Harry Lester (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army) has been named TheMat.com Wrestler of the Week for Feb. 1-7.

Each week, TheMat.com will select an Athlete of the Week, based upon performance within wrestling for that week. The selection committee will consider any level of wrestling, from youth programs through the Senior level.

Lester, a two-time World bronze medalist, returned to his old weight class of 66 kg/145.5 lbs. to win the Dave Schultz Memorial International Open last Thursday at the Olympic Training Center.

Lester dropped the first period in the Greco-Roman finals before storming back to pin Japan’s Yuji Okamoto in the second period. Lester used a front headlock to launch Okamoto to his back for a dramatic fall just 40 seconds into the second period.

Lester also pulled out an exciting 0-1, 1-0, 1-0 quarterfinal win over Bulgarian Emiliyan Todorov. Lester lost to Todorov in 2005 in a tournament in Bulgaria. Todorov was 10th in the World in 2010.

Lester won his fourth Dave Schultz tournament title.

Lester is off to a strong start in his return to the mat after missing nearly the entire 2009-10 season as he joined the U.S. Army’s World Class Athlete Program. 

Lester went 2-0 at the Kiki Cup on Jan. 29 at the Olympic Training Center.

Note: To nominate a wrestler for TheMat.com Wrestler of the Week, send the athlete's name, accomplishments for the week and career accomplishments to Craig Sesker at csesker@usawrestling.org