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2005 World Championships preview at 72 kg/158.5 lbs. in women’s freestyle wrestling

9/21/2005
Gary Abbott/USA Wrestling

Capturing the first Olympic gold medal at this division was China’s exciting Wang Xu, who also won World silver and bronze medals prior to taking it all at the 2004 Athens Olympics. She is her nation’s top women’s wrestling star at this point. China is working hard to become a dominant women’s wrestling team in time for the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.

Wang stopped Russia’s Gouzel Manyurova in the gold-medal match in Athens. Manyurova was a 2004 European champion and was ninth in the 2003 World Championships. Russia may be represented by 2005 European runner-up Svetlana Martinenko. who competed down at 67 kg prior to last season and boasts a 2003 World bronze medal. Another possible Russian entry could be 2005 Junior World silver medalist Alena Starodubtseva.

Wang upset five-time World champion Kyoko Hamaguchi of Japan in a controversial semifinals match at the Olympics. Hamaguchi wrestled back to claim the bronze medal. Hamaguchi won a gold medal at the Women’s World Cup this spring, so she has chosen to continue her career. A rivalry between Wang and Hamaguchi would receive considerable attention around the world if it is revived in Budapest. Many expect that Hamaguchi will be highly motivated to avenge the loss from Athens since she is one of the top sports heroes in her nation.

Others who placed high at the Olympic Games were Svetlana Sayenko of Ukraine in fourth, Christine Nordhagen of Canada in fifth and Anita Schaetzle of Germany in sixth.

Schaetzle was the 2005 European champion at this division, and Sayenko placed fifth at the European meet this year. Both have considerable experience. Schaetzle was sixth at the 2004 Olympic Games. Sayenko has placed as high as second at the European Championships.

Nordhagen, a six-time World champion, has retired, and could be replaced by past World placewinner Ohenowa Akuffo, who was the 2005 World University Games gold medalist and has a number of other international medals. Akuffo has the ability and experience to be a medal contender at this division this year.

The U.S. will have veteran Iris Smith competing, who has not been to the World Championships since her seventh place finish in 2000. Olympian and two-time World medalist Toccara Montgomery was unable to try out this year for the American team due to injury. Smith has experience and size, and should be a factor, especially if she gets on a roll in her early bouts.

Others to watch include Stanka Zlateva of Bulgaria, Marina Gastl of Austria and Burmaa Ochirbat of Mongolia. Zlateva was fourth at the 2003 World Championships and won a bronze medal at the European Championships this year. Ochirbat was second at the 2004 Asian Championships, losing to Hamaguchi in the finals. Gastl has been a placewinner in a number of top international events in recent years. Turkey has a medal hopeful in Zarife Yilidrim, who was fourth at the 2002 World Championships.

Poland had a World Champion in 2001, Edyta Witkowska, but they were represented at the 2005 European meet by Agnieska Wieszczek, who also won a bronze medal at the World University Games this summer. Poland also boasts Edyte Witkowska, who was third at the 2002 World Championships.

Ukraine may be represented by Katarina Burmistrova, who won a silver medal at the World University Games. Burmistrova competed for a number of years at 67 kg, placing in the top 10 in the world a few times. Vasila Marzaliuk of Belarus was a European bronze medalist this year, her first major achievement at the Senior level. Olga Zahnibekova of Kazakhstan also made a name for herself this year, winning a bronze medal at the Asian Championships. Also a possible entry for Kazakhstan is Svetlana Yarosevich, who was eighth in the 2003 World Championships.

This weight class has been dominated by the Asian stars Hamaguchi of Japan and Wang of China. The United States and Russia have been competitive in the past in this division. It has been a difficult weight class for young newcomers to break through, especially in the medal rounds. It will be interesting to see if anybody new can break through this year against such an experienced field

RECENT WORLD AND OLYMPIC RESULTS

2004 Olympic Games results
72 kg/158.5 lbs. - Gold – Wang Xu (China); Silver - Gouzel Maniorova (Russia); Bronze – Kyoko Hamaguchi (Japan); 4th – Svitlana Sayenko (Ukraine); 5th – Christine Nordhagen (Canada); 6th – Anita Schaetzle (Germany); 7th – Toccara Montgomery (USA); 8th – Maria Louiza Vryoni (Greece); 9th – Marina Gastl (Austria); 10th – Burmaa Ochirbat (Mongolia)

2003 World Championships results
72 kg/158.5 lbs. – Gold – Kyoko Hamaguchi (Japan) dec. Toccara Montgomery (United States), 4-1; Bronze – Wang Xu (China) pin Stanka Zlateva Hristova (Bulgaria), 2:39; 5th – Anita Schaetzle (Germany); 6th – Marina Gastl (Austria); 7th – Edyta Witkowska (Poland); 8th – Svetlana Yaroshevich (Kazakhstan); 9th – Gouzel Maniourova (Russia); 10th – Min-Jeong Kang (Korea)

2002 World Championships results
72 kg/158.5 lbs. - 1st - Kyoko Hamaguchi (Japan) dec. Wang Xu (China), 5-1; 3rd - Edyte Witkowska (Poland) won by ref. dec. over Zarife Yilidrim (Turkey), 2-0, ot, 9:00; 5th - Katerina Halova (Czech Rep.); 6th - Galina Ivanova (Bulgaria); 7th - Svitlana Sayenko (Ukraine); 8th - Katarzyna Juszczak (Italy); 9th - Anita Schatzle (Germany); 10th - Toccara Montgomery (USA)

2001 World Championships results
75 kg/165.25 - Gold - Edyta Witkowska (Poland) dec. Ma Bailing (China), 6-0; Bronze - Nina Englisch (Germany) pin Kyoko Hamaguchi (Japan); 5th - Jenna Pavlik (USA); 6th - Kang Min-Jeong (Korea); 7th - Tetyana Komarnitska (Ukraine); 8th - Yasmili Ramos (Venezuela); 9th - Zumrud Kurbangadzieva (Russia); 10th - Akuffo Ohenewa (Canada)

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Day-by-day schedule for U.S. athletes competing at the World Wrestling Championships in Budapest, Hungary, Sept. 26-Oct. 2

9/20/2005
Gary Abbott/USA Wrestling

Under the new rules of international wrestling, each weight division is completed in one day. The World Wrestling Championships will be held in Budapest, Hungary from September 27 – October 2, with different divisions each day. Below is the schedule for each U.S. wrestler, as well as the day-by-day schedule of the Americans competing.

U.S. ATHLETES AND DAY OF COMPETITION

Men’s Freestyle Team

55 kg/121 lbs. – Sammie Henson, Flintstone, Ga. (Sunkist Kids) – Monday, Sept. 26

60 kg/132 lbs. – Michael Lightner, Norman, Okla. (Sunkist Kids) – Monday, Sept. 26

66 kg/145.5 lbs. – Chris Bono, Gilbert, Iowa (Sunkist Kids) – Monday, Sept. 26

74 kg/163 lbs. – Joe Williams, Ames, Iowa (Sunkist Kids) – Tuesday, Sept. 27

84 kg/185 lbs. – Mo Lawal, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Gator WC) – Tuesday, Sept. 27

96 kg/211.5 lbs. – Daniel Cormier, Stillwater, Okla. (Gator WC) – Tuesday, Sept. 27

120 kg/264.5 lbs. – Tolly Thompson, Cedar Falls, Iowa (Sunkist Kids) – Wednesday, Sept. 28

Women’s Freestyle Team

48 kg/105.5 lbs. – Jenny Wong, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids) – Wednesday, Sept. 28

51 kg/112.25 lbs. – Stephanie Murata, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids) – Wednesday, Sept. 28

55 kg/121 lbs. – Tina George, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army) – Thursday, Sept. 29

59 kg/130 lbs. – Sally Roberts, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Gator WC) – Thursday, Sept. 29

63 kg/138.75 lbs. – Sara McMann, Iowa City, Iowa (Sunkist Kids) – Thursday, Sept. 29

67 kg/147.5 lbs. – Katie Downing, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids) – Friday, Sept. 30

72 kg/158.5 lbs. – Iris Smith, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army) – Friday, Sept. 30

Men’s Greco-Roman Team

55 kg/121 lbs. – Lindsey Durlacher, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC) – Friday, Sept. 30

60 kg/132 lbs. –Joe Warren, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC) – Sunday, Oct. 2

66 kg/145.5 lbs. – Harry Lester, Akron, Ohio (USOEC/Gator WC) – Saturday, Oct. 1

74 kg/163 lbs. – T.C. Dantzler, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Gator WC) – Saturday, Oct. 1

84 kg/185 lbs. – Brad Vering, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC) – Saturday, Oct. 1

96 kg/211.5 lbs. – Justin Ruiz, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC) – Sunday, Oct. 2

120 kg/264.5 lbs. – Dremiel Byers, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army) – Sunday, Oct. 2

DAY BY DAY SCHEDULES

Monday, September 26 – Sammie Henson (55 kg FS), Michael Lightner (60 kg FS), Chris Bono (66 kg FS)

Tuesday, September 27 – Joe Williams (74 kg FS), Mo Lawal (84 kg FS), Daniel Cormier (96 kg FS)

Wednesday, September 28 – Tolly Thompson (120 kg FS), Jenny Wong (48 kg W), Stephanie Murata (51 kg W)

Thursday, September 29 – Tina George (55 kg W), Sally Roberts (59 kg W), Sara McMann (63 kg W)

Friday, September 30 – Katie Downing (67 kg W), Iris Smith (72 kg W), Lindsey Durlacher (55 kg GR)

Saturday,October 1 – Harry Lester (66 kg GR), T.C. Dantzler (74 kg GR), Brad Vering (84 kg GR)

Sunday, October 2 – Joe Warren (60 kg GR), Justin Ruiz (96 kg GR), Dremiel Byers (120 kg GR)

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Journalists predict gold medalists at the 2005 World Wrestling Championships in Hungary

9/21/2005
assorted journalists/

Updates with more selections will be posted when rece

JASON BRYANT
Intermat
Women’s Freestyle champions
48 kg/105.5 lbs. – Jenny Wong (USA)
51 kg/112.25 lbs. – Irini Merlini (Ukraine)
55 kg/121 lbs. – Saori Yoshida (Japan)
59 kg/130 lbs. – Sally Roberts (USA)
63 kg/138.75 lbs. – Kaori Icho (Japan)
67 kg/147.5 lbs. – Ewelina Pruzcko (Poland)
72 kg/158.5 lbs. – Kyoko Hamaguchi (Japan)

FRANK SHANLY
MatChat

Women's Freestyle champions
48 kg/105.5 lbs. - Makiko Sakamoto (Japan)
60 kg/132 lbs. - Irina Merlini (Ukraine)
55 kg/121 lbs. - Saori Yoshida (Japan)
59 kg/130 lbs. - Ayako Shoda (Japan)
63 kg/138.75 lbs. - Kaori Icho (Japan)
67 kg/147.5 lbs. - Katerina Burmistrova (Ukraine)
72 kg/158.5 lbs. - Kyoko Hamaguchi (Japan)

GREGG HENRY
The Wrestling Report

Women’s Freestyle champions
48 kg/105.5 lbs. – Jenny Wong (USA)
51 kg/112.25 lbs. – Irini Merlini (Ukraine)
55 kg/121 lbs. – Saori Yoshida (Japan)
59 kg/130 lbs. – Ida Theres Karlsson (Sweden)
63 kg/138.75 lbs. – Kaori Icho (Japan)
67 kg/147.5 lbs. – Katie Downing (USA)
72 kg/158.5 lbs. – Kyoko Hamaguchi (Japan)

BRYAN VAN KLEY
W.I.N. Magazine (publisher)

Women’s Freestyle champions
48 kg/105.5 lbs. – Ren Xuecheng (China)
51 kg/112.25 lbs. – Irini Merlini (Ukraine)
55 kg/121 lbs. – Saori Yoshida (Japan)
59 kg/130 lbs. – Ida-Theres Karlsson (Sweden)
63 kg/138.75 lbs. – Kaori Icho (Japan)
67 kg/147.5 lbs. – Elena Perpelkina (Russia)
72 kg/158.5 lbs. – Kyoko Hamaguchi (Japan)

SINA ETAMADI
U.S. fan

Women’s Freestyle champions
48 kg/105.5 lbs. – Chiharu Icho (Japan)
51 kg/112.25 lbs. – Irini Merlini (Ukraine)
55 kg/121 lbs. – Saori Yoshida (Japan)
59 kg/130 lbs.- Sally Roberts (USA)
63 kg/138.75 lbs. – Kaori Icho (Japan)
67 kg/147.5 lbs. – Katie Downing (USA)
72 kg/158.5 lbs. –Wang Xu (China)

GARY ABBOTT
USA Wrestler

Women’s Freestyle champions
48 kg/105.5 lbs. – Lorissa Oorzhak (Russia)
51 kg/112.25 lbs. – Irini Merlini (Ukraine)
55 kg/121 lbs. – Tina George (USA)
59 kg/130 lbs. – Ayoki Shoda (Japan)
63 kg/138.75 lbs. – Kaori Icho (Japan)
67 kg/147.5 lbs. – Katie Downing (USA)
72 kg/158.5 lbs. – Wang Xu (China)

ALI GUMAS
AIPS Wrestling Director (TUR)

Women's freestyle champions by nation
Japan (5)
Norway (1)
Hungary (1)

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Groundbreaking Webcast of World Wrestling Championships will be shown on www.wcsn.com

9/22/2005
Joyce Malicse/WCSN

SANTA MONICA, Calif. - World Championship Sports Network (WCSN), the new sports platform devoted to capturing athletes and international sports federation competitions from around the world, will provide Internet video streaming of the World Wrestling Championships live from Budapest, Hungary beginning September 26, 2005.

For the first time ever, wrestling fans in the United States and U.S. territories will be able to watch an unprecedented 32 hours of live event coverage, plus on-demand archived footage and broadcast highlights at www.wcsn.com. WCSN is partnering with MLB Advanced Media to stream the coverage. Fans interested in pre-registering for the webcast can sign up at the WCSN website, www.wcsn.com.

Priced at $9.95, fans will be able to watch the World Wrestling Championships live from Budapest on September 26–October 2. Webcast in their entirety, competitions will include the men’s freestyle, women’s freestyle, and men’s Greco-Roman wrestling.

“WCSN is excited to be able to offer the World Wrestling Championships,“ said Claude Ruibal, CEO and co-founder of WCSN. “Because no U.S. broadcast or satellite-delivered network carries these competitions live or in their entirety, WCSN fills what is otherwise a sports vacuum for fans of these events.”

The World Championships are the premier event for the sport of amateur wrestling in non-Olympic years. The availability of this broadcast will help many family members, friends and wrestling fans in general all around the world watch their favorite athletes competing for medals.

“USA Wrestling is elated to have such extensive coverage of the World Championships broadcast live globally,” USA Wrestling Executive Director Rich Bender said. “There are many great wrestling fans both in the U.S. and abroad that cannot afford to travel overseas for this competition. Now, instead of just reading the results, they can see them as they happen.”

USA Wrestling's John Fuller will provide play-by-play of all quarterfinal, semifinal and medal matches.

DAY BY DAY COMPETITION SCHEDULE FOR U.S. WRESTLERS: