BAKU, Azerbaijan – 2002 World champion Dremiel Byers (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army) claimed a bronze medal at 120 kg/264.5 lbs. in the FILA Golden Grand Prix Finals on Sunday.

Byers, who has won three career World medals, had a 3-1 record to secure his medal. He opened the tournament with wins over Numinjon Abdullaev of Uzbekistan and Georgy Sakandelidze of Georgia.

In the semifinals, he was defeated by 2010 World bronze medalist Riza Kayaalp of Turkey. Kayaalp defeated Byers in the bronze-medal bout of the 2010 World Championships in Moscow, Russia.

Byers bounced back to defeat 2006 World champion Heiki Nabi of Estonia in the bronze-medal match. 

Byers won a silver medal in this prestigious event in 2009.

Byers was the only U.S. athlete to qualify for a medal match.

Placing in the top 10 of their divisions were:
• Spenser Mango, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army), 7th at 55 kg/121 lbs.
• Jake Fisher, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC), 7th at 74 kg/163 lbs.
• Justin Ruiz, Orem, Utah (New York AC), 8th  at 96 kg/211.5 lbs.

Byers, Mango, Fisher and Ruiz are all members of the 2011 U.S. World Team which will compete in Istanbul, Turkey in September.

More results will be posted later.

HEYDAR ALIEV GOLDEN GRAND PRIX FINALS
At Baku, Azerbaijan, July 10, 2011

U.S. placements

55 kg/121 lbs. - Spenser Mango, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army), 7th

66 kg/145.5 lbs. - CP Schlatter, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm), dnp

74 kg/163 lbs. - Jake Fisher, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC), 7th

84 kg/185 lbs. - Jordan Holm, Boise, Idaho (Minnesota Storm), dnp

96 kg/211.5 lbs. - Justin Ruiz, Orem, Utah (New York AC), 8th

120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Dremiel Byers, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army), 3rd