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In the Clinch

By Ted Witulski NCEP Coordinator
09/22/2000

Close matches were the staple of the finals in Dallas this summer. With such a lifelong dream on the line, a trip to the Olympics, many of the matches that had close calls were appealed. Kevin Bracken found himself in the position of being part of an appealed match at the Olympic Trials. In fact, he bears the distinction of being declared the winner of three matches in Dallas, but being only credited for winning two---enough to send him to Sydney as an Olympian. After the first period of the first match, there was no scoring. The flip of the coin would determine who would lock first. The "clinch" has become a position or rule that many wrestlers have come to hate. After this summer though Bracken might remember it fondly. In the clinch the wrestler who is lucky enough to lock first because of the flip of the coin seemingly has a distinct advantage. Bracken grabbed his lock tightly and Glenn Nieradka the 1999 National Champ and Pan-Am Bronze medalist reluctantly grabbed his. The advantage of the first lock was overwhelming as the referee blew the whistle. Bracken stepped in deeply and launched Nieradka in an arching body-lock. Later, through the appeals process that is afforded to all athletes to protect their rights, Kevin Bracken's victory was overturned and the match was slated to be re-wrestled. In the second match, but officially the first match once again there was no scoring. And, once again the coin toss went to Bracken. Once again, in the clinch, Bracken locked tightly and hit an arching body-lock after the referee blew the whistle. In this match, the clinch was ruled legally applied and the win stood for Bracken the 2000 National Champion, who just the year before had slipped to third on the National team ladder. In the final match, Bracken didn't let it go to the clinch. He took a convincing lead in the first period and did not relinquish his grip-it's no wonder he had plenty of practice in the clinch!
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