USA Wrestling honored the pioneers of women’s wrestling during the U.S. Open. Front row (from left): Grace Magnussen, Lauren Wolfe Lamb, Marie Ziegler, Shannon Williams Yancey, Tricia McNaughton Saunders, Afsoon Roshanzamir Johnston, Jennifer Ottiano Ferragatta. Back row: Sandra Bacher Fakaosi, Stephanie Murata, Kristy Schultz, Lisa Whitsett, Asia DeWeese, Cheryl Meyer Bergman, Jimi Dawn Hornbuckle and Andrea Carstens Yamamoto. Tony Rotundo photo.
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positive impact you have made on many people’s lives, not just those wrestling now but also for future generations. You fought the fight that nobody wanted to fight.” Steiner told the pioneers what is now available for young women wrestlers: funded World Teams, funded National Teams at every age level, funded age group World Teams, a resident program at the Olympic Training Center, a national staff, 22 col- lege programs, numerous state high school girls championships and more than 10,000 high school girls in wrestling. This is all in addition to the opportunity to compete at the Olympic Games. “I am honored and humbled to lead this charge and take it forward. I promise you I will fight for the recognition, acceptance and equality that all of you have fought for,” he said. World champion Adeline Gray spoke for the current athletes, telling the pioneers how much she respected them and appreci- ated what they did to give her the opportunity to pursue her dreams.
The group was then given new USA Wrestling team warm-
ups, introduced one-by-one in front of the crowd prior to the gold-medal finals. The women posed for pictures and received a warm ovation from the fans. It was a time for smiles, hugs and a chance to share memories of a historic time. “This trip was absolutely phenomenal. It was beyond my
expectations. It felt surreal. Twenty years ago, when we were wrestling together, we never imagined that USA Wrestling would want us back, thank us and acknowledge us as the pioneers.
For all of us to be together again and to be recognized is amaz- ing. I am still on Cloud Nine,” said Roshanzamir Johnston. “It is amazing. It has been 20 years since I have seen some of these girls. It goes to show how strong our friendship, cama- raderie and bond truly is. When we got together, it was as if no time had passed,” said Ziegler.
The reunion helped the women, many who are raising fami- lies of their own and busy with their careers and other interests, to understand how much their efforts have made a difference. “The love for wrestling was my main drive. People tell me I am a pioneer of this sport and I am special. I think we knew it, that it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. After getting the con- firmation from USA Wrestling and from these young girls, I truly now understand its significance,” said Ziegler. They were also impressed with the young women who were competing for U.S. Open titles, and who will be pursuing a dream they never realized, a chance to make an Olympic team. “We were there because we loved the sport. We never could imagine then that it would grow to this, with a U.S. Open with the number of athletes attending and the quality of the wrestling now. It was beyond my imagination. To see it with my own eyes makes me so proud,” said Roshanzamir Johnston. These pioneers are all taking a special interest in the effort to keep Olympic wrestling in the 2020 Olympic Games and beyond.
“I would love to see the continuation of this sport at the Olympics,” said Ziegler.
33 USA Wrestler
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