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21:24, October 31, 2007

 
Host wrestler Xu Qing took the last wrestling gold at 6th Chinese City Games on Wednesday.

Xu Qing beat Jinan's Li Zhifeng in women's 72kg freestyle final2-0, 1-0, to mark a good ending for the whole wrestling tournament at the City Games.

Another host wrestler Zhang Fengliu lost in women's 67kg freestyle final, making fans upset.

"It is really an excitement to win gold in front of so many supports. Winning last gold for Wuhan will makes me remember this moment forever," said Xu.

"I started to learn wrestling when I was 12 and I was selected to national team three years after that. I 'm looking forward to win an Olympic gold soon or later."

The Bronze was won by Zhang Yu of Ningbo.




Two host wrestlers, different endings

21:25, October 31, 2007

Wuhan fans were eager to see more golds coming to their pockets at the 6th Chinese City Games. But in Wednesday's wrestling matches, two host wrestlers rolled into two finals but only one got title.

Newly-crowned World Cup champion Zhang Fengliu lost to Xi'an's Luo Ping in women's 67kg freestyle final, failing to earn host another gold.

Luo defeated Zhang 1-0, 1-0 to make Xi'an the second wrestling gold. Zhang didn't find an effective way to fight back in the two rounds.

"This gold is my personal best result," said Luo. "Facing so many local fans makes me feel nervous. But it also makes me play my best. I am really excited to win."

"I can't get my weight down before the matches so I have to play the 67kg class," said Zhang, who won women's 63kg gold at World Cup.

Wuhan fans' dissatisfaction was soon replaced with joyousness as Xu Qing won the last wrestling gold in 72kg women's freestyle. Xu beat Jinan's Li Zhifeng 2-0, 1-0 to make a good ending for the host in the wrestling tournament at City Games.

"It was really an excitement to win a gold in front of so many home fans. I'll remember this moment forever," said Xu.

In one previous final, Cui Yali of Guangzhou won women's 63kg freestyle title, beating Xiluozhuoma of Lhasa 3-0, 1-0.

This gold was Guangzhou's first and also only wrestling gold in the City Games. Pan Xueyin took silver for Guangzhou in women's 48kg freestyle on Monday.

"I trained hard before the final. And I think I did try my best during the final and that's why I can win," said Cui.

"The training of wrestling is bald but a win is the most exciting moment."

"I will go back to Guangzhou tomorrow because it is too cold here. I am going to prepare for the upcoming National Championships," said Cui.

The wrestling tournament at the City Games ended today.



                                          Wrestling World Cup champion Xu wins 55kg title at Chinese City Games

09:29, October 31, 2007

Newly-crowned World Cup champion Xu Li of Hefei took the women's 55kg freestyle wrestling gold at the 6th Chinese City Games in Wuhan on Tuesday.

Xu, who won the World Cup champion in March, got a quick win of1-0, 3-0 over Yang Senlian, the 59kg gold medallist at 20th Asian wrestling championships last May.

Yang, who lost weight to take part in 55kg class match, was unable to ward off Xu's throws.

Xu entered the final after eliminating world junior champion Li Songni in the semifinals.

"To be honest, I didn't play my best in the City Games," said Xu. "My coach told me that the goal is to gain more experiences here."

"I thought the key to win today was that I did not think too much of the gold medal. I think it was the difference between Yangand me. We played against each other for many times. She was a tough opponent."

The gold was Hefei's first in women's wrestling and third wrestling title. Su Ersa won Greco Roman's 60kg class on Friday and Liu Gang took the men's 74kg freestyle on Monday.

The bronze went to Ma Ningning of Yan'an, northwest China's Shaaxi Province.

Source: Xinhua




"Lucky blue" brings Shenyang second wrestling gold


09:30, October 31, 2007
Li Shuang of Shenyang,wearing her "lucky blue" waist, won women's 51kg freestyle title at 6th Chinese City Games in Wuhan on Tuesday.

Li Shuang defeated Li Xiuli of Kunming 6-0, 3-2 in the final to earn Shenyang the first gold in women's wrestling at the City Games.

Li Shuang cling on to advantage, controlling Li Xiuli under her body to seize a 6-0 win in the first round. Liu Xiuli fought back to lead 2-0 in the second round but her tiny mistake was grabbed by Li Shuang and lost the second round 2-3.

"I thought blue was my lucky color," said Li Shuang, wearing a blue waist. "I was in red in morning's qualifications. But I prefer blue because I thought it made people calm down."

The gold was also Shenyang's second in wrestling. Liu Yingwei won men's Greco Roman 84kg title on Saturday.

Rising star, Xu Li of Hefei, newly-crowned world champion at 7th Women's Freestyle Wrestling World Cup in last March, took women's freestyle 55kg gold. Xu's rival Yang Senlian, who was 59kggold-medalist at 20th Asian Wrestling Championships in May, 2007, was unable to ward off Xu's throws.

Xu beat Li Songni in the semifinal, who was newly-crowned champion at World Junior Wrestling Championships 2007.

"To be honest, I didn't play my best form in the City Games," said Xu. "My coach told me to gain more experiences and then I came."

"I thought the key to win today was that I just kept a normal thought. I was not eager to win the gold and I think it is the difference between Yang and me. We played with each other for many times. She was a tough opponent."

The gold was Hefei's first in women's wrestling and third in whole wrestling games. Su Ersa won 60kg Greco Roman on Friday and Liu Gang took men's 74kg freestyle on Monday.

Hou Yaxia of Yan'an, who used to be a runner, lost to Zhang Lan of Taiyuan in women's 59kg freestyle final. Zhang won the final 3-1, 1-0, to earn Taiyuan's first women wrestling gold and also second in whole games.

"This is the first time we play," said the winner Zhang Lan. "I think I was more confident in the match and that's why I won."

"I like wrestling and that was why I chose to be a wrestler. I started to learn wrestling three years ago. Though I didn't get the title, I'm still satisfied with the silver medal," said Hou Yaxia.

The wrestling games at City Games will end tomorrow.




Wrestler Li Shuang takes gold at City Games

20:38, October 30, 2007

Li Shuang of Shenyang took women's freestyle wrestling 51kg class gold at the 6th Chinese City Games on Monday.

Li Shuang beat Li Xiuli of Kunming, Yunnan Province 6-0, 3-2 in the final to earn Shenyang's second wrestling gold. Liu Yingwei took men's Greco Roman 84kg class gold on Saturday.

The bronze went to Duan Xiuli of Lanzhou.



Wrestler Cui takes first gold for Guangzhou

20:03, October 31, 2007

Cui Yali of Guangzhou won 63kg women's freestyle gold at the 6th Chinese City Games on Wednesday.

Cui beat Xiluozhuoma of Lhasa 3-0, 1-0 in the final to earn Guangzhou the first wrestling gold at these City Games. Pan Xueyin took 48kg women's freestyle silver on Monday.

The bronze went to Yu Ping of Daqing, Heilongjiang Province, after she defeated Yang Yanhui Yuzhong District of Chongqing 1-0, 1-0.





Wrestling roundup: World medalists feeling upset at Chinese City Games

08:27, November 01, 2007

The 6th Chinese City Games proved the suddenness of wrestling again. Medalists in World Junior Wrestling Championships and Wrestling World Cup all failed to take gold medals, and most even could not enter finals.

Li Songni, women's 55kg freestyle gold medalist at 2007 World Junior Wrestling Championships, lost in semifinal and also failed to get a bronze in the repechage. She refused to talk about this after the match.

Wang Feilong, national team wrestler who participated in the 2007 World Junior Wrestling Championships, was eliminated in the first round.

Host Wuhan's wrestler Zhang Fengliu, women's 63kg World Cup champion and silver medalist in 67kg at 2007 World Junior Championships, was defeated by Xi'an's Luo Ping in women's 67kg freestyle final.

Those world medalists had never thought of being challenged in the 6th Chinese City Games as male participants must be under the age of 20, and female under 18.

Officials in the Wrestling Department of General Administration of Sport of China were pleasantly surprised to find so many new rising stars.

Host wrestler Zheng Pan took first gold for Wuhan in Greco Roman 66kg. The national team wrestler cemented his leading position in Chinese young wrestlers of that class.

Silver medalist in men's 55kg freestyle Luo Meng was considered to be the key force in 2012 London Olympics.

"If Luo continues his upgrading, it is quite possible for him to win a medal in London, or even the title," said Dong Shenghui, director of the national Wrestling Organization.

Xu Li, 18, women's 55kg freestyle winner, is the most hopeful in the Chinese national team to win a ticket to Beijing Olympics.

"I got my first national title in 2006," said Xu. "And in last March, I won the World Cup. I'm looking forward to play against the most powerful wrestlers in the world."

Host Wuhan is the biggest winner in wrestling tournament at the City Games with five golds, followed by Hefei, Anhui Province, with three golds.





Sports Briefs

Issue date: 10/30/07 Section: Sports

Women's wrestling finished strong at the Sunkist International as Jessica Bondy (51kg) finished third overall, and Alana King (48kg) and Michelle Fazzari (59kg) each placed fourth overall. Brock assistant coach and Olympic medalist, Tonya Verbeek, captured gold at 55kg.
Rowers Fraser Berkhout and Brittany Ellis were named Henley Honda Brock Athletes of the Week.

Sunkist Photos - Womens Freestyle
Iris Smith named TheMat.com Wrestler of the Week for Oct. 23-29

Craig Sesker USA Wrestling
10/31/2007

Iris Smith (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army) has been named TheMat.com Wrestler of the Week for Oct. 23-29.

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.

Smith knocked off Russia’s top two wrestlers at 72 kg/158.5 lbs. en route to winning the women’s freestyle title at the Sunkist Kids International Open on Oct. 27 in Chandler, Ariz.

Smith beat 2004 Olympic silver medalist and 2007 World bronze medalist Guzel Manyurova of Russia 3-0, 1-2, 1-1 in the semifinals. She followed by beating past two-time Junior World runner-up Daria Nazarova of Russia 2-0, 2-1 in the finals.

Smith, a 2005 World champion, placed third in the 2007 U.S. World Team Trials.

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