Quotes from 2007 U.S. National Champions in women's freestyle
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by Michelle Thilges
48 kg/105.5 lbs.
Stephanie Murata
On beating Mary Kelly
I don't know the experience was so much the answer as to that she came into me and I thought I got into her. I think it was a little experience a little luck.
On losing first period
I think it reinforced what I needed to do. I needed to be aggressive and I didn't do it in the first period. I think every year is a year to excel and some years are better than others.
How long she will be wrestling
I would like to go into next Olympic year.
51 kg/112.25 lbs.
Patricia Miranda
On her first period loss
I think you could use the word sloppy on my take down, it was a single underneath. Someone who is as good on defence as Jenny Wong is really knows how to use her leverage and her hips.
We grow in strategies and one of hers is to keep matches close and she is very good. She is very good defensively. I think she was waiting for me to take a bad shot so she could score.
On changing weights for the Olympics
I will likely be at 48 (kg). That was my Olympic weight last time around. 51 (kg) is my original weight. I get more time on mat less time on the tread mill.
On graduating law school
I'm graduating this May and I plan to train full time.
55 kg/121 lbs.
Marcie Van Dusen
On being injured for a year
I had an ACL rupture last year. (In) March I had the surgery. A lot of people think injuries hold you back but I think they make you a lot stronger. It shows how much you want it. You still have to work everyday and train everyday. If you can come back from an injury you can do anything.
Tina (George) is a really good competitor. I had to keep myself to the side so she wouldn't have a straight on angle on me. It was a big win for me. It's my first national championship.
59 kg/130 lbs.
Leigh Jaynes
She is naturally an aggressive wrestler and I knew she was going to come out swinging. I didn't expect anything less from Erin. I knew it was going to be a fight. And I wanted to slow her down a bit to score good points
About the call in the first period
I knew she wasn't pinned. I knew from the first two matches today they were going to be hard on calling pins. I knew I had to get her shoulder flat and it wasn't a pin.
On gaining confidence in other styles of wrestling
Beach wrestling and sombo it's fun for me. There is no pressure and it supplements my freestyle carrier. It was a plus I won two bronze medals. It is fun for me freestyle first priority.
On going from the hunter to the hunted
I prided myself in flying under the radar I think I just lost that.
67 kg/147.5 lbs.
Katie Downing
I learned that all the stuff I've been doing up to the worlds this year has gotten me this far. I got third place in the world. I had to change things up, open up a little more, work on a lot more offense. I have been working on more offensive leg attacks, more attacks to make them take bad shots and to score more off them.
Elena is my teammate and I work with her everyday. Women's wrestling is small anyway it happens all the time (that you wrestle someone you know.) You have to know how to separate how you feel about the person off the mat from getting the job done on the mat.
72 kg/158.5 lbs.
Kristie Marano
On hearing her mom cheering her on
As soon as I got the trip I heard my mom screaming. She has done that ever since high school.
On her injury this year
I'm coming off shoulder surgery and had to trial with that. No, it has not limited my offense. It makes me work with other things including the trip. I let it (the injury) progress so long that I tore a couple ligaments.
On tripping Smith
I'm not sure she walked into something. I think it was my judo instinct.
I was excited (to win). She had her sideline this year and I had my sideline this year. I haven't wrestled her since 1998 or 1999. It has been a long time. We split our ways I went down she went up. She pushed me and she is a great competitor. It will be interesting in the next couple months.
On being called the most decorated wrestler
It still gets me kind. It's kind of hard to believe. I look at it and I've gone and done clinics with little girls. They say that's so great. It's great for myself and good for the sport. I just go day-to-day. It is part of living. I double check myself at times. It is just something I do, it's just my job.
Stephanie Murata
On beating Mary Kelly
I don't know the experience was so much the answer as to that she came into me and I thought I got into her. I think it was a little experience a little luck.
On losing first period
I think it reinforced what I needed to do. I needed to be aggressive and I didn't do it in the first period. I think every year is a year to excel and some years are better than others.
How long she will be wrestling
I would like to go into next Olympic year.
51 kg/112.25 lbs.
Patricia Miranda
On her first period loss
I think you could use the word sloppy on my take down, it was a single underneath. Someone who is as good on defence as Jenny Wong is really knows how to use her leverage and her hips.
We grow in strategies and one of hers is to keep matches close and she is very good. She is very good defensively. I think she was waiting for me to take a bad shot so she could score.
On changing weights for the Olympics
I will likely be at 48 (kg). That was my Olympic weight last time around. 51 (kg) is my original weight. I get more time on mat less time on the tread mill.
On graduating law school
I'm graduating this May and I plan to train full time.
55 kg/121 lbs.
Marcie Van Dusen
On being injured for a year
I had an ACL rupture last year. (In) March I had the surgery. A lot of people think injuries hold you back but I think they make you a lot stronger. It shows how much you want it. You still have to work everyday and train everyday. If you can come back from an injury you can do anything.
Tina (George) is a really good competitor. I had to keep myself to the side so she wouldn't have a straight on angle on me. It was a big win for me. It's my first national championship.
59 kg/130 lbs.
Leigh Jaynes
She is naturally an aggressive wrestler and I knew she was going to come out swinging. I didn't expect anything less from Erin. I knew it was going to be a fight. And I wanted to slow her down a bit to score good points
About the call in the first period
I knew she wasn't pinned. I knew from the first two matches today they were going to be hard on calling pins. I knew I had to get her shoulder flat and it wasn't a pin.
On gaining confidence in other styles of wrestling
Beach wrestling and sombo it's fun for me. There is no pressure and it supplements my freestyle carrier. It was a plus I won two bronze medals. It is fun for me freestyle first priority.
On going from the hunter to the hunted
I prided myself in flying under the radar I think I just lost that.
67 kg/147.5 lbs.
Katie Downing
I learned that all the stuff I've been doing up to the worlds this year has gotten me this far. I got third place in the world. I had to change things up, open up a little more, work on a lot more offense. I have been working on more offensive leg attacks, more attacks to make them take bad shots and to score more off them.
Elena is my teammate and I work with her everyday. Women's wrestling is small anyway it happens all the time (that you wrestle someone you know.) You have to know how to separate how you feel about the person off the mat from getting the job done on the mat.
72 kg/158.5 lbs.
Kristie Marano
On hearing her mom cheering her on
As soon as I got the trip I heard my mom screaming. She has done that ever since high school.
On her injury this year
I'm coming off shoulder surgery and had to trial with that. No, it has not limited my offense. It makes me work with other things including the trip. I let it (the injury) progress so long that I tore a couple ligaments.
On tripping Smith
I'm not sure she walked into something. I think it was my judo instinct.
I was excited (to win). She had her sideline this year and I had my sideline this year. I haven't wrestled her since 1998 or 1999. It has been a long time. We split our ways I went down she went up. She pushed me and she is a great competitor. It will be interesting in the next couple months.
On being called the most decorated wrestler
It still gets me kind. It's kind of hard to believe. I look at it and I've gone and done clinics with little girls. They say that's so great. It's great for myself and good for the sport. I just go day-to-day. It is part of living. I double check myself at times. It is just something I do, it's just my job.
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