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New U.S. Olympic wrestling program offers
5 of 16 scholarships to Hawaii women

Posted July 11, 2004

By Dennis Anderson
Homegrownhawaii@verizon.net

A women's wrestling section with 16 full scholarships will be added to the United States Olympic Education Center in Michigan next month.

Five of the 16 scholarships have been offered to women from Hawaii.

"Hawaii is a leader in women's wrestling in our country," says Terry Steiner, coach of the U.S. National Team.

When Coach Shannyn Gillespie opens his office for the first time on Monday he will be checking the mail for acceptances from:

Danyelle Hedin, a 2004 Kailua High graduate who was named a first-team high school All-American on Tuesday.
Donell Bradley (Radford '99), who graduated in December from Missouri Valley College.
Debbi Sakai, a 2003 Mililani High grad who wrestled at Missouri Valley last season.
Tanya Miyasaki (Castle '02), who wrestled one year at Menlo College in California and coached at Castle the past season.
Ku'u Johnson (Radford '02), who wrestled the last two seasons at Lassen community college in California.

The center is located at Northern Michigan University in Marquette on the shore of Lake Superior. Athletes take classes there but compete on USA national teams.

The education center is designed to provide training and college to athletes with Olympic potential in "nontraditional" sports that are not sponsored by the NCAA.

Already in place are sections for boxing, speed skating, men's Greco Roman wrestling and weight lifting. It is the only center of its kind funded by the U.S. Olympic Committee.

"We are trying to get them ready for the Olympics," coach Gillespie said. "The idea is to grow the sport."

Steiner, the U.S. National Team coach, says that the women wrestlers from Hawaii whom he has seen are "all very explosive. They are good athletes and have good hip explosion."

"There is a reason they are competing at this level," Steiner says. "Part of it is God given and part of it is they developed their talent through dedication and hard work."

The combination of a free college education and Olympic training is what attracted three Hawaii women who have committed to the center.

Bradley said she accepted the offer because, "I think it will be a great opportunity to not only further my education but to also better myself as a competitor."

In addition to working for a possible spot on the 2008 U.S. Olympic team, Bradley will work for a master's degree in exercise science at Northern Michigan.

Sakai said she would transfer after fall semester, because her classes were already set at Missouri Valley.

"There are going to be a lot of good wrestlers there," Sakai said. "The training will be a lot tougher. It will make me a stronger wrestler."

Sakai took second place at 112 pounds this year in the Senior National Championships.

Miyasaki, who took a year off from college and coached the Castle High girls team this year, said she has not decided yet whether to accept the scholarship.

"I'm weighing whether I want to commit myself completely to wrestling," she said.

Hawai'i Grown was unable to reach Ku'u Johnson.

"We will have a lot of international competition, maybe four overseas tours a year, so they can learn to compete at that level," coach Gillespie said.

He says the education center will serve as a kind of "feeder program," sending the best prospects on to the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs.

Being chosen for the Olympic Training Center, where two other Hawaii wrestlers — Clarissa Chun (Roosevelt '99) and Katie Kunimoto (Castle '99) — have been residents since it opened in 2002, is the goal of the Hawaii women.

"It would be nice to make it into OTC one day, then maybe make a World team, and get a shot at the 2008 Olympics," Sakai said.

"One of my coaches at Missouri Valley told me this will be great opportunity."

Hedin has been at the Training Center for a month this summer as guest, and said. "I'm getting my butt kicked wrestling Olympians, but it's a good experience. I am learning a lot."

She sees the Olympic Education Center as her ticket to become a full-time Training Center resident in two years and get on the fast track to the 2008 Olympic Games at Beijing.

"That's my plan," Hedin says.

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Local sponsors Olympian daughter of CUPE member

HAZELTON, BC, July 12 /CNW/ -

CUPE 113 has put their spirit and financial
support behind a member's daughter, Lyndsay Belisle, a 26-year old competitor
in the summer Olympics in Athens, Greece.
As part of Lyndsay's training program, the Canadian Amateur Wrestling
Association is funding her trip to the Olympics. But Lyndsay and her family
have been fundraising in the community to support her during these months that
she will be unable to work due to intense all-day training.
"It's a long road to the Olympics," said CUPE 113 President Mario
Castelli. "We are proud of her as an athlete, as a member of our community and
a Canadian, and as the daughter of a CUPE member." Lyndsay is a six-time
national champion and winner of the 2003 World Cup wrestling gold medal.
"We wanted to show Lyndsay that she has our support."
CUPE 113 members voted at their general membership meeting to donate $250
towards Lyndsay's Olympic dream and to ask their employer, Farwest/Coastal Bus
Lines, to match it. Farwest/Coastal agreed, and they presented Lyndsay with a
$500 cheque last week.
"Lyndsay will be breaking new ground in Athens and we'll be with her
every step of the way." This is the first time in the games history that women
will wrestle for the Olympic gold. Women's freestyle wrestling was the only
new event added to the Olympic schedule for Athens.
Lyndsay Belisle is from Hazelton, BC. She will be participating in the
Olympic opening ceremonies on August 13th and competes on August 23rd at 9am
in the 48kg women's freestyle wrestling elimination round. For more
information about Lyndsay, including a copy of her biography, please visit:
http://egan-1.tripod.com/index.html.

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US Women's Wrestling's Sara McMann, Toccara Montgomery, Tela
O'Donnell and Patricia Miranda discuss female wrestling

ANCHORS: KATIE COURIC; MATT LAUER; ANN CURRY

REPORTERS: AL ROKER

KATIE COURIC, co-host:

But first, we're going to learn more about this newest Olympic sport.

MATT LAUER, co-host:

Ow.

AL ROKER reporting:

Ooh, ow. That's going to leave a mark.

COURIC: Because we all feel like ignoramuses. We are joined this
morning by the ladies from US Women's Wrestling, heading over to Athens in just 50
days. They are Sara McMann, Toccara Montgomery, Tela O'Donnell and
Patricia Miranda. Good to have you.

Patricia, good morning.

LAUER: Hi, ladies.

COURIC: Patricia, good morning. Nice to see you. Well, just as Matt
mentioned, Patricia, I didn't know--I had never heard of female
wrestling either. Can you tell us about it and how the--the sport came to be?

Ms. PATRICIA MIRANDA (US Women's Wrestling Team): Well, we are the only
new sport added in the 2004 Games. But we've been around for quite a while.
We actually had 16 or 17 world championships.

COURIC: Wow.

Ms. MIRANDA: The world has been developing the sport and the US started
a little late, but we've caught up and...

LAUER: So the members of the team, are they wrestling in colleges
around the country?

Ms. MIRANDA: Some are. We wrestle with--with guys if there aren't
opportunities for us to--with women.

COURIC: Sign me up. And--and so you--you guys were on teams, but there
is no official--is there an official US Women's Wrestling Team before the
Olympics?

Ms. MIRANDA: Well, one thing that happened that was real special 2002
when we were announced in the Games was the creation of the first resident
program at the Olympic Training Center. And that's where we got our
coach, Terry Steiner, first national coach. And that's--most of us are on that
team.

COURIC: How does it differ from men's wrestling? Are there any
different roles?

Ms. MIRANDA: From what you see in colleges, the international style
differs from colleges. But from what the men do at the Olympics...

COURIC: Ouch. Yeah?

Ms. MIRANDA: ...there is no difference.

COURIC: OK.

Ms. MIRANDA: Same rules, same times.

LAUER: There's a little pressure--I mean, since it's the first year as
an Olympic sport and you want to obviously create teams for the future,
you want women here to get involved, so you've got to do pretty well in the
Olympics to make that happen.

Ms. MIRANDA: Yeah. I don't think we see it so much as pressure. It's an
opportunity we've been waiting a long time for, to get out there, get
on the stage. And I think that that's where we're going to send our biggest
message, by doing well in Athens and having a good time.

COURIC: I was going to volunteer to have Sara, Toccara or--or Tela take
me down, but I've got these shoes on...

ROKER: Wow.

COURIC: ...and I'm just afraid that's really going to hurt them.

ROKER: Hey, they probably come off pretty easily.

LAUER: Yeah. Yeah.

COURIC: Not really. But--no, that's OK. You guys are so strong.

LAUER: Does anybody want to see that?

ROKER: Yeah.

Ms. MIRANDA: I'll hold something.

LAUER: I don't know, I'm just curious.

COURIC: OK. All right.

ROKER: All right, here we go.

COURIC: I don't want--OK--don't kill me.

Unidentified Woman: I promise I won't.

COURIC: OK, promise?

Woman: Yeah.

COURIC: OK. And I don't want my heels to impale you.

Woman: OK, they won't.

COURIC: OK. Oh, my God. She pinned me! Nice work.

LAUER: OK.

ROKER: She--she cheats.

LAUER: She's a little competitive here, be careful.

COURIC: Anyway. You guys are great. Best of luck...

LAUER: Good luck.

COURIC: ...in Athens. And we'll see you there, we hope.

LAUER: Yeah.

ROKER: Yep.

COURIC: What countries are really good, by the way, at this? You know,
you said the US was slow to come to the table, what other countries are
really good at US--at women's wrestling?

Ms. MIRANDA: Countries that--Japan, China, Russia, you know--you know,
a lot of European countries. So it's going to be a good battle.

COURIC: All right. Well, you get in there and you kick some butt!

Ms. MIRANDA: Cool. Thank you.

COURIC: See you guys later.

LAUER: All right. It's time now to get a check of the hea--you did very
well, I'm very happy for you.

COURIC: Thank you very much.

LAUER: Time to get a check of the headlines now. Ann's at the newsdesk.
Ann:

ANN CURRY, anchor:

All right. Thanks a lot, Matt.

Good morning, once again, everybody.

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Ace grappler ready for amateur sport's biggest show; Canada
Cup perfect tune-up for Olympics

SOURCE: MERCURY STAFF

BYLINE: TONY SAXON

DATELINE: GUELPH 7/12/04

Christine Nordhagen-Vierling will finally get a chance to perform on
the biggest stage of all next month in Athens.

The 33-year-old Albertan is a six-time world champion in women's
wrestling but next month will be the first time she's had the opportunity to
perform on amateur sport's ultimate stage -- the Olympics. Women's wrestling
will be an official Olympic event for the first time this year.

"It's a great opportunity for me and for women wrestlers all over the
world," Nordhagen-Vierling said on the weekend during the Canada Cup
wrestling tournament at the University of Guelph.

"The Olympics are special, that's for sure. The world championships are
great and that's been wonderful, but the Olympics are a big bonus."

Saturday Nordhagen- Vierling, a high school teacher in Alberta when not
wrestling, made short work of the Guelph Wrestling Club's Ohenewa
Akuffo in the 72-kilogram final at the Canada Cup, defeating Akuffo 10-0.

In addition to her six world championships Nordhagen-Vierling is a
two-time Pan American Games champion, 10-time Canadian champ, five-time Canadian
Female Wrestler of the Year and was the 1997 International Wrestler of
the Year. She is also a member of the Canadian Wrestling Hall of Fame.

Nordhagen-Vierling said she will still wrestle competitively after the
Olympics, but won't be around to compete in 2008.

"I know I'm not going to be wrestling in the next Olympics. I'm 33
years old and I've had a great career. I don't want to end it right after the
Olympics but I know for sure I won't be wrestling four more years."

Nordhagen-Vierling showed just how good she can be in Saturday's final
against Akuffo.

Just seconds into the bout Nordhagen-Vierling threw her long-time rival
and sometime training partner over her shoulder for three points and Akuffo
never recovered.

Seven more points gained on the ground and Nordhagen-Vierling had the
win by the ego-crushing rule of "grand superiority."

Earlier this year Akuffo lost to Nordhagen-Vierling in the final of the
Olympic Qualifying Tournament.

"I was shocked," Akuffo said of being thrown at the beginning of the
match.

"She's known for her leg attacks but we were both pushing in so much
that I was either going to react and score points or I was going to get taken
by her and I definitely got taken by her."

Akuffo still managed her signature smile after the match.

"I'm not happy, but as bad as I feel about losing 10-0, you still have
to make it a positive," she said.

Akuffo was one of two Guelph Wrestling Club members to finish on the
podium at the two-day event. The Guelph club's Frank Mensah placed third in
the 55-kilogram class.

Other top-six results for local wrestlers were Kim Noakes (women's
63kg) fifth, Zoltan Hunyady (men's 74kg) fifth, Meaghan Wilton (women's 72kg)
sixth and Victor Sprenger (men's 84kg) sixth.

The Canada Cup also featured a cadet division for the first time, with
the Guelph club winning four medals: Kim Broten (52kg) and Joel Soehner
(50kg) both won silver while Cody Airdrie (54kg) and Braiden Brousseau (58kg)
took bronze.

Overall in the main competition Canada topped the point standings in
the women's division with 61 points, followed by Japan's 42 and the USA
with 11.

Cuba won the men's division with 55 points, Iran was second with 48 and
Canada third with 26.

GRAPHIC: Photo: TONY SAXON, GUELPH MERCURY; Christine
Nordhagen-Vierling, in red, scores a point on Guelph Wrestling Club's Ohenewa Akuffo during
the women's 72-kilogram final at the University of Guelph Saturday.
Nordhagen won the bout 10-0.; Photo: TONY SAXON, GUELPH MERCURY; Daniel Igali,
left, wrestles Cuba's Ivan Fundora during the men's 74-kilogram final at the
Canada Cup at the University of Guelph Saturday. Igali lost the match
3-0. It was the final competition for Igali before next month's Olympics.