GARDNER WINS GOLD MEDAL AND BOSCH TAKES SILVER MEDAL AT VAANTA CUP IN FINLAND, DEC. 13-14U.S. Greco-Roman wrestler Rulon Gardner (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) claimed a gold medal at 286 pounds at the Vaanta Cup in Vaanta, Finland, Dec. 12-13.
Gardner defeated veteran Juha Ahokas of Finland in the gold-medal match. Gardner was fifth in the 1997 World Championships, and is a two-time U.S. Nationals champion.
Claiming a silver medal was Ethan Bosch (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC), who competed at 187.25 pounds. Bosch was defeated in the championship finals by Aleksei Zagrebin of Russia. Just one week before, Bosch also was defeated by Zagrebin in the gold-medal match at the Haparanda Cup in Sweden.
Claiming bronze medals for the United States were Jeff Cervone (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Air Force) at 119 pounds and Brian Van Hoven (Quantico, Va./U.S. Marines) at 152 pounds.
Placing fourth were Jason Gleasman (Minneapolis, Minn./New York AC) at 213.75 pounds and Billy Pierce (Minneapolis, Minn./Minnesota Storm) at 286 pounds.
Placing fifth were Aaron Sieracki (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Air Force at 167.5 pounds and Dan Hicks (Fredricksburg, Va./U.S. Marines) at 213.75 pounds.
Four U.S. wrestlers placed sixth in their weight classes: Dwaine Martin (Quantico, Va./U.S. Marines) at 127.75 pounds, James Shillow (Quantico, Va./U.S. Marines) at 138.75 pounds, Marcel Cooper (Quantico, Va./U.S. Marines) at 152 pounds and Corey Farkas (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Air Force) at 286 pounds.
The athletes were part of a group from the U.S. Marines Corps wrestling team, a number of U.S. Olympic Training Center resident athletes, as well as other top competitors from across the nation.
This competition traditionally features many top international stars from across Europe.
VAANTA CUP, at Vaanta, Finland, Dec. 13-14
Medalists
119 - Gold - Magomed Magomedov (Russia); Silver - Petri Isokoski (Finland); Bronze - Jeff Cervone (United States)
127.75 - Gold - Alexander Pitchougin (Russia); Silver - Rustem Mambetov (Russia); Bronze - Terho Kettunen (Finland)
138.75 - Gold - Sergei Kovalenko (Russia); Silver - Juha Koivunen (Finland); Bronze - Timo Turri (Finland)
152 - Gold - Andrei Fedin (Russia); Silver - Jan Schou (Denmark); Bronze - Brian Van Hoven (United States)
167.5 -Gold - Alexei Shirokich (Russia); Silver - Juha Lappalainen (Finland); Bronze - Jevgeni Jerofailov (Russia)
187.25 - Gold - Aleksei Zagrebin (Russia); Silver - Ethan Bosch (United States); Bronze - Michael Lyyski (Finland)
213.75 -Gold - Alexandre Moldaschev (Russia); Silver - Mindaugas Ezerskis (Lithuania); Bronze - Richard Karelson (Estonia)
286 - Gold - Rulon Gardner (United States); Silver - Juha Ahokas (Finland); Bronze - Eddy Bengtsson (Sweden)
U.S. place winners
119 - Jeff Cervone, Colorado Springs, Colo., U.S. Air Force, 3rd
127.75 -Dwaine Martin, Quantico, Va., U.S. Marines, 6th
138.75 - James Shillow, Quantico, Va., U.S. Marines, 6th
152 - Marcel Cooper, Quantico, Va., U.S. Marines, 6th
152 - Brian Van Hoven, Quantico, Va., U.S. Marines, 3rd
167.5 - Aaron Sieracki, Colorado Springs, Colo., U.S. Air Force, 5th
187.25 - Ethan Bosch, Colorado Springs, Colo., New York AC, 2nd
213.75 - Jason Gleasman, Minneapolis, Minn., New York AC, 4th
213.75 - Dan Hicks, Fredricksburg, Va., U.S. Marines, 5th
286 - Rulon Gardner, Colorado Springs, Colo., Sunkist Kids, 1st
286 - Billy Pierce, Minneapolis, Minn., Minnesota Storm, 4th
286 - Corey Farkas, Colorado Springs, Colo., U.S. Air Force, 6th