremiah Davis (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army) dropped his only bout at 60 kg/132 lbs.

"As a team we need to sharpen our pummelling and fighting skills. This is usually a strength of ours. However, today and yesterday, in most of the matches that we lost, we got out pummeled and out fought. This sprinting/fighting issue will be a focus of ours in the weeks leading up to the Worlds,” said Fraser.

PYTLASINSKI INTERNATIONAL
At Raciborz, Poland, August 1

U.S. performances so far

60 kg/132 lbs. – Spenser Mango, St. Louis, Mo. (New York AC)
WIN Terrence Bosson (Great Britain), 2-0, 4-0
LOSS Tarik Belmandi (France), 0-2, 2-2

60 kg/132 lbs. – Jeremiah Davis, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army)
LOSS Ruslan Israfilov (Ukraine), 2-6, 0-2

74 kg/163 lbs. – Jake Fisher, Boise, Idaho (New York AC)
LOSS Varteres Samurgashev (Russia), 0-1, 0-5

96 kg/211.5 lbs. – Justin Ruiz, Boise, Idaho (New York AC)
WIN Dimitry Timchenko (Ukraine), 1-0, 2-1
WIN Kaloyan Dinchev (Bulgaria), 3-0, 2-0
LOSS Nikita Melnikov (Russia), 0-1, 0-6
vs. Artur Shakhbanov (Russia) for bronze medal

Gold medal finals

60 kg/132 lbs. – Ivo Angelov (Bulgaria) vs. Zaur Kuramagomedov (Russia)

74 kg/163 lbs. – Iliyon Georgiev (Bulgaria) vs. Eduard Babak (SOB)

96 kg/211.5 lbs. – Melonin Noumonvi (France) vs. Nikita Melnikov (Russia)