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Patricia Miranda named TheMat.com Wrestler of the Week for July 4-10

Craig Sesker USA Wrestling
07/12/2006

Patricia Miranda (New Haven, Conn./Sunkist Kids) has been named TheMat.com Wrestler of the Week for the week of July 4-10.

Each week, TheMat.com will select an Athlete of the Week, based upon performance within wrestling for that week. The selection committee will consider any level of wrestling, from youth programs through the Senior level. The announcement will be made each week on Wednesday.

Miranda captured the Canada Cup International championship at 51 kg/112.25 pounds on July 8 in Guelph, Ontario, Canada. Miranda, a two-time World silver medalist and 2004 Olympic bronze medalist, beat Olympian Hui Li of China in the finals.

Miranda, who took last year off while starting Law School at Yale University, is looking like a strong candidate to win her fourth World-level medal after returning to competition this season.

Miranda won the U.S. Nationals in April before following with a title at the U.S. World Team Trials on June 30 in Colorado Springs, Colo. Miranda will compete at the World Championships in late September in Guangzhou, China.

Note: To nominate a wrestler for TheMat.com Wrestler of the Week, send the athlete's name, accomplishments for the week and career accomplishments to Craig Sesker at csesker@usawrestling.org

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Americans capture four gold medals at Canada Cup International

USA Wrestling
07/12/2006

GUELPH, Ontario, Canada – Three American men and one women’s freestyle wrestler earned gold medals at the Canada Cup International this past weekend.

The New York Athletic Club struck gold three times in men’s freestyle with Ramico Blackmon (Colorado Springs, Colo.) winning at 74 kg/163 pounds, Bryce Hasseman (Colorado Springs, Colo.) claiming the title at 84 kg/185 pounds and Kyle Cerminara (Lewiston, N.Y.) was the champion at 96 kg/211.5 pounds.

Blackmon beat Canada’s Zoltan Hunyady in the finals, Hasseman beat Ivon DeHamel of Canada and Cerminara downed Mike Neufeld of Canada.

Patricia Miranda (New Haven, Conn./Sunkist Kids) continued her strong season by winning the women’s freestyle championship at 51 kg/112 pounds. The two-time World silver medalist and Olympic bronze medalist beat Olympian Hu Li of China in the finals.

World bronze medalist Katie Downing (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) won a silver medal at 67 kg/147.5 pounds. Downing fell to China’s Rui Xue Jing in the finals. Jing won a silver medal at 63 kg/138.75 pounds in the 2005 World Championships.

Two-time World champion Kristie Marano (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) placed fifth at 72 kg/158.5 pounds.

Miranda, Downing and Marano are members of the 2006 World Team that will compete in the World Championships this fall in Guangzhou, China.