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Five Challengers take first match in 2004 Olympic Trials Championship finals

5/23/2004
Jason Bryant/USA Wrestling

Sunday morning’s first session in the U.S. Olympic Team Trials at the RCA Dome in Indianapolis, Ind. had five Challenge Tournament winners defeat U.S. National champions.

Three of the Challenge Tournament champions to win the first match of the Championship series came in Men’s Greco-Roman, where 1996 Olympic silver medallist Dennis Hall (55 kg), 2000 Olympic bronze medallist Garrett Lowney (96 kg) and 2000 Olympic gold medallist Rulon Garnder (120 kg) all topped their U.S. National champion opponents.

Hall gave up a two points on a gut wrench against fellow 1996 Olympic silver medallist Brandon Paulson, but stepped over immediately to score two points of his own. The two wrestled a scoreless second period and went into overtime. Paulson locked first in the clinch, but five seconds into overtime, he was hit for a caution for fleeing the mat, giving Hall a 3-2 victory.

Lowney topped Justin Ruiz in a 1-1 referee’s decision, avenging his only defeat to Ruiz from last month’s U.S. Nationals in Las Vegas. Ruiz went up 1-0 with a hand to hand gut wrench late in the first period, but the two didn’t score in the second period, leading to clinch to start overtime.

Ruiz broke his lock 19 seconds into overtime and the score remained tied 1-1, but Lowney was awarded the decision based on Ruiz’s lone caution.

Much of the crowd stayed to watch the final match of the session, Gardner’s 2-1 overtime victory over World champion Dremiel Byers. Garnder went up 1-0 at the start of the second period from the clinch, where Byers broke his lock.

Byers tied the match when Gardner was penalized a point for failing to start from the bottom par terre position properly. Like many of their previous matches, the bout went to overtime and Gardner earned the go-ahead point 55 seconds into overtime when Byers tried a head throw and ended up bailing out, giving Gardner the one-point takedown.

At 66 kg, U.S. National runner-up Oscar Wood bulled over 2000 Olympian Kevin Bracken and got the only pin of the Championship Series in Greco-Roman at 1:47 of the first period.

In Women’s Freestyle, Tela O’Donnell pinned 2003 World silver medallist Tina George with three seconds left in the bout. O’Donnell led 3-2 going into the second period and after George tied the match with a takedown, O’Donnell took back the lead and then headlocked George to her back in the final seconds to secure the fall.

At 72 kg, 2003 World silver medallist Toccara Montgomery rallied from a 5-0 deficit to beat 2003 World champion Kristie Marano 9-6 in overtime. Montgomery barreled two double-leg takedowns in the second period to get within 6-4 and tied the match with 30 seconds left in regulation with a two-point exposure. In the extra period, Montgomery again shot in with a double-leg, dumping Marano on her back at the edge of the mat for three points and the victory.

Cael Sanderson was the lone Challenge Tournament winner in men’s freestyle to beat a U.S. National champion, beating Lee Fullhart 3-1 at 84 kg. In each previous match during the trials, Sanderson scored in the first minute on a low-single and Sunday’s match with Fullhart was no exception. Sanderson scored his first takedown 15 seconds into the match and added another a minute later to go into the break up 2-0. Fullhart’s lone point was earned on a caution against Sanderson.

At 55 kg, 2003 World team member Stephen Abas scored four takedowns and a reversal to beat 2000 Olympic silver medallist Sammie Henson 5-3. Henson got within a point at 4-3 with 40 seconds to go, but Abas quickly turned the tide, scoring a reversal two seconds later and held on for the victory.

2003 World team member Daniel Cormier scored the only fall in the Men’s freestyle, bullying 2002 world team member Tim Hartung, taking him to his back and securing the pin at 4:47. Cormier jumped to a 6-0 lead on four takedowns and a two-point gut wrench in the first period.

Other winners were:
Men’s Freestyle: Eric Guerrero (60 kg) beat Mike Zadick 3-1; Jamill Kelly (66 kg) beat Jared Lawrence 4-1 in overtime; Joe Williams (74 kg) beat Joe Heskett 4-0, and Kerry McCoy (120 kg) beat Tolly Thompson 5-3.

Men’s Greco-Roman: Jim Gruenwald (60 kg) beat Joe Warren 5-3; Darryl Christian (74 kg) beat Keith Sieracki 4-0; Brad Vering (84 kg) beat Jake Clark 5-1.

Women’s Freestyle: Patricia Miranda (48 kg) beat Clarissa Chun 6-3 and Sara McMann (63 kg) had the only technical fall of the Championship Series, beating Alaina Berube 10-0 in 2:05.

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Live-Time Results - Championship Finals - Mat 1

5/23/2004
Meredith Wilson/USA Wrestling

55 kg/121 pounds - Women's Freestyle

Match 1: Tela O'Donnell, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Dave Schultz WC) fall Tina George, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army), at 5:57
Match 2: Tela O'Donnell, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Dave Schultz WC) fall Tina George, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army), at 4:12.
**Tela O'Donnell will represent the U.S. at 55KG in the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens

Match #2
First Period
At :38, George 1-pt takedown, George 1-0.
At 1:57, George 3-pt headlock throw, George 4-0.
At 2:50, George 2-pt counter exposure, O'Donnell 1-pt takedown. George 6-1.

Second Period
At 3:43, O'Donnell 1-pt takedown, George 6-2.
At 4:12, O'Donnell power half nelson to fall.

Match #1
First Period
At :13 O'Donnell takedown, George reversal, 1-1
At :48 George takedown, 2-1 George
At 1:33 O'Donnell takedown, 2-2
At 2:28 O'Donnell takedown, 3-2 O'Donnell

Second Period
At 3:16 George takedown, 3-3
At 4:14 O'Donnell takedown, 4-3 O'Donnell
At 5:50 O'Donnell headlock, fall at 5:57

***********************************

63 kg/138.75 pounds - Women's Freestyle

Match 1: Sara McMann, Colorado Springs, Colo., (Sunkist Kids) tech fall Alaina Berube, Escanaba, Mich. (NYAC), 10-0 at 2:05.
Match 2: Sara McMann, Colorado Springs, Colo., (Sunkist Kids) tech fall Alaina Berube, Escanaba, Mich. (NYAC) 15-2, 3:35.
**Sara McMann will represent the U.S. at 63KG in the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens.

Match #2
First Period
At :30, McMann 1-pt takedown, McMann 1-0.
At :35, McMann 2-pt gut wrench, McMann 3-0.
At 1:00, McMann 1-pt takedown, McMann 4-0.
At 1:28, McMann 2-pt gut wrench, McMann 6-0.
At 1:34, Berube 1-pt reversal, McMann 6-1.
At 2:05, Berube 1-pt takedown, McMann 6-2.
At 2:40, McMann 2-pt exposure (dump), McMann 8-2.
At 2:45, McMann 2-pt exposure and 1-pt bonus, McMann 11-2.

Second Period
At :36, McMann 3-pt head throw feet to back, 1-pt bonus, McMann 15-2.

Match #1
First Period
At :31 McMann takedown, 2pt gut, 3-0 McMann
At 1:38 McMann 3pt throw, 2pt gut, 8-0 McMann
At 2:05 2pt gut, 10-0 McMann

**************************************

Live-Time Results - Championship Finals - Mat 2

5/23/2004
Jason Bryant/USA Wrestling

48kg/105.5 lbs. Women's Freestyle

Match 1: Patricia Miranda (Dave Schultz WC) dec. Clarissa Chun (Gator WC) 6-3.
Match 2: Patricia Miranda (Dave Schultz WC) tech fall Clarissa Chun (Gator WC), 10-0 at 4:51
**Patricia Miranda will represent the U.S at 48KG in the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens

Match 2
First Period
At :43 Miranda takedown, 1-0 Miranda
At 1:50 Miranda takedown, 2-0 Miranda
At 2:49 Miranda takedown to back, 2+1, 5-0 Miranda

Second Period
At 3:40 Miranda takedown, 6-0 Miranda
At 4:05 Miranda 2+1 tilt, 9-0
At 4:51 Miranda takedow, 10-0

Match 1
First Period
At :40, Chun 1-pt takedown, Chun 1-0.
At 1:14, Miranda 1-pt takedown, 1-1.
At 2:10, Miranda 1-pt takedown, Miranda 2-1.
At 2:40, Chun 1-pt reversal, 2-2.

Second Period
At 3:27, Miranda 1-pt takedown, Miranda 3-2.
At 3:34, Miranda 2-pt gut wrench, Miranda 5-2.
At 3:36, Chun 1-pt reversal, Miranda 5-3.
At 4:40, Miranda 1-pt takedown, Miranda 6-3.

***********************************

72 kg/163 lbs. Women's Freestyle

Match 1: Toccara Montgomery (New York AC) dec. Kristie Marano (New York AC) 9-6, ot, 6:19
Match 2: Toccara Montgomery (New York AC) dec. Kristie Marano (New York AC), 4-3
**Toccara Montgomery will represent the U.S at 72KG in the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens

Match 2
First Period
At :44 Montgomery double-leg to back, 3-0 Montgomery

Second Period
At 3:03 Marano takedown, 3-1 Montgomery
At 3:39 Montgomery takedown, 4-1 Montgomery
At 4:38 Marano takedown, 4-2 Montgomery
At 5:39 Marano takedown, 4-3 Montgomery

Match 1
First Period
At :17, Marano 1-pt takedown, Marano 1-0.
At 2:29, Marano 1-pt takedown, Marano 2-0.
At 2:50, Marano 2-pt gut wrench, 1-pt bonus, Marano 5-0.
At 2:54, Montgomery 2-pt exposure, Marano 5-2.

Second Period
At 3:40, Montgomery 1-pt takedown, Marano 5-3.
At 4:24, Marano 1-pt, caution, fleeing the mat, Marano 6-3.
At 5:00, Montgomery 1-pt takedown, Marano 6-4.
At 5:30, Montgomery 2-pt exposure, 6-6.

Overtime
At 6:19, Montgomery 3-pt feet to back exposure, Montgomery 9-6.

Event Photos
Friday | Saturday | Sunday

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U.S. Olympic Team Trials Session 6 Quotes

5/23/2004
John Fuller/TheMat.com

WOMEN’S FREESTYLE

Patricia Miranda – 48 kg – Colorado Springs, Colo. – Dave Schultz WC
Opening statement
“Very excited about the tournament and upcoming Olympics”

Being recognized as a female wrestler
“Competing in high school and college I never thought of myself as a female. In fact, I took down all the mirrors so not to use it as an excuse of why I didn’t wrestle well. However, after meeting other women who train as hard and are as dedicated to the sport as I am I do like to be recognized as a female.”

What is left to work on with your wrestling?
“The mental side of the sport is my biggest obstacle left to tackle in my wrestling. I have worked on letting my self be mentally prepared to wrestle.”

Her family being here in Indy
“I was very very proud to have my family here especially my father. Wrestling has brought my family closer together as we cry together and laugh together.”

First thought after winning tonight
“First thought was step one. Happiness for winning the tournament but now I have been given a large responsibility and I want to carry the weight and represent my country the best I can.”

What does Athens mean to you after your defeat in New York?
“Athens is my redemption from New York. Athens is my shot to be better.”

How do you feel about this tournament?
“Good thing about trials you leave the decision up to the Athletes and it is decided by the athletes on the mats.”

Thoughts on Tina-Tela match
“Tina is a very talented athlete. Tina had so much of a lead but Tela is very talented on top.”

Thoughts on first match
“I was not too focused on the outcome and was happy with the fact that I could mentally stay calm with the score being so close. They were very different matched but I was happy with both.”

When did the Olympics become a goal?
“Not raised as an athlete. I don’t know many other Olympic athletes. In fact, the Olympics never entered my mind till I was finishing college.”

Tela O’Donnell – 55 kg – Colorado Springs, Colo. – Dave Schultz Wrestling Club

On the match:
“It was a touch match. Tina (George) is just so strong. She really came out strong as if she had nothing to lose. How could you blame her? If I was in her position I would have come out the same way.”

On following behind:
“I didn’t panic. I remember thinking after the first round, ‘If she (Tina George) can get up 6-1, then I can score six points as well in the second round.’ It just happened that I was able to get the fall.”

On being an Olympian:
“I’m very excited right now. When I was little I dreamed of being an Olympian in ice-skating or something like that even though I’ve never ice-skated. I kind of forgot about that dream (of being and Olympian) though until I started wrestling and now here I am.”

Sara McMann – Colorado Springs, Colo. – Sunkist Kids
“I was trying to be so composed and downplay the match before I came in but now I can’t even describe the feeling.”

On Marano not making weight:
“I was shocked. You have to expect the unexpected. You train for everybody. Of all the things I expected, I never planned for someone not making weight.”

On her confidence:
“Throughout the tournament, anyone who takes someone lightly lost. I decided I’m going to take making weight seriously and every opponent seriously.”

“I never even thought of being an Olympian as a kid. At Pan-Am games, it was amazing to think that I contributed to the medal count of our country.”

Toccara Montgomery – 72 kg – Cleveland, Ohio – New York Athletic Club
On having Marano come up in weight class:
“It didn’t affect me at all. It was a little surprising though because she had the momentum going at 63 kg, but it didn’t work out for her. That’s wrestling though, anything can happen. There were a lot of tough competitors in this weight class, so I couldn’t just focus on Kristie.”

On wrestling from behind:
Once I fell behind (in the morning match), I knew I had to wrestle harder and turn it around. Once I did that it was a huge confidence boost so I knew I could and needed to put her away in the second match.”

On the future:
“The Olympics will probably be a one-time thing for me. I have one year left in college and after I graduate I want to focus on my teaching and possibly coaching. So this will be it, my only shot at the gold in the Olympics.”

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Pressure? Wrestler Marano knows real pressure: A hidden pregnancy

Woman has wrapped career around surprise birth of daughter

BRIAN ETTKIN 5/23/04

Albany (N.Y.) Times Union

Kristie Marano traveled a sometimes fearful path to this weekend's U.S. Olympic trials in Indianapolis.

Marano, 25, wrestled late Saturday with a chance to reach today's best-of-3 final series in the 1581/2-pound women's class. She forfeited the No. 1 seed in the 1383/4-pound division when she failed to make the weight limit.

The winners today will represent the United States at the 2004 Athens Games, where women's wrestling will debut in August with four weight classes.

Marano has won more world championship wrestling medals than any other woman, seven in seven years. Twice she has won gold, including last year.

"She is a competitor, period," said Terry Steiner, USA Wrestling's national women's coach.

For most of her life Marano has overcome fear, because members of her family are supposed to. Her father served in the Air Force and competed in wrestling and judo, as his daughter would.

But Marano had become became something of a connoisseur of fear -- and of secrets. On April 15, 1998, then-19 Marano went into the bathroom of her family home just after 5 a.m., took a warm bath, and gave birth to a 6-pound, 8-ounce girl while her parents slept.

The pregnancy had been a total secret. She had just returned home from the national University Games in Chicago, where she'd won the gold medal.

Her parents had supported her staunchly. She feared disappointing them, so she did nothing after confirming her pregnancy. She says that right up the birth she thought she was only three to four months pregnant, because she hadn't experienced nausea and had gained only 12 pounds.

"She blocked it out a long time," said her mother, Nancy Stenglein. "She didn't think about it. `If I don't think I am (pregnant), then I'm not. I don't know how to handle it, so I'm not going to deal with it.' "

Nancy now says she suspected her daughter was pregnant but didn't say anything, "because we waited for our children to come to us with their problems." She didn't tell her husband, Conrad, who says he hadn't a clue. So here they were, in Marano's bedroom, the layers of her pretense peeled away until the truth was as naked as this newborn.

The Stengleins didn't scream or cry. After recovering from shock, their primary concern was getting Marano and the baby to a hospital.

"My problem was I thought I was disappointing people, but that shouldn't have stopped me (from telling them)," said Marano, who has been married to the baby's father, Chad Marano, for five years. "You don't know how things are going to work out afterward. ... I was definitely relieved. It wasn't that bad."

She acknowledges her behavior was "stupid" and that they were lucky. It doesn't take a doctor to know that having your abdomen squeezed in an opponent's gut-wrench isn't the safest position if you're carrying a baby. There were no prenatal vitamins, no obstetrician appointments, no sonograms, yet no problems.

"I think I had so much other stuff to concentrate on that I pushed it to the side more or less," Marano said. "I think denial probably set in more than anything else."

The night the baby was born the Stengleins and Kristie went out for dinner with Chad Marano and his parents. Among the topics discussed was naming the baby. They settled on Kayla.

Ten days after giving birth, Kristie won a gold medal at the national championships in Orlando, Fla. Her doctor said she could wrestle but told her to stop if she experienced cramping, as she did in her second match.

She wrestled anyway. She says it was one of her best tournaments.

Kristie and Chad were married on June 19, 1999, but they separated 16 months later. Kristie and Kayla, 6, live in Colorado Springs, Colo., at the U.S. Olympic Training Center. Conrad moved to Colorado Springs last fall to help.

Kayla, a kindergartner, often watches Mom at practice and matches, and calls out moves and holds she thinks Mom should apply. Whereas Kristie behaves shyly with strangers, Kayla is as outgoing as a club DJ.

And one day, Kayla will be told she was Mom's best-kept secret.

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U.S. OLYMPIC WRESTLING TRIALS
Women's team almost settled

Indianapolis --45/23/04

The Olympic coaches who will lead the first women's wrestling team to the Summer Games huddled with clenched fists and knotted stomachs as they waited to see who is getting closer to capturing one of the four open spots on the inaugural team.

"I don't get to pick, the women will decide for me," said Tricia Saunders, one of the most decorated female wrestlers and one of three coaches selected to guide the women's team. "I know them all. I just told them to give me a good team."

Saunders will lead the team along with her husband, 1996 Olympic silver medalist Townsend Saunders, and national women's coach Terry Steiner.

Saturday's winners will face the four national champions today in a best- of-three matchup to determine who goes to Athens.

"This is so nerve-wracking," said Tricia Saunders, as she watched a bout between Sara Fulp-Allen, a freshman at Menlo College and Clarissa Chun of Hawaii to see who will face Patricia Miranda of Saratoga, considered the United States' best hope for winning a women's medal.

"Miranda is what the Olympics are all about," Steiner said. "To witness her is to watch greatness. She's in a league all her own."

Chun scored two points in the first round, but Fulp-Allen executed a maneuver for a three-point lead. But Chun slipped out of the hold to earn a one-point reversal, evening the match 3-3 and sending it into sudden-death overtime where she emerged victorious.

Chun now faces Miranda, who she has conquered only once, in 2002.

"She's my friend, but honestly, I hate wrestling her. She's that powerful, " Chun said.

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Miranda making name for herself

By Jay Heater 5/23/04

CONTRA COSTA TIMES

INDIANAPOLIS - At 1051/2 pounds, Patricia Miranda dreams of being a political heavyweight. Oddly enough, that push might begin today at the U.S. Olympic Wrestling Team Trials at the RCA Dome.

If the No. 1-seeded Miranda can win her best-of-three series against Hawaii's Clarissa Chun, she will earn a spot on the Olympic team along with the notoriety that goes with being a participant in the first women's wrestling competition ever at the Olympic Games.

"I never dreamed of being an Olympian," said Miranda, a Stanford graduate who grew up in Saratoga. "I dreamed of being the governor of California."

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Downing once again can't get past Marano

By Michael Pointer
michael.pointer@indystar.com
May 23, 2004

Katie Downing's dream of an Olympic wrestling berth ended in an all-too-familiar way Saturday.

The Pendleton Heights High School graduate was taken down in the first 30 seconds by seven-time world medalist Kristie Marano en route to a 5-1 loss in a 158-pound match of the U.S. Olympic Trials at the RCA Dome.

"She got my two arms, ducked under, and flopped me over," said Downing, who has lost to Marano in each of the past three years with a major international tournament berth on the line. "She didn't have to get any points after that."

Downing later lost 5-0 in overtime to Iris Smith and beat Randi Miller 12-0 in the fifth-place match.

"This is the worst," she said.

Downing won a gold medal at the 2001 World Cup and then won her weight class at the U.S. World Team Trials in 2002 and '03. But Marano beat her in a wrestle-off both years, denying her a berth at the World Championships.

The two didn't figure to wrestle this weekend until Marano failed to make weight Thursday. That forced her to move up one class and wrestle in the challenge tournament.

Like Downing, Marano has a background in judo and wrestles a similar style. Downing didn't use that as an excuse but said it was an adjustment after preparing for the styles of Smith and Toccara Montgomery, who both like to stay on their feet more.

"It just meant I had to shift my thinking," she said.

The 24-year-old Downing has aspirations of becoming a college coach. But she isn't ready to give up amateur wrestling.

"I'm not done getting better yet," she said just moments after losing to Smith. "There's a ton of places I need to improve."

Downing provided Marano her toughest match of the day. Marano cruised to the 158 title, pinning top-seeded Stephany Lee in 3:34 in the finals.

"I guess I'm back to where I started if I had taken the (weight) off," Marano said.

Saturday night's challenge tournament champions advanced to today's finals, where they will wrestle the champion from the U.S. Nationals last month in a best-of-three format for an Olympic berth.

In the 105 final, No. 1 seed Clarissa Chun survived a last-minute scare in regulation to beat No. 3 seed Sara Fulp-Allen 5-3 in overtime.

Chun held a 3-2 lead when she was called for fleeing the mat with one second left, giving Fulp-Allen a point and tying the score. Chun said she got caught between staying close to her opponent but far enough away to play to her strengths.

"I find myself quicker with my shots being away," she said. "I'm small for my weight class. If they tie up with me, they can use their strength against me. If their strength is off me, I feel more comfortable."

But Chun scored two exposure points just 33 seconds into overtime to get the victory and earn the right to wrestle Patricia Miranda, a silver medalist at last year's World Championships, for an Olympic berth.

In other challenge tournament finals, top-seeded Tela O'Donnell beat No. 2 seed Jenny Wong 5-2 at 121, and second-seeded Alaina Berube ended the run of No. 5 seed Stefanie Shaw with a 5-4 victory at 138 pounds.

Shaw, a high school junior from Waterford, Conn., beat top-seeded Sally Roberts -- a bronze medalist at last year's World Championships -- 4-2 earlier in the semifinals.

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Marano nearing berth in Athens
Colonie High grad makes finals in Olympic Trials

y HANK LOWENKRON, Special to the Times Union
First published: Sunday, May 23, 2004

INDIANAPOLIS -- Colonie's Kristie Marano showed no sign Saturday that moving up in weight is hurting her effort to compete in the Olympics this year.

Marano, who came here expecting to have a bye into the championship finals of the U.S. Olympic Trials at 138.75 as the reigning national championship, failed to make weight Thursday and had to move up to the next weight and compete in the challengers round.

Saturday, she completed her march to the championship finals at 158.5 pounds, with victories in the semifinal and final of the challengers bracket. It took three victories here for Marano to advance to today's competition in the RCA Dome, where she'll take on three-time national champion Toccara Montgomery in a best-of-3 match to decide which woman will represent the country in Athens this summer.

Marano defeated Katie Downing 5-1 in her semifinal match and then rolled past Stephany Lee, recording a fall 34 seconds into the second period after building a seven-point advantage in the opening seconds of the match.

That kept alive, at least for another day, the Olympic dream of the two-time world champion, who began wrestling against boys at Colonie High School.

"I've wrestled Montgomery a couple of times. Back in 2001 she beat me for the world team and she beat me again last year. I beat her the last time we met, so it should be a tough match," said Marano, who insists she's not at a disadvantage after gaining about 11 pounds in two days.

"I've done a lot of drinking and eating to put on some weight after missing making weight (by one pound)," Marano said Saturday, adding that she's just about at her normal weight. "It is mainly water. Other than that, I feel really good."

Marano said she worked hard to get down to the lighter weight.

"It never crossed my mind (not making weight). I knew I was getting close, but it is getting harder and harder to get off weight. It was harder than any time before," said Marano, whose seven medals in seven world championships is the most by any woman.

"Now I've got over (the disappointment)," she said. "Now I'm not trying to gain weight. I just am trying to go back to my natural weight," about 150 pounds.

In her afternoon semifinal, Marano jumped to a 5-0 advantage in the opening 90 seconds of the six-minute match and then fought off every effort of Downing, her old rival, to advance.

"I wanted to get points on the board quickly and then start to work myself. I know these girls and they know me, so it is kind of hard to get a high-scoring match," Marano said.

Saturday was the first time Marano had wrestled Lee in competition, but she took command quickly and was in command all the way.

"One thing that is helping me is that at the Olympic Training Center I sometimes wrestle against heavyweights. You train with these girls, and after a while you know what they can do," Marano said.

The quick start was planned.

"I knew what I had to do to get my part of the job done," Marano said. "And when I got into the second period I wanted to get it over quickly."

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ISLE FILE
Chun wrestles for spot on Olympic team

Advertiser Staff 5/23/04

Kapolei's Clarissa Chun won the U.S. Olympic Wrestling Team Trials Challenge Tournament yesterday in Indianapolis, in the 48-kilogram (105-pound) division.

Chun, a 1999 Roosevelt graduate, will face 2004 U.S. Nationals champion Patricia Miranda today in a best-of-three series. The winner earns a spot on the Olympic team.

Chun defeated Sara Fulp-Allen in the final, 5-3 in overtime.

Moanalua graduate Stephany Lee was pinned by Kristie Marano in the 72-kilogram (158-pound) division Challenge final.

Castle High graduate Katie Kunimoto lost the fifth-place match at 48 kilograms. Earlier she had won a consolation quarterfinal with a pin, then lost a consolation semifinal.

Kahuku graduate Elizabeth "Kapua" Torres lost her consolation quarterfinal, 4-3.