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Female wrestlers bag golds at juniors
08:44' 13/07/2007 (GMT+7)
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Wrestlers Nguyen Thi Loc took home a gold medal from the women’s 44kg division of the Asian Junior Wrestling Championships in the Philippines on July 9.
Loc, who has been recruited by the national team in preparation for the Southeast Asian Games in Thailand this December, showed her good form in the freestyle category against strong rivals from Japan, the Republic of Korea and China to win the first gold.
Overall Vietnam’s 12-member squad bagged a total gold and two silver medals including Le Thi Trang who grabbed another gold medal in the women’s 51 kg division. The two silver medals went to Pham Thi Hue in the 55 kg and Dang Thi Van in the 48 kg classes. However, the Vietnamese men were unsuccessful in the freestyle and Greco-Roman events.
According to the wrestling section chief of the Committee for Sports and Physical Culture, Le Ngoc Minh, the women’s national wrestling team is preparing for the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.
Trang, a 2004 Asian Wrestling Championships silver medalist, is Vietnam’s best chances for Olympic triumph, according to Minh, who is also vice chairman and general secretary of the Southeast Asian Wrestling Federation.
Currently, Vietnam has one of the strongest women’s teams in Asia, after China, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Kazakhstan and Uzbeskistan.
In 2005, Nghiem Thi Giang pocketed a bronze at the Asia Junior Freestyle and Greco-Roman Wrestling Tournament in Wuhan City, China, while Nguyen Thi Hang won a silver medal at the World Junior Wrestling Championships in Lithuania.
Women’s wrestling has become more popular since the sport was re-established at the 19th SEA Games in Indonesia 10 years ago.
(Source: VNA)
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By Justin Hite / Times-News correspondent
July 13
Elizabeth DeAngelo wants to be an Olympian, aiming to do so in female wrestling.
“In this state (it’s a growing sport) but around the country it’s starting to really pick up,” DeAngelo said.
While DeAngelo has found herself in rarified air among some of the best competition in the country, recently placing second at the Canadian Cup, she has been called to make the trip to Northern Michigan University to train alongside other Olympic hopefuls.
And she’s still in high school.
“It is tough to leave all my family and friends behind and go and start a new life by myself,” DeAngelo said. “But you just have to hope for the best.”
After three years at Eastern Alamance High School, DeAngelo will move to Michigan for her senior year at Marquette High School — all while preparing to enter the resident athlete development program at the U.S. Olympic Education Center.
DeAngelo spent two years of her high school career wrestling on the team at Eastern Alamance, but there is a vast difference between wrestling boys and wrestling girls, DeAngelo said. And there was a need for the switch.
“I knew that if I stayed here I wouldn’t get the training that I need because wrestling girls is a lot different than wrestling guys,” said DeAngelo, who competed as a 112-pounder last season. “I’ve gotten as far as I can get wrestling boys.”
While DeAngelo’s goal has been to compete in the Olympics, it wasn’t a realization until her sophomore year in high school. After competing at a national tournament and placing near the top, she realized that the goal she had since she was young was a possibility.
“Ever since I was little I always said I wanted to go to the Olympics and wanted to wrestle,” DeAngelo said. “Since I was 5 years old, it’s always been my dream.”
While her father, Randy DeAngelo, got her started, it was her mother, Mary DeAngelo, who brought down the final restraint on her daughter wrestling against the boys.
“I couldn’t see why she wanted to do it,” Mary DeAngelo said. “I thought she should do something that was a little more normal. It was just in her blood. She just loved it.”
And she has been doing it ever since. Wrestling in grade school, up through middle school and finally into high school, Elizabeth DeAngelo succeeded at a sport not initially created for her.
“She holds her own against the boys,” Randy DeAngelo said. “When she was a sophomore, she was one round away from being the first girl to make the North Carolina high school state tournament. Elizabeth has earned a lot of respect in the area for what she’s done.”
After completing high school at Marquette, she expects to have an athletic scholarship to Northern Michigan.
Leaving her friends and family behind was a decision the wrestler was prepared to make.
“It was really an easy decision,” DeAngelo said. “It was a huge opportunity to follow my dreams and something you can’t pass up. It was barely in my mind to turn it down. I couldn’t see myself doing that. It was a no-brainer.”
Wrestling has taken DeAngelo on a strange road — thrown in among boys and expected to win and competing on a national stage in hopes of taking her talents to the international stage.
“Just the smile on her face you can tell this is what this girl wants to do,” Mary DeAngelo said. “It’s an amazing accomplishment.”
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Igali Dreams Big
…Says wrestling will deliver in Algiers
By Ben Memuletiwon
Friday, July 13, 2007
Technical Adviser of the Nigeria wrestling team to the All Africa Games and Olympic gold medalist, Daniel Igali, has promised to help the team amass enough medals in their bid to attain the No 1 position in the games.
Wrestling is one of the sports which Team Nigeria are banking on to successfully increase Nigeria’s medals tally at the games.
During the Abuja 2003 edition of the games, wrestling hauled in a total of 18 medals for Nigeria – Nine gold, six silver and 3 bronze.
The Nigerian born-Canadian, whom the National Sports Commission (NSC) contracted solely to tinker the wrestling team for the games to perfection, stated that his wards would surpass the 2003 result, as he has effectively imparted on them the needed skills to come out in flying colours during the games in Algiers.
According to the Commonwealth champion, wrestling is a sport that has a high medals rate. He opined that his charges have been primed to go the extra mile to achieve their goal.
Despite the loss of two top wrestlers, Amas Daniel in 55kg, who broke his arm during training, and 2003 gold medal holder in 59kg female wrestling, Happiness Brutu, who sustained a neck injury in camp, Igali said his wrestlers have put the unfortunate incidents behind them and are ready to bring honour to Nigeria and themselves.
"The wrestlers are in good shape and in good frame of mind. We have gotten to the point where you have the wrestlers loaded; the wrestlers are where I want them to be. They appear sharp, which is a very good sign.
"I have raised the bars and the wrestlers are very much alive to the task ahead of them. At the last games, wrestling got a total of 18 medals for Nigeria.
"Interestingly, it is a sport that has a high number of medals and our quest is to ensure that we surpass the result of the last games, and the level of enthusiasm shown by the wrestlers is very encouraging."
Igali went further to state that the host country, Algiers, and some other countries would pose some sort of opposition to Nigeria, he, however, expressed confidence that he has selected the best wrestlers for the job.
"African countries are coming up in wrestling, it behoves on my athletes to give it their best shot and overcome those they would fight on the mat," Igali said.
Former National Sports Commission Chairman, Engr Bala Bawa Ka’oje, had thumbed up the Nigeria Amateur Wrestling Federation as one of the Federation that would certainly boost Nigeria medals chances at the games. Nigeria is in Algiers with 21 wrestlers, and six officials; seven Greco-Roman, seven freestyle men and seven women wrestlers.
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Strong field expected at ASICS/Vaughan Junior and Accelerade Cadet Nationals in Fargo, N.D.
Gary Abbott USA Wrestling
07/14/2007
FARGO, N.D. - Every year, the nation’s best young wrestlers come together for the world’s largest wrestling competition, the ASICS/Vaughan Junior and Accelerade Cadet Nationals at the FargoDome in Fargo, N.D.
This competition produces great stories of champions, many who go on to glory in college wrestling, and ultimately at the World and Olympic levels.
The tournament is scheduled for July 21-26 and is expected to feature outstanding wrestlers in every weight class.
The ASICS/Vaughan Junior Nationals features high school wrestlers in grades 9-12. This year, the Junior division could be one of the strongest in many years, featuring numerous talented athletes who are proven winners.
In fact, there are 23 individual champions from the 2006 ASICS/Vaughan Junior Nationals for men who are eligible to return to Fargo this year to defend their titles. Ironically, none of these champions were double titlists last year, meaning nobody in the field this year was able to capture both the freestyle and Greco-Roman gold medals last summer.
2006 Junior National freestyle champions who are eligible to return are John Prezzia of Pennsylvania (98), Ben Sergent of Ohio (105), Conner McDonald of Delaware (112), Zachary Sanders of Minnesota (119), Mike Mangrum of Washington (125), Kellen Russell of New Jersey (130), Jamal Parks of Oklahoma (135), Luke Ashmore of Texas (140), Albert White of Illinois (145), Kirk Smith of Idaho (171), Clayton Foster of Idaho (189), Cody Gardner of Virginia (215) and Dom Bradley of Missouri (275).
Returning Junior National Greco-Roman champions who are eligible to compete in Fargo are Nathan Furches of Kansas (98), Justin Forrest of Missouri (105), Eric Grajales of Florida (112), Nikko Triggas of California (119), Esai Dominguez of Iowa (140), Trevor Hall of Washington (145), Robert Kellogg of Iowa (152), Jesse Robbins of Florida (171), Deron Winn of Missouri (189) and Patrick Mahan of Minnesota (215).
Each year, ASICS recognizes the nation’s top high school athletes with its All-American Team. Members of the ASICS First Team who were Junior Nationals champions last year include Sanders, White, Foster, Gardner and Bradley.
For the first time ever, USA Wrestling may crown a Junior Triple Crown winner. In April, the first USA Wrestling Junior Folkstyle Championships were held in Cedar Falls, Iowa, and 408 wrestlers entered a highly competitive tournament. A total of 15 individual champions were crowned. If any of those winners are able to win both the Greco-Roman and freestyle titles in Fargo at the Junior level, they will make history as the first Junior Triple Crown winners.
Many of last year’s Cadet National champions are expected to move up into the Junior ranks this year and challenge for titles.
For the first time last year, USA Wrestling had official state team standings in all the divisions held in Fargo. Last year, the Wells Fargo Insurance Services Cup champion in Junior freestyle was New Jersey, followed by Ohio, Missouri, Illinois and Iowa. In Junior Greco-Roman, capturing the Wells Fargo Insurance Services Cup was Iowa, with Florida, Minnesota, New York and Idaho close behind.
Another strong indication of the strength of the state teams are the results from the 2007 United States Marine Corps Junior National Duals, held in June in Oklahoma City, Okla. Team Illinois was the champion in both freestyle and Greco-Roman this year, a very impressive performance. In freestyle, Missouri placed second and New Jersey was third, Iowa fourth and Oklahoma fifth. In Greco-Roman, Minnesota was second, California placed third, Iowa finished fourth and New York was fifth.
The women’s freestyle division will be held early in the week with the championships set for Monday, July 23. This tournament, in its seventh year, has grown in size and quality every season, and promises to be very competitive again this year. There will be more weight classes in the women’s division this year, part of the event’s development.
Returning Junior National women’s champions include C.C. Weber of Michigan (95), Nicole Woody of Maryland (102), Michaela Hutchison of Alaska (119), Tatiana Padilla of California (128), Erin Clodgo of Connecticut (148) and Brittany Delgado of South Carolina (195).
Woody has won the ASICS/Vaughan Junior Nationals three times and was a 2006 Junior World champion. Padilla is a two-time winner at the Junior Nationals, and is currently ranked No. 2 on the Senior level in women’s wrestling. Of the returning champions, Woody, Hutchison, Padilla, Clodgo, and Delgado were named to TheMat.com/ASICS All-American First Team.
The Wells Fargo Insurance Services Cup champions in women’s freestyle last year was California, followed by Texas, Hawaii, Illinois and Michigan.
Unlike the men, the Women’s National Junior Duals are not held prior to the Junior Nationals, but are alongside the individual tournament in Fargo. California is the returning team champion, with Texas in second, Hawaii in third and Florida in fourth.
The Accelerade Cadet Nationals are for wrestlers who are 15 and 16 years old, some of the best young talents in the country.
Double champion Ryan Mango of Missouri (84) is eligible to return, but may not be able to compete due to injury from this spring.
Three 2006 Cadet Greco-Roman national champions are eligible to return: Mac Bailey of Missouri (105), Dylan Carew of Iowa (112) and Brock Weatherman of Iowa (130). There are also three 2006 Cadet freestyle national champions who may come back to defend their titles: Jamie Clark of Ohio (91), Logan Stieber of Ohio (112) and Andrew Alton of Pennsylvania (125).
The Wells Fargo Insurance Services Cup champions in Cadet freestyle last year was Pennsylvania, followed by Ohio, Iowa, Kansas and New York. In Greco-Roman, capturing the 2006 Wells Fargo Insurance Services Cup was Iowa, with New York in second, followed by Pennsylvania, Missouri and Oregon.
The 2007 Cadet National Duals, presented by People to People, were held in June in Kansas City, Mo., and showcased many of the stars expected in Fargo. Team Illinois was the champion in Greco-Roman, with Minnesota in second, Pennsylvania in third, Wisconsin in fourth and Washington in fifth. In freestyle, Pennsylvania captured the team title, defeating host Missouri in the finals. New Jersey placed third, Minnesota finished fourth and Oklahoma was fifth.
The schedule of the week in Fargo has been condensed this year, covering fewer days of competition than previous years. The first day of competition is Saturday, July 21, with day one of the Cadet Greco-Roman event. The final day is Thursday, July 26, with the completion of the Junior freestyle event.
This is the conclusion of the quest for a Cadet Triple Crown, awarded to any athlete who wins USA Wrestling Cadet national titles in freestyle, Greco-Roman and folkstyle the same year. Now in its fifth year, only two athletes have ever won the Cadet Triple Crown, and none since 2004. Will there be a new Triple Crown champion this year?
The ASICS/Vaughan Junior and the Accelerade Cadet Nationals brings together hundreds of wrestling volunteers, including referees, pairing officials, coaches, state leaders and tournament operation workers, all who provide the opportunity for more than 4,000 athletes to pursue their dreams.
Follow the action each day in Fargo on TheMat.com (www.themat.com).
SCHEDULE FOR CHAMPIONSHIP FINALS
Accelerade Cadet Greco-Roman Nationals – Sunday, July 22 at 2:00 p.m.
ASICS/Vaughan Women’s Junior Nationals - Monday, July 23 at 3:00 p.m.
ASICS/Vaughan Junior Greco-Roman Nationals – Monday, July 23 at 5:00 p.m.
Women’s National Duals - Tuesday, July 24 at 2:00 p.m.
Cadet Freestyle Nationals – Wednesday, July 25 at 2:30 p.m.
Junior Freestyle Nationals – Thursday, July 26 at 6:00 p.m.