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George wins silver, Marano wins bronze at the Women’s World Championships
11/4/2002
Gary Abbott/USA Wrestling
Tina George (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army) won a silver medal and Kristie Marano (Albany, N.Y./ATWA) won a bronze-medal at the Women’s World Wrestling Championships in Halkida, Greece, Nov. 3.
George was defeated in the gold-medal finals at 55 kg/121 lbs. by Saori Yoshida of Japan, 10-4. It was the first World title for Yoshida, who beat out a three-time World champion Seiko Yamamoto to make her first Japanese World team.
Yoshida jumped to a 7-0 lead, sparked by a pair of three-point double-leg takedowns with exposure. George battled back with a reversal and takedown to close the bout to 7-3, but Yoshida quickly rebounded with three points of her own to put the match away.
Yoshida was a 2002 Asian Games champion and a 2002 World University champion. George is competing in her fourth World Championships event. Her best finish came in 1999, when she placed sixth in her weight class. George is a member of the Army World Class Athlete Program.
“When you get behind, it’s hard to get your points,” said George. “I scored a few points, but I just lost. I’m happy when I got behind I did not give up. I wrestled to my ability. Some years, it’s just not enough. Hopefully, another year, it will be the best.”
"I've never wrestled anyone as strong as my opponent," said Yoshida. "She knocked me off balance on one takedown. It frightened me a little bit. I learned in this match that there are a lot of different people in the world."
Marano won her bronze-medal match at 67 kg/147.5 lbs., defeating Ewelina Pruszko of Poland, 6-1. Marano jumped to a 4-0 lead in the first period, controlling all the positions and winning the scrambles from the feet. She also scored a gutwrench in the opening period. In the second period, Marano added two more points for six straight. Pruszko did not score until the closing minute of the bout.
Marano has won a medal in all six World Championships she has entered, taking a gold medal in 2000, and four silver medals from 1996-99. The bronze medal gives her a full set with a World medal of every color.
Pruszko was sixth in the 1999 World Championships and ninth in the 2000 World Championships, and placed fourth at this year’s European Championships.
“I thought I would try to make her wrestle my way, instead of worrying about how she wrestled. I felt good in that match. That is how I should have wrestled in the semifinals.”
Only two U.S. wrestlers advanced from their pools and competed on Sunday. Of those who were beaten on Saturday, two placed 10th in their weight class and score a team point for the United States: Stephanie Murata (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) at 51 kg/112.25 pounds and Toccara Montgomery (Cleveland, Ohio/Sunkist Kids) at 72 kg/158.5 pounds.
Japan won the team title, with three champions and 47 points. Sweden was second with 34 points and Russia was third with 32 points. The United States scored 19 team points, worth 11th place in the standings
U.S. WOMEN’S TEAM MATCH SUMMARIES
Final Session, Sunday, November 3
55 kg /121 lbs.- Tina George, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army)
Saori Yoshida (Japan) dec. Tina George (USA), 10-4
1st period
Yoshida, 1 pt. takedown, 0:20, 1-0 Yoshida
Yoshida, 3 pt. double leg takedown with exposure, 0:58, 4-0 Yoshida
2nd period
Yoshida, 3 pt. double leg takedown with exposure, 3:30, 7-0 Yoshida
George, 2 pt. reversal with exposure, 3:54, 7-2 Yoshida
George, 1 pt. takedown, 4:36, 7-3 Yoshida
Yoshida, 1 pt. reversal, 4:50, 9-3 Yoshida
Yoshida, 2 pt. tilt, 5:01, 10-3 Yoshida
George, 1 pt. reversal, 5:06, 10-4 Yoshida
67 kg/147.5 lbs. - Kristie Marano, Albany, N.Y. (ATWA)
Kristie Marano (USA) dec. Ewelina Pruszko (Poland), 6-1
1st period
Marano, 1 pt. counter go behind takedown, 0:43, 1-0 Marano
Marano, 2 pt. gutwrench, 0:53, 3-0 Marano
Marano, 1 pt. go behind takedown, 2:47, 4-0 Marano
2nd period
Marano, 1 pt. scramble takedown, 3:40, 5-0 Marano
Marano, 1 pt. duck under from knees takedown, 4:54 , 6-0 Marano
Pruszko, 1 pt. spin behind takedown, 5:20, 6-1
U.S. TEAM QUOTES
55 kg - Tina George
“I’m not quite sure why I got behind. Her style of wrestling, I’m not prepared for. She has a driving, bust-your-nose double leg. It took me out of my game. It’s not what I needed. I needed to get my shots, not react to hers.”
“When you get behind, it’s hard to get your points. I scored a few points, but I just lost. I’m happy when I got behind I did not give up. I wrestled to my ability. Some years, it’s just not enough. Hopefully, another year, it will be the best.”
67 kg - Kristie Marano
(about the bronze medal match) “It sucks. I’ve never been there before. I’m glad I can lift myself up after losing.”
“I’m disappointed in myself. I was not aggressive enough this afternoon.”
(against Pruzsko of Poland) “I thought I would try to make her wrestle my way, instead of worrying about how she wrestled. I felt good in that match. That is how I should have wrestled in the semifinals.”
Head Coach Chris Horpel
(about Marano) “I am proud of her win. She wasn’t feeling well. She was a little beaten up and she was definitely disappointed. It was hard for her to even warm up. She gutted through it and showed the courage that explains her ability to be a five-time finalist. She did not come here to take third place. I said be proud of how you wrestle, no matter how you feel. I think that’s how she wrestled.”
(about George) “Tina was a little out-gunned. Her opponent from Japan wrestled the way a lot of the Japanese women wrestle. They used motion, changed levels and don’t touch their knees on their shots. It’s Tina’s style only more active. Tina can learn from that style.When the score got a bit lopsided, it was difficult to maintain composure. But she actually started coming back. I am happy to see how she reacted to the predicament. If the margin had not been so large, she could have made a go of it at the end.”
(about the team) “My perspective of this tournament is this. The pool system can creat all kinds of perceptions. The accurate way to look at this is that we had the second or third best wrestler in the weight in most divisions. The bracketing didn’t let that play out. We had people who didn’t get out of the pool. They were silver or bronze under another bracketing system. With four returning medalists and a potential to medal at every weight, it was a lot lower than the most modest estimates. As coach, I need to accept responsibility for a slow first session. We had athletes not wrestle to their capabilities because they are slow starters. We have to teach them to wrestle fast, no matter what their history is.”
MEDAL MATCHES
48 KG
Gold medal match - Brigitte Wagner (Germany) dec. Inga Karamtshakova (Russia), 4-3
Bronze medal match - Ida Hellstrom (Sweden) pin Nicoleta Badea (Romania), 2:50
5th - Carol Huyhn (Canada); 6th - Laurianne Mary (France); 7th - Angeles Barazza Sanchez (Mexico); 8th - Mayelis Caripa (Venezuela); 9th - Flor Quispe (Peru); 10th - Myrsini Koloni (Greece)
51 KG
Gold medal match - Sofia Poumbouridou (Greece) dec. Chiharu Icho (Japan), 3-0, ot,
Bronze medal match - Natalia Golts (Russia) dec. Lyndsay Belisle (Canada), 3-0
5th - Viktorya Brandush (Ukraine); 6th - M.Ugrun Percin (Turkey); 7th - Wen Juling (China); 8th - M. Magdelena Arellano (Mexico); 9th - Alena Kareisha (Belarus); 10th - Stephanie Murata (USA)
55 KG
Gold medal match
Saori Yoshida (Japan) dec. Tina George (USA), 10-4
Bronze medal match
Ida Theres Karlsson (Sweden) dec. Konstantina Tsibanakou (Greece), 7-1
5th - Jen Ryz (Canada); 6th - Kitti Godo (Hungary); 7th - Monika Michalik (Poland); 8th - Viktoria Zagainova (Russia); 9th - Nadine Tokar (Switzerland); 10th - Isabelle Sambou (Senegal)
59 KG
Gold medal match
Alena Cartashova (Russia) dec. Lotta Andersson (Sweden), 4-0, ot, 7:07
Bronze medal match
Mabel Fonseca (Puerto Rico) dec. Sandrine Seve (France), 3-1, ot, 7:21
5th - Christina Oertli (Germany); 6th - Ramirez Mendoza (Mexico); 7th - Rena Iwama (Japan); 8th - Emily Richardson (Canada); 9th - Agoro Papavassiliou (Greece); 10th - Oxana Shalikova (Ukraine)
63 KG
Gold medal match
Kaori Icho (Japan) pin Sara Eriksson (Sweden), 4:38
Bronze medal match
Lene Aanes (Norway) pin Haivan Xu (China), 2:35
5th - Malgorzata Bassa (Poland); 6th - Nikola Hartmann-Dunser (Austria); 7th - Stephanie Gross (Germany); 8th - Geetika Jakhar (India); 9th - Tara Hedican (Canada); 10th - Myagmarsuren (Mongolia)
67 KG
Gold medal match
Katarina Burmistrova (Ukraine) dec Lise Legrand (France), 3-2, ot, 6:48
Bronze medal match
Kristie Marano (USA) dec. Ewelina Pruszko (Poland), 6-1
5th - Aikaterini Siavou (Greece); 6th - Annika Oertli (Germany); 7th - Norie Saito (Japan); 8th - Stanka Zlateva (Bulgaria); 9th - Elena Perepelkina (Russia); 10th - Xiomara Guavara (Venezuela)
72 KG
Gold medal match
Kyoko Hamaguchi (Japan) dec. Wang Xu (China), 5-1
Bronze medal match
Edyte Witkowska (Poland) won by ref. dec. over Zarife Yilidrim (Turkey), 2-0, ot, 9:00
5th - Katerina Halova (Czech Rep.); 6th - Galina Ivanova (Bulgaria); 7th - Svitlana Sayenko (Ukraine); 8th - Katarzyna Juszczak (Italy); 9th - Anita Schatzle (Germany); 10th - Toccara Montgomery (USA)
TOP 15 TEAMS
1. Japan, 47
2. Sweden, 34
3. Russia, 32
4. Germany, 27
5. Greece, 26
6. Poland, 25
7. Canada, 24
8. Ukraine, 21
9. France, 21
10. China, 21
11. USA, 19
12. Turkey, 12
13. Mexico, 12
14. Norway, 8
14. Puerto Rico, 8
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George makes gold-medal finals, Marano to wrestle for bronze at the Women’s World Championships
11/3/2003
Gary Abbott/USA Wrestling
Tina George (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army) won two matches on Sunday morning to qualify for the gold-medal finals at at 55 kg/121 lbs. at the Women’s World Wrestling Championships in Halkida, Greece, Nov. 3
The other American still in the competition, Kristie Marano (Albany, N.Y./ATWA), dropped her semifinal bout and will battle in the bronze-medal match at 67 kg/147.5 lbs.
George won her quarterfinals match, defeating Monika Michalik of Poland, 3-0, in overtime. George scored a two-point gutwrench turn for a 2-0 lead in the first period. When no other points were scored in the regulation, the athletes went to the clinch in overtime. Initially, the officials awarded the point from the clinch to Michalik, but when the mat chairman went to the video tape, it was determined that Michalik broke her lock first, and the winning third point went to George at 6:11.
In the semifinals, George faced a hometown favorite, Konstantina Tsibanakou of Greece. George opened the scoring by countering a legshot with a hip toss throw and a 3-0 lead. A gut wrench by George increased the lead to 5-0. After a Tsibanakou takedown, George stepped over a gutwrench attempt and put Tsibanakou on her back, pressing for the fall at 2:31.
George will face talented Japanese star Saori Yoshida of Japan for the gold medal. Yoshida scored a technical fall in both the quarterfinals and the semifinals during the session. Yoshida beat out three-time World Champion Seiko Yamamoto to make the Japanese team. Yoshida was a 2002 Asian Games champion and a 2002 World University champion.
George is competing in her fourth World Championships event. Her best finish came in 1999, when she placed sixth in her weight class. George is a member of the Army World Class Athlete Program.
Marano was defeated in the semifinals by Katarina Burmistrova of Ukraine, 4-0. Burmistrova scored two takedowns in the first period and two takedowns in the second period. She never allowed Marano to get her offense going.
Marano will face Ewelina Pruszko of Poland in the bronze medal match. Pruszko was sixth in the 1999 World Championships and ninth in the 2000 World Championships, and placed fourth at this year’s European Championships.
Marano has won a medal in each of her past World Championships, taking a gold medal in 2000, and four silver medals from 1996-99. This will be the first time Marano will compete in a bronze-medal match at this level.
All seven finals matchups have been determined. Japan looks to be in the best position to win the team title, moving four of their seven athletes into the gold-medal match. Sweden and Russia both have two athletes in the gold-medal finals.
U.S. WOMEN’S TEAM MATCH SUMMARIES
First Session, Sunday, November 3
55 kg /121 lbs.- Tina George, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army)
Quarterfinals - Tina George (USA) dec. Monika Michalik (Poland), 3-0, ot, 6:11
1st period
Passivity against Michalik, 1:04
George, 2 pt. gutwrench, 1:12, 2-0 George
Passivity against George, 2:40
2nd period
Passivity against George, 4:20
Passivity against Michalik, 5:09
Overtime
From the clinch, Michalik released hands, 1 pt to George, 6:11, 3-0 George
Semifinals - Tina George (USA) pin Konstantina Tsibanakou (Greece), 2:31
1st period
George, 3 pt. hip toss on edge, 1:09, 3-0 George
Goerge, 2 pt gutwrench, 1:17, 5-0 George
Tsibanakou, 1 pt. takedown, 2:09, 5-1 George
George, 2 pt. reverse to exposure, 2:25, 7-1 George
George, additional backpint, 8-1, 2:30, 8-1 George
George secures the fall at 2:31
67 kg/147.5 lbs. - Kristie Marano, Albany, N.Y. (ATWA)
Katarina Burmistrova (Ukraine) dec. Kristie Marano (USA), 4-0
1st period
Burmistrova, 1 pt. takedown, 1:13, 1-0 Burmistrova
Burmistrova, 1 pt. throwby takedown, 2:27, 2-0 Burmistrova
2nd period
Passivity against Burmistrova, 4:07
Burmistrova, 1 pt. takedown, 5:06, 3-0 Burmistrova
Burmistrova, 1 pt takedown on scramble, 5:20, 4-0 Burmistrova
U.S. TEAM QUOTES
55 kg - Tina George
“The second match, I was not so nervous, and I wrestled closer to my ability. The first match, she slows me down off of my shots. I knew I could go into overtime and win. It was better to go into overtime rather than to force a shot and make a mistake. We train to compete in overtime.”
“Against Greece, we wrestled a few times before. She beat me at the 2000 World Championships. I scouted her and I was ready. I wrestled closer to my ability. It was do nor die, and somebody has to win. Why not me?”
(about the finals) “I have a lot to gain. I am not nervous. I just have to wrestle to my ability. The coaches have helped me to be mentally prepared. They came here for me, Shon (Lewis), Joe (Corso), Jason (Loukides). They take care of the details. It makes it easier for me to concentrate on my wrestling, and to wrestle past the officials.”
Head Coach Chris Horpel
(about Tina George) “I think she is getting better with each match. She had a nice draw, which allowed her to warm up to the level of competition. She has picked it up in every match. If she continues on this path, she should do great in the finals.”
(about Kristie Marano) “It was about how her opponent shut her down and made no mistakes. She was very solid. She never let Kristie have her dominant tieup, and she was never able to be in position to get going. The opponent was big, strong and solid. The only way Kristie could win was to create more flurries, more action. That is when Kristie is at her best.”
OPPONENT QUOTE
Konstantina Tsibanakou (Greece), after losing to American Tina George in the semifinals
“I was very unlucky and my hand injury made me too careful. My opponent was stronger than me, but not better technically. All this led to my defeat. I will fight, though, for the bronze medal.”
SATURDAY MORNING MATCHES
48 KG
Quarterfinals
Inga Karamtshakova (Russia) pin Mayelis Caripa (Venezuela), 1:23
Ida Hellstrom (Sweden) dec. Carol Huyhn (Canada), 4-3
Brigitte Wagner (Germany) dec. Lauriane Mary (France), 6-1
Nicoleta Badea (Romania) pin Angeles Barazza Sanchez (Mexico), 1:01
Semifinals
Inga Karamtshakova (Russia) dec. Ida Hellstrom (Sweden), 8-5
Brigitte Wagner (Germany) pin Nicoleta Badea (Romania), 0:57
Gold medal match
Inga Karamtshakova (Russia) vs Brigitte Wagner (Germany)
Bronze medal match
Ida Hellstrom (Sweden) vs. Nicoleta Badea (Romania)
51 KG
Quarterfinals
Chiharu Icho (Japan) pin M Urgun Percin (Turkey), 0:55
Natalia Golts (Russia) pinViktorya Brandush (Ukraine), 1:10
Semifinals
Chiharu Icho (Japan) dec. Natalia Golts (Russia), 4-0
Sofia Poumbouridou (Greece) dec. Lyndsay Belisle (Canada), 6-3, ot, 6:14
Gold medal match
Chiharu Icho (Japan) vs. Sofia Poumbouridou (Greece)
Bronze medal match
Natalia Golts (Russia) vs. Lyndsay Belisle (Canada)
55 KG
Quarterfinals
Ida Theres Karlsson (Sweden) dec. Kitti Godo (Hungary), 6-0
Saori Yoshida (Japan) tech. fall Jen Ryz (Canada), 11-0, 2:13
Tina George (USA) dec. Monika Michalik (Poland), 3-0, ot, 6:11
Semifinals
Saori Yoshida (Japan) won by tech. fall over Ida Theres Karlsson (Sweden), 10-0, 3:00
Tina George (USA) pin Konstantina Tsibanakou (Greece), 2:31
Gold medal match
Saori Yoshida (Japan) vs. Tina George (USA)
Bronze medal match
Ida Theres Karlsson (Sweden) vs. Konstantina Tsibanakou (Greece)
59 KG
Quarterfinals
Lotta Andersson (Sweden) dec. Emily Richardson (Canada), 4-0
Sandrine Seve (France) dec. Christina Oertli (Germany), 6-3
Mabel Fonseca (Puerto Rico) dec. Rena Iwama (Japan), 4-1
Alena Cartashova (Russia) dec. Virgina Mendoza Ramirez (Mexico), 6-3
Semifinals
Lotta Andersson (Sweden) dec. Sandrine Seve (France), 5-0
Alena Cartashova (Russia) dec. Mabel Fonseca (Puerto Rico), 5-2
Gold medal match
Lotta Andersson (Sweden) vs. Alena Cartashova (Russia)
Bronze medal match
Sandrine Seve (France) vs. Mabel Fonseca (Puerto Rico)
63 KG
Quarterfinals
Lene Aanes (Norway) won by ref. dec. over Stephanie Gross (Germany), 2-0, ot, 9:00
Kaori Icho (Japan) dec. Malgorzata Bassa (Poland), 4-1
Haivan Xu (China) pin Nikola Hartmann-Dunser (Austria), 5:58
Semifinals
Kaori Icho (Japan) dec. Lene Aanes (Norway), 3-0
Sara Eriksson (Sweden) dec. Haivan Xu (China), 5-1, ot, 6:43
Gold medal match
Kaori Icho (Japan) vs. Sara Eriksson (Sweden)
Bronze medal match
Lene Aanes (Norway) vs. Haivan Xu (China)
67 KG
Quarterfinals
Lise Legrand (France) won by tech. fall over Aikaterini Siavou (Greece), 13-3, 2:50
Semifinals
Lise Legrand (France) dec. Ewelina Pruszko (Poland), 3-0
Katarina Burmistrova (Ukraine) dec. Kristie Marano (USA), 4-0
Gold medal match
Lise Legrand (France) vs. Katarina Burmistrova (Ukraine)
Bronze medal match
Ewelina Pruszko (Poland) vs. Kristie Marano (USA)
72 KG
Quarterfinals
Edyte Witkowska (Poland) dec. Katerina Halova (Czech Rep), 7-1
Kyoko Hamaguchi (Japan) won by tech. fall over Galina Ivanova (Bulgaria), 10-0, 2:30
Wang Xu (China) dec. Svitlana Sayenko (Ukraine), 7-0
Semifinals
Kyoko Hamaguchi (Japan) dec. Edyte Witkowska (Poland), 4-0
Wang Xu (China) pin Zarife Yilidrim (Turkey), 3:40
Gold medal match
Kyoko Hamaguchi (Japan) vs.Wang Xu (China)
Bronze medal match
Edyte Witkowska (Poland) vs. Zarife Yilidrim (Turkey)