Gavin Takes Bronze At Cerro Pelado

LVAC athlete Keith Gavin placed third at the annual Cerro Pelado International held in Havana, Cuba on February 19-20. Keith opened with a loss to eventual runner-up Humberto Rodriguez Arencibia (Cuba) by the score of 2-4, 2-4. After defeating Jose Diaz of Venezuala via injury default, Keith toppled fellow American Bryce Hasseman (USA, NYAC) 4-0, 1-0 to take the Bronze medal. This tournament attracts some of the finest wrestlers world wide and will continue to do so due to it’s location. Having the opportunity to travel and compete in Cuba is a great experience both on and off the mat. Keith will remain in Cuba for a training cycle through Sunday of this week. Keith had the following to say regarding his overall experience.

“the guy i lost to lost to the other cuban in the finals. the cuban that won was bronze in worlds last year. so far training has been good. we started yesterday and i was surprised to see all the cubans there, even the ones that wrestled and won the tournament the day before. it seems like they aren’t real into taking days off here. yesterday we did two practices, today we are doing two practices, tomorrow we are just doing one but its all matches, then two practices on thursday, two on friday and dual meet vs cuba on saturday. so thats a lot. practices are a lot shorter here though than in the states. we just warm up for a while then spar for like 5-10 mins and then live wrestle. its mainly all live. so its short but tough. the top three cubans at every weight class train at the same gym all year round. it would be nice if we could have something like that in the states.” –Keith Gavin

Individual results posted below
Cerro Pelado International
Havana, Cuba,
February 19 – 20, 2011

Senior Freestyle Results
Event Results
55 kg/121 lbs.
Gold – Frank Chamizo (Cuba)
Silver – Tim Schleicher (Germany)
Bronze – Obe Blanc (USA)
Bronze – Sam Hazewinkel (USA)
5th – Luis Ibanez (Cuba)
5th – Aleynier Hernandez (Cuba)

60 kg/132 lbs.
Gold – Alejandro Valdes (Cuba)
Silver – Howles Bonne (Cuba)
Bronze – Drew Headlee (USA)
Bronze – Makiel Perez (Cuba)
5th – James Mancini (Canada)
5th –Coleman Scott (USA)

66 kg/145.5 lbs.
Gold – Geandry Garzon (Cuba)
Silver – Lilven Lopez (Cuba)
Bronze – Brent Metcalf (USA)
Bronze – Franklin Maren (Cuba)
5th – Sascha Buechner (Germany)
5th – Ignagy Androsov (Tajikistan)

74 kg/163 lbs.
Gold – Yunieski Blanco (Cuba)
Silver – Ivan Fundora (Cuba)
Bronze – Pedro Polobus Allos (Venezuela)
Bronze – Andre Shyyka (Germany)
5th – Jose Mercado (Ecuador)
5th – Lazaro Montes De Oca (Cuba)

84 kg/185 lbs.
Gold – Reineris Salas (Cuba)
Silver – Humberto Rodriguez Arencibia (Cuba)
Bronze – Keith Gavin (USA)
Bronze – David Binichishvili (Germany)
5th – Bryce Hasseman (USA)
5th – Rosmel Giel (Venezuela)

96 kg/211.5 lbs.
Gold – Michel Batista (Cuba)
Silver – Eduardo Mesa (Cuba)
Bronze – William Harth (Germany)
Bronze – Javier Cortina (Cuba)
5th – David Zabriskie (USA)
5th – Jack Jensen (USA)

120 kg/264.5 lbs.
Gold – Tommy Rowlands (USA)
Silver – Disney Rodriguez (Cuba)
Bronze – Elier Romero (Cuba)
Bronze – Nick Matuhin (Germany)
5th – Luis Oliveras (Venezuela)
5th – Fabian Zapata (Colombia)

U.S. men’s freestyle performances

55 kg/121 lbs. – Obe Blanc, Stillwater, Okla. (Gator WC), 3rd
WIN Fernando Pardis (Venezuela), 1-0, 3-2
LOSS Frank Chimizo (Cuba), 2-1, 6-0
WIN Urs Wild (Switzerland), 2-1, 1-0
WIN Luis Ibanez (Cuba), 3-9, 1-0, 7-0

55 kg/121 lbs. – Sam Hazewinkel, Norman, Okla. (Sunkist Kids), 3rd
WIN Marcel Ewald (Germany), 1-0, 0-1, 6-3
WIN Roberto Carvajal (Colombia), 7-0, 6-0
LOSS Tim Schleicher (Germany), 1-1, 1-0, 0-3
WIN Aleynier Hernandez (Cuba), 2-2, 0-1, 1-0

60 kg/132 lbs. – Nick Simmons, Corvallis, Ore. (Sunkist Kids), dnp
WIN Herman Guzman (Colombia), pin 0:54
LOSS Howles Bonne (Cuba), 0-5, 0-6
LOSS Coleman Scott (USA), 0-6, 0-1

60 kg/132 lbs. – Coleman Scott, Stillwater, Okla. (Gator WC), 5th
LOSS Howles Bonne (Cuba), 1-4, 1-6
WIN Nick Simmons (USA), 6-0, 1-0
LOSS Makiel Perez (Cuba), 5-5, 2-4

60 kg/132 lbs. – Drew Headlee, Morgantown, W.Va. (Sunkist Kids), 3rd
WIN Guillermo Torres (Mexico), 3-2, 5-1
LOSS Alejandro Valdes (Cuba), 0-7, 1-5
WIN Wilfredo Enriquez (Venezuela), 0-1, 6-0, 5-0
WIN James Mancini (Canada), pin 1:33

66 kg/145.5 lbs. – Brent Metcalf, Iowa City, Iowa (New York AC), 3rd
WIN Ghandi Marques (Mexico), 6-0, 4-0
WIN Yoan Blanco (Ecuador), 1-0, 5-1
LOSS Geandry Garzon (Cuba), 0-1, 0-4
WIN Sascha Buechner (Germany), 3-1, 3-0

74 kg/163 lbs. – Ryan Morningstar, Iowa City, Iowa (New York AC), dnp
WIN Daniel Malvino (Brazil), 1-0, 4-0
LOSS Lazaro Montes De Oca (Cuba), 0-1, 0-2

84 kg/185 lbs. – Keith Gavin, Bethlehem, Pa. (Lehigh Valley WC), 3rd
LOSS Humberto Rodriguez Arencibia (Cuba), 2-4, 2-4
WIN Jose Diaz (Venezuela), inj. dft.
WIN Bryce Hasseman (USA), 4-0, 1-0

84 kg/185 lbs. – Bryce Hasseman, Stillwater, Okla. (New York AC), 5th
WIN Daniel Esquivel (Mexico), 6-0, 5-0
WIN Marco Riesen (Switzerland), 0-4, 1-0, 2-0
LOSS Humberto Rodriguez Arencibia (Cuba), 1-0, 3-0
LOSS Keith Gavin (USA), 0-4, 0-1

96 kg/211.5 lbs. – David Zabriskie, Ames, Iowa (Sunkist Kids), 5th
WIN Luis Zivnes (Venezuela), 1-0, 3-3, 6-0
LOSS Eduardo Mesa (Cuba), inj. dft.
withdrew

96 kg/211.5 lbs. – Jack Jensen, Graham, N.C. (Gator WC), 5th
LOSS Michel Batista (Cuba), 2-0, 0-2, 1-2
WIN Diego Rodriguez (Brazil), 2-1, 3-0
LOSS Javier Cortina (Cuba), 0-1, 1-0, 0-7

120 kg/264.5 lbs. – Tommy Rowlands, Columbus, Ohio (Sunkist Kids), 1st
WIN Elier Romero (Cuba), 2-0, 1-0
WIN Luis Oliveras (Venezuela), 5-0, pin 1:06
WIN Disney Rodriguez (Cuba), 1-0, 1-1