Jim Gruenwald (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) and Rulon Gardner (Gilbert, Ariz./Sunkist Kids) claimed gold medals at the 1998 Pan-American Greco-Roman Wrestling Championships in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, March 25. 
 Gruenwald, who is ranked second in the U.S., claimed the gold medal at 127.75 pounds with a 4-1 win over Roberto Monzon of Cuba. It is Gruenwalds second straight medal in the Pan Am Championships after claiming a silver in the 1997 championships. 
 Gardner, who placed fifth in the 1997 World Championships, won a 0-0 overtime referees decision over arch rival Hector Milian of Cuba to win the 286 pound title. It is Gardner's second straight Pan Am medal after claiming a silver in the 1997 championships. Milian defeated Gardner in the 1997 Pan Am final. 
 Gardner needed just one victory to qualify for the finals, beating Alfredo Far of Panama, 12-0 by technical fall in the semi-finals. 
 Randy Couture (Corvallis, Ore./Sunkist Kids) claimed the silver medal after dropping a 3-1 decision to Reynaldo Pena of Cuba in the 213.75 pound final. 
 Couture, who placed ninth in the 1997 World Championships, is a three-time U.S. national champion. He is a 1991 Pan-Am Games champion and claimed a silver medal in the 1992 and 1997 Pan-Am Championships.  
 Five U.S. wrestlers claimed bronze medals including Shawn Sheldon (Colorado Springs, Colo./NYAC) at 119 pounds, Kevin Bracken (DeKalb, Ill./NYAC) at 138.75 pounds, Chris Saba (Colorado Springs, Colo./NYAC) at 152 pounds, Keith Wilson (Norman, Okla./unattached) at 167.5 pounds and Dan Henderson (Huntington Beach, Calif./Dave Schultz WC) at 187.25 pounds. 
 Sheldon, a member of the 1988 and 1992 U.S. Olympic Teams, claimed the bronze medal at 119 pounds with a 5-0 decision over Julio Maldonado of Guatemala. Sheldon,  a 1991 world silver medalist, is an eight-time U.S. national champion. He is a 1995 Pan-Am Games silver medalist and claimed bronze medals in the 1987 and 1991 Pan-Am Games. 
 Bracken, ranked second in the U.S., scored a 3-2 decision over Ypanaque Enrique of Peru to claim the bronze medal at 138.75 ppounds. It is Bracken's third Pan Am medal after claiming a silver in 1997 and a bronze in 1993. 
 Saba, a 1997 Pan-Am silver medalist, claimed a 8-4 decision over Ido Izquierdo of Colombia to capture the bronze medal at 152 pounds. Saba is the 1997 U.S. national champion at 152 pounds. 
 Wilson, ranked third in the U.S., won a 3-0 overtime decison over Olgui Sabua Montero of the Dominican Republic to capture the bronze medal at 167.5 pounds. 
 Henderson, a member of the 1992 and 1996 U.S. Olympic Teams, scored a 10-0 technical fall in 2:07 over Mike Thomas of Canada to claim the bronze medal at 187.25 pounds. He claimed a bronze medal in the 1995 Pan-Am Games and placed second in the 1994 Pan-Am Championships. He is a three-time U.S. national champion. 
 Cuba claimed the team title with 68 points including six individual champions. The U.S. placed second with 57 points and two individual champions. 
 Ike Anderson of Albany, N.Y. , Jim Hall of Syracuse, N.Y., and National Greco-Roman Coach Steve Fraser of Colorado Springs, Colo. coached the U.S. Greco-Roman team.  
 The 1998 Pan-American Championships was the qualifying tournament for the 1999 Pan-American Games that will also be held in Winnipeg. The U.S. performance qualified wrestlers at each of the eight weight divisions for the Pan Am Games. 
  1998 Pan-American Greco-Roman Championships 
 Winnipeg, Canada, March 25 
 Final Results 
 54 kg/119 lbs. - 1st - Lazaro Rivas, Cuba; 2nd - David Ochoa, Venezuela; 3rd - Shawn Sheldon, USA 
 58 kg/127.75 lbs. - 1st - Jim Gruenwald, USA; 2nd - Roberto Monzon, Cuba; 3rd - Armando Fernandez, Mexico 
 63 kg/138.75 lbs. - 1st - Juan Maren, Cuba; 2nd - Endri Artiaga, Venezuela; 3rd - Kevin Bracken, Cuba 
 69 kg/152 lbs. - 1st - Liubal Colas, Cuba; 2nd - Yorli Patino, Venezuela; 3rd - Chris Saba, USA 
 76 kg/167.5 lbs. - 1st - Filiberto Ascuy, Cuba,; 2nd - Herminio Hidalgo, Panama; 3rd - Keith Wilson, USA 
 85 kg/187.25 lbs. - 1st - Luis Mendez, Cuba; 2nd - Jose Luis Alaya, Mexico; 3rd - Dan Henderson, USA 
 97 kg/213.75 lbs. - 1st - Reynaldo Pena, Cuba; 2nd - Randy Couture, USA; 3rd - Colbie Bell, Canada 
 130 kg/286 lbs. 1st - Rulon Gardner, USA; 2nd - Hector Milian, Cuba; 3rd - Yogi Johl, Canada 
 Final Team Standings - 1st - Cuba, 68 pts.; 2nd - USA, 57; 3rd - Venezuela, 37; 4th - Canada, 36; 5th - Mexico, 34; 6th - Peru, 22; 7th - Panama, 19; 8th - Guatamala, 16; 9th - Dominican Republic, 13; 10th - Argentina, 10 
  U.S. Performances 
 54 kg/119 lbs. - Shawn Sheldon, Colorado Springs, Colo., 3rd - lost dec. to Lazaro Rivas (Cuba), 8-0; won by tech. fall over T. Texcira (Brazil), 12-0; won by tech. fall over V. Valentin (Dominican Republic), 12-0; dec. Julio Maldonado (Guatemala), 5-0 
 58 kg/127.75 lbs. - Jim Gruenwald, Colorado Springs, Colo., 1st - won by tech. fall over D. Perada (Venezuela), 12-0; won by tech. fall over Neil Domstad (Canada), 12-0; dec. Roberto Monzon (Cuba), 4-1 
 63 kg/138.75 lbs. - Kevin Bracken, DeKalb, Ill., 3rd - won by tech. fall over C. Pearson (Canada), 12-0; lost dec. to Juan Maren (Cuba), 3-0, ot; dec. C. Pierson (Canada), 8-0; dec. Ypanaque Enrique (Peru), 3-2 
 69 kg/152 lbs. - Chris Saba, Colorado Springs, Colo., 3rd - lost dec. to Liubal Colas (Cuba), 5-0; dec. A. Brea (Dominican Republic), 4-1; dec. J. Lopez (Peru), 8-3; dec. R. Olivera (Mexico), 12-0; dec. Ido Izquierdo (Colombia), 8-4 
 76 kg/167.5 lbs. - Keith Wilson, Norman, Okla., 3rd - lost dec. to Filiberto Azcuy (Cuba), 6-0; won by ref. dec. over P. Perez (Venezuela), 0-0, ot, 8:00; dec. C. Albrecht (Peru), 4-0; dec. R. Hernandez (Mexico), 3-0; dec. Olgui Sabua Montero (Dominican Republic), 3-0, ot 
 85 kg/187.25 lbs. - Dan Henderson, Huntington Beach, Calif., 3rd - pin Mike Thomas (Canada); lost by disq. to J. Ayala (Mexico), 0:03; won by forfeit over J. Broschini (Argentina); won by tech. fall over Mike Thomas, 10-0, 2:07 
 97 kg/213.75 lbs. - Randy Couture, Corvallis, Ore., 2nd - won by tech. fall over A. Rodriguez (Mexico), 14-0; won by tech. fall over J. Marin (Venezuela), 13-3; lost dec. to Reynaldo Pena (Cuba), 3-1 
 130 kg/286 lbs. - Rulon Gardner, Gilbert, Ariz., 1st - won by tech. fall over Alfredo Far (Panama), 12-0; ref. dec. over Hector Milian (Cuba), 0-0, ot, 8:00