USAW

USA Wrestling Freestyle January Training Camp Being Held at the Olympic Training Center

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by Heather Van

The 2001 USA Wrestling Freestyle Training Camp will begin at the United States Olympic Training Complex in Colorado Springs, Colo. Monday, Jan. 22. The camp will run through Jan. 31. The camp will consist of members of the 2000 U.S. Olympic Team, 2000-01 Team USA members, along with U.S. Olympic Training Center freestyle resident athletes and other top U.S. stars. Former World Champions and six members of the 2000 Olympic team will be in attendance. 2000 Olympic medalists planning to attend include: silver medalists Sammie Henson (Norman, Okla./Sunkist Kids) and Terry Brands (Waverly, Neb./Hawkeye WC) and bronze medalist Lincoln McIlravy (Coralville, Iowa/Gateway WC). Henson, a 1998 World Champion, won his silver medal at 119 pounds. Brands, a 1993 and 1995 World Champion, won at 127.75 pounds. McIlravy is also a 1999 world silver medalist and 1998 world bronze medalist. He won the Olympic bronze medal at 152 pounds. Charles Burton (Bloomington, Ind./NYAC) and Kerry McCoy (Bethlehem, Pa./NYAC) both finished fifth at the 2000 Olympics. Burton competed at 187.25 pounds while McCoy wrestled at 286 pounds. 1993 World Champion Melvin Douglas (Mesa, Ariz./Sunkist Kids) competed in Sydney at 213.75 pounds and also competed in the 1996 Olympics. Many Team USA members are also planning to attend the training camp. Team USA members are ranked in the top three of their weight classes. 1999 World Champion Stephen Neal (Bakersfield, Calif./Dave Schultz WC) is planning to attend along with Joe Williams (Iowa City, Iowa/Hawkeye WC) who was fourth in the 1999 World Championships. Others on the list include: Eric Akin (Overland Park, Kan./Dave Schultz WC), Chris Bono (Ames, Iowa/Sunkist Kids), Kerry Boumans (Colorado Springs, Colo./Dave Schultz WC), Lee Fullhart (Iowa City, Iowa/Hawkeye WC), Eric Guerrero (Stillwater, Okla./Cowboy WC), Teague Moore (Pittsburgh, Pa./Sunkist Kids) and Bill Zadick (Iowa City, Iowa/Hawkeye WC). Many of the wrestlers attending the camp will be wrestling in some of the winter tours in February and March in Europe. The U.S. Nationals will be held in the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nev. April 12-14. For media who wish to attend the training camp, contact Heather Van Peursem at USA Wrestling at 719-598-8181. Look for feature stories and question and answers interviews with the Olympians on TheMat.com.