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30 selected for Asian Cadet Wrestling Championship
Hisar, Oct. 28 (PTI):
The Wrestling Federation of India has selected 30 grapplers, including 10 girls, to represent the country in the Asian Cadet Wrestling Championship at Taichung Taiwan in China between November 13 and 16.
The wrestlers were selected on the basis of their performance at the trials held at Aurangabad, Patiala and Delhi, WFI sources said.
Girls team (free style): 38 kg - Neetu (Uttaranchal); 40 kg - Geeta ( Haryana); 43 kg - Rachna (Haryana); 46 kg - Guddi (Uttar Pradesh); 49 kg - Romila (Manipur); 52 kg - Sunita (Haryana); 56 kg - Sarmit (Manipur); 60 kg - Geeta (Uttranchal); 65 kg - Rajni (Madhya Pradesh), 70 kg - Meenakshi (Haryana).
Boys team (free style): 42 kg - Sunil (Delhi); 46 kg - Yogesh (Chandigarh); 50 kg - Rohtas (Tamil Nadu); 54 kg - Krishan (Delhi); 58 kg - Randeep (Haryana); 63 kg - Ankit (Uttaranchal); 69 kg - Sombir (Haryana); 76 kg - Sandeep (National Capital Region); 85 kg - Ravinder (Assam); 100 kg - Naveen (Delhi).
Boys team (Greco-Roman): 42 kg - Sandeep (Maharashtra); 46 kg - Harkrishan (Punjab); 50 kg Luxman (Uttar Pradesh); 52 kg - Anurag (Haryana); 58 kg - Bajrang (Orissa); 63 kg - Ranbir (Haryana); 69 kg - Ajay (Delhi); 76 kg - Manoj (SSCB); 85 kg - Darshan (Goa); 100 kg - Surander (Tamil Nadu).
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6 Pages of photos from Sunkist Tournament
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USA Women Seize World Cup Title
10/28/2003
Nick Hopping/TheMat.com
Over six-thousand miles away from home, cornered inside their rival country’s gym, filled with a feverous, drum-beating Japanese crowd, the United States trailed Japan 12-11 heading into the final bout of the 3rd Women's World Cup.
With the title up for grabs, the U.S. turned to 158-pound Tocarra Montgomery (Cleveland, Ohio/Cumberland College).
Awaiting Montgomery on the elevated, yellow mat was Japan’s most popular wrestler, five-time World Champion Kyoko Hamaguchi, who defeated Montgomery 4-1 on Sept. 14 in the World Championships finals in New York City.
Six minutes. One match. For the World Cup title.
Hamaguchi struck the first blow, taking Montgomery down for a 1-0 lead. Montgomery escaped and reeled off two consecutive double-leg takedowns for a 2-1 advantage. Hamaguchi then got in on a single leg, lifting Montgomery's leg off the mat, but Montgomery countered with a gutsy leg trip, taking the Japanese star to her back for three points and 5-1 advantage after the first period.
“I’ll never forget the atmosphere in the arena for Tocarra’s match,” Jenny Wong said. “The Japanese crowd was roaring.”
Hamaguchi came out firing in the final, pressure-packed period, attempting a flurry of attacks, but Montgomery fended off all but one takedown attempts for a 5-2 win.
With ten seconds left the crowd, sensing defeat, fell silent.
“They were stunned,” Steiner said. “Nobody thought we were going to beat Japan, in Japan.”
The only noise in the gym came from the U.S. contingent of seven wrestlers, coaches Terry Steiner and Chris Horpel, and a trainer and her two daughters.
“The coaches knew if we made Japan wrestle our style, we would win,” 105.5-pounder Patricia Miranda said. “There’s not a team in the world that makes Japan wrestle.”
Coach Steiner also stressed the importance of being aggressive and used last month’s World Championships runner-up finish to Japan as motivation.
“They have our trophy,” Steiner said. “We’re the team that breaks people.”
No. 1 Japan and No. 2 U.S. entered the dual-meet with unblemished 5-0 records, dispatching national teams from Russia, Germany, China, Canada, and Greece to mere faces in the championship finals crowd.
The U.S. started strong with 2003 World silver medalist Patricia Miranda beating Makiko Sakamoto, 4-3, at 105.5 lbs. World bronze medalist Jenny Wong followed with an upset of 2003 World Champion Chiharu Icho, 4-2 at 112.25
lbs.
“I was nervous before the match,” Wong said. “But I moved my focus away from my opponent and instead on what I could control.”
Japan won the next three bouts, but not without a fight. Sally Roberts had the four-time World Champion Seiko Yamamoto on the ropes before falling 3-2.
“I was really disappointed,” Roberts said. “I felt like I let my team down, but I came back to rally around everyone else.”
At 147.5 pounds, two-time World Champion Kristie Marano pinned Norie Saito, snatching the momentum back for the U.S. and setting up the dramatic final match.
“Going into the last match the crowd sensed that we weren’t going to lay down,” Steiner said. “Where one fell short, the other one picked it up.”
Earlier in the day, U.S. dismantled Germany 23-3, sweeping all seven matches. On Saturday afternoon the U.S. team shut out Greece 28-0, and had solid victories over Canada (18-9), Russia (19-9) and China (16-12).
The U.S. team received word that they would compete only nine days before the event, forcing coaches and athletes into a mad dash for training and travel preparations.
“There was nothing perfect about the trip, it was a scrambled mess” Steiner said. “But we did a pretty good job of getting our timing back.”
After a week of practice, the U.S. team left Colorado Springs on Oct. 7 at 7:00 a.m., arriving at 5:30 the next night. Upon landing in Tokyo, Coach Steiner immediately sought after a wrestling facility.
“We had to get the trip out of us,” Steiner said. “So we ran sprints, got a good warm-up and did some drilling.”
Along with the travel and training uncertainties, the opponents were somewhat unknown as well.
“I was really concerned with Russia,” Steiner said. “They had three Junior world champs, new faces that we had never seen before.”
The Canada national team also posed a threat.
“They have stacked weights so in a dual meet format they can fill in seven slots,” Steiner said.
Four U.S. women claimed individual gold medals for having the best performance in there weight class: Miranda, Roberts, Marano and Montgomery.
Miranda was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Wrestler after going 6-0 over the two days of competition.
“To go over to Japan and beat them was a big step for our wrestlers individually,” Steiner said. “We realize we can beat anybody in the world.”
“The Japanese media wanted me to say that we were going to kick their ass, but I wouldn’t do it” Steiner said. “I thanked Japan for the rivalry, because we need that challenge, every day we face it.”
“The World Cup is over, and there’s whole other challenges ahead of us,” Steiner said.
“Four golds in Athens is not unrealistic.”
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Tickets Go on Sale Monday for 2004 U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Wrestling
10/28/2003
Jeff Weitekamp/Indiana Sports Corporation
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind., - Tickets for the nation's most important wrestling event - the U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Wrestling - go on sale Monday, Nov. 3, 2003 at 10 a.m. ET through Ticketmaster. The 2004 U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Wrestling will take place May 21-23 at the RCA Dome in Indianapolis.
The field will be loaded with superstars, such as Olympic champion Rulon Gardner, World champions Dremiel Byers, Kristie Marano and Melvin Douglas and Olympic medalist Brandon Paulson. Certain to make their presence felt are World silver medalists Cael Sanderson, Tina George, Patricia Miranda, Kerry McCoy, Sara McMann and Toccara Montgomery. Other top talents will include Olympians Jim Gruenwald and Kevin Bracken, plus World Team members Stephen Abas, Brad Vering, Jenny Wong, Joe Williams, Sally Roberts, T.C. Dantzler and many other top wrestlers.
With women's wrestling in the Olympics for the first time, with four weight classes up for grabs, America's top women athletes look to become the first women wrestlers to earn spots on the U.S. Olympic Team at the RCA Dome.
Many young stars will also be seeking to make their first U.S. Olympic team, such as Steve Mocco, Doug Schwab, Lindsey Durlacher, Justin Ruiz and more.
"No event has more pressure in our sport than the Olympic Trials," said Rich Bender, USA Wrestling's executive director. "History is always made at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials, but with women's freestyle being added to the Olympic Games, this event will have even more historical significance. This event will be the showcase of the greatest wrestlers in the United States, seeking to achieve their dreams by making the U.S. Olympic Team."
Tickets will be available at all Ticketmaster outlets, charge-by-phone (317-239-5151 in Central Indiana) or online at www.ticketmaster.com. Order forms will also be available at the event's official Web site, www.trials2004.com.
Two All-Session ticket packages will be available. The first will be the Gold Medal Club All-Session ticket package for $150, which features reserved seating, access to the Gold Medal Club Lounge, a souvenir program, a commemorative gift, autograph signings with former Olympic athletes and free parking. The Silver Level All-Session ticket package will be $80 in general admission seating.
For hotel reservations, fans should contact the Wrestling Housing Bureau at 1-800-556-INDY (4639) or housing@indianapolis.org, or visit www.trials2004.com on the Internet to reserve hotel rooms.
In addition, those fans who purchase tickets in November will be eligible to win the "World Team Prize Pack" via a drawing at the end of the month. The World Team Prize Pack includes a wrestling themed-banner autographed by Rulon Gardner, Cael Sanderson, Joe Williams, Kerry McCoy, Garrett Lowney, Tina George, Katie Downing, Toccara Montgomery and others.
The U.S. Olympic Team Trials competition format features a two-day challenge tournament and a championship finals series. The challenge tournament in all three styles will take place Friday, May 21 and Saturday, May 22. This will include all of the competitors except the 2004 national champions who will automatically be in the finals. The 2004 national championships will be in Las Vegas April 9-10.
Sunday, May 23, will be the championship finals in each weight class, featuring the national champion against the challenge tournament winner in a best-of-three series.
There will be seven weight classes in Greco-Roman and men's freestyle. The four women's freestyle weight classes contested will be 48 kg./105.5 lbs., 55 kg./121 lbs., 63 kg./138.5 lbs. and 72 kg./158.5 kg. Only the champions in each weight class will be on the U.S. Olympic Team and compete at the Olympic Games August 22-29, 2004, in Athens, Greece.
Indianapolis is no stranger to U.S. Olympic Team Trials events. The city - known as one of the world's leading amateur sports capitals - has hosted 14 U.S. Olympic Team Trials, including diving, rowing, swimming, synchronized swimming and track & field. The most recent U.S. Olympic Team Trials event in Indianapolis was the 2000 U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Swimming. The event was a sellout with more than 63,000 tickets sold six months prior to the competition - the earliest sellout of a swimming event in the U.S.
"We are honored that USA Wrestling has entrusted us with its greatest event, said Earl Goode, chairman of the board of directors for ISC. "We look forward to showing the wrestling community Hoosier Hospitality and tremendous support for their athletes."
The RCA Dome - home of the NFL's Indianapolis Colts, the 1991, 1997, 2000, 2006 and 2010 NCAA Men's Final Four, 2005 NCAA Women's Final Four and the 1991 World Gymnastics Championships - will be the site. It will be the first time an elite-level wrestling event will be staged in a domed stadium. USA Wrestling and Indiana Sports Corporation are organizing the event.
2004 U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Wrestling Quick Facts
When: May 21-23, 2004
Where: RCA Dome, Indianapolis
Who: The top eight finishers in each weight class from the U.S. National Championships in Las Vegas April 9-10, 2004, qualify for the event as well as champions from five Olympic Trials Regional events. Competitors include a mix of champions and upcoming superstars.
Athletes expected to compete in Indianapolis include: Olympic champion Rulon Gardner; World champions Dremiel Byers, Kristie Marano and Melvin Douglas; Olympic medalist Brandon Paulson; World medalists Cael Sanderson, Tina George, Patricia Miranda, Kerry McCoy, Sara McMann, Joe Williams, Toccara Montgomery, Jenny Wong and Sally Roberts and many other top wrestlers.
Tournament Schedule:
Day - Date - Session Time - Competition
Day 1 - Friday, May 21 - 10 a.m.-12 noon - Challenge Tournament Preliminaries Round 1 and Consolation Round 1
Day 1 - Friday, May 21 - 5-9 p.m. - Challenge Tournament Quarterfinals and Consolation Round 2
Day 2 - Saturday, May 22 - 10 a.m.-2 p.m. - Challenge Tournament Semifinals and Consolation Round 3 and Semifinals
Day 2 - Saturday, May 22 - 5-7 p.m. - Challenge Tournament Third/Fifth Place Matches
Day 2 - Saturday, May 22 - 7-8:30 p.m. - Challenge Tournament Finals
Day 3 - Sunday, May 23 - 10 a.m.-12 noon - Championship Finals Match #1
Day 3 - Sunday, May 23 - 3:30-5:30 p.m. - Championship Finals Match #2
Day 3 - Sunday, May 23 - 5:30-6:30 p.m. - Championship Finals Match #3 (if necessary)
Ticket Information: Tickets go on sale Monday, Nov. 3, at 10 a.m. ET through Ticketmaster. All-Session ticket prices are: Gold Medal Club - $150, Silver Level - $80.
Hotel Reservations: Contact the Wrestling Housing Bureau at www.trials2004.com, 1-800-556-INDY (4639) or housing@indianapolis.org.
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