News Page
12/13/2003
Gary Abbott/USA Wrestling
The Canadian wrestling community determined its Olympic wrestlers for 2004 in freestyle wrestling at their Olympic Trials in Sherwood Park, Alberta, on Saturday, Dec. 13.
Heading into the Trials event, Canada had qualified for two spots at the 2004 Olympic Games, based upon the results of the 2003 World Championships. Both top-ranked athletes at these weight classes were able to win their best-of-three series and earn the trip to Athens, Greece.
At 63 kg/138.75 pounds for women’s freestyle, 2003 World bronze medalist Viola Yanik needed three matches to earn the spot on the Canadian Olympic team, beating Tara Hedican two matches to one. Yanik won the first match by technical fall, 10-0, but lost in the second bout, 9-3. In the third and deciding match, Yanik scored a 10-3 decision.
At 66 kg/145.5 pounds, Evan MacDonald, who was eighth at the 2003 World Championships, swept his championship series in two matches over Neil Ewers, winning both matches by 7-3 margins.
In the other 12 weight classes contested on Saturday, the winner of the Olympic Trials will represent Canada in the Olympic Qualifying events this winter. If they are able to qualify Canada for the Olympics in their division, then they will be on the Canadian Olympic Team.
Canada’s two World Champions in the field both won their weight classes: six time World Champion Christine Nordhagen in the women’s 72 kg/158.5 lbs. division, and 2001 World Champion Giuvi Sissaouri in the men’s 60 kg/132 lbs. division.
Nordhagen needed all three matches to win her division. She lost in the opening round to 2003 World Team member Ohenewa Akuffo, 6-2, as Akuffo tossed Nordhagen twice. In the second match, Nordhagen rebounded with a 12-3 decision. In the deciding third match, Nordhagen controlled the bout for a 6-1 victory.
Sissaouri swept his series against a talented opponent, Saeed Azarbayjani, winning 5-2 and 6-1 decisions.
Two of the weight classes contested on Saturday did not determine the final champion at the weight class. Prior to the tournament, two No. 1 ranked athletes took “injury provisions” and will have to wrestle off later in the new year against the winners of the Trials event. 2000 Olympic champion Daniel Igali took the injury provision at men’s 74 kg/163 lbs., as did veteran international star Tonya Verbeek at 55 kg/121 lbs. in the women’s division.
Winning the 74 kg/163 lbs. division was Zoltan Hunyady, who beat Danny Einhorn in two straight bouts, 6-2 and 10-5. Capturing the women’s 55 kg/121 lbs. division was Jennifer Ryz, who needed three bouts to get by Erica Sharp. Ryz won the first bout 7-1, but lost 4-1 in overtime in bout two. In the deciding third match, Ryz scored a 3-0 victory. The date and location of the wrestle-off at these classes has not yet been announced.
USA Wrestling’s National Women’s Coach Terry Steiner attended the Canadian Trials event to watch the Canadian women in action. “I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t think they were very tough,” said Steiner, who was impressed with the action in all four women’s weight classes.
At 48 kg/105.5 lbs., Lindsay Belisle won her series in two straight matches, pinning Carol Huynh in both bouts. Belisle scored a fall in 4:29 in bout one, then a fall in 5:46 in the second bout.
“The Canadian women are as tough as any nation in the world with this lineup,” said Steiner. “They are as good as any team out there. Yanik was third in the world. Belisle is one of the top wrestlers at 48 kg, clearly in the top five or six right now. At 55 kg, Ryz is No. 1 now, but Verbeek could be the person who takes the spot. Nordhagen is in the top three in the world at 72 kg now, easily one of the best out there.”
In the men’s weight classes, CFL professional football player Wayne Weathers captured the title at 120 kg/264.5 pounds. He defeated Colbie Bell, 5-1, and 8-1.
Winning at 55 kg/121 lbs. was Mikheil Japaridze, who beat Andy Hutchinson 6-0 and 8-5.
Winning the other weight divisions were veteran stars Nick Ugoalah at 84 kg/185 lbs. and Dean Schmeichel at 96 kg/211.5 lbs. Ugoalah, who was ranked No. 3 coming into the event, swept his finals series with 6-2 and 5-1 decisions over 2003 World Team member Carl Rainville. Schmeichel needed three matches to beat young talent David Zilberman. Schmeichel won the first bout 3-0, but lost in the second round, 3-2. In the decision match, Schmeichel scored a 3-0 victory.
“They have some talented athletes on the men’s side,” said Steiner, who was especially impressed with Japaridze and Sissaouri. “The lightweights are very good wrestlers. They have that Russian influence and are very well coached.”
Steiner also wanted to note the performance at 55 kg of U.S. resident Tina Pihl, who trains at the U.S. Olympic Training Center and has Canadian citizenship. Pihl won her first two matches in the pool competition, qualifying for the pool finals against veteran Teresa Piotrowski, who edged Pihl by a 7-6 margin. Pihl led late in the match, before Piotrowski claimed the win. It was clearly the best performance of Pihl’s career to date.
The Canadian Olympic Trials in men’s Greco-Roman will be held on Sunday, Dec. 14. At this time, Canada has not qualified for the Olympics in Greco-Roman at any of the seven weight divisions.
RESULTS OF EVERY MATCH CAN BE FOUND ON THE CAWA WEB PAGE (www. wrestling.ca)
2004 Canadian Olympic Trials - 1 ladder vs 2 ladder (best of three series)
December 13, 2003 in Sherwood Park, Alberta
Round #1
55 kilograms - Jennifer Ryz (Burnaby Mountain W.C.) won a decision, 7-1 over Erica Sharp (U of Calgary W.C.).
84 kilograms - Nick Ugoalah (Burnaby Mountain W.C.) won a decision, 6-2 over Carl Rainville (Montreal W.C.).
48 kilograms - Lindsay Belisle (Burnaby Mountain W.C.) won by a fall at 4:29 of the match over Carol Huynh (Burnaby Mountain W.C.)
96 kilograms - Dean Schmeichel (U of Calgary W.C.) won a decision, 3-0 over David Zilberman (Montreal W.C.)
66 kilograms - Evan MacDonald (Brock W.C.) won a decision, 7-3 over Neal Ewers (Burnaby Mountain W.C.)
63 kilograms - Viola Yanik (Saskatoon W.C.) won a grand superiority, 10-0 at 4:59 of the match over Tara Hedican (Guelph W.C.)
60 kilograms - Gia Sissaouri (Montreal W.C.) won a decision, 5-2 over Saeed Azarbayjani (Brock W.C.)
74 kilograms - Zoltan Hunyady (Guelph W.C.) won a decision, 6-2 over Danny Einhorn (Burnaby Mountain W.C.)
72 kilograms - Ohenewa Akuffo (Guelph W.C.) won a decision, 6-2 over Christine Nordhagen (U of Calgary W.C.)
120 kilograms - Wayne Weathers (Team Impact) won a decision, 5-1 over Colbie Bell (Bears W.C.)
55 kilograms - Mikheil Japaridze (Montreal W.C.) won a decision, 6-0 over Andy Hutchinson (U of Calgary W.C.)
Round #2
55 kilograms - Erica Sharp (U of Calgary W.C.). won a decision, 4-1 at 6:17 of overtime over Jennifer Ryz (Burnaby Mountain W.C.).
84 kilograms - Nick Ugoalah (Burnaby Mountain W.C.) won a decision, 5-1 over Carl Rainville (Montreal W.C.) and wins the series 2-0.
48 kilograms - Lindsay Belisle (Burnaby Mountain W.C.) won by a fall at 5:46 of the match over Carol Huynh (Burnaby Mountain W.C.) and wins the series 2-0.
96 kilograms - David Zilberman (Montreal W.C.) won a decision, 3-2 over Dean Schmeichel (U of Calgary W.C.).
66 kilograms - Evan MacDonald (Brock W.C.) won a decision, 7-3 over Neal Ewers (Burnaby Mountain W.C.) and wins the series 2-0.
63 kilograms - Tara Hedican (Guelph W.C.) won a decision, 9-3 over Viola Yanik (Saskatoon W.C.).
60 kilograms - Gia Sissaouri (Montreal W.C.) won a decision, 6-1 over Saeed Azarbayjani (Brock W.C.) and wins the series 2-0.
74 kilograms - Zoltan Hunyady (Guelph W.C.) won a decision, 10-5 over Danny Einhorn (Burnaby Mountain W.C.) and wins the series 2-0.
72 kilograms - Christine Nordhagen (U of Calgary W.C.) won a decision, 12-3 over Ohenewa Akuffo (Guelph W.C.)
120 kilograms - Wayne Weathers (Team Impact) won a decision, 8-1 over Colbie Bell (Bears W.C.) and wins the series 2-0.
55 kilograms - Mikheil Japaridze (Montreal W.C.) won a decision, 8-5 over Andy Hutchinson (U of Calgary W.C.) and wins the series 2-0.
Round #3
55 kilograms - Jennifer Ryz (Burnaby Mountain W.C.) won a decision, 3-0 over Erica Sharp (U of Calgary W.C.) and the series 2-1.
96 kilogrmas - Dean Schmeichel (U of Calgary W.C.) won a decision, 3-0 over David Zilberman (Montreal W.C.)
63 kilograms - Viola Yanik (Saskatoon W.C.) won a decision, 10-3 over Tara Hedican (Guelph W.C.) and the series 2-1.
72 kilograms - Christine Nordhagen (U of Calgary W.C.) won a decision, 6-1 over Ohenewa Akuffo (Guelph W.C.) and the series 2-1.
2004 Olympic Trials Winners - Freestyle and Women
48 kilograms - Lindsay Belisle (Burnaby Mountain W.C.)
* 55 kilograms - Jennifer Ryz (Burnaby Mountain W.C.)
63 kilograms - Viola Yanik (Saskatoon W.C.)
72 kilograms - Christine Nordhagen (U of Calgary W.C.)
55 kilograms - Mikheil Japaridze (Montreal W.C.)
60 kilograms - Gia Sissaouri (Montreal W.C.)
66 kilograms - Evan MacDonald (Brock W.C.)
* 74 kilograms - Zoltan Hunyady (Guelph W.C.)
84 kilograms - Nick Ugoalah (Burnaby Mountain W.C.)
96 kilograms - Dean Schmeichel (U of Calgary W.C.)
120 kilograms - Wayne Weathers (Team Impact)
* Injury petition's will result in these weight divisions being formally finalized at a time to be determined in 2004.
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Wrestler Viola Yanik qualifies for 2004 Olympics at Canadian trials
Canadian Press
Saturday, December 13, 2003
SHERWOOD PARK, Alta. (CP) - Viola Yanik of Saskatoon and Evan MacDonald of Ottawa became Canada's first Olympic qualifiers in wrestling on Saturday.
Yanik and MacDonald won their weight classes at the Canadian wrestling trials and will be in Athens next summer.
Yanik, 21, will represent Canada in the women's 63-kilogram freestyle after beating Tara Hedican of Guelph, Ont., in the final match of a best-of-three final.
MacDonald, 22, won the men's 66-kg freestyle final in two straight matches over Neal Ewers of Burnaby, B.C.
"I've been dreaming about this for a long time," Yanik said. "I knew in grade nine it would be in wrestling."
Yanik was third in her division at the world wrestling championships in New York earlier this year to give Canada the position in her weight class in Athens.
MacDonald was eighth in his division at the world championships, which also gave Canada a qualifying position in his class.
Lindsay Belisle of Burnaby, B.C., Jennifer Ryz of Coquitlam, B.C., and Christine Nordhagen of Valhalla Centre, Alta., were the other women's winners. Belisle, Ryz and Nordhagen won in 48, 55 and 72 kg, respectively.
Mikheil Japaridze and Gia Sissaouri of Montreal, Zoltan Hunyady of Guelph, Nick Ugoalah of Vancouver, Dean Schmeichel of Calgary and Toronto's Wayne Weathers were the remaining men's winners.
Japaridze, Sissaouri, Hunyady, Ugoalah, Schmeichel and Weathers prevailed at 55, 60, 74, 84, 96 and 120 kg respectively.
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CRYING FOR CHRISTINE
Tears are shed as Valhalla girl wrestles her way towards Athens
By TERRY JONES, EDMONTON SUN 12/14/03
There's no cryin' in rasslin'.
Well, now that they have women's wrestling in the 2004 Olympic Games in
Athens, apparently there is.
And dang near everybody who was part of the hanging-from-the-rafters
crowd for the Canadian Olympic Trials at Millennium Place in Sherwood Park
had at least a lump in their throat for Christine Nordhagen.
It's always something special to experience the moment when an athlete
becomes an Olympian for the first time. On occasion my eyes get weary
of watching multimillionaire hockey players bore me to tears sucking the
life out of a game I used to love. But I never tire of watching Canada's
best when four years of work comes down to a twist, a turn, an inch or a
blink. Even if it's wrestling, a sport that's very hard to love.
But Nordhagen made it better than usual.
Nordhagen is the 32-year-old six-time world champion, the winningest
woman in the history of women's wrestling. From Valhalla Centre, 50 km west
of Grande Prairie, she's long been the toast of the town of 50 ("including
dogs
and cats''), where only the dogs and cats were in residence yesterday
because everybody else was here.
The gal grappler started the day crying. And it ended that way when she
finally put Onenewa Akuffo of Guelph, Ont., away to manufacture her
Olympic moment.
"I've never cried at a tournament before, ever,'' she said when it was
over and she'd recovered from a 7-1 loss in the first match to score 12-3
and 6-1 wins to seize her Olympic moment.
"I woke up bawling. There was so much anxiety. I cried two other times
today. I couldn't stop myself. It's my final year. There is no next
year. There's never been an Olympics for me until now and there won't be an
Olympics for me after this.
"Then when I lost the first bout, I thought, 'This is it, I'm done.' ''
TOUGH LOVE?
Either a good coaching job or a good tough-love bit of husbanding saved
the day.
"My coach, who is also my husband, did a good job talking to me,'' she
said.
Nordhagen doesn't go direct to Athens. She will have to secure a spot
by finishing in the top three of one of the two remaining qualifying
tournaments. But she believes it'll be a slam dunk for not only herself
but the other Canadian women to make it to the Olympics in all four women's
weight classes and that "each of us will have a chance to medal.''
And that's when she started crying again.
"This is going to be the best ending,'' she sobbed.
But Nordhagen wasn't the only emotional athlete on the property.
Evan MacDonald and Viola Yanik ranked right up there with her. They're
the two who do go directly to Athens.
Both pre-qualified for Canada at the world championships. But that's
where it got heavy.
"I've been sleeping, tops, for two hours a night for the past couple of
months because of the idea that someone could come here and win two
matches and take away the Olympic spot I earned.
"As far as I was concerned that was my spot and nobody was going to
take it away from me,'' said the 66-kg competitor from Ottawa.
"This is all I've thought about for the last four years. Sometimes you
wonder if it's worth it, but right now I can tell you it sure is.''
Yanik, from Saskatoon, had to go to a rubber match against Tara Hedican
of Guelph to win the spot she'd already won in the 63-kg women's event.
"I qualified Canada for the Olympics, but I came here telling myself it
was going to be no better than 50-50 that it was going to be me getting to
the Olympics.
"It's really hard to deal with. You have everything to lose. But now
it's mine and nobody can take it away. It's my dream come true. I've been
watching the Olympics since I was a little girl. I knew I was going to
get to the Olympics, I just didn't know what sport it would be in until I
got to about Grade 9.''
Zoltan Hunyady won a 74-kg match but must face injured Sydney 2000 gold
medal winner Daniel Igali in a wrestle-off.
Atlanta 1996 Olympic silver medal winner Gia Sissaouri won his class
but not in the usual breeze.
"I'm getting challenged now,'' he said of the competition. "It means
Canada is getting better. Sooner or later somebody is going to replace me.''
Later.
Jennifer Ryz and Lindsay Belisle of Burnaby, B.C. won the other two
women's spots with men's titles copped by Dean Schmeichel of Calgary and
Mikheil Japaridze of Montreal.
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Sunday, December 14, 2003 - 12:00 AM
The Daily Herald
|
Editor's note: The Daily Herald recently asked its readers if boys and girls should be allowed to wrestle together. In an unscientific poll on our Web site, 1,535 people said no, 532 said yes and 58 were undecided. The Herald lost phone responses to the poll due to technical difficulties.The following are e-mail responses we received:
Let girls wrestle with boys
if they're willing, capable
Why shouldn't they? I think more coed sports should be allowed as long as the girl is capable or she wants to. Girls have proven that they can compete against guys on the mat. I went to a senior level USA wrestling event and even saw a girl dominate the 125-pound class in North Carolina against boys. The world needs to wake up and realize women are on the mat to stay. Women should be allowed to wrestle in guys' divisions if they choose or if there is not enough girls to wrestle.
? Meygan Mattingly
Jeffersonville, Ind.
Coed wrestling bad idea
In one word: No. In two: Absolutely not.
? John Hafen
former college wrestler,
former high school wrestler and coach
Springville
This story appeared in The Daily Herald on page A5.
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Reader Opinions
Post your opinion and share your thoughts with other readers!
Name: RasslersMom OfThree
Date: Dec, 12 2003
I beleive that at the high school level they need to separate the genders. You tell a boy all his life " don't hit the girls" Don't play too rough with the girls" then you tell them to go against all they have been taught and go out and try to tear their heads off. Not fair for either side. Plus once they are in high school the boys and girls need not be rubbing up against each other on the mat, hormones are running way too high.
Name: Gail Wolfe
Date: Dec, 12 2003
I disagree with the above posters. If a girl wants to compete in a sport that is not in her school for her sex, she has the right to compete in it for the opposite sex. She knows the risks of injury going in. Since she will be wrestling an opponent of the same weight, her risks are not much higher than for any other wrestler. My daughter wrestled varsity all 4 yrs. of high school against the boys, and she is still at it many years later (now wrestling women). The experience she got in high school helped her to become a 6 time US National Women's Champion and 6 time World Team Trial Champion. Mr. Leon, I beg to differ with you as to your daughter being the only 14 yr. old to be a Sr. Women's National Finalist. My daughter won Women's Senior Nationals at the age of 13.
Name: Andrew Lavrenz
Date: Dec, 11 2003
I too am against boys and girls competing against one another in a rough sport such as wrestling. A female athlete will one day be injured. I have talked with a friend of mine and he said that he hates wrestling girls because one you are afraid to hurt them, and two you are scared of getting beat by them. You are told your whole life not to hit, or hurt girls. He was scared of hurting her. But if you take it easy on them, they may beat you, and you dont want that. I am not debating how tough some women are. Beleive me, I have met a couple of women who could take me out in a heart beat. But sometimes it just isn't right for the two sex's to compete against each other in such a physical, and close body contact sport. You have seen some of the positions the wrestlers get in. You wouldn't want a female to say that a male wrestler touched her wrong, and god knows there may be some hormone driven high school boys that may try that sometime.
Name: Jim Bryan
Date: Dec, 11 2003
I am agraduate of The University of Oregon School of Health and Physical Education, a professional coach. It is not safe for boys to wrestle girls past puberty. No professional coach would deem it safe. Sooner or later a serious injury will result from gender mixing and the parties involved will have an indefensible neligence case in court. I coach a wrestling club and prohibit mixed gender wrestling over the age of 13.
Name: Glenn Kuhn
Date: Dec, 11 2003
I agree with those who say that boys and girls should not wrestle against each other. And as Mr. Leon said it has nothing to do with hurting the psyche of the boy. There are two more important reasons. The first has to do with muscle mass and potential injury. As they become older boys develop more muscle mass than girls and can injure a girl.
The more important reason (to me) has to do with the way we should raise our sons. I raise my sons (I have three sons and one daughter) and teach them how to treat a young lady--where to touch them and where not to touch them and how to show them proper respect--and then if they wrestle a girl they have to break all of those rules. It can be a real conflict for a young man.
My older son tried to go out for the girls' volleyball team because the high school didn't offer boys volleyball. He was not allowed to even go to one practice. A definite double standard. We didn't cause a stink about it. I told him to go out for a different sport.
If somebody wants to have a girls' wrestling team that's fine with me. I'm not aware of any other sports where boys and girls compete against each other. Why should wrestling be the exception? Especially with the potential dangers involved.
Name: Ruben Leon
Date: Dec, 11 2003
I'm against girls wrestling boys, but not to protect the psyche of males. They need to man up. Girls, even those in the best of shape will, sooner or later, suffer a career ending injury. My daughter holds a record that will never be broken. She's the only female to ever make the finals at Senior Women's Nationals as a 14 year old (the minimum age is now 16) but her wrestling days were ended 3 years later, while still in High School, wrestling a varsity match. Teresa Gordon-Dicks, also from California, is the only girl to, so far, to become a Schoolboy National Champion as a 13 year old. The following year she was injured in a High School match and has never wrestled again. Boys who never wrestle again because they lost to girl are in the wrong sport. They should take up Jacks.