World champions Byers and Gardner among semifinalists at Dave Schultz Memorial International in Colo

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Gary Abbott (USA Wrestling)
02/07/2004


The semifinal pairings have been determined after the first day at the Dave Schultz Memorial International Championships, held at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo., Feb. 7    The 120 kg/264.5 pound division in Greco-Roman features a pair of  gold medalists: 2000 Olympic and 2001 World champion Rulon Gardner (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) and 2002 World Champion Dremiel Byers (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army).      Both have qualified for the semifinals. Gardner will battle Eddy Bengtsson of Sweden, while Byers will wrestle Khoren Papoyan of Armenia.    The quality of the semifinalists at 63 kg/138.75 lbs. women's division is outstanding. Two-time World Champion Kristie Marano (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) will battle 2003 World bronze medalist Viola Yanik of Canada. In the other semifinal, 2003 World silver medalist Sara McMann (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) will face. 2002 World bronze medalist Lene Aanes of Norway    At this division, multiple World Champion Nikola Hartmann-Dunser of Austria was defeated by Yanik and did not advance.     Among the semifinalists at 48 kg/105.5 lbs. in the women's draw are 2002 World champion Brigitte Wagner of Germany and 2003 World silver medalist Patricia Miranda (Colorado Springs, Colo./Dave Schultz WC). Wagner faces Clarrisa Chun (Colorado Springs, Colo./Gator WC), while Miranda will battle Lindsay Belisle of Canada.    2000 Olympic bronze medalist Garrett Lowney (Appleton, Wis./Minnesota Storm), competing in his first event since last June, qualified for the semifinals. In the semifinals, Lowney will face Justin Ruiz (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC), the man Lowney beat in the World Team Trials finals last year.    Stephen Abas (Fresno, Calif./Sunkist Kids), ranked No. 1 in the USA in men's freestyle at 55 kg/121 lbs., has a semifinal pairing against Matt Azevedo (San Luis Obispo, Calif./Sunkist Kids)    Other U.S. wrestlers who hold No. 1 national rankings in the United States who have moved into the semifinals are two-time women's World silver medalist Tina George (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army) at 55 kg/121 lbs.. two-time women's World silver medalist Toccara Montgomery (Cleveland, Ohio/New York AC) at 72 kg/158.5 lbs., two-time Greco-Roman World Team member T.C. Dantzler (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) at 74 kg/163 lbs. and two-time World Greco-Roman fifth place finisher Brad Vering (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) at 84 kg/185 lbs.    There are 288 entries this year, including 102 men freestyle wrestlers, 95 men Greco-Roman wrestlers, and 91 women freestyle wrestlers.     The quality of the competition is also high. The field included five past World or Olympic champions, and a total of 20 past World or Olympic medalists.     Semifinals pairings (set for Sunday at 9:00 a.m.)    Men's freestyle  55 kg/121 lbs.  Matt Azevedo USA vs. Stephen Abas USA  Jeremy Hunter USA vs. Enkhtur Badamsaikhan MGL    60 kg/132 lbs.  Jason Kutz USA vs. Ryan Lewis USA  Danny Felix USA vs. Jesus Wilson USA    66 kg/145.5 lbs.  Jared Lawrence USA vs. Eric Larkin USA  T.J. Williams USA vs. Doug Schwab USA    74 kg/163 lbs.  Joe Heskett USA vs. Donny Pritzlaff USA  Ramico Blackmon USA vs. Kirk White USA    84 kg/185 lbs.  Lee Fullhart USA vs. Mo Lawal USA  Nick Preston USA vs. Brandon Eggum USA    96 kg/211.5 lbs.  Dean Morrison USA vs. Zach Thompson USA  Dawid Rechul USA vs. Tim Hartung USA    120 kg/264.5 lbs.  Gold Medal - Steve Mocco USA vs. Sven Thiele GER  Bronze Medal - David Otiashvili GEO vs. Mike Faust USA    Men's Greco-Roman  55 kg/121 lbs.  Bunsei Murakami JPN vs. Lindsay Durlacher USA  Mukesh Khatri IND vs. Duaine Martin USA    60 kg/132 lbs.  Glenn Nieradka USA vs. Matthew Birner USA  Joe Warren USA vs. Jeremy Wynia USA    66 kg/145.5 lbs.  Faruk Sahin JPN vs. Oscar Wood USA  James Johnson USA vs. Gurbinder Singh IND    74 kg/163 lbs.  Katuhiko Nagata JPN vs. T.C. Dantzler USA  Mark Madsen DEN vs. Darryl Christian USA    84 kg/185 lbs.  Keith Sieracki USA vs. Jake Clark USA  Ken Cook USA vs. Brad Vering USA    96 kg/211.5 lbs.  Jason Loukides USA vs. Genadiy Chhaidze KGZ  Garrett Lowney USA vs. Justin Ruiz USA    120 kg/264.5 lbs.  Rulon Gardner USA vs. Eddy Bengtsson SWE  Dremiel Byers USA vs. Khoren Papoyan ARM    Women's freestyle  48 kg/105.5 lbs.  Lindsay Belisle CAN vs. Patricia Miranda USA  Clarissa Chun USA vs. Brigitte Wagner GER    51 kg/112.25 lbs.  Malinda Ripley USA vs. Carol Huyhn CAN  Melina Hutchison USA vs. Debbi Sakai USA    55 kg/121 lbs.  Tina George USA vs. Erica Sharp CAN  Jen Ryz CAN vs. Christina Oertli GER    59 kg/130 lbs.  Erin Tomeo USA vs  Brandy Rosenbrock USA  Othella Lucas USA vs.Lauren Lamb USA    63 kg/138.75 lbs.  Sara McMann USA vs. Lene Aanes NOR  Viola Yanik USA vs. Kristie Marano USA    67 kg/147.5 lbs.  Gold medal match - Shannon Samler CAN vs. Kelly Branham USA  Bronze medal match - Randi Miller USA vs. Malissa Sherwood USA    72 kg/158.5 lbs.  Toccara Montgomery USA vs. Anita Schaetzle GER  Ohenowa Akuffo CAN vs. Stephany Lee USA