MCCOY WINS GOLD, HENSON IS SECOND AND SAUNDERS THIRD AT CUP OF THE INDEPENDENCE OF UZBEKISTAN, NOV. 21-23 
   Three U.S. wrestlers earned medals in the first Cup of the Independence of Uzbekistan, held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, Nov. 21-23. 
   Kerry McCoy (State College, Pa./New York AC) won a gold medal at 286 pounds, Sam Henson (Norman, Okla./Sunkist Kids) claimed a silver medal at 119 pounds and Townsend Saunders (Phoenix, Ariz./Sunkist Kids) earned a bronze medal at 152 pounds, the only three U.S. entries in the meet. 
   McCoy won three matches on the way to the gold, including a pin over Khakim Mirzaitov of Kazakhstan in 1:02 in the finals. On the way to the finals, he beat a pair of veteran wrestlers from Turkey, stopping Kenan Simsek of Turkey, 6-0 and scoring a technical fall over Sezgin Ayik, 10-0. 
   McCoy is currently ranked No. 4 in the U.S. at super heavyweight, as is a two-time U.S. Nationals runner-up. 
   Henson lost in the gold-medal finals to 1997 World bronze medalist Maulen Mamyrov of Kazakhstan, 5-2. His biggest win came in the semifinals, when he defeated 1996 Olympic silver medalist Namik Abdullayev of Azerbaijan, 4-1. 
   Henson scored technical falls in his first two bouts, stopping Gairat Yuldashev of Uzbekistan, 11-0 and Zair Azimov of Uzbekistan, 12-1. He is currently ranked No. 2 in the United States. 
   Saunders won four of five matches in the tournament, including a 3-1 overtime win over Aslambek Askarov of Kyrgyzstan in the semifinals. His only loss came in the third round, a 3-0 loss to eventual champion Igor Kupeev of Uzbekistan. 
   Saunders won a silver medal at 149.5 pounds at the 1996 Olympics, and was the 1994 Goodwill Games champion. He is currently ranked No. 2 in the U.S. at his weight class. 
   Paul Kieblesz of New York, N.Y., was named the outstanding international official of the tournament. Kieblesz also served as team leader for the U.S. athletes. 
   A total of 11 nations participated in the tournament, including world powers Russia, Iran, Turkey and Poland, along with six republics of the former Soviet Union.   
 THE CUP OF THE INDEPENDENCE OF UZBEKISTAN at Tashkent, Uzbekistan, Nov. 21-23 
  Medalists 
   119 - Gold - Maulen Mamyrov (Kazakhstan); Silver - Sam Henson (USA); Bronze - Damir Zakhartdinov (Uzbekistan) 
   127.75 - Gold - Ramil Islamov (Uzbekistan); Silver - Evgueni Buslovich (Ukraine); Bronze - Maksad Borburbekov (Kyrgyzstan) 
   138.75 - Gold - Ismail Boziev (Kazakhstan); Silver - Talgat Iliyasov (Uzbekistan); Bronze - Aslan Akhmedkhanov (Ukraine) 
   152 - Gold - Igor Kupeev (Uzbekistan); Silver - Albert Bazaev (Ukraine); Bronze - Townsend Saunders (USA) 
   167.5 - Gold - Ruslan Khinchagov (Uzbekistan); Silver - Khasan Kobokchi (Turkey); Bronze - Nurbek Izabekoov (Kyrgyzstan) 
   187.25 - Gold - Eldar Assanov (Ukraine); Silver - Aslan Sanakaev (Russia); Bronze - Magamed Urugliev (Kazakhstan) 
   213.75 - Gold - Vadim Tosoev (Ukraine); Silver - Vedat Ergin (Turkey); Bronze - Islam Bairamukov (Kazakhstan) 
   286 - Gold - Kerry McCoy (USA); Silver - Khakim Mirzaitov (Kazakhstan); Bronze - Kenan Simsek (Turkey) 
  U.S. performances 
   119 - Sam Henson, Norman, Okla., 2nd - won by tech. fall over Gairat Yuldashev (Uzbekistan), 11-0; won by tech. fall over Zair Azimov (Uzbekistan), 12-1; dec. Namik Abdullayev (Azerbaijan), 4-1; lost dec. to Maulen Mamyrov (Kazakhstan), 5-2 
   152 - Townsend Saunders, Phoenix, Ariz., 3rd - dec. Otabek Pardakulov (Uzbekistan), 3-1; dec. Alizade Mortazo (Iran), 4-1; lost dec. to Igor Kupeev (Uzbekistan), 3-0; dec. Almaz Ergushev (Kyrgyzstan), 4-2; dec. Aslambek Askarov (Kyrgyzstan), 3-1 ,ot 
   286 - Kerry McCoy, State College, Pa., 1st - dec. Kenan Simsek (Turkey), 6-0; won by tech. fall over Sezgin Ayik (Turkey), 10-0; pin Khakim Mirzaitov (Kazakhstan), 1:02