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By Gary Mihoces,USA TODAY 8/23/04

Sara McMann shakes a hand after pinning her opponent, Stavroula Zygouri, in morning session action.
By Robert Scheer, USA TODAY

ATHENS — Sara McMann and Patricia Miranda of the USA didn't quite make the top of the medal podium Monday in the first Olympic wrestling tournament for women.

But they got one thing they wanted — a shot at it in a sport some still consider for men only.

"There is no doubt about it that women belong in wrestling," U.S. national women's coach Terry Steiner said after McMann took silver and Miranda won bronze.

"We didn't leave here with any gold medals. You don't need a gold medal to be a great champion and a great ambassador, and we're going to leave here with our heads high."

McMann, 23, who wrestled on a collegiate women's team at Minnesota-Morris, and later on the men's team at Lock Haven, lost 3-2 in the 139-pound final to reigning world champion Kaori Icho of Japan, who got the winning one-point takedown in the final 30 seconds.

"I don't think there is anything more painful in the world," McMann said with a cut above her nose, tears in her eyes and the silver medal around her neck.

"After it was over, I just felt like I did everything I could and worked as hard as I could, and it just wasn't good enough," added McMann, who also lost to Icho by a point in the world finals last year.

Miranda, 25, who also wrestled on a boys team as a high schooler in Saratoga, Calif., and competed for the Stanford men's team, came here pointing toward a rematch with Irini Merleni of the Ukraine in the 106-pound class. Merleni beat Miranda by a point in finals of the 2003 worlds.

But in Monday's semifinals, Miranda was beaten 9-0 by Merleni, the eventual gold medalist. For her bronze medal, Miranda bounced back to defeat Angelique Berthenet of France 12-4.

"Winning a medal really helps," said Miranda, now headed to Yale Law School.

"It's an honor to see your flag raised ... and to be able to clash against the best in the world."

She added, "I'm very excited for my sport. I think the demonstration that has been put on at the Olympic Games is going to do leaps and bounds. ... Every woman in the world can wrestle."

Fifty women competed here in four weight classes. Tela O'Donnell of the USA placed seventh at 121 pounds, and Toccara Montgomery was seventh at 159.

Montgomery, a world silver medalist last year, drew five-time world champion Kyoko Hamaguchi of Japan in her opening match Sunday and lost 8-4.

Hamaguchi came in as the favorite to win the gold at 159 pounds, but she was defeated 6-4 in the semifinals by eventual champion Wang Xu of China. There was a controversial scoring flurry late in Hamaguchi's semifinal loss that produced the winning two points for Wang.

After the match, Hamaguchi's father, former Japanese pro wrestler Heigo "The Animal" Hamaguchi, screamed loudly in the stands and tried to jump over the railing onto the mat area. He was restrained by security guards.

After she won her bronze medal match (Japan led the field with two golds, a silver and a bronze), Hamaguchi downplayed the scoring controversy and her father's behavior. "When you lose, you lose. I think the scoring was correct," she said with a smile.

She said of her father: "Both of us had a feeling of despair and when we recovered and we won, we shared the joy together."

McMann learned to wrestle from her older brother Jason, who later became a homicide victim in Lock Haven, Pa. "That happened a long time ago. Time has eased the pain," she said. "It only comforts me to know that my brother would be proud of me either way."

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Tonya Verbeek wins silver medal in women's wrestling at Summer Olympics

Julie Scott
Canadian Press
August 23, 2004

Canada's Tonya Verbeek, from Beamsville, Ont. holds up her silver medal after losing to Japan's Saori Yoshida in the 55kg wrestling final. (CP/Ryan Remiorz)

ATHENS (CP) - During moments of self-doubt when Tonya Verbeek considered giving up wrestling, her mom offered some advice: Don't worry, you'll win when it counts.

And that's exactly what happened earlier this year when Verbeek defeated rival Jen Ryz to earn a spot on the Canadian Olympic team for Athens, where women's wrestling was to make its Olympic debut.

"After she won the trials, she phoned us right away and that was the first thing she said, 'Mom, you were right,"' recalled Kathy Verbeek. "And of course I said, 'Moms are always right."'

Kathy was in the crowd Monday, shiny gold and red maple leaf stickers stuck on her cheeks, to watch her daughter capture a silver medal in the 55-kilogram division at the Olympic Games, beaten 6-0 by two-time world champion Saori Yoshida of Japan in the final.

The result caps several years of ups and downs for Verbeek, who has toiled in a deep 55-kilogram class in Canada.

After winning the national title and finishing fifth at the world championships in 1995, the 27-year-old from Beamsville, Ont., has placed second or third at the senior national championships five times since then, never making it back to the worlds.

There were days when she just didn't know if it was worth the effort to continue.

"There was other things going on and I thought it's not happening for me so why am I bothering," said Verbeek, whose father Jerry was also in the stands Monday. "But it was really because I wasn't training as hard and committing myself. It was all or nothing and I had to decide. So I decided that I had to pick it up and started making strides."

She came into these Games in the shadow of six-time world champion Christine Nordhagen of Calgary, who was touted as Canada's biggest medal threat.

"I might have not been put in the papers but that doesn't matter," said Verbeek, who ended the Games with a 3-1 record. "I knew I was coming here to compete because I worked my butt off. So I expect the best of myself and that's what I did these last two days."

Nordhagen ended up fifth.

For her coach Marty Calder, a former Olympic wrestler himself, Verbeek's silver medal was especially satisfying.

"I had a lot of confidence in her physical ability to be successful at this level," said Calder. "You can say you're going to do it, you can think you're going to do it but going and doing it is a different thing. And today she did it."

Meanwhile, Nordhagen won the fifth-place bout in the 72-kilogram division when her opponent, Anita Schaetzle of Germany, retired with an injury. Nordhagen had beaten American Toccara Montgomery earlier in the day to advance. Viola Yanik of Saskatoon defeated Volha Khilko of Belarus 5-2 to take fifth spot in the 63-kilogram class. That followed a win over Stephanie Gross of Germany 4-1. Lyndsay Belisle of Hazelton, B.C., failed to advance out of the preliminary round in the 48-kilogram class.

Being one of the dominant countries in the sport, Canada's female wrestlers went into the Games with high hopes.

"I can't say I'm disappointed," said Canadian women's coach Leigh Vierling, who is married to Nordhagen. "We had some really tough opponents. To give you an indication, against the U.S., the No. 2 team in the world last year, we've gone 3-0 against that team head-to-head. They're one of the best wrestling nations in the world."

Verbeek said winning one of the first Olympic medals in women's wrestling was special.

"Maybe I haven't digested it all and I still need to take it all in but right now, it feels great," she said. "There are so many people who are a part of this and I just happen to be the one who stepped on the mat today."

Yoshida, a two-time world champion, has dominated the 55-kilogram class, winning every international competition she has entered, a streak Verbeek never really threatened.

"There are some strategic things I could have maybe done a little big different," said Verbeek. "But I really did give it my all. I'd say I'm happy but I'm not satisfied."

Verbeek defeated Ida-Theres Karlsson of Sweden 3-1 in the semifinals while Yoshida beat Anna Gomis of France 7-6 in a close bout.

While the 9,000-seat Ano Liossia Olympic Hall wasn't full, several hundred Japanese fans made it feel as if it were bursting at the seams, waving flags, banging symbols and blowing horns every time one of their athletes was on the mat.

The Canadian contingent attempted to drown the Japanese out with a chorus of 'Let's go Canada.' But they were outnumbered. When Yoshida finally won, the crowd erupted.

But the Japanese were quieted after Irini Merleni of Ukraine defeated Chiharu Icho of Japan in the 48-kilogram final to become the first the first female Olympic gold medallist. Merleni was so excited with the victory she leapt into the referee's arms and wrapped her legs around his waist before dropping to floor for some vigorous fist-pumping. Atop the medal podium, she wept as her Ukrainian fans chanted her name.

Japan's dominant women's team was also disappointed when Kyoko Hamaguchi was upset by 18-year-old Wang Xu of China 6-4 in the semifinals of the 72-kilogram class.

There was confusion throughout the final two minutes because the actual score repeatedly differed from that on the scoreboard, possibly affecting how Hamaguchi wrestled.

The outcome so angered her father, longtime Japanese pro wrestling star Heigo (The Animal) Hamaguchi, that police restrained him from running onto the mat.

"We have been training very hard together, 365 days a year, for many years together," his daughter said in his defence. "When we experience a loss, both of us share the feeling of depression together."

Wang went on to defeat Gouzel Maniourova of Russia 7-2.

Kaori Icho of Japan defeated Sara McMann of the U.S., 3-2 at 63 kilograms.

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Ukraine's Merleni wins first women's Olympic wrestling gold

Indo-Asian News Service 8/23/04

Athens, Aug 23 (IANS) Ukraine's Irini Merleni became the first Olympic women's wrestling gold winner Monday, defeating Chiharu Icho of Japan in the 48kg category, reports Xinhua.

Merleni, a three-time World Championship gold medalist, won in extra time over her mighty Japanese opponent after they were tied 2-2.

Patricia Miranda of the US took bronze, defeating Angelique Berthenet of France 12-4.

Women's wrestling is making its first appearance at the Athens Olympic Games.

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Coloradan takes silver in debut of women's wrestling

By Alan Robinson 8/23/04
The Associated Press

Winners of the women's freestyle 63kg wrestling competition pose during the medal ceremony at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Monday, Aug. 23, 2004. From left, silver medalist Sara McMann of Colorado Springs, gold medalist Kaori Icho from Japan and brozne medalist Lise Legrand from France.

Athens, Greece - Sara McMann of Colorado Springs couldn't hold an early lead in her 138 1/2 pounds (63kg) gold medal match with world champion Kaori Icho of Japan and lost 3-2 today, meaning the United States exited the debut of Olympic women's wrestling without any golds.

The Americans, who had four world silver medalists last year, came away with two medals, both from Colorado Springs athletes: McMann's silver and Patricia Miranda's bronze at 105 1/2 pounds (48kg).

It was the second difficult loss to Icho in less than a year for McMann, who also lost 4-3 to her in overtime during last year's world finals. This defeat was tougher still; McMann looked disconsolate during the medal ceremony, though she hugged Icho before leaving the medals stand.

McMann, who wrestled on the Lock Haven University men's team and has the upper body strength to rival many male wrestlers in her weight class, got off to a great start, taking Icho down twice for a 2-0 lead after the first of the two three-minute periods.

But Icho, the sister of 105 1/2 pounds (48kg) silver medalist Chiharu Icho, made sure McMann couldn't rely on her superior upper body strength in the second period.

She scurried away during any McMann attempt to lock her up, instead using her speed and quickness to trip up McMann several times, taking her down three times - with the last and decisive point coming with 23 seconds remaining.

It was the second gold of the night for Japan, which was stunned by the semifinal loss of five-time world champion Kyoko Hamaguchi to 18-year-old Wang Xu of China in the 158 1/2 pounds (72kg) semifinals. World champion Saori Yoshida came through to take the gold at 121 pounds (55kg) by beating Tonya Verbeek of Canada 6-0.

Japan's large cheering section reacted with boos and disbelief and Greek police spent several minutes restraining Hamaguchi's angry father, former pro wrestler Heigo "The Animal" Hamaguchi, when he appeared ready to jump out of the stands during his daughter's disputed loss.

At several points, the scoreboard didn't reflect the on-mat scoring, a confusing situation that apparently affected how Hamaguchi wrestled in the final seconds. There also was confusion over a passivity call that benefited Wang.

Hamaguchi, often called the best female wrestler in the world, came back to get the bronze.

Chiharu Icho lost in the 105 1/2 pound finals to defending world champion Irina Merleni of Ukraine on a tiebreaker after the two tied 2-2 through nine minutes. Merleni reached the final by beating Miranda 9-0 in a one-sided semifinal in which the Ukraine wrestler opened a 4-0 lead with only 30 seconds gone.

Miranda bounced back to beat Angelique Berthenet of France 12-4 for the bronze, after trailing 4-1 early.

"The only thing I know is, I'm leaving here after giving it my all," Miranda said. "I didn't care if I lost as long as I gave everything I had." Both U.S. wrestlers who failed to advance from their pools Sunday also lost in the consolation round. Tela O'Donnell, of Homer, Alaska, was beaten 10-7 by Mabel Fonseca of Puerto Rico at 121 pounds (55kg) to finish with a 1-2 record.

Toccara Montgomery, who with Miranda was given America's best chance of winning a gold in Athens, lost 8-3 to Canada's Christine Nordhagen at 158 1/2 pounds (72kg). Montgomery, who drew Hamaguchi in the opening match of her pool, also finished 1-2.

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Japan's golden double softens blow of Hamaguchi upset

8/23/04

Click to enlarge

ATHENS (AFP) - Japan took two of the four gold medals on offer at the Olympic women's freestyle wrestling here, softening the blow of five-time world champion Kyoko Hamaguchi's shock semi-final exit earlier in the day.

Saori Yoshida defeated Tonya Verbeek of Canada to add the 55kg Olympic title to her world crown, while Kaori Icho overcame American Sara McMann to win gold in the 63kg division.

Irini Merleni claimed the first medal of the event making its Olympic debut, edging Chiharu Icho, younger sister of Kaori, in a tense tussle neither wrestler deserved to lose.

Hamaguchi, knocked out in the semi-finals of the 72kg by eventual gold medal winner Wang Xu of China, had to be content with a bronze in the heavyweight division.

An historic day was overshadowed by controversy in Hamaguchi's bout against teenager Wang, whom she beat in the 2002 world championship.

Hamaguchi felt Wang was unfairly awarded two points for a move which she had initiated, a decision which cost the current world champion a shot at the gold medal.

Flag-bearer for Japan at the opening ceremony, Hamaguchi looked dumbfounded while her father and coach Heigo, a former professional wrestler, was so incensed by the referee's decision that he had to be restrained by police.

Having shed a few tears, Hamaguchi regained her composure to beat Svitlana Sayenko of the Ukraine in the bronze medal match to ensure she didn't leave the Greek capital empty-handed.

Remarkably, the softly-spoken 26-year-old, who received a black eye in her bout for third place, was far from bitter about her surprise semi-final defeat that left many in the area shaking their heads.

"I trained very hard for the gold medal and of course it's a disappointment, but I've learned something about life that is much more valuable than a gold medal," she said.

Hamaguchi said she could understand her father's emotional outburst up in the stands.

"When we win we both share the joy, and when we lose we both share the same feeling of depression," she said.

A tearful Wang admitted she surprised herself in the competition by going as far as she did.

"I'm so excited to get the gold because I came here without high expectations," said the 18-year-old.

"I just planned to do my best and trained as hard as I could. I told myself I would make sure I came home without regrets."

There was more drama in the bout between Merleni, the reigning 48kg world champion, and Chiharu Icho.

In a war of attrition the scores were tied at 2-2 in regulation time with neither athlete giving an inch.

But because three points is the minimum required to win a match, the bout went into a three minute period of extra-time.

As the scores were still even after nine minutes, the referee gets the final vote and raised Merleni's hand instead of Icho's.

Yoshida, the reigning world champion, won 6-0 in a one-sided contest and celebrated her victory by lifting her coach onto her shoulders before somersaulting across the mat, much to the delight of the large Japanese contingent in the crowd.

McMann, who lost to Kaori in the world championship final last year, was inconsolable after ending up a loser once more, but received a warm embrace on the podium from the compasionate 20-year-old Japanese.

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McMann only U.S. women's wrestling finalist

ALAN ROBINSON, AP Sports Writer 8/23/04

Sara McMann couldn't hold an early lead in her 1381/2 pounds (63kg) gold medal match with world champion Kaori Icho of Japan and lost 3-2 Monday, meaning the United States exited the debut of Olympic women's wrestling without any golds.

The Americans, who had four world silver medalists last year, came away with only two medals: McMann's silver and Patricia Miranda's bronze at 1051/2 pounds (48kg).

But Icho, the sister of 1051/2 pounds (48kg) silver medalist Chiharu Icho, made sure McMann couldn't rely on her superior upper body strength in the second period.

She scurried away during any McMann attempt to lock her up, instead using her speed and quickness to trip up McMann several times, taking her down three times -- with the last and decisive point coming with 23 seconds remaining.

It was the second gold of the night for Japan, which was stunned by the semifinal loss of five-time world champion Kyoko Hamaguchi to 18-year-old Wang Xu of China in the 1581/2 pounds (72kg) semifinals. World champion Saori Yoshida came through to take the gold at 121 pounds (55kg) by beating Tonya Verbeek of Canada 6-0.

Hamaguchi, often called the best female wrestler in the world, came back to get the bronze.

Chiharu Icho lost in the 1051/2 pound finals to defending world champion Irina Merleni of Ukraine on a tiebreaker after the two tied 2-2 through nine minutes. Merleni reached the final by beating Miranda 9-0 in a one-sided semifinal in which the Ukraine wrestler opened a 4-0 lead with only 30 seconds gone.

Miranda bounced back to beat Angelique Berthenet of France 12-4 for the bronze, after trailing 4-1 early.

"The only thing I know is, I'm leaving here after giving it my all," Miranda said. "I didn't care if I lost as long as I gave everything I had."

Both U.S. wrestlers who failed to advance from their pools Sunday also lost in the consolation round. Tela O'Donnell, of Homer, Alaska, was beaten 10-7 by Mabel Fonseca of Puerto Rico at 121 pounds (55kg) to finish with a 1-2 record.

Toccara Montgomery, who with Miranda was given America's best chance of winning a gold in Athens, lost 8-3 to Canada's Christine Nordhagen at 1581/2 pounds (72kg). Montgomery, who drew Hamaguchi in the opening match of her pool, also finished 1-2.

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Canada guaranteed silver medal in women's wrestling after Verbeek advances

Julie Scott
Canadian Press
August 23, 2004

Tonya Verbeek of Beamsville, Ont., leans into Ida-Theres Karlsson from Sweden on her way to gaining a berth in the final later Monday. (AP/Diether Endlicher)

ATHENS (CP) - Canada is guaranteed at least a silver medal in women's wrestling after Tonya Verbeek advanced to the final in the 55-kilogram division at the Summer Olympics on Monday.

Verbeek, a native of Beamsville, Ont., defeated Ida-Theres Karlsson of Sweden 3-1 in the semifinals and will face Saori Yoshida of Japan, one of the best female wrestlers in the world, in the final later Monday.

"This match I felt a little tighter just knowing that it makes such a huge difference in whether you're guaranteed a medal or you might still have to fight for one," said Verbeek, a silver medallist at the Pan Am Games last summer. "But if you get ahead of yourself it takes away from what you want to do out there."

The 27-year-old Verbeek, whose record at the Games is 3-0, has been in the Canadian program for several years, finishing fifth at the 1995 world championships. But she has struggled at the national level due to the depth in her weight class.

She has finished second or third at the senior national championships five times since winning the title in 1995. She earned her spot on the Olympic team by finishing third at the final qualifying tournament and beating fellow veteran Jen Ryz at the Canadian trials.

Leading into the Games, Verbeek defeated American Tela O'Donnell at the Titan Games in Atlanta and won a gold medal at the Canada Cup. She was third at the Olympic test event in Athens this winter.

In the other semifinal Monday, Yoshida defeated Anna Gomis of France 7-6 in a tight bout.

Yoshida is a two-time world champion, defeating American Tina George in the finals at both the 2002 and 2003 worlds. She has dominated the weight class, winning every international competition she has entered.

In other bouts, Christine Nordhagen of Calgary won fifth place in the 72-kilogram division when her opponent, Anita Schaetzle of Germany, retired with an injury. Nordhagen had beaten American Toccara Montgomery earlier in the day to advance.

Viola Yanik of Saskatoon defeated Volha Khilko of Belarus 5-2 to take fifth spot in the 63-kilogram class. That followed a win over Stephanie Gross of Germany 4-1.

The Ano Liossia Olympic Hall was abuzz with cheering, flag-waving Japanese fans Monday morning. Japan dominates the sport, with five world champions out of seven weight classes in 2003.