CELEBRATION, Fla. — J.R. Salzman knows the call could come any day and each competition could be his last.

There's no telling when the Hayward, Wis. log roller could be deployed to Iraq with his division of the Minnesota State Guard. The possibility, though, makes his log rolling victories that much more valuable.

"It's a constant fear the something's going to happen to me," Salzman said. "Part of my ambition, if I do get deployed, is coming back to log roll."

Salzman, 26, has one more victory to value. He offered a come-from-behind victory against Jamie Fischer in the gold-medal match of the Men's Log Roll Sunday at the Great Outdoor Games presented by Dodge.

It was Salzman's second consecutive gold medal in the event, and he won with the same technique used in last year's gold-medal match. He trailed 1-0 and 2-1 in the best-of-five final, but battled back with the inspiration of sister Tina Bosworth, a five-time gold-medal winner in the Women's Log Roll.

"She was telling me to focus and keep my head in it," Salzman said. "You have to overcome your own fears and own anxieties."

Meanwhile, Fischer of Stillwater, Minn., the 2003 gold medalist, was proud to make it to the finals.

Last month, he suffered a bad sprain in his left ankle during a boom run competition in Kansas City. He went through physical therapy just to make it to the Games, and then he swept through the first two rounds, which were best-of-three.

"I could definitely feel it," Fischer said. "He may have still beat me if I wasn't injured."

At least twice during the day, Fischer's girlfriend, Jill O'Brien, retaped his ankle and shin to stabilize the injury.

After the match, Fischer surprised the crowd when he bent down on one knee and presented O'Brien with a proposal and engagement ring which, to his delight, she accepted.

"Even though I don't have the gold medal, I have the gold of my life," Fischer said. "I couldn't be any happier."

Dan McDonough, 44, won the bronze medal match with a 3-2 victory against Fred Scheer, 47. In the quarterfinals, Scheer, who hinted at retirement at the end of the year, defeated Darren Hudson, last year's silver medalist, 2-0.

Final standings

1. J.R. Salzman, Hayward, Wis.
2. Jamie Fischer, Stillwater, Minn.
3. Dan McDonough, Ralph, Mich.
4. Fred Scheer, Hayward, Wis.
5. Darren Hudson, Barrington, Nova Scotia
6. Travis Wells, Zimmerman, Minn.
7. Chris Fischer, Hudson, Wis.
8. Wade Stewart, Parksville, British Columbia

The Games will be aired on ESPN and ABC Sports July 13-17, 2005. Click here for the broadcast schedule.