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India replaces Germany at 2004 Women’s Freestyle World Cup
9/21/2004
John Fuller/USA Wrestling
India has accepted an invitation to compete in the 2004 Women’s Freestyle World Cup in Tokyo, Japan, October 8-9.
The squad from India will replace Germany, which has decided not to attend the due to injuries suffered at the 2004 Olympic Games, according to the Japan Wrestling Federation.
India did not qualify any wrestlers to compete in the 2004 Olympic Games, the inaugural Olympic competition for women’s wrestling. In 2003, one wrestler for India placed 10th at the World Championships.
Other countries competing in the World Cup are host Japan, the United States, Canada, China and Russia.
In this year’s Olympic Games, Japan won two gold medals, one silver and one bronze. The United States captured one silver medal and one bronze medal and had one wrestler place sixth. Canada won one silver medal and had two women place fifth. China captured one gold medal. Germany had two women place sixth. Russia won one silver medal and had one woman place fifth.
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FEATURE: Historic day for women’s wrestling as Olympians ring NYSE Bell
9/20/2004
Stephen Hong/USA Wrestling
Monday, September 13, 2004 was a historic day for women’s wrestling, as Olympians from the USA Wrestling Women’s National Team had the opportunity to ring the bell at the New York Stock Exchange.
This traditional All-American activity, which has been reserved for famous and important people over the years, shows just how far women’s wrestling has come.
Two members of the 2004 U.S. Olympic team, Patricia Miranda of the Dave Schultz WC and Toccara Montgomery of the New York AC, along with three of the Olympic Team Coaches, Tricia and Townsend Saunders and Terry Steiner, came to New York City to participate in a very special day of activities.
The U.S. women wrestlers and a delegation of wrestling leaders left for an eventful breakfast at 7:30 am called “Up the Glass Ceiling.” This program was created to celebrate the historic first Olympic women’s wrestling team and featured as participants many of the top women business executives in the nation.
The breakfast was held before the opening bell ceremony in the New York Stock Exchange. Security was tight, as is always the case at the Stock Exchange, and the guests were given special metal name tags with a gold-like plating.
John Thain, the CEO of the New York Stock Exchange and one of the most influential financial leaders in the world, greeted the guests. Thain is a former wrestler, competing at Antioch High School in Illinois, and in college at MIT. Thain’s high school coach was also there, Ted DeRousse, USA Wrestling’s Manager of State Services.
Catherine Kinney, the president of the Stock Exchange welcomed the guests as well. She said that she’s proud to work at the Stock Exchange, where progress is measured not by gender, but by meritocracy.
Daniel W. Krasner who is the Senior partner with Wolf Haldenstein Adler Freeman & Herz LLP mentioned that this event was important for business and social progress. The celebration was a positive social progress, meaning that women are moving up the ladder towards equality. Wolf Haldenstein Adler Freeman & Herz LLP was a sponsor of this special program, and was excited to help celebrate the women’s wrestling success.
Tricia Saunders, the Olympic women’s team coach, also had an opportunity to address the distinguished group of guests. Saunders said that wrestling offers many great experiences for those who participate and that the former wrestlers feel obligated to give back to the sport.
At 9:20 a.m., the U.S. women’s team, coaches, and key USA Wrestling leaders, left for the platform to ring the bell.
Those on the platform at the New York Stock Exchange included:
* Body Bar Systems President Sherry Catlin
* Body Bar Systems Chairman and Founder Arno Niemand,
* Wolf Haldenstein Adler Freeman & Herz LLP Senior Partner Daniel W. Krasner
* Rutgers University professor Dr. Jim Bicksler
* New York Stock Exchange CEO John Thain
* New York Stock Exchange President Catherine Kinney
* Olympic bronze medalist Patricia Miranda
* Olympian Toccara Montgomery
* Olympic Team Coach Terry Steiner
* Olympic Team Coach Townsend Saunders
* Olympic Team Coach Tricia Saunders
* USA Wrestling President and Lehman Brothers executive Stan Dziedzic
* USA Wrestling Director of Development Larry Nugent
* USA Wrestling Manager of State Services Ted DeRousse
The number of World and Olympic wrestling medals that were represented on the platform was impressive. Both Montgomery and Miranda are also two-time World silver medalists. Tricia Saunders was a four-time World champion and a World silver medallist. Townsend Saunders was a 1996 Olympic silver medalist. Stan Dziedzic won a World gold medal and an Olympic bronze medal.
After ringing the bell, the wrestling delegation was brought onto the floor of the New York Stock Exchange to meet the people who work there. In addition, the athletes had an opportunity to be interviewed by the corporate media.
Because the 2004 Olympics was the first year where the women wrestlers had the opportunity to compete, this was a historic Summer Games. Women wrestlers don’t have a legacy like the male wrestlers in the sport, which can be traced to the most ancient cultures. Ringing the bell was a symbolic event, marking the beginning of the women’s wrestling era, just as businesswomen have burst into prominence in our nation and around the world.
The U.S. athletes there are perfect examples of a legacy waiting to happen for women’s wrestling
Now that Patricia Miranda has accomplished the goal of becoming an Olympic medalist, she is beginning her studies at Yale Law School.
Toccara Montgomery is completing her senior year at Cumberland College, the first member of her family to attend college.
Tricia Saunders is a working mother who serves as a certified medical assistant, working in the important healthcare industry.
These are unquestionably strong women with power. Ringing the Stock Exchange bell was only the warning, letting the world know that women wrestlers are coming.
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Olympic champion Yoshida dominant in collegiate nationals
Sunday, September 19, 2004 at 07:02 JST
FUKUOKA — Saori Yoshida, the women's 55-kilogram gold medalist at the Athens Olympics, proved she is a class apart from fellow Japanese collegiate wrestlers with an easy triumph at the national collegiate championships Saturday.
Yoshida of Chukyo Women's University scored a technical fall over Nihon University's Chikako Matsukawa with seven seconds left in the first period of the final at Akusion Fukuoka to win her first national collegiate title since she won the 59 kg in 2002. (Kyodo News)