HAVANA, Cuba – U.S. Greco-Roman wrestlers Justin Lester (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army) and Dremiel Byers (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army) captured gold medals on the final day of the Granma Cup on Thursday. Lester, a 2006 and 2007 World bronze medalist, captured the title at 74 kg/163 lbs., winning five straight matches in a large and talented field. Byers, a 2002 World champion, 2007 World bronze medalist and 2009 World silver medalist, swept three straight matches for the title at 120 kg/264.5 pounds. “Lester and Byers are taking a step closer towards the goal of winning Olympic and World gold medals for our country,†said U.S. coach Shon Lewis, who is also their coach with the Army WCAP program. “Justin Lester is really getting his groove back. We are now turning our focus on a solid week of training with one of the best Greco-Roman programs in the world.†Lester won his gold medal match by defeating 2009 Pan American champion Jorgisbel Alvarez Hernandez of Cuba, 3-5, 1-0, 1-1. He needed four wins in order to reach the finals. He opened with victories over Jesus Mina of Ecuador, Anton Gottfredson of the USA and Luis Perez of Venezuela. In the semifinals, he stopped 2010 Pan American champion Mayli Consuegra of Cuba, 1-0, 1-1. Lester, who took a year off from wrestling, recently won the Dave Schultz Memorial International at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. Byers defeated Nico Schmidt of Germany, 0-1, 1-0, 2-0 in the gold-medal bout. Schmidt was fifth in the 2010 World Championships. In the quarterfinals, Byers beat Ralf Boehringer of Germany, 1-0, 2-0, then stopped Antonio Santos of Brazil, 3-0, 5-0 in the semifinals. Three-time U.S. Junior World Team member Ben Provisor (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) won a bronze medal at 74 kg/163 lbs. He defeated 2007 Pan American Games bronze medalist Felipe Macedo of Brazil, 1-0, 7-0 to bring home the bronze. Provisor opened with two victories, then was defeated in the semifinals by Jorgisbel Alvarez Hernandez of Cuba, 0-1, 2-0, 0-3. The U.S. Greco-Roman team will remain for another week to train with the Cuban athletes and coaches. The Cerro Pelado International will follow in Havana, with women’s freestyle on Friday and men’s freestyle on Saturday and Sunday. The U.S. did not enter a women’s team, but will have a full men’s freestyle squad competing this weekend. GRANMA CUP At Havana, Cuba, February 17 Greco-Roman results 60 kg/132 lbs. Gold – Tarik Belmadani (France) Silver – Betancourt (Cuba) Bronze – Jorge Cardozo (Venezuela) Bronze – Maikel Anache (Cuba) 5th – Adan Monte (Argentina) 5th – Ribert Rodriguez (Venezuela) Gold – Belmadani dec. Betancourt, 1-0, 7-0 Bronze – Cardozo dec. Monte, 1-0, 7-0 Bronze – Anache dec. Rodriguez, 6-0, 7-0 74 kg/163 lbs. Gold – Justin Lester (USA) Silver – Jorgisbel Alvarez Hernandez (Cuba) Bronze – Ben Provisor (USA) Bronze - Mayli Consuegra (Cuba) 5th – Felipe Macedo (Brazil) 5th – Luis Perez (Venezuela) Gold – Lester dec. Hernandez, 3-5, 1-0, 1-1 Bronze – Provisor dec. Macero, 1-0, 7-0 Bronze – Consuegra dec. Perez, 2-1, 2-0 96 kg/211.5 lbs. Gold/Silver –not available Bronze – Oliver Hassler (Germany) Bronze – Davi Jose Albino (Brazil) 5th – Randy Lambert (Honduras) Gold – results not available Bronze – Alvino dec. Lambert, 1-0, 6-0 Bronze – Hassler, no match 120 kg/264.5 lbs. Gold – Dremiel Byers (USA) Silver – Nico Schmidt (Germany) Bronze - Ralf Boehringer (Germany) Bronze – Yannick Szczepaniak (France) 5th - Antonio Santos (Brazil) 5th – Dominguez (Cuba) U.S. Greco-Roman performances 60 kg/132 lbs. – Joe Betterman, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids), dnp WIN Ismael Borrero (Cuba), 0-2, 2-0, 2-0 LOSS Maikel Anache (Cuba), 0-4, 0-7 74 kg/163 lbs. – Ben Provisor, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids), 3rd WIN Timo Padusch (Germany), 2-0, 0-3, 1-0 WIN Fidel Alvaraez (Cuba), 6-3, 1-0 LOSS Jorgisbel Alvarez Hernandez (Cuba), 0-1, 2-0, 0-3 WIN Felipe Macedo (Brazil), 1-0, 7-0 74 kg/163 lbs. – Justin Lester, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army), 1st WIN Jesus Mina (Ecuador), 1-0, 1-0 WIN Anton Gottredson (USA), 3-3, 4-0 WIN Luis Perez (Venezuela), 1-0, 1-0 WIN Mayli Consuegra (Cuba), 1-0, 1-1 WIN Jorgisbel Alvarez Hernandez (Cuba), 3-5, 1-0, 1-1 74 kg/163 lbs. – Anton Gottfredson, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids), dnp WIN Maximillian Prudenzano (Argentina), 1-0, 1-0 LOSS Justin Lester (USA), 3-3, 4-0 WIN Jesus Mina (Ecuador), 3-0, 4-0 LOSS Luis Perez (Venezuela), 2-1, 2-0 74 kg/163 lbs. – Marco Toledo, Foley, Ala. (USOEC), dnp LOSS Adam Juretzko (Germany), 0-2, 2-0, 0-3 96 kg/211.5 lbs. – R.C. Johnson, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids), dnp LOSS Oliver Hassler (Germany), 1-3, 0-1 120 kg/264.5 lbs. – Dremiel Byers, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army), 1st WIN Ralf Boehringer (Germany), 1-0, 2-0 WIN Antonio Santos (Brazil), 3-0, 5-0 WIN Nico Schmidt (Germany), 0-1, 1-0, 2-0