Marano named 2007 Women’s Wrestler of the Year by USA Wrestling
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by Gary Abbott
Kristie Marano (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) was named 2007 Women's Wrestler of the Year by USA Wrestling. It is the fifth time in her career and the second year in a row that Marano has won this prestigious award (1998, 2000, 2002, 2006, 2007).
Marano was a World silver medalist at 72 kg/158.5 lbs. in women's freestyle wrestling at the World Wrestling Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan in September. It was the top performance by a U.S. wrestler at the competition.
At the World Championships, Marano won three straight matches to qualify for the finals. She defeated Agnieska Wieczczek of Poland, 3-0, 1-0, then pinned Maider Under of Spain in the second match, 1-0, 1-6, 1:13. In the semifinals, she pinned 2004 Olympic silver medalist Guzel Manurova of Russia in 49 seconds. In the gold-medal match, Marano dropped a 3-0, 3-0 decision to 2006 World champion Stanka Zlateva of Bulgaria.
Marano tied a U.S. record for all three styles by winning her ninth World medal. Amazingly, she's won a medal in all nine trips to the Worlds, going nine-for-nine in her career. She tied men's freestyle superstar Bruce Baumgartner with nine World medals.
She won a gold medal at the 2007 Pan American Games in Rio de Janiero, Brazil, in July, the major multi-sport event held every four years. Marano was one of two U.S. champions in women's freestyle wrestling. She pinned Canada's Ohenewa Akuffo in the gold medal finals in the first period.
Marano won the title at the U.S. World Team Trials in Las Vegas, Nev. in June. It was her seventh career victory at the World Team Trials. She defeated Stephany Lee of the Sunkist Kids in the finals series in two straight matches. She also won the title at the U.S. Nationals championships in Las Vegas, Nev. in April. It was her ninth career U.S. Nationals gold medal, tieing her for second in history among U.S. women wrestlers. She pinned 2005 World champion Iris Smith of the U.S. Army in the finals.
She also won a silver medal at the Warsaw Cup in Warsaw, Poland in August. Her only loss was to 2006 World champion Stanka Zlateva of Bulgaria.
Marano is a U.S. Olympic Training Center resident athlete. She is originally from Albany, N.Y., where she competed on the wrestling team at Colonie Central High School.
PAST WOMEN'S WRESTLER OF THE YEAR AWARD WINNERS
2007 - Kristie Marano, Colorado Springs, Colo., New York AC
2006 - Kristie Marano, Colorado Springs, Colo., New York AC
2005 - Iris Smith, Colorado Springs, Colo. U.S. Army
2004 - Sara McMann, Lock Haven, Pa., Sunkist Kids
2003 - Patricia Miranda, Colorado Springs, Colo., Dave Schultz WC
2002 - Kristie Marano, Albany, N.Y., ATWA
2001 - Toccara Montgomery, Cleveland, Ohio, Sunkist Kids
2000 - Kristie Marano, Albany, N.Y., ATWA
1999 - Tricia Saunders, Phoenix, Ariz., Sunkist Kids
1998 - Kristie Stenglein, Albany, N.Y., ATWA
1997 - Sandra Bacher, San Jose, Calif., Dave Schultz WC
1996 - Tricia Saunders, Phoenix, Ariz., Sunkist Kids
1995 - Vickie Zummo, Hamburg, N.J., New York AC
1994 - Shannon Williams, Ontario, Calif., Sunkist Kids
1993 - Tricia Saunders, Phoenix, Ariz., Sunkist Kids
Marano was a World silver medalist at 72 kg/158.5 lbs. in women's freestyle wrestling at the World Wrestling Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan in September. It was the top performance by a U.S. wrestler at the competition.
At the World Championships, Marano won three straight matches to qualify for the finals. She defeated Agnieska Wieczczek of Poland, 3-0, 1-0, then pinned Maider Under of Spain in the second match, 1-0, 1-6, 1:13. In the semifinals, she pinned 2004 Olympic silver medalist Guzel Manurova of Russia in 49 seconds. In the gold-medal match, Marano dropped a 3-0, 3-0 decision to 2006 World champion Stanka Zlateva of Bulgaria.
Marano tied a U.S. record for all three styles by winning her ninth World medal. Amazingly, she's won a medal in all nine trips to the Worlds, going nine-for-nine in her career. She tied men's freestyle superstar Bruce Baumgartner with nine World medals.
She won a gold medal at the 2007 Pan American Games in Rio de Janiero, Brazil, in July, the major multi-sport event held every four years. Marano was one of two U.S. champions in women's freestyle wrestling. She pinned Canada's Ohenewa Akuffo in the gold medal finals in the first period.
Marano won the title at the U.S. World Team Trials in Las Vegas, Nev. in June. It was her seventh career victory at the World Team Trials. She defeated Stephany Lee of the Sunkist Kids in the finals series in two straight matches. She also won the title at the U.S. Nationals championships in Las Vegas, Nev. in April. It was her ninth career U.S. Nationals gold medal, tieing her for second in history among U.S. women wrestlers. She pinned 2005 World champion Iris Smith of the U.S. Army in the finals.
She also won a silver medal at the Warsaw Cup in Warsaw, Poland in August. Her only loss was to 2006 World champion Stanka Zlateva of Bulgaria.
Marano is a U.S. Olympic Training Center resident athlete. She is originally from Albany, N.Y., where she competed on the wrestling team at Colonie Central High School.
PAST WOMEN'S WRESTLER OF THE YEAR AWARD WINNERS
2007 - Kristie Marano, Colorado Springs, Colo., New York AC
2006 - Kristie Marano, Colorado Springs, Colo., New York AC
2005 - Iris Smith, Colorado Springs, Colo. U.S. Army
2004 - Sara McMann, Lock Haven, Pa., Sunkist Kids
2003 - Patricia Miranda, Colorado Springs, Colo., Dave Schultz WC
2002 - Kristie Marano, Albany, N.Y., ATWA
2001 - Toccara Montgomery, Cleveland, Ohio, Sunkist Kids
2000 - Kristie Marano, Albany, N.Y., ATWA
1999 - Tricia Saunders, Phoenix, Ariz., Sunkist Kids
1998 - Kristie Stenglein, Albany, N.Y., ATWA
1997 - Sandra Bacher, San Jose, Calif., Dave Schultz WC
1996 - Tricia Saunders, Phoenix, Ariz., Sunkist Kids
1995 - Vickie Zummo, Hamburg, N.J., New York AC
1994 - Shannon Williams, Ontario, Calif., Sunkist Kids
1993 - Tricia Saunders, Phoenix, Ariz., Sunkist Kids
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