World bronze medalist Daniel Cormier ready to take aim at winning Olympic gold in 2008
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by Craig Sesker
CHANDLER, Ariz. - Daniel Cormier has always had the potential.
The potential, talent and ability to wrestle with, and beat, the best freestyle wrestlers on the planet.
After near-misses at the 2003 World Championships and 2004 Olympics, Cormier was able to fulfill some of that potential by winning his first World Championships medal in 2007.
The bronze medal Cormier won last month in Baku, Azerbaijan, provided a sense of relief and accomplishment for Cormier. It also rekindled a fire in Cormier to win a gold medal at wrestling's top level.
He now turns his focus toward his quest to win the gold medal at 96 kg/211.5 lbs. at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China. Cormier placed fourth at the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece.
"Winning that World medal, I can use that as a springboard going into the Olympic year," said Cormier, who was in attendance at the Sunkist Kids International Open on Saturday. "With the talent that I have, there come a lot of expectations to be on the medal stand. To finally get there, now I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. I know I can get it done now and I know I can win a gold medal.
"It was just a big weight off my shoulders to finally wrestle well in a big tournament. I hadn't wrestled well in two years. I wrestled well at the World Championships, for the most part, but I know I can wrestle better. I'm just going to work harder next year, so hopefully bigger things come my way."
Cormier was the lone medalist for the U.S. in freestyle at the World Championships. The American team placed fourth in the team standings and had four other wrestlers place fifth.
"Look at what our freestyle team just did last week at Belarus," he said. "We have guys already doing well overseas and training hard to get ready for 2008. Guys are getting on the mat earlier this year. Nobody is satisfied with what we did in Azerbaijan at the Worlds. We had five guys wrestle for medals. A couple more wins and we have a pretty good tournament. Our guys are very motivated. We are going to train harder and wrestle smarter and win more medals next year."
Cormier said he hopes to return to competition in early December when the U.S. freestyle team competes against Russia in a dual meet in Moscow. Cormier is eager for another shot at Olympic and World champion Khadshimourad Gatsalov of Russia.
"I haven't wrestled him since 2004," Cormier said. "I'm really looking forward to it. If I can do well against him, it just kind of shoots you a little harder into 2008."
Cormier credited the influence of 2007 World Team coach Kerry McCoy for helping him break through and win his first World medal.
"Kerry did a great job preparing me and motivating me for the World Championships this year," Cormier said. "He was my individual coach, and he also would get out there on the mat and work out with me. He was always so positive. Coach (Kevin) Jackson, Coach (Terry) Brands and Coach (John) Smith, all those guys helped me a ton too. But Kerry was really there for me every step of the way as a coach and a friend, and we had some really good talks. I can't thank him enough for his help."
Cormier said he never lost faith that he could win a medal.
"It obviously should've happened earlier, but a lot of that was my fault," Cormier said. "I had a lot of distractions in my life and a lot of things I wasn't doing right. When you're not doing everything right, it's kind of hard to accomplish your goals. So when you start getting your life in order then it becomes easier to get things done.
"I never doubted that I could do this. I just tried to stay positive and tried to keep working. I'm not going to stop until I win that gold medal."
Marano serving as a coach
Kristie Marano, fresh off winning her record-tying ninth World Championships medal, was helping out as a coach on Saturday.
Marano, who competes for the New York Athletic Club, won a silver medal in women's freestyle at the 2007 World Championships on Sept. 23 in Baku, Azerbaijan.
She now begins training for her next goal - a spot on the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team.
Foreign flavor present at Sunkist
There is plenty of foreign flavor featured at the Sunkist event.
Wrestlers are here from Japan, Russia, India, Canada, Mexico, Mongolia and El Salvador.
There were nine wrestlers from Japan competing in Greco-Roman on Saturday.
Russia had seven women competing Saturday, including Olympic silver medalist Guzel Manyurova at 72 kg/158.5 lbs. Manyurova placed third at the 2007 Worlds after falling to Marano in the semifinals.
Oklahoma City University women hit the mats
The new women's program at Oklahoma City University was well-represented Saturday with 20 wrestlers competing.
Seven of the 21 wrestlers at 48 kg/105.5 lbs. were from Oklahoma City.
Double duty for Konrad
Cole Konrad, who capped his collegiate career by winning his second NCAA title for Minnesota last March, is competing in Greco-Roman and freestyle at 120 kg/264.5 lbs. this weekend.
Konrad fell to Canadian World Team member Ari Taub in the first round of the Greco competition on Saturday. He is scheduled to compete in freestyle on Sunday.
Konrad had to make weight on back-to-back days. Wrestlers are given a two-kilogram allowance for the Sunkist event.
Konrad placed second at the 2007 U.S. Nationals in freestyle.
The potential, talent and ability to wrestle with, and beat, the best freestyle wrestlers on the planet.
After near-misses at the 2003 World Championships and 2004 Olympics, Cormier was able to fulfill some of that potential by winning his first World Championships medal in 2007.
The bronze medal Cormier won last month in Baku, Azerbaijan, provided a sense of relief and accomplishment for Cormier. It also rekindled a fire in Cormier to win a gold medal at wrestling's top level.
He now turns his focus toward his quest to win the gold medal at 96 kg/211.5 lbs. at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China. Cormier placed fourth at the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece.
"Winning that World medal, I can use that as a springboard going into the Olympic year," said Cormier, who was in attendance at the Sunkist Kids International Open on Saturday. "With the talent that I have, there come a lot of expectations to be on the medal stand. To finally get there, now I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. I know I can get it done now and I know I can win a gold medal.
"It was just a big weight off my shoulders to finally wrestle well in a big tournament. I hadn't wrestled well in two years. I wrestled well at the World Championships, for the most part, but I know I can wrestle better. I'm just going to work harder next year, so hopefully bigger things come my way."
Cormier was the lone medalist for the U.S. in freestyle at the World Championships. The American team placed fourth in the team standings and had four other wrestlers place fifth.
"Look at what our freestyle team just did last week at Belarus," he said. "We have guys already doing well overseas and training hard to get ready for 2008. Guys are getting on the mat earlier this year. Nobody is satisfied with what we did in Azerbaijan at the Worlds. We had five guys wrestle for medals. A couple more wins and we have a pretty good tournament. Our guys are very motivated. We are going to train harder and wrestle smarter and win more medals next year."
Cormier said he hopes to return to competition in early December when the U.S. freestyle team competes against Russia in a dual meet in Moscow. Cormier is eager for another shot at Olympic and World champion Khadshimourad Gatsalov of Russia.
"I haven't wrestled him since 2004," Cormier said. "I'm really looking forward to it. If I can do well against him, it just kind of shoots you a little harder into 2008."
Cormier credited the influence of 2007 World Team coach Kerry McCoy for helping him break through and win his first World medal.
"Kerry did a great job preparing me and motivating me for the World Championships this year," Cormier said. "He was my individual coach, and he also would get out there on the mat and work out with me. He was always so positive. Coach (Kevin) Jackson, Coach (Terry) Brands and Coach (John) Smith, all those guys helped me a ton too. But Kerry was really there for me every step of the way as a coach and a friend, and we had some really good talks. I can't thank him enough for his help."
Cormier said he never lost faith that he could win a medal.
"It obviously should've happened earlier, but a lot of that was my fault," Cormier said. "I had a lot of distractions in my life and a lot of things I wasn't doing right. When you're not doing everything right, it's kind of hard to accomplish your goals. So when you start getting your life in order then it becomes easier to get things done.
"I never doubted that I could do this. I just tried to stay positive and tried to keep working. I'm not going to stop until I win that gold medal."
Marano serving as a coach
Kristie Marano, fresh off winning her record-tying ninth World Championships medal, was helping out as a coach on Saturday.
Marano, who competes for the New York Athletic Club, won a silver medal in women's freestyle at the 2007 World Championships on Sept. 23 in Baku, Azerbaijan.
She now begins training for her next goal - a spot on the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team.
Foreign flavor present at Sunkist
There is plenty of foreign flavor featured at the Sunkist event.
Wrestlers are here from Japan, Russia, India, Canada, Mexico, Mongolia and El Salvador.
There were nine wrestlers from Japan competing in Greco-Roman on Saturday.
Russia had seven women competing Saturday, including Olympic silver medalist Guzel Manyurova at 72 kg/158.5 lbs. Manyurova placed third at the 2007 Worlds after falling to Marano in the semifinals.
Oklahoma City University women hit the mats
The new women's program at Oklahoma City University was well-represented Saturday with 20 wrestlers competing.
Seven of the 21 wrestlers at 48 kg/105.5 lbs. were from Oklahoma City.
Double duty for Konrad
Cole Konrad, who capped his collegiate career by winning his second NCAA title for Minnesota last March, is competing in Greco-Roman and freestyle at 120 kg/264.5 lbs. this weekend.
Konrad fell to Canadian World Team member Ari Taub in the first round of the Greco competition on Saturday. He is scheduled to compete in freestyle on Sunday.
Konrad had to make weight on back-to-back days. Wrestlers are given a two-kilogram allowance for the Sunkist event.
Konrad placed second at the 2007 U.S. Nationals in freestyle.
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