USA Wrestling Stories & Updates

Posted on | January 6, 2012 | No Comments

Greetings – Each week this year, from now through the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in Iowa City and the Summer Olympic Games in London, England, USA Wrestling will send a short email, with updates on the sport as well as story ideas on our athletes and activities. The idea is to make them brief and timely, allowing media to do necessary follow-up as appropriate. Let us know how else we can help you.

Current news items

U.S. Olympic Trials all-session ticket sales have reached 6,000 with four months to go.

http://themat.com/section.php?section_id=3&page=showarticle&ArticleID=24522

2008 Olympian Jake Deitchler, a Beijing phenom, ends career due to concussions

http://themat.com/section.php?section_id=3&page=showarticle&ArticleID=24523

Olympian, champion coach, USA Wrestling leader Myron Roderick dies at 77

http://www.themat.com/section.php?section_id=3&page=showarticle&ArticleID=24506

Metcalf to wrestle Canadian Garcia in match at No. 1 Iowa v No. 2 Oklahoma State dual Jan 7

http://www.themat.com/section.php?section_id=3&page=showarticle&ArticleID=24514

Olympic Trials field has grown to 159 athletes after December’s US Open for Greco/Women

http://www.themat.com/section.php?section_id=3&page=showarticle&ArticleID=24495

Things to watch ahead

National Team Training Camps in Colorado Springs in January – Camps for all three Olympic style programs set at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in January, in addition to regular resident athlete practices.
Competitions which will feature U.S. athletes in the month ahead include:

– January 14-15 – Mongolia Open, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia (W)

– January 21 – Guelph Open, Guelph, Canada (W)

– January 27 – 29 – Ivan Yarygin Memorial, Krasnoyarsk, Russia (FS/W)

– January 28 – Kiki Cup – duals; Colorado Springs, Colo. (GR)

– January 28 – WCWA Women College Nationals, King College, Tenn. (OTrials qualifier)

– Feb. 2 –4 – Dave Schultz Memorial, Colorado Springs, Colo. (GR/FS/W)

This week’s USA Wrestling Story Ideas

(more detailed information available)

Olympic champions making comeback – Four past Olympic wrestling champions have either made a comeback or have indicated they plan to try out for the 2012 Olympic Team – Henry Cejudo (2008), Cael Sanderson (2004), Rulon Gardner (2000), Kurt Angle (1996). Each has their own story concerning their reasons for wrestling again.

Wrestling-hungry Iowa City to host 2012 Olympic Trials – Iowa City, Iowa, home of the Univ. of Iowa and its storied wrestling program, is hosting the 2012 Olympic Trials at Carver-Hawkeye Arena, April 21-22. Home of the legend Dan Gable and location of much wrestling history, it aims to set attendance records.

New World champion Jordan Burroughs had amazing year – In 2011, Jordan Burroughs won these events in order: NCAA Championships (his second), named Dan Hodge Trophy winner as top college wrestler, U.S. Open, Beat the Streets Dual, U.S. World Team Trials, Ukrainian Memorial, World Championships, Pan American Games. This New Jersey native and Univ. of Nebraska grad is taking the world by storm at 74 kg in freestyle

Born in Russia, raised in Massachusetts, Elena Pirozhkova is Olympic medal hopeful – 2010 World silver medalist Elena Pirozhkova moved to the USA as a small child from wrestling rich Russia, and has become a top medal favorite. After high school, she went straight to the U.S. Olympic Training Center, where her career has thrived. She has been on four straight World Teams.

Varner learning from Olympic champion in his quest for his own gold – California native Jake Varner wrestled under 2004 Olympic champion Cael Sanderson at Iowa State. When Sanderson took the coaching job at Penn State, Varner stayed at Iowa State to finish college, winning his second NCAA title. He has since moved to Penn State to train with his mentor. Varner won a 2011 World bronze medal training with Sanderson and seeks his own Olympic gold.