Continued from page 33
beat Canada’s Tonya Verbeek in the World finals in 2011. Verbeek won an Olympic silver medal in 2004 before earning an Olympic bronze medal in 2008.
Ukraine’s Tetyana Lazereva and Sweden’s Ida-Theres Nerell won World bronze medals in this class in 2011. World champion Sofia Mattson may rep- resent Sweden in London.
American Kelsey Campbell dropped down a weight class to make the U.S. Team. She beat Helen Maroulis, who placed fifth in the 2011 Worlds, to make the Olympic Team. Campbell placed fifth in the 2010
Worlds at 59 kg/130 lbs. 63 kg/138.75 lbs. – Japan’s Kaori Icho is another Japanese legend, having won two Olympic titles in addition to seven World titles. Hungary’s Marianna Sastin finished second to Icho at the 2011 Worlds with Mongolia’s Nasanburmaa Ochirbat and China’s Ruixue Jing claiming bronze medals.
American Elena Pirozhkova, second to Icho at the 2010 Worlds, is a legitimate threat to win a gold medal in this division. Pirozhkova was fifth in the 2011 Worlds and beat World bronze medalist Adeline Gray to make the U.S. Olympic Team. Gray was third in the World at 67 kg/147.5 lbs. last year. 72 kg/158.5 lbs. – Bulgaria’s Stanka Zlateva has been the most consistent performer in this division.
Zlateva won her second straight World title, and fifth overall, last season. She finished second at the 2008 Olympics. Russia’s Ekaterina Bukina won a World silver medal last year with American Ali Bernard and Vasilisa Marzaliuk of Belarus capturing bronze medals. American Ali Bernard delivered the best performance of her career in winning a bronze medal at the 2011 Worlds. She placed fifth at the 2008 Olympics. FREESTYLE
55 kg/121 lbs. – The U.S. has enjoyed great success in this weight class at the Olympics, with American Henry Cejudo striking gold at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China.
Cejudo lost in the semifinals of the 2012 Olympic Team Trials with veteran Sam Hazewinkel stepping up to make the U.S. team in this class. Hazewinkel has now competed extensively overseas in freestyle after excelling in Greco-Roman. He has gained momentum heading into London with a strong season. Hazewinkel beat Nick Simmons, fifth in the World last year, to make the U.S.
Continued on page 35 34 USA Wrestler Clarissa Chun reached the semifinals of the 2008 Olympics. Larry Slater photo.
2012 U.S. Olympic Wrestling Team GRECO-ROMAN
55 kg/121 lbs. - Spenser Mango, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army) 60 kg/132 lbs. - Ellis Coleman, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC) 66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Justin Lester, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army) 74 kg/163 lbs. - Ben Provisor, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids) 84 kg/185 lbs. - Chas Betts, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Minnesota Storm) 120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Dremiel Byers, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army)
Coaches - Steve Fraser (Colorado Springs, Colo.), Momir Petkovic (Colorado Springs, Colo.), Shon Lewis (Colorado Springs, Colo.), Dan Chandler (Minneapolis, Minn.), James Johnson (Phoenix, Ariz.)
WOMEN’S FREESTYLE
48 kg/105 lbs. - Clarissa Chun, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids) 55 kg/121 lbs. - Kelsey Campbell, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids) 63 kg/138.75 lbs. - Elena Pirozhkova, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Gator WC) 72 kg/158.5 lbs. - Ali Bernard, New Ulm, Minn. (Gator WC)
Coaches - Terry Steiner (Colorado Springs, Colo.), Vladislav Izboinikov (Colorado Springs, Colo.), Keith Wilson (Colorado Springs, Colo.)
FREESTYLE
55 kg/121 lbs. - Sam Hazewinkel, Norman, Okla. (Sunkist Kids) 60 kg/132 lbs. - Coleman Scott, Stillwater, Okla. (Gator WC) 66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Jared Frayer, Norman, Okla. (Gator WC) 74 kg/163 lbs. - Jordan Burroughs, Lincoln, Neb. (Sunkist Kids) 84 kg/185 lbs. - Jake Herbert, Ann Arbor, Mich. (New York AC) 96 kg/211.5 lbs. - Jake Varner, State College, Pa. (Nittany Lion WC) 120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Tervel Dlagnev, Columbus, Ohio (Sunkist Kids)
Coaches - Zeke Jones (Colorado Springs, Colo.), Brandon Slay (Colorado Springs, Colo.), Bill Zadick (Colorado Springs, Colo.), John Smith (Stillwater, Okla.), Mark Manning (Lincoln, Neb.), Lou Rosselli (Columbus, Ohio)
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44