Betterman and Halsey win gold medals in warm-up for FILA Junior World Championships

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John Fuller (USA Wrestling)
07/08/2003


Joe Betterman (Marquette, Mich./USOEC) and Ryan Halsey (Oceanside, Calif.) captured gold medals at the Grand Prix de France over the weekend in Bordeaux, France. The tournament served as a warm-up for the upcoming FILA Junior World Championships in Istanbul, Turkey, June 26-28.    Betterman won gold at 55 kg/121 lbs. and Halsey was first at 84 kg/185 lbs.    Two other wrestlers, Adam Haake (Marquette, Mich./USOEC) and Cody Parker (Roseburg, Ore.) also won medals at the tournament. Haake placed second at 96 kg/211.5 lbs. and Parker, normally a heavyweight, placed third at 96 kg/211.5 lbs.    Haake injured his knee and will be unable to compete at the FILA Junior World Championships. He will be replaced by Jeff Courtney (Fairmont, W.V.).    Casey Lawson (Marquette, Mich./USOEC) placed fourth at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. and Bobby Fischer (Marquette, Mich.) placed fourth at 74 kg/163 lbs. Jake Curby (Marquette, Mich./USOEC) did not place at 66 kg/145.5 lbs.    Harry Lester (Marquette, Mich./USOEC) did not compete in the Grand Prix de France, but will wrestle in the FILA Junior World Championships at 66 kg/145.5 lbs.    The U.S. team placed third in the tournament, behind Turkey and Spain. Individual match results are not available from the Grand Prix de France.