HAVANA, Cuba – Tommy Rowlands (Columbus, Ohio/Sunkist Kids) won a gold medal at 120 kg/264.5 lbs. on the first day of men’s freestyle competition at the Cerro Pelado International. He was one of five Americans who won medals on Saturday.

Rowlands won three bouts on the way to the title, including a win over Disney Rodriguez of Cuba in the finals, 1-0, 1-1.

He beat Elier Romero of Cuba in the quarterfinals, 2-0, 1-0, then pinned Luis Oliveras of Venezuela, 5-0, 1:06 in the semifinals.

Rowlands was fifth at the 2007 World Championships.

Four U.S. athletes claimed bronze medals for the United States:
• Obe Blanc (Stillwater, Okla./Gator WC) at 55 kg/121 lbs.
• Sam Hazewinkel, Norman, Okla. (Sunkist Kids) at 55 kg/121 lbs.
• Brent Metcalf (Iowa City, Iowa/New York AC) at 66 kg/145.5 lbs.
• Keith Gavin, Bethlehem, Pa. (Lehigh Valley WC) at 84 kg/185 lbs.

Blanc and Metcalf were members of the 2010 U.S. World Team.

More details will be posted shortly.

Five other U.S. wrestlers compete Sunday. Pairings will be posted later tonight.

CERRO PELADO INTERNATIONAL
at Havana, Cuba, Feb. 19

55 kg/121 lbs.
Gold – Frank Shamizo (Cuba)
Silver – Tim Schleicher (Germany)
Bronze – Obe Blanc (USA)
Bronze – Sam Hazewinkel (USA)
5th - Luis Ibanez (Cuba)
5th - Aleynier Hernandez (Cuba)

66 kg/145.5 lbs.
Gold – Geandry Garzon (Cuba)
Silver – Lilven Lopez (Cuba)
Bronze – Brent Metcalf (USA)
Bronze – Franklin Maren (Cuba)
5th – Saha Bolachi (Germany)
5th – Ignagy Androsov (Tajikistan)

84 kg/185 lbs.
Gold – Reineris Salas (Cuba)
Silver – Humberto Arendia (Cuba)
Bronze – Keith Gavin (USA)
Bronze – David Binichishvili (Germany)
5th – Bryce Hasseman (USA)
5th – Rosmel Giel (Venezuela)

120 kg/264.5 lbs.
Gold – Tommy Rowlands (USA)
Silver – Disney Rodriguez (Cuba)
Bronze - Elier Romero (Cuba)
Bronze – Nick Matuhin (Germany)
5th – Luis Oliveras (Venezuela)
5th – Fabian Zapata (Colombia)

U.S. performance on Saturday

55 kg/121 lbs. - Obe Blanc, Stillwater, Okla. (Gator WC), 3rd
WIN Fernando Pardis (Venezuela), 1-0, 3-2
LOSS Frank Chimizo (Cuba), 2-1, 6-0
WIN Urs Wild (Switzerland), 2-1, 1-0
WIN Luis Ibanez (Cuba), 3-9, 1-0, 7-0

55 kg/121 lbs. - Sam Hazewinkel, Norman, Okla. (Sunkist Kids), 3rd
WIN Marcel Ewald (Germany), 1-0, 0-1, 6-3
WIN Roberto Carvajal (Colombia), 7-0, 6-0
LOSS Tim Schleicher (Germany), 1-1, 1-0, 0-3
WIN Aleynier Hernandez (Cuba), 2-2, 0-1, 1-0

66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Brent Metcalf, Iowa City, Iowa (New York AC), 3rd
WIN Ghandi Marques (Mexico), 6-0, 4-0
WIN Yoan Blanco (Ecuador), 1-0, 5-1
LOSS Geandry Garzon (Cuba), 0-1, 0-4
WIN Saha Bolachi (Germany), 3-1, 3-0

84 kg/185 lbs. - Keith Gavin, Bethlehem, Pa. (Lehigh Valley WC), 3rd
LOSS Humberto Arendia (Cuba), 2-4, 2-4
WIN Jose Diaz (Venezuela), inj. dft.
WIN Bryce Hasseman (USA), 4-0, 1-0

84 kg/185 lbs. - Bryce Hasseman, Stillwater, Okla. (New York AC), 5th
WIN Daniel Esquivel (Mexico), 6-0, 5-0
WIN Marco Riesen (Switzerland), 0-4, 1-0, 2-0
LOSS Humberto Arendia (Cuba), 1-0, 3-0
LOSS Keith Gavin (USA), 0-4, 0-1

120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Tommy Rowlands, Columbus, Ohio (Sunkist Kids), 1st 
WIN Elier Romero (Cuba), 2-0, 1-0
WIN Luis Oliveras (Venezuela), 5-0, pin 1:06
WIN Disney Rodriguez (Cuba), 1-0, 1-1