FIVE U.S. FREESTYLE WRESTLERS WIN GOLD MEDALS AT CERRO PELADO TOURNAMENT IN ST. SPIRITUS, CUBA, FEB. 26-27 
   Five U.S. freestyle wrestlers won gold medals at the 1998 Cerro Pelado Tournament in St. Spiritus, Cuba, Feb. 26-27, leading the United States to the team title. 
   The U.S. champions included Alan Fried (Cedar Falls, Iowa/Sunkist Kids) at 138.75 pounds, Chris Bono (Ames, Iowa/Cyclone WC) at 152 pounds, Rob Koll (Ithaca, N.Y.) at 167.5 pounds, Les Gutches (Corvallis, Ore./Sunkist Kids) at 187.25 pounds and Kerry McCoy (State College, Pa./New York AC) at 286 pounds. 
   In an all-USA finals, Fried defeated John Fisher (Ypsilanti, Mich./Sunkist Kids), 5-0. Fried is currently ranked No. 4 in the United States at this weight class, while Fisher is ranked No. 2.  
   Fried dominated his first three opponents, with two technical falls and a pin. Fisher defeated 1996 Olympic silver medalist Giuvi Sissaouri of Canada in the first round, 5-1. 
   Bono defeated Yosmany Sanchez of Cuba in the gold-medal finals, 4-1. Sanchez placed fourth in the 1996 Olympics. Bono won four matches on the way to the title. Although he is unranked in the USA going into this season, Bono has won three freestyle tournaments since October. 
   Koll was named Outstanding Technical Wrestler of the tournament, after a dominant performance. He defeated Nick Ugolah of Canada by technical fall in the finals, 10-0. In his four victories, Koll had two technical falls and three shutouts. 
   Gutches, the 1997 World Champion, did not allow a point in his four matches on the way to the title. He scored a 1-0 overtime referee's decision over Yoel Romero of Cuba in the gold medal finals. He also registered a 4-0 semifinal win over veteran Ariel Ramos of Cuba. 
   McCoy scored an impressive 3-1 decision over 1997 World silver medalist Alexis Rodriguez of Cuba in the gold-medal finals. McCoy, who is ranked No. 4 in the USA, won three bouts on the way to the title. 
   Claiming silver medals for the United States were Fisher and Eric Akin (Iowa City, Iowa/Hawkeye WC) at 119 pounds. Akin lost a controversial 3-3 overtime referee's decision to 1997 World Champion Wilfredo Garcia of Cuba in the gold medal finals. Akin won three bouts to qualify for the finals. 
   Winning bronze medals for the USA were 1996 Olympic silver medalist Townsend Saunders (Phoenix, Ariz./Sunkist Kids) at 152 pounds and Jon McGovern (Charlottesville, Va./Dave Schultz WC) at 187.25 pounds. 
   Saunders had a 5-1 record, losing only to Yosmany Sanchez of Cuba in the semifinals in a 1-1 referee's decision. McGovern lost his first match, but rebounded with five straight victories to win the bronze medal. 
   The United States claimed the team title with nine medalists, including five champions. Cuba placed second with three champions and a total of 12 medalists. Canada placed third with three medals. 
   The U.S. team was led by Steve Knight of Fort Collins, Colo. and Mike McArthur of Colorado Springs, Colo. 
  CERRO PELADO TOURNAMENT at St. Spiritus, Cuba, Feb. 26-27 
  Medalists 
   54 kg/119 lbs. - Gold - Wilfredo Garcia (Cuba); Silver - Eric Akin (USA); Bronze - Rene Montero (Cuba) 
   58 kg/127.75 lbs. - Gold - Yoel Garcia (Cuba); Silver - Yoendris Alvear (Cuba); Bronze - Yandro Quintana (Cuba) 
   63 kg/138.75 lbs. - Gold - Alan Fried (USA); Silver - John Fisher (USA); Bronze - Ivan Fundora, Cuba 
   69 kg/152 lbs. - Gold - Chris Bono (USA); Silver - Yosvany Sanchez, Cuba; Bronze - Townsend Saunders (USA) 
   76 kg/167.5 lbs. - Gold - Rob Koll (USA); Silver - Nick Ugolah (Canada); Bronze - Leonardo Diaz (Cuba) 
   85 kg/187.25 lbs. - Gold - Les Gutches (USA); Silver - Yoel Romero (Cuba); Bronze - Jon McGovern (USA) 
   97 kg/213.75 lbs. - Gold - Wilfredo Morales (Cuba); Silver - Miguel Molina (Cuba); Bronze - Wade Wischloff (Canada) 
   130 kg/286 lbs. - Gold - Kerry McCoy (USA); Silver - Alexis Rodriguez (Cuba); Bronze - Yogi Johl (Canada) 
  U.S. performances 
   54 kg/119 lbs. - Eric Akin, Iowa City, Iowa, 2nd - pin Ivan Ramon (Dominican Republic); won by tech. fall over Luis Cortez (Colombia), 11-1; dec. Sheldon Thomas (USA), 9-4; lost by ref. dec. to Wilfredo Garcia (Cuba), 3-3, ot, 8:00  
   54 kg/119 lbs. - Sheldon Thomas, Clarion, Pa., 6th - won by tech. fall over Ulises Valentin (Dominican Republic), 12-0; dec. Paul Ragusa (Canada), 7-3; lost dec. to Eric Akin (USA), 9-4; lost dec. to Selwyn Tam (Canada), 3-2 
   58 kg/127.75 lbs. -  Chris Bollin, Weston, Mo., 4th; won by tech. fall over Yanquiel Reyes (Cuba), 10-0; lost by dec. to Yoendris Alvear (Cuba), 3-1; dec. Seed Azarvanjani (Canada), 7-0; dec. Gerry Robinson (Canada), 11-3; lost dec. to Yandro Quintana (Cuba), 3-2 
   58 kg/127.75 lbs. - Yero Washington, Fresno, Calif., 5th; lost dec. to Yoel Garcia, Cuba, 3-1;  pin Mike Francis (Canada); won by tech. fall over David Ortiz (Canada), 11-0; lost dec. to Yanquiel Reyes (Cuba), 5-3 
   63 kg/138.75 lbs. - Alan Fried, Iowa City, Iowa, 1st - won by tech. fall over Russ Friend (Canada), 10-0; won by tech. fall over Ivan Fundora (Cuba), 10-0; pin Fautina Osua (Dominican Republic); dec. John Fisher (USA), 5-0 
   63 kg/138.75 lbs. - John Fisher, Ypsilanti, Mich., 2nd -  dec. Giuvi Sissaouri (Canada), 5-1; dec. Carlos Ortiz (Cuba), 7-6; lost dec. to Alan Fried (USA), 5-0 
   69 kg/152 lbs. - Chris Bono, Ames, Iowa, 1st -  dec. Juan Suarez (Venezuela), 7-1; won by tech. fall over Eloy Urbano (Mexico), 10-0; dec. Pedro Garcia (Cuba), 5-4; dec. Yosmany Sanchez (Cuba), 4-1 
   69 kg/152 lbs. - Townsend Saunders, Phoenix, Ariz., 3rd -  pin Hynadi Sultan (Canada); dec. Angelo A. Brea (Dominican Republic), 8-0; lost by ref. dec. to Yosmany Sanchez (Cuba), 1-1, ot, 8:00; dec. Angelo A. Brea (Dominican Republic), 8-0; pin Pedro Garcia (Cuba); dec. Hynadi Sultan (Canada), 3-0 
   76 kg/167.5 lbs. - Rob Koll, Ithaca, N.Y. , 1st -  won by tech. fall over Alexey Hueiga (Cuba), 10-0; dec. Kakhaber Verkhviachivilli (Canada), 5-2; dec. Trevor Lewis (USA), 3-0; won by tech. fall over Nick Ugolah (Canada), 10-0 
   76 kg/167.5 lbs. - Trevor Lewis, Malvern, Pa., 6th -  won by tech. fall over Mitch Danilkewich (Canada), 10-0; dec. Manuel Garcia (Puerto Rico), 4-3; lost dec. to Rob Koll (USA) , 3-0; lost dec. to Walter Torrientes (Cuba), 5-4 
   85 kg/187.25 lbs. - Les Gutches, Corvallis, Ore., 1st - pin Claudio Gonzales (Guatemala); dec. Justin Abdou (Canada), 7-0; dec. Ariel Ramos (Cuba), 4-0; won by ref. dec. over Yoel Romero (Cuba), 1-0, ot, 8:00 
   85 kg/187.25 lbs. - Jon McGovern, Charlottesville, Va., 3rd - lost dec. to Eliecer Guzman (Cuba), 5-2; dec. Brent Beauparlant (Canada), 3-0; dec. Justin Abdou (Canada), 3-2; dec. Ariel Ramos (Cuba), 3-1; pin Wilber Silega (Cuba); dec. Alberic Colon (Puerto Rico), 9-1 
   130 kg/286 lbs. -  Kerry McCoy, State College, Pa., 1st - won by tech. fall over Jose Marin (Venezuela), 11-1; dec. Angel Anaya (Cuba), 4-0; dec. Alexis Rodriguez (Cuba), 3-1 
   130 kg/286 lbs. -  Justin Greenlee, Ames, Iowa, 4th - dec. Yogi Johl (Canada), 3-1; lost dec. to Alexis Rodriguez (Cuba), 8-0; won by tech. fall over Braulio E. Aquino (Dominican Republic), 10-0; lost by ref. dec. to Yogi Johl (Canada), 0-0, ot, 8:00