Mar 07

WRESTLING: Patricia Miranda wins gold at Medved International in Belarus

2004 Olympic bronze medalist Patricia Miranda (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) claimed a gold medal at 48 kg/105.5 lbs. during the first day of the Alexander Medved International on Friday. Miranda won four matches on the way to her title, including a 2-1, 1-0 win over three-time World medalist Carol Huyhn of Canada in the championship finals. Miranda opened the tournament with second period wins over Katsiaryna Vasileuskaya of Belarus and Natalia Gushchina of Russia. In the semifinals, she defeated Eleonora Abutalipova of Kazakhstan, 6-0, 5-0. The point which Huyhn scored in the finals match was the only point which Miranda allowed during the tournament. Miranda has won her second international tournament in two weeks, after returning from an injury suffered last summer. Miranda won a gold medal at the Pan American Championships at 51 kg/112.25 lbs. last weekend. This is also the first time that Miranda has been down to the 48 kg/105.5 lbs. weight class since she won her Olympic bronze medal in Athens, Greece in 2004."Patricia relinquished just one point in the tournament,"said U.S. coach Levi Weikel-Magden."Each of her opponents have thrown something different at her, and she has adjusted well. She faced the Canadian Olympian in the finals. We treated this finals match as a preliminary bout in Beijing." One other U.S. women's wrestler competed on Friday at 48 kg, Amantha Hordagoda, (Colorado Springs, Colo./Gator WC), who dropped her first match. "Amantha wrestled better today. She wrestled the same Belarussian that she wrestled in the dual (two days ago). She made some improvements and continues to learn from each match,"said Weikel-Magden. The U.S. had two men competing at 55 kg/121 lbs., both who dropped early matches. Vic Moreno (Stanford, Calif./Gator WC) was defeated in his second match, while Danny Felix (Morgantown, W.Va./Sunkist Kids) fell in his first bout. ALEXANDER MEDVED INTERNATIONAL At Minsk, Belarus, March 7 U.S. Women's results: 48 kg/105.5 lbs.-Amantha Hordagoda, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Gator WC) , dnp LOSS Yulia Staravoitava (Belarus), 0-2, 0-1 48 kg/105.5 lbs.-Patricia Miranda, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids) , WIN Katsiaryna Vasileuskaya (Belarus), pin 2nd period WIN Natalia Gushchina (Russia), pin in 2nd period WIN Eleonora Abutalipova (Kazakhstan), 6-0, 5-0 WIN Carol Huyhn (Canada), 2-1, 1-0 U.S. men's results 55 kg/121 lbs.-Danny Felix, Morgantown, W.Va. (Sunkist Kids) LOSS Latchinov (Russia), 0-1, 0-1 55 kg/121 lbs.-Vic Moreno, Stanford, Calif. (Gator WC) WIN Chirtoka (Moldova), 1-0, 2-1 LOSS Ledeniov (Ukraine), 1-2, 1-3 U.S. first-round draws for Saturday U.S. men's draws 66 kg/145.5 lbs.-Trent Paulson, Ames, Iowa (Sunkist Kids) vs. Osmanov (Russia) 66 kg/145.5 lbs.-Bill Zadick, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Gator WC) vs. Syrbo (Moldova) 74 kg/163 lbs.-Travis Paulson, Ames, Iowa (Sunkist Kids) vs. Garbi (France) 84 kg/185 lbs.-Jake Herbert, Wexford, Pa. (New York AC) vs. Tony Gansen (USA) 84 kg/185 lbs.-Tony Gansen, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Gator WC) Vs Jake Herbert (USA) 84 kg/185 lbs.-B.J. Padden, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids) Vs. Zvirbulis (Latvia) U.S. women's first round draws 55 kg/121 lbs.-Sharon Jacobson, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Gator WC) Vs. opponent from Belarus