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Wrestling: Japan dominate on 1st day of Women's World Cup
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Friday October 8, 8:49 PM
Japan kicked off its campaign for its first title in two years with a strong start after wins over Canada, the United States and India on the opening day of the women's wrestling World Cup on Friday.
Japan, led by the Olympic medal-winning quartet of Chiharu Icho (48 kg), Saori Yoshida (55 kg), Kaori Icho (63 kg) and Kyoko Hamaguchi (72 kg), defeated Canada 6-1, downed the United States 5-2 and overwhelmed India 7-0 at the two-day team event featuring six nations.
Olympic champion Yoshida struggled with her trademark turbocharged tackles in a bout against archrival Tela O'Donnell before defeating the American on points with a string of effective back techniques at Komazawa Gymnasium.
Five-time world champion Hamaguchi, whose bronze-medal finish in Athens was somewhat of a disappointment, allowed Canadian Ohenewa Akuffo to score on a reverse tackle in her opening match but tossed her opponent to the mat for a pin after 2 minutes in the first period.
Seiko Yamamoto, who underwent knee surgery in April, lost one of her matches at 59 kg, leaving her with a 1-1 record.
Japan will face China and Russia on the final day of the round-robin competition on Saturday.
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USA goes 1-2 on first day of Women’s World Cup in Japan
10/8/2004
Gary Abbott/USA Wrestling
The United States captured one of three dual meets during the first day of the Women’s World Cup of freestyle wrestling, Friday, October 8 in Tokyo, Japan.
The U.S. defeated India, six matches to one, to open the tournament. The team then was defeated by China, four matches to three, and lost to host Japan, five matches to two.
The U.S. is scheduled to face Canada and Russia on the final day of the tournament on Saturday.
The team competed with just six of the seven weight classes filled, after Toccara Montgomery (Cleveland, Ohio/New York AC) did not make weight at 72 kg/158.5 lbs.
Against India, all six U.S. wrestlers won their matches handily, with a number of technical falls or pins among the victories.
Against China, three U.S. wrestlers claimed victories: Stephanie Murata (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) at 51 kg/112.25 lbs., 2000 Olympian Tela O’Donnell (Colorado Springs, Colo./Dave Schultz WC) at 55 kg/121 lbs. and Alaina Berube (Escanaba, Mich./New York AC) at 63 kg/138.75 lbs.
Murata scored a 10-0 technical fall over Tan Dongmei. O’Donnell defeated 2000 Olympian Sun Dongmei, 8-4. Berube scored a first-period pin over Jia Yafeng. Both teams won three bouts, but the U.S. forfeit at 72 kg/158.5 lbs. gave the team victory to the Chinese team.
Against Japan, the U.S. winners were 2003 World bronze medalist Sally Roberts (Colorado Springs, Colo./Gator WC) at 59 kg/130 lbs. and 2001 World Cup champion Katie Downing (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) at 67 kg/147.5 lbs.
Roberts defeated four-time World Champion Seiko Yamamoto by a 7-6 margin. Roberts jumped to a 6-1 lead, only to see Yamamoto battle back to tie the score at 6-6. Roberts scored the final point for the clutch win. Roberts was a World Cup champion last year.
Downing scored a first-period pin over Norie Saito for the other U.S. victory.
There was an exciting and highly skilled match at 55 kg/121 lbs., where 2004 Olympic champion Saori Yoshida stopped O’Donnell by a 12-5 margin. Yoshida jumped to a 5-1 lead, but O’Donnell fought back to tie the match at 5-5. In one active exchange, Yoshida scored five points on the mat to take a 10-5 lead and went on to win. The quality of the action pleased the fans and coaches.
The hosts from the Japanese Wrestling Federation changed the competition schedule after the weighins, moving the U.S. vs. Japan showdown from the last bout of the tournament to Friday instead.
“I think we have competed hard to this point. It won’t show in the team score, however,” said National Freestyle Coach Terry Steiner. “The women are going out and laying it on the line. We are competing tough. We have made some mistakes and lost some close matches.”
“I think Tela O’Donnell is wrestling well and fighting hard. For her to beat Dongmei of China, and then wrestle the match she had against Olympic champion Yoshida was outstanding. For Sally Roberts to beat Seiko Yamamoto was also a great performance,” said Steiner.
At the conclusion of the action on Saturday, team standings will be determined based upon the results of all the dual meets of the tournament. In addition, individual medals will be awarded at each weight class.
Host Japan swept all three dual meets on the first day, defeating the USA, Canada and India.
The United States is the defending World Cup team champions. Japan won the first two World Cups held in 2001 and 2002.
Complete results of all U.S. matches will be posted when available.
UNITED STATES WORLD CUP LINEUP
48 kg/105.5 lbs. - Clarissa Chun (Colorado Springs, Colo./Gator WC)
51 kg/112.25 lbs. -Stephanie Murata (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids)
55 kg/121 lbs. -Tela O’Donnell (Colorado Springs, Colo./Dave Schultz WC)
59 kg/130 lbs. -Sally Roberts (Colorado Springs, Colo./Gator WC)
63 kg/138.75 lbs. -Alaina Berube (Escanaba, Mich./New York AC)
67 kg/147.5 lbs. -Katie Downing (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids)
72 kg/158.5 lbs. - forfeit
Coaches - Terry Steiner, Dave Bennett
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Knee pain taken to the mat: Olympian credits arthritis treatment for saving career;
Mario Toneguzzi
Calgary Herald 09-22-2004
Three years ago, Christine Nordhagen's dream of competing as a wrestler
in the Olympics was close to being dead.
"My knees almost cost me my passion," said the 33-year-old Calgarian.
"It got to the point where just warming up was getting to be difficult.
It hurt a lot to train. It felt like it was bone against bone."
Now, Nordhagen is trumpeting the positive impact that a new
osteoarthritis treatment has had on her life.
With women's wrestling being included at the Athens Olympics, Nordhagen
at the time felt she would not be able to achieve her dream.
After all, the Athens Olympics were then three years away and the
prospect of enduring pain for that period was daunting.
Following unsuccessful surgery and physiotherapy to correct the
problem, Nordhagen began in September 2002 to take a treatment used for
osteoarthritis patients.
The impact was nothing short of miraculous.
After two weeks, she noticed a huge difference in her knees.
She could now bend her knees without the excruciating pain. And, more
importantly, she felt she'd now be able to compete in the Olympics.
"It got to the point that I couldn't even get into my stance without my
knees hurting me," said Nordhagen, the six-time world women's wrestling
champion who finished fifth in her weight class at Athens.
"The doctors tried everything, but the stiffness and pain never went
away. I knew that if I wanted to walk again, let alone compete, I needed to get
my knees treated."
Synvisc gel is a natural substance -- not a drug -- made from a
naturally occurring derivative in the body. When Synvisc is injected into the
knee, it supplements the cushioning and lubricating qualities of synovial fluid
and acts as an effective shock absorber.
To treat her condition, Nordhagen's doctor decided to give her
injections of Synvisc in an attempt at pain relief.
One in 10 Canadians suffers from the same pain and immobility that
stopped Nordhagen in her tracks, but their condition is due to osteoarthritis
of the knee.
Dr. Ted English, orthopedic surgeon at Scarborough Hospital in the
Toronto area, said patients want a treatment that will effectively and safely
treat the problem, relieve the pain and increase their mobility.
"Since Synvisc is a local and not systemic therapy, it goes directly to
where the problem lies in the knee joint and stays there to function
like natural synovial fluid," said English.
When synovial fluid -- which provides cushion and lubrication within
the knee joint -- breaks down, pain and loss of mobility results.
In an osteoarthritic knee, synovial fluid does not lubricate properly
or act as an effective shock absorber when weight is placed on the knee.
Nordhagen takes the treatment by injection about every four months.
She is currently getting ready for the World Cup competition in Tokyo
beginning Oct. 8.
"I need to take this in order to compete as an athlete and as a
wrestler," said Nordhagen.
mtoneguzzi@theherald.canwest.com