Shawn Bunch received the gold and Mike Zadick a bronze medal during the 60 kg medal ceremonies at the Henri Deglane Challenge in Nice, France. Andy Hrovat photo

NICE, France – U.S. freestyle wrestlers won three medals on the final day of the Henri Deglane Challenge

Capturing a gold medal was 2009 World Team member Shawn Bunch (Columbus, Ohio/Gator WC) at 60 kg/132 lbs.

He opened with a win over Alexandre Borg of Romania, 9-2, 6-0 then defeated 2006 World silver medalist Mike Zadick (Solon, Iowa/Gator WC), 2-1, 1-1 in the semifinals. In the championship finals, he defeated Anton Ivanov of Russia, 1-0, 1-0.

"It felt good. I was relaxed and focused. I got things started off the first match and kept the flow going through the tournament,” said Ivanov. "It was good for me to win this tournament at the end of the year so I can feel good going into the new year and then into the Olympic Trials."

At 96 kg/211.5 lbs., Wynn Michalak (Colorado Springs, Colo./Gator WC) went 2-1 in a four-athlete roundrobin to win the silver medal. His final match, which earned him the silver, was a 4-3, 1-1 win over Muslim Saypoulaev of France. His only loss was in the second round to 2010 Junior World champion Shamil Akhmedov of Russia, 0-2, 0-4.

Zadick rebounded from his semifinal loss to Bunch to claim the bronze medal, defeating Alexandre Borg of France, 3-0, 6-0 in the bronze-medal round. He finished with a 2-1 record for the day.

2009 U.S. World Team member Trent Paulson (Ames, Iowa/Sunkist Kids) won his first match over Marc Patte of Monaco. He was defeated in the next round by Sergei Rondon of France, 0-3, 0-3. Rondon competed many years for Cuba, placing fourth in the 2003 World Championships and eighth in the 2004 Olympic Games. When Rondon failed to reach the finals, Paulson was eliminated from the repechage.

2007 U.S. World Team member Tommy Rowlands (Columbus, Ohio/Sunkist Kids) lost his opening match at 96 kg/211.5 lbs. to Michalak, 3-0, 3-3, 2-2, then had to withdraw with an injury which prevented him from completing the roundrobin competition.

“The guys today wrestled well. We are still getting some much needed experience. It's like putting money into the bank, later in the year and into next year we will be able to take this experience and build on it. I know not everyone is happy with the results, but they will take that unhappiness and let it fuel their training,” said U.S. coach Andy Hrovat.

The United States placed second as a team in the freestyle standings with 40 points, behind the champion Russian team with 49 points. The Ceyrat Club of France was third with 32 points.

Over the two-day event, the USA won six medals. On Friday, Henry Cejudo (Columbus, Ohio/Sunkist Kids) at 55 kg/121 lbs. and Phillip Keddy (Iowa City, Iowa/Hawkeye WC) at 84 kg/185 lbs. won silver medals and Jon Reader (Ames, Iowa/Sunkist Kids) won a bronze medal at 84 kg/185 lbs.

HENRI DEGLANE CHALLENGE
At Nice, France, Nov. 26

60 kg/132 lbs.
Gold - Shawn Bunch (USA)
Silver - Anton Ivanov (Russia)
Bronze - Mike Zadick (USA)
Bronze - Petr Sivtcev (Russia)
5th - Alexandre Borg (France)
5th - Valentin Popescu (Romania)

74 kg/163 lbs.
Gold - Ramazan Shamsudinov (Russia)
Silver - Luca Lampis (France)
Bronze - Sergei Rondon (France)
Bronze - Alexandru Burca (France)
5th - Loic Bertrand (France)
5th - Antoine Bonin (France)

96 kg/211.5 lbs.
Gold - Shamil Akhmedov (Russia)
Silver - Wynn Michalak (USA)
Bronze - Muslim Saypoulaev (France)
4th - Tommy Rowlands (USA)

U.S. freestyle performances on Saturday

60 kg/132 lbs. - Shawn Bunch, Columbus, Ohio (Gator WC), 1st
WIN Alexandre Borg (Rou-France), 9-2, 6-0
WIN Mike Zadick (USA), 2-1, 1-1
WIN Anton Ivanov (Russia), 1-0, 1-0

60 kg/132 lbs. - Mike Zadick, Solon, Iowa (Gator WC), 3rd
WIN Said Gaitaev (Sot - France), 0-1, 5-1, 4-0
LOSS Shawn Bunch (USA), 1-2, 1-1
WIN Alexandre Borg (Rou-France), 3-0, 6-0

74 kg/163 lbs. - Trent Paulson, Ames, Iowa (Sunkist Kids), dnp
WIN Marc Patte (Monaco), 3-0, 3-0
LOSS Sergei Rondon (Cey-France), 0-3, 0-3

96 kg/211.5 lbs. - Tommy Rowlands, Columbus, Ohio (Sunkist Kids), 4th (inj. withdrew)
LOSS Wynn Michalak (USA), 3-0, 3-3, 2-2

96 kg/211.5 lbs. - Wynn Michalak, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Gator WC), 2nd
WIN Tommy Rowlands (USA), 0-3, 3-3, 2-2
LOSS Shamil Akhmedov (Russia), 0-2, 0-4
WIN Muslim Saypoulaev (Nice – France), 4-3, 1-1

Freestyle standings
1. Russia, 49 pts
2. USA, 40 pts
3. Ceyrat Club (France), 32 pts
4. Nice Olympic Club (France), 31 pts
5. France, 18 pt
6. Monaco, 14 pts.
7. Israel, 12 pts.
8. Germany, 10 pts.
9. Besancon Club (France), 9 pt
10. Lyon St-Priest Club (France), 8 pt
(of 19 teams)

Women’s results

48 kg/105.5 lbs.
Gold - Estera Dobre (Romania)
Silver - Irina Arkhipova (Russia)
Bronze - Anna Trusova (Russia)
Bronze - Mélanie LeSaffre (France)
5th - Nekane Cepas Garcia (Spain)
5th - Viktoria Jeppsson (Sweden)

63 kg/138.75 lbs.
Gold - Johanna Mattsson (Sweden)
Silver - Fatima Benfouzari (France)
Bronze - Jennifer Eckhaerdt (France)
Bronze - Iuliia Alborova (Russia)
5th - Roxana Nastusnicu (Romania)
7th - Anzhela Fomenko (Russia)
7th - Olivia Neagu (Romania)

Women’s standings
1. Russia, 37 pts.
2. Romania, 25 pts
3. Sweden, 16 pts.
4. LCN club (France), 9 pts.
5. Besancon Club (France), 8 pts.
5. France, 8 pts.
5. Toulon Club (France), 8 pts.
8. Lyon-St. Priest Club (France), 7 pts.
9. Spain, 6 pts.
10. Slovakia, 3 pts.

Greco-Roman results

60 kg/132 lbs.
Gold - Rustam Khuchbarov (Russia)
Silver - Kemal Xarabadze (Georgia)
Bronze - Frik Weiss (Germany)
Bronze - Alexander Grebensikou (Germany)
5th - Christoph Bast (Germany)
5th - Anders Ekstrom (Denmark)

74 kg/163 lbs.
Gold - Mark Madsen (Denmark)
Silver - Ilyas Magamadov (Russia)
Bronze - Franck Hassli (Monaco)
Bronze - Anton Khomenko (Russia)
5th -  Damian Hartmann (Germany)
5th - Genadi Gogishvili (Georgia)

96 kg/211.5 lbs.
Gold - Zelimkhan Belkharoev (Russia)
Silver - Sandzo Dixamindia (Georgia)
Bronze - Andrian Mocanu (Monaco)
Bronze - Irakli Kadiaia (Georgia)
5th - Marin Cazac (France)
5th - Amar Mamkhyagov (Russia)

Greco-Roman standings
1. Russia, 66 pts.
2. Georgia, 42 pts
3. Germany, 29 pts.
4. France, 17 pts.
5. Denmark, 16 pts.
5. Monaco, 16 pts.
7. Armenia, 10 pts.
8. Besancon Club (France), 8 pts.
9. USA, 7 pts.
9. Rosny sous Bois Club (France), 7 pts.