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Pictures from Word Championships/ Page 2/ Page 3
Gary Abbott USA Wrestling
10/01/2006
72 kg/158.5 lbs. – Kristie Marano, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)
“This is good. It is always good to come to the World Championships and win a medal. It’s not the ideal medal. But it is still third in the World.’
“I would definitely rather work for my medal. I had a bunch of hard matches. It makes it feel better to know I had to go out there and work hard.”
(about the bronze-medal match against Ohenawa Akuffo of Canada)
In the first 30 seconds, she came after me hard. I realized I had to step it up a couple of knotches or I ‘d take a beating. All that the coaching staff worked on in the last eight weeks really paid off here.”
(about moving up to 72 kg)
“This is a step forward. I have a lot of work to do. Luckily, it was still a good year for me. I’m going to try to get to as many overseas tournaments as I can. I hope to grow from this. I also hope to grow into 72 kg. It is a step up from the smaller girls. It is not overpowering. But they have the strength to capitalize on your mistakes.”
“This was pretty successful, but also disappointing. You will always be disappointed if you set your goals high and don’t reach them. But I can’t complain.”
67 kg/147.5 lbs. - Katie Downing, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)
“I’m disappointed in myself, knowing everything that went into this year. I get to carry this with me for the whole year. I know how much our coaches put into us to get prepared. My whole town is behind me here. It’s like I let more people down.”
“The challenge now, like in a tournament, if you lose and your person goes on, you have to wrestle back. It’s the same thing for me, at the larger level. The only thing I was thinking about was being on the podium. This wasn’t an option in my mind. So what do I do next? I have to change something. I improved in the things I am good at this year. But, I learned here that I need to score at will. Unless I change something, nothing will happen. It is kind of ground zero now. I have to step back into the practice room with no pride and put myself out there more and take more risks. I have to do things that are hard to do. I need to get out of my comfort zone.”
(about the match against Marisa Admiral of Netherlands)
“I just didn’t get it done. I didn’t feel frustrated. I was doing what I always do. But, obviously, I needed to force something to take it. She wasn’t going to give me anything. I had to take it and I didn’t get that done. I am used to people wrestling defensively.”
(about moving forward)
“I need to put this behind me. It is hard to let people down. Now that we all have a job to do, we are all working together. The question is what can we do as a program to get it done?”
National Women’s Coach Terry Steiner
“Kristie showed true Kristie. Her character always comes through. She’s one of the best competitors I have been around. It was time to focus. She did not have a good match when she lost. She clawed her way back in and beat a girl she hadn’t beaten before. It was a year we knew she had to move up in weight, because this will be her Olympic weight class. She has a long way to go in filling the weight. One thing about Kristie is when she is on the mat, she gives every ounce of energy that she has. I am proud of her and how she competed.”
(about the U.S. team)
“We have some changing to do. In situations like this, it is easy to point fingers and blame. The first thing I have to do is look in the mirror and make some changes myself. From there, we also will look at changes in the program. There is a reason that we went from 2003, when we won seven medals, to now when we have to scrap to get two medals. It starts with the leadership down. I have to make changes. That is where it starts.”
“We have people who are great workers. We have to change in the way we are working as individuals. We have to change our focuses, both as individuals and as a team. It is time to intervene. We have to change now or it will be the same next year. We have the right people to win. We have to change how we do things. It’s a battle. We need to want it. We need to stick with the changes when we make them.”
“We have a clear vision. We have gotten away from being a team. We are too much individuals. The programs that win here are teams. They work together, they feed off each other. We have to have that. We use to be like that. We need to return to it. It is time to change.”
“It was a great effort. The coaches are great. I can’t fault the efforts. We have to be working together, pushing each other, learning from each other, following a plan.”
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Kristie Marano still alive on final day of World Championships; McMann, Downing eliminated
Craig Sesker USA Wrestling
09/30/2006
GUANGZHOU, China – In a span of about 20 minutes, a day filled with an abundance of promise turned into a day of frustration and despair for the U.S. women’s freestyle team.
World medalists Katie Downing, Kristie Marano and Sara McMann each suffered losses less than 90 minutes into the first session of the final day of the World Championships on Sunday at the Tianhe Sports Center.
Downing (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) fell 1-0, 1-0 to Masira Admiraal of the Netherlands in the second round at 67 kg/147.5 pounds. Downing, a 2005 World bronze medalist, was eliminated when Admiraal lost in the quarterfinals.
McMann (Iowa City, Iowa/Sunkist Kids) fell 1-0, 2-1 to Poland’s Monika Rogien in the quarterfinals at 63 kg/138.75 pounds. McMann, who won World-level medals the past three years, was eliminated when Rogien lost in the semifinals.
Two-time World Champion Marano (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) was pinned late in the first period by five-time World Champion Kyoko Hamaguchi of Japan in the second round at 72 kg/158.5 pounds. Marano, a seven-time World medalist, will wrestle back in the Repechage on Sunday afternoon after Hamaguchi advanced to the finals.
The American women are in danger of matching their lowest medal total (one) since it started competing in this event in 1989. Patricia Miranda (New Haven, Conn./Sunkist Kids) won a bronze medal for the U.S. on Saturday.
“You can’t win if you don’t take shots," U.S. World Team coach Joe Corso said. "You have to take risks. Katie didn’t open up. There was no commitment. Kristie faced a tough competitor. She has to wrestle smart. She got caught on the same move twice. These are vital mistakes you can’t make. You have to make adjustments. Sara took long shots that were not there and her opponent spun around behind her. Sara got anxious. Some of our women are taking one shot, not wrestling in combinations.”
“We have the talent. They are just not winning. I am disappointed in their performance. We didn’t get the outcome. It is all about getting the mind right. We did everything to prepare physically. It was mentally where we fell short. We need to be able to attack. We have talented women. We just weren’t at the top of our game.
In Downing’s loss, neither wrestler scored in the first two minutes of both periods. Admiraal, who had never medaled in this event, won both coin flips and drove Downing out of bounds with a single to end the first and second periods.
Marano, who lost to Hamaguchi in the gold-medal match at the 1997, 1998 and 1999 World Championships, was caught early on a throw to trail 4-0. Marano tried an arm drag late in the first period and was caught and pinned with 13 seconds left.
“The match (against Hamaguchi) is the first time I got caught," Marano said. "I tried a drag. As I tried it, she cranked on my shoulder. I have a shoulder issue. Everything I practiced to protect it went out the window in the match.”
“I don’t think this match was much different than the others with her. I just got caught. I got worked up for the match. Everything else was working. I lost my mind a little out there.”
Rogien, who had never medaled in this event, scored two takedowns in the first period and one in the second. Each time she countered a leg attack by McMann and used a go-behind to score the takedown.
The U.S. had eight overall medals (four in men’s freestyle, three in Greco-Roman and one in women’s freestyle) entering final day of the seven-day tournament.
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Craig Sesker USA Wrestling
09/30/2006
Women’s Freestyle Play-by-Play for USA Wrestlers from the World Championships on Sunday, Oct. 1 in Guangzhou, China
63 KG – SARA MCMANN (IOWA CITY, IOWA/SUNKIST KIDS)
Quarterfinals: Monika Rogien (Poland) dec. McMann, 1-0, 2-1
First period
Rogien counters a shot and scores a takedown at 1:30.
Second period
McMann shoots in on double, but Rogien counters effectively and gets behind her for a takedown at 0:05. McMann shoots in on a double, but Rogien sprawls back and quickly spins around her for a takedown at 1:12. McMann uses front headlock and spin for takedown at 1:41.
Second round: McMann dec. Sandra Amado (Colombia), 1-0, 6-0
First period
McMann uses front headlock and spins behind for takedown at 1:01.
Second period
McMann grabs single and dumps Amado to the mat at 0:21. McMann hits a pair of quick turns to win by technical fall in 40 seconds.
First round: McMann has a bye
67 KG – KATIE DOWNING (COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO./SUNKIST KIDS)
Second round: Masira Admiraal (Netherlands) dec. Downing, 1-0, 1-0
First period
No scoring in the first two minutes. Admiraal wins the flip and uses single to drive Downing out of bounds and score a one-point pushout to win the period.
Second period
No scoring in the first two minutes. Admiraal wins the flip and uses single to drive Downing out of bounds and score a one-point pushout to win the match.
First round: Downing has a bye
72 KG – KRISTIE MARANO (COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO./NEW YORK AC)
Bronze-medal match: Marano dec. Ohenewa Akuffo (Canada), 1-1, 4-0
First period
Akuffo ducks under Marano for a takedown after Marano had her in a front headlock at 0:29. Akuffo’s headger is coming down over her eyes and she tries to call timeout while backing up. No timeout is granted and Marano charges at Akuffo, who loses her balance and falls. Marano then dives on her for a takedown at 1:32.
Second period
Marano snaps Akuffo down for a takedown at 1:32 and then tilts her to her back and holds her there for the rest of the match to win 4-0.
Repechage 2: Marano wins by injury default over Svitlana Saenko (Ukraine)
Repechage 1: Marano pinned Ochirbat Burmaa (Mongolia), 0-1, 2-0, pin 1:51
First period
Burmaa hits go-behind for takedown to lead 1-0 at 1:24.
Second period
Marano shoots in for single-leg takedown at 1:20. Marano counters desperation shot and spins behind for takedown at 1:59.
Third period
Marano dips down and grabs a single and finishes by driving Burmaa off the mat on a pushout at 1:32. Burmaa shoots in and Marano counters by throwing Burmaa to her back to record the fall at 1:51.
Second round: Kyoko Hamaguchi (Japan) pinned Marano, 1:47
First period
Hamaguchi throws Marano to her back at 0:28 and picks up four points to lead 4-0. Hamaguchi counters arm drag and pins Marano at 1:47.
First round: Marano dec. Dascha Kopnenko (Kazakhstan), 3-0, 2-1
First period
Marano counters double-leg shot and throws Kopneko to her back to gain two points exposure at 0:31. Marano uses front headlock to spin around for takedown at 1:41.
Second period
Marano counters and goes around Kopneko for takedown at 0:31. Marano hits leg attack for takedown at 1:26. Kopneko counters Marano and gains takedown at 1:54 to close within 2-1.
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Kristie Marano wins her record eighth World Championships medal after collecting a bronze medal
Craig Sesker USA Wrestling
10/01/2006
GUANGZHOU, China – Never mind the fact that Kristie Marano had not competed at the World Championships in three years.
When Marano competes on the biggest stage in women’s freestyle wrestling there is one constant.
She brings home a medal.
The remarkable career of Marano added another memorable chapter Sunday afternoon when she captured her eighth World medal, winning a bronze medal at the World Championships late Sunday afternoon at the Tianhe Sports Center.
Marano beat Canada’s Ohenewa Akuffo 1-1, 4-0 in her bronze-medal match at 72 kg/158.5 pounds.
“This is good - it is always good to come to the World Championships and win a medal,” Marano said. “It’s not the ideal medal. But it is still third in the World.”
“I would definitely rather work for my medal. I had a bunch of hard matches. It makes it feel better to know I had to go out there and work hard.”
Two-time World Champion Marano (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) rebounded from a quarterfinal loss to five-time World Champion Kyoko Hamaguchi of Japan to win three straight matches Sunday afternoon and earn a bronze medal.
The American women finished with two medals after Patricia Miranda (New Haven, Conn./Sunkist Kids) won a bronze medal for the U.S. on Saturday. The U.S. finished in a tie for seventh in the team standings with 22 points. Japan ran away with the title with 67 points after crowning five champions in seven weight classes.
The United States completed the World Championships with nine overall medals (four in men’s freestyle, three in Greco-Roman and two in women’s freestyle) in the seven-day tournament. The U.S. won two World gold medals. Bill Zadick provided the U.S. with its first World Champion in men’s freestyle since 1999 while Joe Warren gave the U.S. its first Greco-Roman World title since 2002.
Marano is now a perfect 8-for-8 in earning medals when she qualifies for the World Championships. She’s won three more World medals than any other American woman in history. Tricia Saunders is next in line with five World medals.
Marano won World gold medals in 2000 and 2003, won World silver medals from 1996-99 and won bronze in 2002 and 2006.
Marano made a triumphant return to the World Championships this year after coming up just short of making the 2004 U.S. Olympic Team and 2005 World Team. Marano bumped up to 158.5 this year after competing at 147.5, in part to start gearing up for the Olympics. There are only four Olympic weights, including 105.5, 121, 138.75 and 158.5.
“This is a step forward,” Marano said. “I have a lot of work to do. Luckily, it was still a good year for me. I’m going to try to get to as many overseas tournaments as I can. I hope to grow from this. I also hope to grow into 72 kg. It is a step up from the smaller girls. It is not overpowering. But they have the strength to capitalize on your mistakes.”
“This was pretty successful, but also disappointing. You will always be disappointed if you set your goals high and don’t reach them. But I can’t complain.”
USA National Coach Terry Steiner credited Marano's performance.
“Kristie showed true Kristie," Steiner said. "Her character always comes through. She’s one of the best competitors I have been around. It was time to focus. She did not have a good match when she lost. She clawed her way back in and beat a girl she hadn’t beaten before. It was a year we knew she had to move up in weight, because this will be her Olympic weight class. She has a long way to go in filling the weight. One thing about Kristie is when she is on the mat, she gives every ounce of energy that she has. I am proud of her and how she competed.”
Katie Downing (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) fell 1-0, 1-0 to Masira Admiraal of the Netherlands in the second round at 67 kg/147.5 pounds. Downing, a 2005 World bronze medalist, was eliminated when Admiraal lost in the quarterfinals.
Sara McMann (Iowa City, Iowa/Sunkist Kids) fell 1-0, 2-1 to Poland’s Monika Rogien in the quarterfinals at 63 kg/138.75 pounds. McMann, who won World-level medals the past three years, was eliminated when Rogien lost in the semifinals.
“We have some changing to do," Steiner said. "In situations like this, it is easy to point fingers and blame. The first thing I have to do is look in the mirror and make some changes myself. From there, we also will look at changes in the program. There is a reason that we went from 2003, when we won seven medals, to now when we have to scrap to get two medals. It starts with the leadership down. I have to make changes. That is where it starts.”
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Bulgarian Women with First Gold in Wrestling
Sports: 1 October 2006, Sunday.
Bulgaria has seen a historic breakthrough in women wrestling after Stanka Zlateva won the world title in China.
European wrestling champion in 72kg category in Moscow this year, Zlateva defended her merits defeating five-times world champion Kioko Hamaguchi of Japan.
Amid the emotions of triumph, Stanka Zlateva thanked her devoted coach, Simeon Shterev for all her successes, Bulgarian news agency reported.
After becoming European wrestling champion in 72kg category in Moscow, Stanka Zlateva (R) added the world title from China to her tally. File photo by Kameliya Atanasova (Sofia Photo Agency)