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The Hindu. Republication 9/23/06

Mysore: The State-level Dasara 2006 wrestling events will kick-off at the D. Devaraj Urs Multi-Purpose Stadium, Doddakare Maidan, from September 23 and the karate events will begin at the Chamundivihar Indoor Stadium on the same day.

More than 300 wrestlers from all over the State can be seen in action. Every day, the local version of the game, "Nadu Kusti", will be conducted and around an average of 10 pairs in different weight categories will be in action.

The National-level wrestling championship will be held from September 26 to 29. The women's wrestling championship will be conducted for the first time this year and will begin on September 25.

In karate, events will be conducted for men, boys, women and girls in individual kata, team kata and individual kumite in different weight categories.

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She's a Mom and a World Champion: Kristie Marano is a success story on and off the mat

Craig Sesker USA Wrestling
09/21/2006

This story originally ran in the USA Wrestler magazine

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – If 8-year-old Kayla Marano ever needs something to take to school for show-and-tell she won’t have to look far.

She would have her pick of the whopping seven freestyle wrestling medals her mother, Kristie, has won at the World Championships over the past decade.

She could choose one of mom’s two gold medals, won in 2000 and 2003. Or she could pick one of the four silver medals or one bronze medal that she’s won while competing at wrestling’s most elite level.

Even though she’s proud of her mother’s accomplishments, Kayla is an aspiring young wrestler who already has goals of her own.

“Kayla wants her own medal, she doesn’t want mine,” Kristie said with a laugh. “She definitely wants to win her own medal. She’s already talked about it.”

If Kayla displays the same competitive fire as her mother, she may follow a similar path of success to one of the best women’s wrestlers in American history.

Duplicating the phenomenal level of success of a Kristie Marano will take some doing. No American woman has won as many World medals in wrestling.

And she’s not done yet.

The 27-year-old Marano hopes to add more hardware to her vast collection when she competes at 72 kg/158.5 pounds at the World Championships on Oct. 1 in Guangzhou, China.

She’s competing in the World Championships for the eighth time, but for the first time since 2003 when she won her second World title.

“It feels really good to be back on the team,” Marano said. “I’m really motivated to do well at the Worlds and I’m excited to have another shot in an event like this. It was really tough not having an opportunity the last two years.”

Being a world-class athlete and a single mother is no easy task.

“It’s hard juggling everything and trying to raise my daughter, but it’s very rewarding,” Kristie said. “Fortunately, I have a lot of help. It’s difficult on both of us sometimes when I go overseas to compete, being away from each other for so long.”

Having a third-grade daughter keeps everything in perspective for Marano.

“I will go home sometimes after a rough practice and then I see Kayla and she tells me a funny story about school,” Kristie said. “She will make me laugh and then you kind of forget about the practice and all your own problems. She’s very outgoing and a very lovable kid.”

Kayla plays soccer, but she already has developed a passion for wrestling. She has started wrestling and hopes to compete in the Body Bar Nationals next year.

“She loves being around the sport - she loves all the girls on the (Senior-level) team and looks up to each and every one of them,” Kristie said. “She definitely knows the sport from being around it so much. I’ve never really pushed her into wrestling, it’s just something she developed an interest in. Whatever sport she chooses, it will be fun to watch her compete.

“We were talking after I wrestled at the Dave Schultz. A bunch of us went out to dinner afterwards and me and my dad were talking about a match and we couldn’t remember what I did to get the girl on her back. We couldn’t figure it out and then Kayla says, ‘You did a crotch lift and put her right to her back.’ And that was exactly what I did.”

Mother and daughter enjoy bike-riding and kicking the soccer ball around outside. When they are inside an occasional wrestling match breaks out.

“We wrestle around in the house,” Kristie said, flashing a smile. “I will take her down and she gets right back up. She doesn’t say anything and she just comes right back after me. She’s pretty competitive.”

Even with her unprecedented level of success, Marano has experienced her share of setbacks.

She narrowly missed making weight at the 2004 Olympic Trials at 63 kg/138.75 pounds. Marano already had clinched a spot in the best-of-3 finals at the Olympic Trials by virtue of winning the U.S. Nationals that year.

“It was heart-wrenching at first – I didn’t want anything to do with wrestling after the Olympic Trials,” she said. “I kind of got over it with time. I had my day to pout, which was enough, and then I realized I had to get my team ready to go.

“I really don’t know what happened at the (Olympic) Trials. A month prior, I had made weight at (U.S.) Nationals. I came super close and missed it by a pound. It was a hard cut and my body just kind of shut down.”

Sara McMann, the wrestler Marano pinned in the finals of the 2004 U.S. Nationals, went on to win a silver medal at 63 kilos in a historic Olympics in Athens, Greece. Women’s freestyle wrestling became an Olympic sport for the first time in Athens.

Marano actually wrestled at the 2004 Olympic Trials, bumping up to the next highest Olympic class at 158.5 pounds after not making 138.75. She placed second to Toccara Montgomery at 158.5.

Marano did make the trip to Athens as a training partner. It was an experience she says still serves as a motivator in her ongoing quest to compete at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, China.

“That would be amazing, to make the next Olympic Team,” she said. “It would be at the top of my list as far as accomplishments. I’m going to do whatever it takes in the next two years to get there.”

Marano finished second at 147.5 pounds last year in the U.S. World Team Trials to Katie Downing, who won a bronze medal at the World Championships.

Marano has moved up another weight class to 158.5 pounds this year and looked strong in rolling to titles at the U.S. Nationals and U.S. World Team Trials. American Iris Smith is the reigning World champion at 158.5 pounds, but Smith failed to reach the finals of the 2006 U.S. World Team Trials.

“Kristie’s very hungry and very driven,” said Terry Steiner, USA Wrestling’s National Women’s Coach. “She wants to make the most of her opportunity this year and I don’t expect anything less from her. She’s one of the best competitors I’ve ever been associated with. She’s a student of the sport and does whatever we ask her.”

The transition to wrestling at 158.5 this year has gone smoothly for Marano, who won four straight World silver medals at 165 pounds from 1996 to 1999.

“Kristie is adjusting to the weight class,” Steiner said. “She needs to keep getting bigger and stronger as we get closer to the Olympics. She’s working hard in the weight room.”

Moving up from 147.5 to 158.5 will help Marano prepare for the 2008 Olympics. Women’s wrestling has four Olympic weight classes - 105.5, 121, 138.75 and 158.5.

“I’ve had a lot of success at 147, but it’s not an Olympic weight,” Marano said. “That’s why I moved up. I want to see how I like 158. So far, it’s gone pretty well. I feel real good at this weight class.”

Marano competed at 72 kilos during May’s World Cup in Japan. She went 2-1, falling 1-0, 4-0 to five-time World champion Kyoko Hamaguchi of Japan. Hamaguchi beat Marano in the finals of the World Championships in 1997, 1998 and 1999. The American team finished third in the 2006 World Cup.

“The World Cup was definitely an eye-opener for us and a good measuring stick for us to see where we are at and what we need to work on,” she said. “It was the first time I had competed at that weight and gave me a good feel for what I need to do.”

The seven-member U.S. World Team for women’s freestyle includes plenty of experience and firepower. Five of the seven wrestlers on the American team have won World medals.

“I’m excited about this team,” Marano said. “There hasn’t been a team I’ve been on that I haven’t been excited about, but we’re real solid in all seven weight classes. This is a good team.”

Marano’s competitiveness has rubbed off on her teammates.

“I really like Kristie’s style of wrestling – she’s fun to watch,” said Clarissa Chun, a 2000 World Team member who won U.S. Nationals this year. “We come from the same judo background, and she likes to mix it up between shots and throws. She brings a lot of experience and knowledge to the team, and she’s won a lot of big matches in her career. It’s great to see her back on the World Team again. She’s worked hard and she deserves it.”

The influence of Steiner also has paid off for Marano.

“Terry’s a great coach,” she said. “Everybody loves him and respects him. We basically put our trust in him. He’s there for you 24 hours a day, and that’s awesome.”

Marano’s judo background has served her well on the mat. The Albany, N.Y., native started competing in judo at age five. She reached the Senior level in judo and qualified for the 1996 U.S. Olympic Trials. She played basketball up until her sophomore year in high school before taking up wrestling at age 16.

“I was playing basketball and my dad was like, ‘You’re not going to be a 5-foot-5 center, you need to start training for judo.’ And he told me to go out for the wrestling team,” she said.

Marano excelled in wrestling right away.

“Judo is a big part of my wrestling style and it always will be,” she said. “I took my judo skills and adapted them to wrestling.”

Her father, Conrad Stenglein, and her brothers, Matt and Joshua, also were wrestlers.

A U.S. Olympic Training Center resident-athlete, Marano said she plans to compete at least through 2008.

“I’m proud of what I’ve done, but I don’t do it for the medals,” said Marano, who competes for the New York Athletic Club. “I just do it because I like it. If I decide to wrestle until 2012 or 2016, I will do it because I want to do it. The accomplishments are great, don’t get me wrong, but I wrestle because it’s fun and it’s something I enjoy.”

Even though she wants a medal of her own, Kayla Marano is excited to see her mother have an opportunity to pursue another World medal in China.

“Kayla’s real proud of what I’ve accomplished,” Kristie said. “She will go to school and say, ‘Mom’s going to Turkey and then Sweden, and she’s going to kick everybody’s butt.’ She’s been around wrestling since she was a baby, so she really likes it. If she sticks with it, she could do really well.”

KRISTIE MARANO AT A GLANCE

Favorite moment as an athlete: “My best moment was when I won the World title in 2003 in front of family and friends back home in New York. My grandfather got a chance to see me wrestle against girls for the first time. It was an awesome experience. That was my best moment, so far.”

Most interesting place you’ve visited: “I went to Egypt when I was competing in judo. It was pretty cool. I got to ride a camel and I went to the pyramids. Greece was really nice too, when I went over as a training partner for the Olympics. We got to go out to some of the islands, which was pretty neat.”

What do you like to do when you’re off the mat? “Spend time with my daughter, Kayla. She’s 8 years old and just started third grade. We ride bikes or kick the soccer ball around outside. I really enjoy spending time with her and hanging out. And we wrestle around in the house. She’s very outgoing and a very lovable kid. She’s been around wrestling since she was a baby, so she really likes it.”

On competing in China: “It seems like I’ve been just about everywhere in the World, but I haven’t been to China. I always look forward to going new places. I definitely wouldn’t be traveling all over if it wasn’t for wrestling. It’s pretty cool when I think about all the places I’ve been. I’ve almost filled up a passport.”

On the physical toll wrestling has taken on her body: “I’m not an 18-year-old kid anymore. I never got hurt much when I was younger, but I had ACL surgeries in 2001 and 2003. I have to take better care of myself. I definitely need to be smarter about how I train as I get a little older.”

On being a women’s wrestler: “Before, people used to have a funny reaction when I told them I was a wrestler. They would say they didn’t know girls wrestled. Now, a lot of people think it’s pretty cool that I wrestle. Hopefully, women’s wrestling can spring to a whole new level.”

On women’s wrestling becoming an Olympic sport: “I was really excited when I first heard about it. I thought the World Championships were the best we were going to get and then they added it to the Olympics. It was awesome when I found out they were adding it.”

On the rigors of World Team training camp: “I haven’t been on a World Team in a couple years, so I’m very driven to make sure I’m prepared to compete. Camp can be a grind, and it’s tough, but it’s what we need to get ready.”

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2006 World Championships preview at 72 kg/158.5 lbs. in women’s freestyle wrestling

Gary Abbott USA Wrestling
09/23/2006

Five-time World champion Kyoko Hamaguchi of Japan is the dominant athlete at this weight class in the last decade. She returns, seeking another gold medal, after falling short at the World level the last two years. She won a bronze medal at the 2004 Olympic Games, and was a silver medalist at the 2005 World Championships. A national hero in Japan, Hamaguchi will be motivated to return and prove she can still win it all at this level.

The 2005 World champion at this weight class will not be competing this year, as Iris Smith of the United States was injured in the winter, returned to the mats and did not make the U.S. team. The United States will be represented by two-time World champion Kristie Marano who has moved up to this weight class from 67 kg. Marano wrestled at the highest weight class early in her career, and actually lost in the World gold-medal match to Hamaguchi three straight years (1997-99). Marano is at her best at the World Championships, winning seven medals in seven appearances. Her last World tournament was in 2003, when she won the gold medal at 67 kg in New York City.

The 2004 Olympic champion, Wang Xu of China, did not wrestle at the World meet last year, when Jiao Wang placed fifth for China in Budapest. Xu is competing again this year, placing second at the Canada Cup, with Wang taking third in the weight class there. Xu boasts World silver and bronze medals, as well, so if she is back in top form, the division becomes that much stronger.

Canada’s Ohenewa Akuffo defeated Hamaguchi at the 2006 World Cup and has had a very successful season. She seeks her first World medal, having competed at the World Championships four times, with her best finish being seventh last year. Akuffo was also a 2005 World University Games champion. She won a gold medal at a very loaded weight class at the Canada Cup, placing ahead of Xu, Wang, Marano and two-time Junior World champion Ali Bernard of the USA.

Three veteran stars from Europe, Anita Schaetzle of Germany , Svetlana Sayenko of Ukraine and Stanka Zlateva of Bulgaria, have been winning many medals in recent years. Schaetzle and Sayenko were World bronze medalists last year, and Zlateva was fifth. Zlateva won the European title, with Sayenko second and Schaetzle third. At the FILA Golden Grand Priz finals, Schaetzle won the title, with Zlateva taking second. Going back a few years, Sayenko was fourth at the 2004 Olympics and Schaetzle was sixth. All three of these athletes are medal hopefuls this year, and will be a difficult draw for any opponent.

Russia has a number of options at this weight class, including 2004 Olympic silver medalist Gouzel Maniorova, who did not place in the top 10 at the World meet last year. Placing 10th at the European Championships for Russia this year was Daria Nazarova. Also among the options is Alena Stardubtseva, the 2005 Junior World silver medalist and 2005 European bronze medalist. Even Elena Perepelkina, a World bronze medalist at 67 kg last year, has wrestled up at 72 kg in recent years.

The 2006 Junior World champion is Vasilisa Marzaliuk of Belarus, who was fifth at the FILA Golden Grand Prix finals and eighth at the European Championships this year. Bumaa Orchirbat of Mongolia, who was eighth in the World meet last year, has had a strong season, winning a silver medal at the Asian Championships and a gold at the World University Championships.

Marina Gastl of Austria and Oleg Zahnibekova of Kazakhstan placed in the top 10 at the World last year. Jenny Frantzen of Sweden was third at the FILA Golden Grand Prix finals this year, and was the European Junior champion this year.

With the defending World champion not even in the field, it should be an interesting year at this division at the World meet in China. Multiple World champions Kyoko Hamaguchi of Japan and Kristie Marano of the USA are among the top favorites, but the return of Olympic champion Wang Xu of China adds more intrigue if she enters. Canada’s Ohenewa Akuffo is coming off her best year, with some big wins over top stars. There are numerous veteran wrestlers who are also capable of medal performances.

RECENT WORLD AND OLYMPIC RESULTS

2005 World Championships results
72 kg/158.5 lbs. - Gold - Iris Smith (USA); Silver - Kyoko Hamaguchi (Japan); Bronze - Anita Schaetzle (Germany); Bronze - Svetlana Sayenko (Ukraine); 5th - Stanka Zlateva (Bulgaria); 5th - Jiao Wang (China); 7th - Ohenewa Akuffo (Canada); 8th - Bumaa Orchirbat (Mongolia); 9th - Marina Gastl (Austria); 10th - Olga Zhanibekova (Kazakhstan)

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)

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