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Ulaanbaatar, /MONTSAME/. The Mongolian sportsmen have been named who will take part in the World University Championship for Wrestling. The latter will take place in Greece in July, 2008.
A total of 14 male and female wrestlers are selected among more than 200 from 20 universities and institutes who had competed in male and female 14 weight categories at the State University Championship.
The Mongolian selected team comprise male champions such as G.Davaakhuyag /55 kg/, E.Nyam-Ochir /60 kg/, P.Onorbat /66 kg/, M.Batmonkh /74 kg/, Ya.Altantulga /84 kg/, B.Zayamandakh /96 kg/, D.Odgerel /120 kg/, and female champions D.Baasanjargal /48 kg/, T.Olziibayar /51 kg/, N.Altantuya /55 kg/, D.Narmandakh /59 kg/, Ts.Bayarzaya /63 kg/, O.Nasanburmaa /67 kg/ and G.Naranchimeg /72 kg/.

Wrestling towards second national title

Emilie Guitard won a cadet wrestling title in 2006

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Emilie Guitard already knows what it's like to win a Canadian championship.

The 18-year-old wrestler won a national cadet title two years ago in just her second year in the sport. Now, in 2008,she wants to add a Canadian juvenile title to her list of wrestling accomplishments.

"I hope I can finish top three at the nationals, but first would be great," she smiled during a break from practice at Ecole Secondaire Nepisiguit. "It is going to be hard, but I think I can do well."

The Grade 12 student at ESN is one of a handful of wrestlers from the school flying to Saskatoon, Sask. this week for the Canadian cadet and juvenile championships. That list includes defending cadet champion Jean-Francois Godin, who won his title in the 42-kilogram event last year in Whitby, Ont. Others scheduled to make the trip include Pierre-Philippe Ouellette, Shawn Guignard and Katrina Cormier.

Guitard, the daughter of Remi and Madelaine Guitard of Madran, first took up wrestling when she started high school. Now in her fourth year with the team, she has upped her practice schedule from three to four times a week in preparation for the nationals.

"It takes lots of motivation for one thing," said Guitard, who will compete in the 49-kilogram weight class at the nationals. "You have to train a lot and visualize your matches all the time. (That and) do lots of weights, push ups and cardio."

Guitard has continued to dominate on the mat this year, including winning gold at the New Brunswick high school wrestling championships last February at ESN. She said it is important for a wrestler to always maintain their focus.

"You need to have really good focus," she pointed out. "I'm more of a defensive wrestler. I usually have a plan before going on the mat, but it depends on the other wrestler."

Growing up, Guitard played sports like volleyball and competed in track and field. While she still plays soccer, she said once she discovered wrestling every other sport paled in comparison.

"When I started wrestling, I found my real sport. The passion was there," she said. "The thing with wrestling is the team is like a little family. It is a very hard sport, so to make it easier we get close (to each other) to make it easier because you are not alone. That is one thing I really like about wrestling.

"The other thing is you give everything you have. When you are on the mat, you are alone, there is nobody else. If you train a lot, then you have a chance to win, and if you don't you can't hide. In soccer, if you are tired you can jog around a bit, but in wrestling there is just two, there is no break at all and that is one thing I like."

Guitard said she plans to go to the University of New Brunswick this fall to study kinesiology.

"It is the only university in New Brunswick where I can wrestle," she said. "But I have to go in English and my English isn't that good, but I am going to try."

The Canadian cadet and juvenile championships are scheduled to begin on Friday.

Wrestling, a sport that has long been the bastion of man, has now lured women, as was evident by their enthusiastic participation in the bouts here on Sunday under the ‘Marali Baa Garadige’ tournament.

The women wrestlers, in a rare display of their muscular power and wrestling skills, took part in the first of a series of tournaments vying for honours in their respective bouts at the Devaraja Urs multi-purpose sporting complex at Doddakere Maidan.

The event that pitted them in the traditional style of wrestling, Nada Kusti, saw Rani Venkatesh of Mysore and Ramya Ravi Kumar of Melapura in the ring (akhada), watching which the large number of spectators literally got driven to the edge of their seats. The two wrestlers, equal in the departments of strength and skills, ended their bout with the referee deciding on a draw.

The first day’s proceedings included 2 interesting bouts out of which the bout between Bhagwanth Beelagi of Davanagere, a winner of Dasara Kanteerava 2007 award and Salauddin of Belgaum saw them wrestle for more than half-an-hour. That bout also ended in a draw after many thrilling moments.

K. Arun Kumar scored a win over Raghu Ganigan while Kalil Qureshi won his bout against Ganesh of Belavadi.

The following pairs of wrestlers produced listless draws in their respective bouts: S. Raghu of Melapura and S.N. Shivakumar; Anand of Belagola and R. Sunil Kumar; M. Manu Kumar and Dushyanth Raj; Chamaraj of Nazarbad and N. Kumar; Murthy U. Katle of Shankarapura and Nitin Rao of Belagola; S. Umesh of Manchegowdanakoppal and D. Vinay Kumar of Melapura; Vijaya Kumar of Manchegowdanakoppalu and Kumar of K.G. Koppal; Manu of Srirangapatna and Basavaraju of Kythamaranahalli; Hyder Ali and B.K. Yeshwanth of Belagola.

Rama Subba, Superintendent of Police, Mysore, who inaugurated the tournament, speaking on the occasion, said that more wrestling tournaments should be organised. That would augur well for sustaining the traditional sporting event of the region, he added.

More than 25 pairs of wrestlers took part in the tournament on Sunday. D. Ravi Kumar, Public Relations Officer, Cauvery Niravari Nigam, Varadaraju, Regional Fire Brigade Officer, Cheluvaraju, Deputy Superintendent of Police and Ramadas, Police Inspector were present.

MARQUETTE — The United States Olympic Education Center women’s freestyle wrestlers returned home with two gold medals from the 11th Annual U.S. Girls Wrestling Association National Championships held March 29 in downstate Livonia.

Marquette Senior High School seniors Beth Johnson (Garden City, Kan.) and Schuyler Brown (Montpelier, Va.) won gold medals in their respective 124- and 139-pound weight classes.

Senior Elizabeth DeAngelo (Mebane, N.C.) took fifth place at 133.

Johnson was dominant throughout the tournament, winning her championship match against Alli Ragan by pin in a time of 2:44.

Brown won her championship match by decision against Nikita Netjes, 12-10 in overtime. It was her first national title.

DeAngelo was not able to take home a medal, but improved from the previous championship.

She was able to make this improvement after she moved up several weight classes.

“Elizabeth placed eighth the year before at 116 pounds (in this event) and placed fifth this year at 133 pounds,” said coach Shannyn Gillespie.

The women’s freestyle wrestlers will now begin preparing for the Junior Nationals Championships held later this summer.

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Wrestling towards second national title

Emilie Guitard won a cadet wrestling title in 2006