Harry Lester pins Japan's Yuji Okamoto in the finals. Larry Slater photo.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Harry Lester was not going to be denied.

Lester dropped the first period 7-1, but he came right back with a vengeance early in the second period to pin Japan’s Yuji Okamoto to win the Dave Schultz Memorial International Open on Thursday night.

Lester used a front headlock to launch Okamoto to his back for a dramatic fall just 40 seconds into the second period at 66 kg/145.5 lbs.

“I tried something stupid in the first period,” Lester said. “I knew I was going to come back and put it on him in the second period. I just had to come back strong.”

Lester won his fourth career Dave Schultz title at the U.S. Olympic Training Center.

“I felt good today. It’s the progression I wanted,” said Lester, a World bronze medalist in 2006 and 2007. “I followed through on my plan to win the tournament. You got to go out there and give your all, and that’s what I did. It didn’t look too pretty but I got the job done. I’m only about 50 percent right now. I just need to turn it on and kick some butt.”

Americans Joe Betterman and Jake Fisher also won championships in Greco-Roman wrestling.

Betterman downed Chad Vandiver 1-0, 2-0 in the finals at 60 kg/132 lbs. Betterman, a 2007 World Team member, won his third Schultz title. Betterman was named Outstanding Wrestler.

“Chad and I train together all the time, and we make each other better,” Betterman said. “I wrestled pretty good this tournament. I was consistent and I kept my focus.”

Jake Fisher outlasted Steven Forrest in three periods to win the title at 74 kg/163 lbs. Fisher beat Forrest in the finals of the 2010 World Team Trials. Fisher won his second Schultz title.

The Sunkist Kids and Bulgaria tied for the team title. The U.S. Army finished third.

Day 2 of the Dave Schultz event is set for Friday with the freestyle competition taking place. The women’s freestyle tournament will follow on Saturday.

FINALS RESULTS

55 kg/121 lbs.

Thomas Ronningen (Norway) dec. Anders Ronningen (Norway), 1-0, 5-1

60 kg/132 lbs.

Joe Betterman (Sunkist Kids) dec. Chad Vandiver (Sunkist Kids), 1-0, 2-0

66 kg/145.5 lbs.

Harry Lester (U.S. Army) pinned Yuji Okamoto (Japan), 1-7, pin 0:40

74 kg/163 lbs.

Jake Fisher (New York AC) dec. Steven Forrest (U.S. Marine Corps), 2-0, 0-1, 1-0

84 kg/185 lbs.

Damian Janikowski (Poland) pinned Kristofer Ragnar Johansson (Sweden), 1-0, 0-2, pin 0:26

96 kg/211.5 lbs.

Elis Guri (Bulgaria) pinned Andrea Minguzzi (Italy), 0:52

120 kg/264.5 lbs.

Johan Euran (Sweden) dec. Brandon Rupp (Sunkist Kids), 1-0, 5-0