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Finally in the Olympic spotlight

Christine Nordhagen, one of the pioneers of women's wrestling, put off retirement to compete for gold and bask in the newfound respect Olympic status has conferred on her sport.

By Tony Care, CBC Sports Online | June 14, 2004

Christine Nordhagen knows she'll be part of something special when she steps onto an Olympic mat for the first time in Athens.

She's aware of the impact her competing could have on future generations of Canadian women intrigued by sports that have been traditionally off-limits to women.

Since the first world championship in women's wrestling in 1987, national participation in the sport has shot up dramatically. But until a sport acquires the stature of Olympic sanction, it hasn't reached its pinnacle from the perspective of exposure and funding.

That began to change in 2001, when the International Olympic Committee announced that women's wrestling would be part of the roster of events at the Athens Games.

Nordhagen, who lives in Calgary, started wrestling in 1991. Until this year, the big payoff for all her hard work has always been competing in the world championships.

The Olympics, though, mean an exponentially larger audience, and Nordhagen appreciates the boost that will give her sport's visibility.

"I think it's going to give our sport the respect that it deserves," says Nordhagen during an interview with CBC Sports Online. "The guys have had this forever, and it's about time that we get the same opportunity and respect.

"I think now that wrestling is in the Olympics, more countries that are in the developmental stages of wrestling are going to put more money into their national team and develop the sport even further."

A booming sport

"The guys have had this forever, and it's about time that we get the same opportunity and respect."

— Nordhagen, on women's wrestling new Olympic status

Despite the long road women's wrestling took to finally reach the Olympics, Nordhagen always felt confident it would come to pass during her career. The sport met the IOC's criteria in all areas, and it also fell in line with the organization's attempt to evenly distribute Olympic sports between men and women.

All the IOC had to do was look at the increasing number of countries sending women to the world championship over the last 17 years. In 1987, only nine nations took part in the women's world championships. The number ballooned to 41 in 2003. In addition, 54 nations attended the qualification events for the 2004 Olympics, with 21 nations qualifying to send female wrestlers to the Athens Games.

The chance to compete for a medal in the Olympics is the main reason Nordhagen remains an active wrestler. A six-time world champion, Nordhagen battled injuries two years ago that would likely have otherwise ended her career.

And at 33, she's accomplished more than any other woman in the sport and is considered a legend by many wrestlers who have competed against her.

"I think if it (women's wrestling) wasn't (an Olympic sport), I probably would have hung up my boots a couple of years ago," she says. "I had some injuries I was dealing with, and it was quite difficult to train. There's times when you think, 'Is it worth it, my body is breaking down,' but finding out that wrestling was going to be in the Olympics was something that motivated and pushed me."

New knees, please

"Once I had these (Synvisc) injections it was just like night and day. It was like, 'Wow, I can dance without pain.'"

— Nordhagen, finally finding a therapy that works

After winning the 2001 world championships, the constant pounding Nordhagen endured over the years finally caught up with her. Training was increasingly painful, so she decided to have both knees scoped.

Her doctor discovered that all her cartilage was gone, and the pain became too intense to continue. They attempted to create scar tissue as a substitute for the cartilage, but the procedure was unsuccessful.

"It's like arthritis," Nordhagen explains. "It was just starting to aggravate me, and it hurt a lot to get into a stance. It just took forever to warm up, and I just thought I had to deal with this so I could have time to recover and get into the best shape possible for the Olympics."

When her knees failed to respond to physiotherapy after five months, Nordhagen's doctor decided to give her an injection of Synvisc, a synthetic lubricant used to treat joint problems, every three-and-a-half months.

Synvisc, which is used for patients with osteoarthritis, is injected in the back of the knee. It produces an artificial cushion that prevents bone-on-bone contact, a problem that was causing Nordhagen a great deal of pain. The product has been on the market for roughly 10 years and has allowed the Canadian veteran to continue her career.

"Once I had these injections it was just like night and day," she says. "It was like, 'Wow, I can dance without pain.' "

Tag-team partners

Nordhagen's husband, Leigh Vierling, keeps her focus through the highs of the world championships and the lows of the nagging injuries and monotonous training. The former Greco-Roman wrestling national champion has been Nordhagen's personal coach since 1994 and became the women's national coach in 1996.

Nordhagen, who says she's completely healthy now, credits Vierling's coaching ability for molding her into a multiple world champion and doesn't quarrel when he gets on her to improve her performance.

Vierling, who was known as a fierce competitor in his wrestling days, acknowledges that balancing his wife's wrestling career and a home life can be demanding at times.

"I think both of us have a lot invested in this, so there's times when one person is really thinking about it, and the other one just wants a break," he says. "So we really have to be careful that we don't overdo it in some ways, but we've gone down this road a lot before so it's not unfamiliar territory for us. I think we have a great working relationship."

A great rivalry gets a new stage

It's difficult to predict how Nordhagen will fare in Athens, but her strength and quickness in recent matches have reminded her fans and rivals alike of her past dominance.

Nordhagen's chief rival in the 72-kilogram class is five-time and current world champion Kyoko Hamaguchi. The two have had some memorable battles, each winning three matches over the other in course of their rivalry.

Their styles couldn't be more different and always lead to close confrontations. Nordhagen is a very aggressive and offensive wrestler, while Hamaguchi grapples defensively and waits for an opening.

Hamaguchi is bigger, but Nordhagen is quicker. At a World Cup event in Tokyo in October, Nordhagen defeated Hamaguchi in her own backyard with an unrelenting crowd cheering its hometown queen on. Nordhagen was behind in the match but put the defending world champion on her back in the final minute for the win.

In January the two squared off in Athens and, true to form, Hamaguchi returned the favour in another close battle. With the match coming down to the final minute once again, Hamaguchi took Nordhagen down with an arm bar to seal the victory.

"It is fun because I know it's going to be a good match every time. It's always been close and we go back and forth," says Nordhagen.

"I'm really looking forward to wrestling her."

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Verbeek embarking on a long awaited journey

By Cubby Phillips
Published: Tuesday, June 22, 2004

Tonya Verbeek is going to be doing a lot of travelling this summer.

She has just returned from one wrestling tournament in Atlanta. In two weeks she goes to Guelph for the Canada Cup wrestling Olympians from Canada, the U.S. and several other countries. Then it is off to Athens and the Olympic Games. Not a bad way to spend your summer.

With just two months left to prepare, Verbeek and the rest of the team have a lot of work planned for this summer.

"I have wrestled eight of the 11 other qualifiers and we have hours of tape on [both] them and the ones I have not faced," said Verbeek. "We spend a lot of time studying tape and working on technique."

"At the Olympics, we all know each other and what we can do, so it becomes more of a mental competition - who can handle the distractions, the stress and the competition."

Marty Calder, head coach of the Brock wrestling team and assistant with the men's Olympic team, agrees that the next two months are important to Verbeek's success in Athens.

"She is right there and could come away with a medal but she needs to keep working and improving," said Calder. "The Japanese wrestler is very strong and favoured to take gold but silver and bronze are wide open. You never know what can happen in these tournaments."

"The wrestler from Japan is the strongest right now," said Verbeek. "I do not remember seeing her lose in the last couple of years. It would be nice if she were in the other [Olympics'] bracket."

In Athens, Verbeek will be in attendance for the Opening Ceremonies. The wrestling team will then fly out of the city for one last week of training away from the excitement of the event.

Women's wrestling is scheduled for the middle week of the Olympics. The wrestlers are divided into four groups of three where one must defeat both opponents in order to move on to the semi-finals and gold medal match.

"The only bad thing about the setup of the Games is that Marty [Calder] will still be at the training facility and will not be there when I wrestle," she said. "He always believed in me and worked hard to help me improve."

Over the years Verbeek has travelled the world and had her share of both positive and negative experiences that have made her what she is today. Her biggest disappointment was the loss last year at the Canadian nationals when she finally thought she had made it. She was leading 4-0 only to lose concentration and drop an overtime decision. That defeat only made her greatest success that much more appreciated. That shining moment occurred when the wrestler won three straight matches at the Canadian wrestle-off to secure her position as the top Canadian in her weight class.

"All I kept thinking was 'I did it! I did it!'" said Verbeek. "I still get excited when I think about it."

Verbeek has a bachelor's degree in Recreation, a Teacher's Certificate and is working on her master of education.

Articulate and with a soft voice, Verbeek is not your stereotypical wrestler. On the mat, she is quick, smart and strong.

She talks of the support she has received over the years from her family, her high school coach, Calder and the members of the Brock and Olympic wrestling team. With a big smile, she talks of enjoying the experience and the build-up to the event. Her only fear is not wrestling to her full potential.

For ten years she has paid her dues, done the training and suffered the pulls and strains of the sport. As women's wrestling makes its debut, training and dedication mixed with a bit of luck could see Tonya Verbeek become one of the sport's first female Olympic gold medallists.

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Canada takes the team title - Austrian Ladies Open

Gotzis, Austria - June 11-13, 2004:

Fourteen countries were in attendance at the Women's wrestling event in Gotzis, Austria. The championships showcased a number of the qualified athletes (14) that will compete this summer in the Athens Olympics Games.

Canada sent their Olympic squad plus other top senior women wrestlers. Canadian team did well at the competition winning 3-Gold , 1-Silver and 2- Bronze medals and overall team title.

The competition in Austria will help Canadian Olympic squad build towards the Olympic Games in Athens. The Olympians will also participate at the Titan Games in Atlanta and the Canada Cup of International Wrestling, , in Guelph, Ontario.

Country Standings
1. Canada
2. Germany
3. Sweden
4. Italy
5. Austria
6. Poland
7. France
8. Bulgaria

Results

48 Kg (12 entries)
1. Brigitte Wagner - GER
2. Lyndsay Belisle - CAN
3. Carol Huyhn - CAN
4. Angelique Berthenet - FRA
5. Karin Wild - SUI
6. Tatjana Armbruster - GER

51 Kg (5 entries)
1. Valentina Minguzzi - ITA
2. Alexander Demmel - GER
3. Malagorzata Bucka - POL
4. Marit Ramussen - NOR
5. Sandra Hinterbauer - AUT

55 Kg (11 entries)
1. Tonya Verbeek - CAN
2. Jessica Bechtel - GER
3. Ida-Therese Karlsson - SWE
4. Sabrina Lotz - GER
5. Brittanee Laverdure - CAN
6. C. Androlova - CZE

59 Kg (13 entries)
1. Helena Allendi - SWE
2. Sabrina Esposito - ITA
3. Brigit Stern - AUT
4. Justine Bouchard - CAN
5. Nadia Meier - SUI
6. Mariann Sastin - HUN

63 Kg (8 entries)
1. Lise Legrande - FRA
2. Stephanie Gross - GER
3. Viola Yanik - CAN
4. Tara Hedican - CAN
5. Nikola Hartmann - AUT
6. Sara Eriksson - SWE

67 Kg (5 entries)
1. Martine Dugrenier - CAN
2. Benita Zarzecka - POL
3. Julia Weiss - GER
4. Sabrina Stern - AUT
5. L. Hubbickova - CZE

72 Kg (9 entries)
1. Christine Nordhagen - CAN
2. Stanka Slateva - BUL
3. Anita Shatzle - GER
4. Ohenewa Akuffo - CAN
5. Agneiszka Wiezeck - POL
6. Rita Soos - HUN

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Belamide is no longer a runner-up

By TIMOTHY SCOTT, Times-Herald sports writer 6/25/04

Reenie Belamide said athletics helped teach her how to be a lady.
And even though her athletic career may be over Thursday night fired her up for more, she said the Hogan High tennis, wrestling and badminton star went out on a high note, capping her prep career by accepting the 2004 Times-Herald Female Athlete of the Year award.

"It was a nice surprise," said Belamide, after a banquet where she didn't expect to be named as Vallejo's top female athlete. "It's a really nice way to go out but I'm always going to go back to Hogan."

Belamide, a Hogan graduate earlier this month, plans on attending Solano College next year, where her multi-sport playing days will likely come to an end.

But what a senior year it was.

Belamide played her way into the No. 1 spot for the Spartan tennis team, leading Hogan to the Solano County Athletic Conference team title. She also reached the semifinals of the SCAC tournament as an individual.

In wrestling, Belamide had an estimated 20-5 record, won two tournaments and took second at the California Girls Wrestling Championships in the 114-pound class, qualifying her for the national meet.

And finally, in badminton, she took second at the SCAC tournament.

Despite a bevy of runner-up finishes, Belamide's results displayed her excellence in three different sports and her vast contributions to teammates, athletic programs and Hogan High.

"I'm ecstatic," said Hogan wrestling coach Ric Manibusan. "One, (her year) was amazing. Two, it wasn't just her ability, she was the heart and soul of the season. I have girls who are inspired because of her."

The three other finalists for the award were Bethel's Stacy Cabales and Vallejo's Herzyl Legaspi and Eunice Tjon.

"I'm not a person who won championships or first place. (But) I contributed to my sport and my team and my school," Belamide said during her acceptance speech, adding afterward about the other finalists, "Eunice won state, Herzyl won sections and Stacy is a dope volleyball player."

Like Belamide, Cabales was a multi-sport star. The Bethel senior was named SCAC MVP in both volleyball and badminton and was undefeated in badminton going into the Sac-Joaquin Section tournament.

Legaspi merely went undefeated in her sophomore year on the court for the Vallejo tennis program. She rolled to the SCAC individual title and section title, dropping not one single set the entire season. By her count, she lost just eight games all year.

Tjon was a surprise winner at the state meet, topping the 110-pound division as the No. 3 seed. The senior also became an All-American with her seventh-place result at the national meet.

For Belamide, the possible end of her stellar prep career was a chance to reflect on how athletics have benefited her.

"I want to thank my coaches. I learned morals and values from them," she said. "They taught me to be a lady."

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Saunders' can claim place in Olympic history
Couple will coach 1st women's wrestling team

By Jim Powers Sports Editor 6/23/04

The closest Tricia Saunders came to experiencing the Olympic Games was vicariously through her husband, Townsend, who was named to the 1992 and 1996 U.S. wrestling teams.

Now she has an opportunity to participate in the Games for real, and with Townsend by her side. The Ahwatukee Foothills couple will coach the first U.S. women's wrestling team at the 2004 Summer Games in Athens, Greece, in August.

"I am thrilled to be a coach," Tricia said. "There is no other position I would rather be in. There is nothing bittersweet about this."

Back in 1992 and 1996 while watching Townsend earn a spot on the U.S. team -- and earn a silver medal in 1996 -- Tricia felt the sting of being ostracized because women's wrestling had not been included as an Olympic sport. She had done everything in her power to shed light on the sport, winning four women's world championships as one of America's most successful female wrestlers.

Injuries clouded her final two years of competition, and now at age 30, she doesn't need to compete in the Olympics to fill the void left in the 1990s.

"Anyone who has ever competed in wrestling on the national level knows it's built on a volunteer network," Tricia explained. "It takes a lot of people to make it work, and this is my way of giving something back. This is a reward for me."

For Townsend, sitting at home watching the 2000 Games in Sydney, Australia, rekindled his desire to connect again with the Olympic movement. He tagged along with Tricia to the 2002 World Championships in Greece, donning a press pass while his wife competed.

"It dawned on me at that tournament that I know the athletes just as well as the volunteer coaches on the staff at that time," Townsend said. "I might as well throw my name into the hat and see what happens."

Saunders was named coach of the 2003 U.S. Women's World team, which placed second in the team standings behind Japan thanks to seven medalists and one individual champion, Kristie Marano. The U.S. did not lose a match in the first two days of competition in New York City.

"Talking with Tricia, she said she wasn't always the best athlete or the best wrestler on that given day, but she had her hand raised," Townsend said of the coaching experience. "So that's the philosophy we went into the World Championships with. We used the home field to our advantage."

Townsend was named the 2003 USA Wrestling Women's Coach of the Year, setting the stage for his and Tricia's selection as Olympic coaches.

"Tricia was a shoo-in," Townsend said of his wife, who helped coach the U.S. team at the 2002 Pan American Games. "She has such a great rapport with the athletes, and has been a pioneer for women's wrestling in the U.S."

Added Tricia, "It wasn't so much that we are husband and wife, it was our unique qualifications that we had."

They each bring something to the table as coaches, which allow them to offer choices to the athletes.

"We're both really different," she said. "We had very different styles as athletes. There are many ways to win a match, and we make different choices.

"But if you ask two equally qualified Olympians about what is the best strategy, you're going to get two different answers. Neither is right or wrong, and the athletes can pick what works best for them."

Since being named Olympic coaches, the couple's life has been anything but normal. A part-time nanny was hired to help with watching their two children, while friends and neighbors have also pitched in. Their flight schedule over the next two months includes six trips each before the flight to Greece on Aug. 9.

"It gets tiring, but there is nothing else I would rather be doing," Tricia said. "And I think it's important to teach our kids how to give time to a charity. There are things going on all over the world, and you don't have to do it just with money."

In its inaugural appearance at the Olympic Games, women's wrestling will be contested in four of the seven weight classes-- 48 kilos (105.82 pounds), 55 kilos (121.55 pounds), 63 kilos (138.89 pounds) and 72 kilos (158.73 pounds). The remaining weight classes may be added for the 2008 Games in China, Townsend said.

The U.S. is not a rookie at the sport, and the 2003 World Championships demonstrated the team's strength. However, with only four weight classes, "there is not a lot of room for error," Townsend noted.

"We're going into the Olympics as a powerhouse with Japan," he said. "I see us as not the dark horse any longer. They will be coming to beat us."

The publicity generated by the Olympic stage will help create greater awareness in the U.S. In her days as a competitor, Tricia was amazed at the publicity women's wrestling garnered outside of the U.S., and how hard it was to generate any interest in her own country.

"We're really behind the rest of the world," she said. "It's exciting to see where the sport has gone on the international level."

Added Townsend, "It's a brand-new emerging women's sport. I think there will be a lot of media exposure because of that. This is the very first Olympic team, and if we win a medal, it will be the first medal. That is a really neat thing."

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U.S. Women’s Olympic Team to appear on College Sports Television on June 26 at 3:30 p.m. ET

6/25/2004
Gary Abbott/USA Wrestling

A special segment featuring all four members of the 2004 U.S. Olympic Team for women’s wrestling will appear on College Sports Television (CSTV) on Saturday, June 26 at 3:30 p.m. Eastern Time

The extended feature, which includes interviews and wrestling demonstrations, will appear on CSTV’s Special Edition of Tourney Talk.

The show was taped on Friday, June 25, when the women wrestlers were scheduled for a demonstration on Chelsea Piers in New York City, in cooperation with CSTV.

The public demonstration was moved into CSTV’s broadcast studios at the last moment when a fierce rainstorm hit the New York City area. CSTV has its headquarters right on Chelsea Piers, a popular area in Manhattan.

The U.S. women’s team is currently in Staten Island in New York City conducting its first pre-Olympic training camp.

The feature was hosted by Sid Rosenberg, a veteran sports announcer who has worked often on CSTV shows.

Included in the feature were all four U.S. Olympic wrestlers:
Patricia Miranda (Colorado Springs, Colo./Dave Schultz WC) at 48 kg/105.5 lbs.
Tela O’Donnell (Colorado Springs, Colo./Dave Schultz WC) at 51 kg/121 lbs.
Sara McMann (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) at 63 kg/138.75 lbs.
Toccara Montgomery (Cleveland, Ohio/New York AC) at 72 kg/158.5 lbs.

USA Wrestling’s National Women’s Coach Terry Steiner (Colorado Springs, Colo.), one of the three Olympic Team coaches for the women wrestlers, gave technical analysis for the feature.

A special guest appearance was made by two-time World Champion and seven-time World medalist Kristie Marano (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC), as well as a number of other Team USA members who are involved in the Olympic Training camp.

Many wrestling fans and other citizens were invited into the CSTV studios to be involved in the taping of the special segment.

Those involved had a good time, and the feature will allow the public to meet the athletes and learn more about the newest sport on the Olympic program, as women’s wrestling makes its debut at the Athens Games.