News Page
11/2/2002
Gary Abbott/USA Wrestling
The U.S. won five of nine first-session bouts, with all seven team members in action at the Women’s World Wrestling Championships in Halkida, Greece, Nov. 2
Two of the losses were to opponents from world-power Japan. There was also an early upset of a top U.S. hopeful in the first American bout of the day, and a late upset of a top U.S. hopeful in the final American bout of the day.
Completing the first session without a loss were Tina George (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army) at 55 kg/121 lbs., Sara McMann (Lock Haven, Pa./Sunkist Kids) at 63 kg/138.75 lbs. and Kristie Marano (Albany, N.Y./ATWA) at 47 kg/147.5 lbs.).
George won two matches in the first session, but has not completed her four-athlete pool competition. George opened with a solid 8-2 victory over Vanessa Boubryemm of France, jumping to a 4-0 lead early and winning all of the takedown situations.
In the second match, she faced Nadine Tokar of Switzerland and scored an impressive 15-4 technical fall in the second period. George scored a variety of takedowns and tilts, to dominante the match from the start.
To win her pool, George must beat Josiane-Patricia Soloniaina of Madigascar in the second session. George is competing in her fourth World Championships.
McMann opened with a dominant 11-0 technical fall over Yoon So-Young of Korea, scoring four different exposure techniques from the top position and closing out the match with 17 seconds left in the opening period.
McMann will compete against Kaori Icho of Japan, an Asian Games silver medalist in the afternoon session, and must win the bout to advance. This is McMannÕs third straight World tournament.
In a match featuring two athletes using upperbody techniques well, Marano defeated Stanka Zlateva of Bulgaria, 6-3. With the match tied 3-3 in the second period, Marano scored a clutch takedown for a 4-3 lead, then stepped over a Zlateva armthrow attempt for two more exposure points to put the match away 6-3. Zlateva was seventh in the 2001 World Championships.
Marano will face Shannon Samler of Canada in the afternoon session. Samler placed sixth in the 2000 World Championships and was second at the 2002 University World Championships. Marano has won five previous World medals, a gold in 2000 and four silver medals (1996-99).
Patricia Miranda (Colorado Springs, Colo./Dave Schultz WC) finished the morning with a 1-1 record, completing her pool competition at 48 kg/105.5 lbs. Miranda suffered the first loss for the U.S. team, as she dropped a heartbreaking 3-2 match to Ida Hellstrom of Sweden. There was no takedown in the first period, so the athletes started the second period in the clinch. Hellstrom pressed Miranda to the mat, then for exposure with a bodylock and held her long enough for an additional backpoint and a 3-0 lead. A Miranda reversal and takedown closed the score to 3-2, but time ran out for the American lightweight.
In her second match, Miranda opened up the offense, on the way to a 13-1 technical fall in the second period over Tsogtbazar Enkhjargal of Mongolia. Miranda led 7-0 at the mid break, with takedowns and tilts. Late in the match, Miranda got behind Enkhjargal and launched her with a picture perfect back supplay for five big points and the technical fall victory.
Stephanie Murata (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) dropped a tough 4-1 match in the first round to 2001 Junior World Champion Chiharu Icho of Japan at 51 kg/112.25 pounds. Murata scored the lone point in the first period, a one-point gut wrench turn. Leading 1-0 late in the second period, the athletes were placed in the clinch after a second straight passivity against Murata without a point scored. Icho hit a little headlock toss for three points, held for an additional one-point backpoint, and escaped with a 4-1 win on the buzzer.
Murata will face Marta Wojtanowska of Poland in the afternoon session in her pool. Wojtanowska was fourth in the last two European Championships. Murata was a 2001 World silver medalist, and is battling in her sixth World meet.
Lauren Lamb (Farmington N.Y./Michigan WC) dropped her opening match at 59 kg /130 lbs. Lamb fell 4-0 to 2000 World silver medalist Rena Iwama of Japan. Iwama led 1-0 at the break, then added three unanswered points in the second period for the margin of victory.
Lamb has an afternoon match in her pool against Dashjanchiv Bottsetseg of Mongolia. Lamb is competing in her sixth World Championships event and has placed fifth in the World three times.
The final U.S. match of the session featured 2001 World silver medalist Toccara Montgomery (Cleveland, Ohio/Sunkist Kids) at 72 kg/158.25 lbs. Montgomery quickly fell behind 5-0 in the first period to Xu Wang of China, who scored a takedown and two exposures. Battling back with a tilt and hold, Montgomery pulled to 5-3. However Wang reversed Montgomery, turned her and scored a sudden fall at 2:18.
Montgomery will face Gulbanu Abdullina of Kazakhstan in the second session. Montgomery has moved up a weight class this year to compete at an Olympic division, and is competing in her first World-level event at this weight class.
”We had some tough losses,” said U.S. head coach Chris Horpel. “It appears the level of parity in women’s wrestling has come up. With the pool system, it is difficult to know how we will finish as a team. I thought we had some strong performances from Sara (McMann) and Kristie (Marano) and Tina (George).”
”In Patricia (Miranda’s) match, I couldn’t tell if it was a style conflict or if she was not ready for the bout,” said Horpel. ÒIt doesn’t appear that the Swedish athlete is great, but maybe she is deceptively good. I am hopeful that the Mongolian can beat her.”
”I think Stephanie did a great job to get the lead. Whenever anybody wrestles to protect a lead, it often ends badly,” said Horpel. “I don’t know if the other countries are wrestling at a level that we weren’t ready for, or if we just plain were not ready for the first round.”
U.S. WOMEN’S TEAM MATCH SUMMARIES
Morning Session, Saturday, November 2
48 kg/105.5 lbs. - Patricia Miranda, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Dave Schultz WC)
Ida Hellstrom (Sweden) dec. Patricia Miranda (USA), 3-2
1st period
Passivity against Hellstrom, 1:13
2nd period
Hellstrom, 2 pt. bodylock to exposure, 3:29, 2-0 Hellstrom
Hellstrom, 1 pt., additional backpoint, 3:37, 3-0 Hellstrom
Miranda, 1 pt. reversal, 4:02, 3-1 Hellstrom
Miranda, 1 pt. takedown, 5:40, 3-2 Hellstrom
Patricia Miranda (USA) won by tech. fall over Tsogtbazar Enkhjargal (Mongolia), 13-1, 5:38
1st period
Passivity against Enkhjargal, 1:00
Miranda, 2 pt. gutwrench, 1:21, 2-0 Miranda
Miranda, 1 pt. single leg takedown, 1:51, 3-0 Miranda
Miranda, 2 pt. tilt exposure, 2:18, 5-0 Miranda
Miranda, 1 pt. additional backpoint, 2:24, 6-0 Miranda
Miranda, 1 pt. high crotch takedown, 2:45, 7-0 Miranda
2nd period
Enkhjargal, 1 pt takedown, 5:14, 8-1 Miranda
Miranda, 5 point back supplay, 5:38, 13-1 Miranda
51 kg /112.25 lbs. - Stephanie Murata, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)
Chiharu Icho (Japan) dec. Stephanie Murata (USA), 4-1
1st period
Passivity against Icho, 1:13
Murata, 1 pt. gutwrench, 1:50, 1-0 Murata
Passivity against Murata, 2:44
2nd period
Passivity against Murata, 5:32
From the clinch, Icho, 3 pt. headlock, 5:52, 3-1 Icho
Icho, 1 pt. additional backpoint, 5:57, 4-1 Icho
55 kg /121 lbs.- Tina George, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army)
Tina George (USA) dec. Vanessa Boubryemm (France), 8-2
1st period
George, 1 pt. double leg takedown, 0:20, 1-0 George
George, 2 pt. gutwrench, 0:30, 3-0 George
George, 1 pt. spin behind takedown, 1:19, 4-0 George
Passivity against George, 1:30
Boubryemm, 2 pt. tilt, 1:46, 4-2 George
2nd period
George, 1 pt. single leg takedown, 4:05, 5-2 George
George, one-point single leg takedown, 4:32, 6-2 George
George, 1 pt. takedown, 5:00, 7-2 George
George, 1 pt. takedown, 5:30, 8-2 George
Tina George (USA) won by tech. fall over Nadine Tokar (Switzerland), 15-4, 4:15
1st period
George, 1 pt. takedown, 0:23, 1-0 George
George, 2 pt tilt, 0:30, 3-0 George
George, 1 pt spin takedown, 1:10, 4-0 George
(editorÕs note: the match score was adjusted at 2:15, with George leading 8-2. Additional points that were not initially awarded were added to the scoreboard)
George, 1 pt takedown, 2:48, 9-2 George
George, 2 pt gutwrench, 2:58, 11-2 George
Tokar, 2 pt. counter exposure, 2:59, 11-4 George
2nd period
George, 1 pt. spin behind takedown, 3:48, 12-4 George
George, 2 pt. tilt exposure, 4:10, 14-4 George
George, 1 pt. hold for additional point, 4:15, 15-4 George
59 kg /130 lbs.- Lauren Lamb, Farmington N.Y. (Michigan WC)
Rena Iwama (Japan) dec. Lauren Lamb (USA), 4-0
1st period
Passivity against Lamb, 1:21
Iwama, spin behind takedown, 1:58, 1-0 Iwama
2nd period
Passivity against Iwama, 3:44
Iwama, 1 pt. takedown, 4:35, 2-0 Iwama
Iwama, 1 pt. takedown, 5:37, 3-0 Iwama
Iwama, 1 pt takedown, 5:48, 4-0 Iwama
63 kg/138.75 lbs.- Sara McMann, Lock Haven, Pa. (Sunkist Kids)
Sara McMann (USA) won by technical fall over Yoon So-Young (Korea), 11-0, 2:43
1st period
Passivity against Yoon, 1:00
McMann, 2 pt. gut wrench, 1:06, 2-0 McMann
McMann, one point for additional exposure, 1:30, 3-0 McMann
McMann, 2 point high gutwrench, 1:45, 5-0 McMann
McMann, one point for additional exposure, 1:50, 6-0 McMann
McMann, 2 point leg tilt, 2:05, 8-0 McMann
McMann, 1 point go behind takedown, 2:45, 9-0 McMann
McMann, 2 point gutwrench, 2:43, 11-0 McMann
67 kg/147.5 lbs. - Kristie Marano, Albany, N.Y. (ATWA)
Kristie Marano (USA) dec. Stanka Zlateva (Bulgaria), 6-3
1st period
Zlateva, 1 pt. armthrow, 1:00, 1-0 Zlateva
Marano, 1 pt. spin behind takedown, 1:43, 1-1 tie
Marano, 2 pt. tilt exposure, 2:10, 3-1 Marano
2nd period
Zlateva, 2 pt. upperbody toss, 3:26, 3-3 tie
Marano, 1 pt. takedown, 4:08, 4-2 Marano
Marano, 2 pt. step over counter to arm throw, 5:37, 6-3 Marano
72 kg/158.5 lbs. - Toccara Montgomery, Cleveland, Ohio (Sunkist Kids)
Xu Wang (China) pin Toccara Montgomery (USA), 2:18
1st period
Wang, 1 pt. duck under takedown, 0:14, 1-0 Wang
Wang, 2 pt gutwrench turn, 0:28, 3-0 Wang
Wang, 2 pt tilt exposure, 0:39, 5-0 Wang
Montgomery, 2 pt tilt turn, 1:59, 5-2 Wang
Montgomery, 1 pt. hold for additional backpoint, 2:04 5-3 Wang
Wang, two-point reversal to exposure, 2:05, 7-3 Wang
Wang scored the pin at 2:18
--------------------------------
Marano and George win their pools and advance at the Women’s World Wrestling Championships in Halkida, Greece
11/2/2002
Gary Abbott/USA Wrestling
Two U.S. wrestlers won their pool competitions and advanced to the second day of wrestling at the Women’s World Wrestling Championships in Halkida, Greece.
Kristie Marano (Albany, N.Y./ATWA) at 47 kg/147.5 lbs. advanced from her pool by winning her second match of the day, a dominant 17-5 technical fall over Shannon Samler of Canada in 5:53. Marano jumped to a lead in the opening period, and opened up the score in the second, dominating the throws against the taller Canadian opponent.
Tina George (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army) at 55 kg/121 lbs., won three pool matches to advance in her division. She won her evening match, a 10-0 technical fall over Josiane-Patricia Soloniaina of Madigascar in 3:00. George scored takedowns and tilts with dominance.
Marano and George were the only U.S. wrestlers to win their pools and advance to Sunday’s competition. Their five teammates dropped at least one match and were not able to claim their pool.
Sara McMann (Lock Haven, Pa./Sunkist Kids), who claimed her morning match on Saturday, was eliminated with a loss this evening at 63 kg/138.75 lbs. She battled 2002 Asian Games silver medalist Kaori Icho of Japan, with the winner taking the pool. McMann jumped to a 3-0 lead, scoring a gutwrench turn then an additional backpoint for holding Icho on her back. Later in the first period, McMann attempted an attack, but Icho countered and took McMann to her back. Holding her for close to a minute, Icho secured the fall at 2:58, with just two seconds left in the period.
The other four U.S. wrestlers suffered losses on Saturday morning, and were eliminated when the athlete they lost to clinched their pool with another victory.
Two U.S. wrestlers won their Saturday evening matches, but did not advance: Lauren Lamb (Farmington N.Y./Michigan WC) at 59 kg /130 lbs. and Toccara Montgomery (Cleveland, Ohio/Sunkist Kids) at 72 kg/158.25 lbs.
Lamb scored a 3-1 overtime victory over Dashjanchiv Bottsetseg of Mongolia. Lamb fell behind 1-0 in the first period, but scored two points on a gutwrench to take a 2-1 lead at the end of regulation. In overtime, Lamb won the clinch position with a takedown in just four seconds for the 3-1 win.
Montgomery had little trouble with Gulbanu Abdullina of Kazakhstan, pinning her in just 1:00. Montgomery jumped to a quick 6-0 lead, pinning Abullina in a cradle.
The other U.S. wrestler who had a scheduled match, Stephanie Murata (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) at 51 kg/112.25 pounds, did not have to wrestle her evening match. Marta Wojtanowska of Poland was injured in her match against Chiharu Icho of Japan earlier in the session, and Wojtanowska was unable to compete against Murata, who received the default. Icho edged Murata in the morning session and advanced to the next round.
One U.S. wrestler did not compete during the evening session, Patricia Miranda (Colorado Springs, Colo./Dave Schultz WC) at 48 kg/105.5 lbs. Miranda dropped a morning match to Ida Hellstrom of Sweden, and when Hellstrom won her match on Saturday night, Miranda was eliminated.
U.S. WOMEN’S TEAM MATCH SUMMARIES
Second Session, Saturday, November 2
51 kg /112.25 lbs. - Stephanie Murata, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)
Stephanie Murata (USA) won by inj. dft. over Marta Wojtanowska (Poland), 0:00
55 kg /121 lbs.- Tina George, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army)
Tina George (USA) won by tech. fall over Josiane-Patricia Soloniaina (Madigascar), 10-0, 3:00
1st period
George, one point takedown, 0:05, 1-0 George
George, 2 pt. gut wrench, 0:09, 3-0 George
George, 1 pt. tilt, 0:15, 4-0 George
George, 1 pt. takedown, 2:30, 5-0 George
George, 2 pt gutwrench, 2:34, 7-0 George
George, 1 pt. additional backpoint, 2:39, 8-0 George
George, 2 pt. exposure, 3:00, 10-0 George
59 kg /130 lbs.- Lauren Lamb, Farmington N.Y. (Michigan WC)
Lauren Lamb (USA) dec. Dashjanchiv Bottsetseg (Mongolia), 3-1, ot, 6:04
1st period
Passivity against Lamb, 1:36
Passivity against Bottsetsegm 2:43
Bottsetseg, 1 pt. reversal, 2:54, 1-0 Bottsetseg
2nd period
Passivity against Bottsetseg, 4:33
Lamb, 2 pt. gutwrench, 4:45, Lamb, 2-1
Overtime
From the clinch, Lamb, 1 pt. duckunder takedown, 6:04, 3-1 Lamb
63 kg/138.75 lbs.- Sara McMann, Lock Haven, Pa. (Sunkist Kids)
Kaori Icho (Japan) pin Sara McMann (USA), 2:58
1st period
Passivity Icho, 1:17
McMann, 2 pt gutwrench, 1:48, 2-0 McMann
McMann, 1 pt. hold for additional backpoint, 1:53, 3-0 McMann
Icho, 2 pt. counter takedown to exposure, 2:25, 3-2 McMann
Icho, 1 pt., hold for additional backpoint, 3-3 tie
Icho secured the fall at 2:58
67 kg/147.5 lbs. - Kristie Marano, Albany, N.Y. (ATWA)
Kristie Marano (USA) won by tech. fall over Shannon Samler (Canada), 17-5, 5:53
1st period
Marano, 2 pt. takedown, 0:40 and
Samler, 2 pt. counter exposure, 0:40, 2-2 tie
Marano, 1 pt takedown (post and spin), 1:16, 3-2 Marano
Marano, 3 pt. arm throw, 2:00, 6-2 Marano
Marano, 2 pt. leg tilt, 2:25, 8-2 Marano
Samler, 2 pt. reversal, 2:25, 8-4 Marano
Marano, 1 pt. reversal, 2:37, 9-4 Marano
2nd period
Marano, 3 pt. armthrow, 3:20, 12-4 Marano
Samler, 1 pt. reversal, 3:44, 12-5 Marano
Marano, 2 pt. reversal, 3:44, 14-5 Marano
Marano, 3 pt. takedown to exposure, 5:53, 17-5 Marano
72 kg/158.5 lbs. - Toccara Montgomery, Cleveland, Ohio (Sunkist Kids)
Toccara Montgomery (USA) pin Gulbanu Abdullina (Kazakhstan), 1:00
1st period
Montgomery, 1 pt. spin behind takedown, 0:12, 1-0
Montgomery, 2 pt. tilt exposure, 0:29, 3-0
Montgomery, 2 pt. double leg takedown, 0:47, 4-0
Montgomery, 2 pt. cradle exposure, 0:58, 6-0
Montgomery secured the pin at 1:00
Note: Patricia Miranda (Colorado Springs, Colo./Dave Schultz WC) did not have a match in the second session, after competing twice in the morning session.
U.S. TEAM QUOTES
48 kg - Patricia Miranda
“I wasn’t quite there. I wouldn’t blame the clinch. Matches you allow to be close and let decide with the clinch is the problem. It is about points. I need them. It wasn’t the clinch. I let her be close. I can look at attitude, then nerves. It can be traced to me, to what I can control. It would be nice to blame the clinch, but it was about what happened earlier. I have to own that loss, keep that pain close and fresh, where I can tap it so I don’t ever do that again. The worst thing I can do is lose without risking it.”
51 kg - Stephanie Murata
“Some years you get a great draw; others you don’t. You have to be ready for that first match. You have got to beat everybody to be the World champion.”
55 kg - Tina George
“I am still working on pulling the trigger. I’m getting the job done, one point at a time. I’m just focusing on the match that I have in front of me. I am trying to stay relaxed, be competitive and enjoy myself. When I get too nervous, I freeze. I am going out and focusing on what I want to do. I think, for me, the difference is getting over the mental hump. Now I know I have the technique. I am putting together the technique, strength and speed. I’m wrestling each match like its my last one, because it might be.”
59 kg - Lauren Lamb
“I didn’t wrestle badly. I had a tough wrestler off the bat and didn’t pull it off. I didn’t get that first point on the board. Once she had two points, I was playing catch-up. There was not enough time on the clock. “
(about her second match win) “I have been to a lot of World Championships. I don’t know when I will be back. I don’t want to go out with two losses.”
67 kg - Kristie Marano
“I think I am wrestling well. There are a couple of things I’m going to have to work on. I’ll take it one day at a time. I had to get out of the pool today. I feel really good. I spent a lot of time and put a lot into this. My conditioning is good. I think being in Colorado Springs helped me a lot.”
72 kg - Toccara Montgomery
“I just didn’t get going the first match. There is nothing else to say.”
Head Coach Chris Horpel
“I am happy for the two girls (that advanced). They worked long and hard. It was a hard fight for both of them. I don’t know too many pools that weren’t that way. My suspicion is that the addition of women’s wrestling to the Olympics has created parity. Instead of three or four tough wrestlers, there are competitive wrestlers in every weight and pool. There doesn’t look like any easy draws to the finals. Kristie and Tina are good enough to go all the way. They must focus on one at a time and win the close ones.”
“Of the seven weights, I’d say we are solid in most of them. I know we have the best athletes in the world, now that I’ve seen this World Championships. We need to add consistency in the way that we train, consistency in our knowledge of technique. Some of our women, it’s like they learn the standing backflip before the backroll. There are holes in their wrestling. It’s a common problem with the sport. We have people who do advanced things well and some not doing basics. It hits you at this tournament. One mistake and you are eliminated. The two I feel most for are Patricia and Sara. They are well rounded wrestlers with small holes in their wrestling and it was exposed here. I can say that everybody wrestled with good heart.”