2008 Olympic champion Henry Cejudo competing at the Sunkist Kids International in October. Cejudo won a silver medal at his first overseas tournament since the 2008 Olympics. Larry Slater photo

NICE, France – Two U.S. freestyle wrestlers won silver medals on the first day of the Henri Deglane Challenge on Saturday.

The U.S. silver medalists were 2008 Olympic champion Henry Cejudo (Columbus, Ohio/Sunkist Kids) at 55 kg/121 lbs. and Phillip Keddy (Iowa City, Iowa/Hawkeye WC) at 84 kg/185 lbs.

Cejudo opened with a pair of victories, defeating Chakir Ansari of France, 4-0, 2-2, 2-1 in the quarterfinals and Rodrigo Rodriguez of Spain, 2-0, 6-0 in the semifinals.

Cejudo fell in the finals to 2003 World silver medalist Ghenadi Tulbea of Monaco, 1-3, 2-6. Tulbea won his World medal when he was competing for Moldova. The 32-year-old Tulbea has represented Monaco since 2010.

Keddy opened with two solid wins, stopping Jordan Noblet of France, 4-1, 9-3 in the quarterfinals and 2002 World University silver medalist Sergei Kolesnikov of Israel, 1-0, 2-1 in the semifinals.

In the finals, Keddy was defeated by Magomed Ibragimov of Russia, 3-7, 2-3.

“In the finals, our guys did not wrestle the way they wanted to wrestle. We had our game plans and both started off the matches well scoring the first points. This is Phil's first time overseas and Henry hasn't wrestled overseas since the Olympics, so he is new at this as well. We gave up some points at the end of the period to lose and it threw us off our game plan and got in our heads. It is early in the season and this will be a learning experience as we work towards the Olympic Trials and the Olympics,” said U.S. coach Andy Hrovat.

Jon Reader (Ames, Iowa/Sunkist Kids) won a bronze medal at 84 kg/185 lbs. He opened with a three-period victory over teammate Travis Paulson (Ames, Iowa/Sunkist Kids), 2-1, 0-1, 2-1, then fell to Ibragimov of Russia, 1-3, 0-1. He received the bronze medal without another match.

Competing at 84 kg/185 lbs. in Greco-Roman was Shaun Scott (Millersville, Pa. (Modern Day Gladiators), who placed fourth after dropping all three matches in his four-athlete roundrobin competition. 

Draws have been set for the five U.S. wrestlers competing on Sunday. Four of the U.S. athletes in this group are past World Team members, including 2006 World silver medalist Mike Zadick (Solon, Iowa/Gator WC) at 60 kg/132 lbs., plus Shawn Bunch (Columbus, Ohio/Gator WC) at 60 kg/132 lbs., Trent Paulson (Ames, Iowa/Sunkist Kids) at 74 kg/163 lbs. and Tommy Rowlands (Columbus, Ohio/Sunkist Kids) at 96 kg/211.5 lbs.

The U.S. team is being coached by Andy Hrovat and Bobby Douglas.

HENRI DEGLANE CHALLENGE
At Nice, France, Nov. 25-26

Men's freestyle results

55 kg/121 lbs.
Gold - Ghenadie Tulbea (Monaco)
Silver - Henry Cejudo (USA)
Bronze - Chakir Ansari (France)
Bronze - Zoheir El Ouarraque (France)
5th - Rodrigo Rodriguez (Spain)
5th - Quentin Sticker (France)

66 kg/145.5 lbs.
Gold - Dimitry Shadrin (Russia)
Silver - Rusman Muktarov (France)
Bronze - Sarkis Grigoryan (France)
Bronze - Rasul Murtazaliev (Russia)
5th - Florent Seychelles (France)
5th - Andrei Perpelita (France)

84 kg/185 lbs.
Gold - Magomed Ibragimov (Russia)
Silver - Phillip Keddy (USA)
Bronze - Sergei Kolesnikov (Israel)
Bronze - Jon Reader (USA)
5th - Jordan Noblet (France)
6th - Travis Paulson (USA)

120 kg/264.5 lbs.
Gold - Nick Matuhin (Germany)
Silver - Gor Abrahamyan (France)

U.S. men’s freestyle performances

55 kg/121 lbs. – Henry Cejudo, Columbus, Ohio (Sunkist Kids), 2nd
WIN Chakir Ansari (Ceyrat-France), 4-0, 2-2, 2-1
WIN Rodrigo Rodriguez (Spain), 2-0, 6-0
LOSS Ghenadie Tulbea (Monaco), 1-3, 2-6

84 kg/185 lbs. - Jon Reader, Ames, Iowa (Sunkist Kids), 3rd
WIN Travis Paulson (USA), 2-1, 0-1, 2-1
LOSS Magomed Ibragimov (Russia), 1-3, 0-1

84 kg/185 lbs. - Travis Paulson, Ames, Iowa (Sunkist Kids), 6th
LOSS Jon Reader (USA), 1-2, 1-0, 1-2

84 kg/186 lbs. – Phillip Keddy, Iowa City, Iowa (Hawkeye WC), 2nd
WIN Jordan Noblet (Ceyrat-France), 4-1, 9-3
WIN Sergei Kolesnikov (Israel), 1-0, 2-1
LOSS Magomed Ibragimov (Russia), 3-7, 2-3

Greco-Roman results

55 kg/121 lbs.
Gold - Valeriy Borgoiakov (Russia)
Silver - Ardashes Adamyan (Russia)
Bronze - Medhi Messaoudi (France)
4th - Mickael Borges (France)

66 kg/145.5 lbs.
Gold - Islam-beka Albiev (Russia)
Silver - Muxran Mahutadze (Georgia)
Bronze - Artak Margaryan (France)
4th - Marc Wentzke (Germany)
5th - Oleg Zoina (Russia)

84 kg/185 lbs.
Gold - Zaour Karezhev (Russia)
Silver - Revaz Nadareishvili (Georgia)
Bronze - Sosruko Kodzokov (Russia)
4th - Shaun Scott (USA)

120 kg/264.5 lbs.
Gold - Yuri Patrikeev (Armenia)
Silver - Yannick Szczepaniak (France)
Bronze - Christian John (Germany)
4th - Andrey Kopylov (Russia)

U.S. Greco-Roman performance

84 kg/185 lbs. – Shaun Scott, Millersville, Pa. (Modern Day Gladiators), 4th
LOSS Revaz Nadareishvili (Georgia)
LOSS Zaour Karezhev (Russia)
LOSS Sosruko Kodzokov (Russia)

Women’s freestyle results

55 kg/121 lbs.
Gold - Marina Chichkina (Russia)
Silver - Nicoleta Ciuhurezu (Romania)
Bronze - Maité Piva (France)
4th - Rafika Belguidoum (France)

72 kg/158.5 lbs.
Gold - Tatiana Morozova (Russia)
Silver - Anzhelika Pilyaeva (Russia)

U.S. men's freetyle draws for Sunday

60 kg/132 lbs. - Mike Zadick, Solon, Iowa (Gator WC)
Vs. Said Gaitaev (Sot - France)

60 kg/132 lbs. - Shawn Bunch, Columbus, Ohio (Gator WC)
Vs. Alexandre Borg (Romania)

74 kg/163 lbs. - Trent Paulson, Ames, Iowa (Sunkist Kids)
Vs. Marc Patte (Monaco)

96 kg/211.5 lbs. - Tommy Rowlands, Columbus, Ohio (Sunkist Kids) (roundrobin)
Vs. Wynn Michalak (USA)
Vs. Muslim Saypoulaev (Nice – France)
Vs. Shamil Akhmedov (Russia)

96 kg/211.5 lbs. - Wynn Michalak, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Gator WC) (roundrobin)
Vs. Tommy Rowlands (USA)
Vs. Shamil Akhmedov (Russia)
Vs. Muslim Saypoulaev (Nice – France)