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Gutches claims bronze at worlds Helps United States to second place The Associated Press ANKARA, Turkey -- Les Gutches earned his second career World Freestyle Wrestling Championships medal on Sunday, taking home the bronze at 187 1/4 pounds. The Medford native, the 1997 world champion, defeated Turkey's Ali Ozen, 4-2, in the third-place match. Gutches won his quarterfinal match over 1993 world silver medalist Rasul Katinovosov of Russia, 5-2. In the semifinals, Gutches was defeated by Khajimurad Magomedov of Russia, 2-0 in overtime. The gold medal at that weight went to Cuba's Yoel Romero, who defeated Magomedov, 4-2. Gutches was seventh at last year's worlds. He boasts gold medals from the World Cup, the Goodwill Games and the Pan American Games and was seventh at the 1996 Olympics. He has won four consecutive U.S. national titles. Russia won the team championship with four medals. The United States finished second over Turkey on a tiebreaker. The championship was the first freestyle wrestling qualifier for the 2000 Olympics. The top eight place winners qualified their nation to participate in the Olympics in their weight division. American Stephen Neal of Bakersfield, Calif., won the gold medal at 286 pounds in his first world competition, defeating Russia's Andrei Shumilin 4-3 in the finals. "I gave myself a birthday present," Neal said after the medal ceremony. "I turned 23 yesterday." Neal earned a berth at his weight in the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia. Teammate Dominic Black, who was eliminated earlier, said Neal's performance was spectacular. "He is the best guy in his class," Black said. "He moves so fast compared to other heavyweights." Neal surprized Shumilin with surprise attacks to his legs which resulted in flips throughout the match. Zeke Jones, one of the U.S. coaches, praised Neal's performance, saying, "He became a wrestler who will not be wrecked on for years." America's No. 2 wrestler, Eric Guerrero of Stillwater, Okla., was eliminated in the 127-pound class by gold medal winner Haran Dogan of Turkey in the quarterfinals earlier Sunday. Dogan went on to win his third world championship gold medal. He also won in 1990 and 1991. At 152 pounds, Daniel Igali of Canada beat Lincoln McIlravy, Iowa City, Iowa, 3-2 for the gold. Today's Sports Index Mail Tribune Copyright� The Mail Tribune 1999, Medford, OR U.S.A.