Jordan Holm (left) won silver and Chas Betts (right) took bronze at 84 kg at Granma Cup in Havana, Cuba. Steve Fraser photo

HAVANA, Cuba – The U.S. won three medals on the first day of the Granma Cup of Greco-Roman on Sunday.

Capturing a silver medal at Jordan Holm (Minneapolis, Minn./Minnesota Storm) at 84 kg/185 lbs.

Holm, who was a 2011 U.S. Open champion, opened with wins over Ramsin Azizsir of Germany, 0-2, 2-0, 1-0 and U.S. teammate Betts, 1-0, 0-1, 3-0.

He was defeated in the gold-medal finals by Pablo Shorey of Cuba, 0-1, 0-3. Shorey was a 2010 World silver medalist and 2009 World bronze medalist.

Shorey had defeated 2008 Olympic champion Andrea Minguzzi of Italy in the opening round.

Winning bronze medals were C.P. Schlatter (Minneapolis, Minn./Minnesota Storm) at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. and Chas Betts (Colorado Springs, Colo./Minnesota Storm) at 84 kg/185 lbs.

Schlatter, a 2012 U.S. Open champion, defeated Marius Thommesen of Norway in the finals, 1-0, 3-0. Thommesen was seventh in the 2010 European Championships.

He opened with a victory over Jhomayle Manon of the Dominican Republic, 6-0, 2-1. Schlatter was defeated in the semifinals by 2009 and 2011 World bronze medalist Pedro Isaac Mulen of Cuba, 0-1, 0-4.

After dropping his semifinal match to Holm, Betts rebounded to defeat Ramsin Azizsir of Germany, 1-0, 8-2 in the bronze-medal bout.

Betts, a 2012 U.S. Open champion and 2009 U.S. World Team member, opened with a win over Joan Antonio Gomez of Dominican Republic, 2-0, 7-0.

Placing fifth at 96 kg/211.5 lbs. was 2005 World bronze medalist Justin Ruiz (Orem, Utah/New York AC), who finished 0-2. Ruiz was defeated in a close three-period match in the first round by 2008 Olympic silver medalist Mirko Englich of Germany, 0-1, 1-0, 0-1.

“Our team wrestled fairly well today. The tournament was not so big, but the athletes were very strong. Athletes from Germany, Italy and Norway, along with Cuba’s best guys, made it a quality tournament. As usual, par terre defense and offense is an area we need to improve upon. On our feet, we saw some good success,” said National Greco-Roman Coach Steve Fraser.

Three U.S. athletes compete on Monday, Joe Betterman (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) at 60 kg/132 lbs., Ben Provisor (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) at 74 kg/163 lbs. and Andy Bisek (Colorado Springs, Colo./Minnesota Storm) at 74 kg/163 lbs.

“We have to continue to improve our skills in all areas if we expect to qualify our weight classes for the Olympic Games in Orlando in March. The Cubans are very strong,” said Fraser.

GRANMA CUP
At Havana, Cuba, Feb. 12

Greco-Roman results

55 kg/121 lbs.
Gold – Javier Dumenigo (Cuba)
Silver – Ceyhun Zaidov (Germany)
Bronze – Anders Ronningen (Norway)
Bronze – Andres Montano (Ecuador)
5th – Lukas Hoglmeier (Germany)

66 kg/145.5 lbs.
Gold – Pedro Isaac Mulen (Cuba)
Silver – Frank Stabler (Germany)
Bronze – C.P. Schlatter (USA)
Bronze – Miguel Martinez (Cuba)
5th – Marius Thommesen (Norway)
5th – Tiziano Corriga (Italy)

84 kg/185 lbs.
Gold – Pablo Shorey (Cuba)
Silver – Jordan Holm (USA)
Bronze – Chas Betts (USA)
Bronze – Andrea Minguzzi (Italy)
5th – Ramsin Azzisir (Germany)
5th – Jan Fischer (Germany)

96 kg/211.5 lbs.
Gold – Yasmani Lugo (Cuba)
Silver – Mirko Englich (Germany)
Bronze – Marthin Nielsen (Norway)
Bronze – Beniamino Scibilia (Italy)
5th – Justin Ruiz (USA)
5th – Yunior Estrada (Cuba)

120 kg/264.5 lbs.
Gold – Mijian Lopez (Cuba)
Silver – Yasmani Acosta (Cuba)
Bronze – Ramon Antonio Garcia (Dominican Republic)
Bronze – Ralf Bohringer (Germany)
5th – Rocco Ficara (Italy)
5th – Josue Encarnacion (Dominican Republic)

U.S. Greco-Roman performances

55 kg/121 lbs. - Max Nowry, Wheeling, Ill. (New York AC), dnp
LOSS Magdiel Hidalgo (Cuba), 1-5, 7-1, 0-8

66 kg/145.5 lbs. - C.P. Schlatter, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm), 3rd
WIN Jhomayle Manon (Dominican Republic), 6-0, 2-1
LOSS Pedro Isaac Mulen (Cuba), 0-1, 0-4
WIN Marius Thommesen (Norway), 1-0, 3-0

84 kg/185 lbs. - Jordan Holm, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm), 2nd
WIN Ramsin Azizsir (Germany), 0-2, 2-0, 1-0
WIN Chas Betts (USA), 1-0, 0-1, 3-0
LOSS Pablo Shorey (Cuba), 0-1, 0-3

84 kg/185 lbs. - Chas Betts, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Minnesota Storm), 3rd
WIN Joan Antonio Gomez (Dominican Republic), 2-0, 7-0
LOSS Jordan Holm (USA), 0-1, 1-0, 0-3
WIN Ramsin Azizsir (Germany), 1-0, 8-2

96 kg/211.5 lbs. - Justin Ruiz, Orem, Utah (New York AC), 5th
LOSS Mirko Englich (Germany), 0-1, 1-0, 0-1
LOSS Marthin Nielsen (Norway), 0-1, 0-2