Chas Betts poses with his bronze medal at 84 kg from the challenging Ivan Podubbny Grand Prix in Russia. Steve Fraser photo.

2009 U.S. World Team member Chas Betts (Colorado Springs, Colo./Minnesota Storm) won a bronze medal at 84 kg/185 lbs. at the respected Ivan Podubbny Grand Prix in Tumen, Russia on Saturday.

Betts won three of four bouts in the tournament, capturing the bronze medal with a 0-1, 1-0, 1-0 over Oleg Shokalov of Russia. Betts avenged a loss to Shokalov at the Karavaev Cup in Belarus in November 2010.

He opened with a win over a Russian, then lost in the second match in three periods to the eventual champion Alan Khugaev of Russia. He won his first repechage match over an opponent from Kazakhstan, which placed him in the bronze-medal round.

“Betts really made some great strides with his fight on his feet and his par terre defense,” said Fraser. “He wrestled like a champion today with great confidence. He beat numerous Russians and gassed all of his opponents out. He lost a very close match to the champion, who beat Olympic champion Michine of Russia in the final bout. Betts showed the world today that he is a definite contender.”

Four weight classes were contested on Saturday, but Team USA had only two competitors. Missing the medal rounds at 55 kg/121 lbs. was Jermaine Hodge (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army), who finished with a 1-1 record.

The Ivan Podubbny Grand Prix is considered one of the toughest Greco-Roman wrestling events held each year.

Three weight classes will be contested on Sunday (60 kg, 74 kg, 96 kg). Team USA will have five competitors in Sunday’s action.

PODUBBNY GRAND PRIX
At Tumen, Russia, Jan. 15

55 kg/121 lbs.
Gold - Nazyr Mankiev (Russia - Krasnoyarsk)
Silver - Ivan Blattsev (Russia - Moscow region)
Bronze - Ivan Tatarinov (Russia - Novosibirsk)
Bronze - Elbek Tozhiev (Belarus)
5th - Basil Topoev (Russia - Khakassia)
5th - Andrew Boulet (Russia - Moscow-Vladivostok)

66 kg/145.5 lbs.
Gold - Yuri Denisov (Russia - St. Petersburg)
Silver - Mihran Harutyunyan (Russia - Moscow)
Bronze - Gabriel Eprikyan (Russia - Krasnoyarsk)
Bronze – Adam Kurak (Russia – Krasnoyarsk)
5th - Rustem Emir Amzaev (Belarus)
5th - Basil Bows (Russia - Novosibirsk-Irkutsk)

84 kg/185 lbs.
Gold - Alan Khugaev (Russia - Moscow - Vladikavkaz)
Silver – Alexei Mishin (Russia - Mordovia)
Bronze - Azamat Bikbaev (Russia - Bashkortostan)
Bronze – Chas Betts (USA)
5th – Javid Gamzatov (Belarus)
5th - Oleg Shokalov (Russia - Krasnodar, Russia, Nalchik) 

120 kg/264.5 lbs.
Gold - Hassan Baroev (Russia - Moscow, Vladikavkaz)
Silver - Shohrudi Ayubov (Russia - Moscow)
Bronze - Alexandr Ekimov (Russia - Novosibirsk)
Bronze – Alexander Anuchin (Novosibirsk, Voronezh)
5th - Alexander Petrenko (Ukraine)
5th – Soslan Farniev (Uzbekistan)

U.S. Greco-Roman results

55 kg/121 lbs. – Jermaine Hodge, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army), dnp
WIN name not available (Moldova), 1-0, 0-1, 7-1
LOSS name not available (Russia), 0-2, 0-1

84 kg/185 lbs. – Chas Betts, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Minnesota Storm), 3rd
WIN name not available (Russia), 0-1, 1-0, 2-0
LOSS Alan Khugaev (Russia), 3-0, 0-1, 0-1
WIN name not available (Kazakhstan), 1-0, 2-0
WIN Oleg Shokalov (Russia), 0-1, 1-0, 1-0