Dantzler, Gruenwald set for Olympic Greco-Roman qualifier in Rome
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by Craig Sesker
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Five-time World Team member T.C. Dantzler and two-time Olympian Jim Gruenwald are set to take their shots at qualifying the United States for the 2008 Olympic Games.
Dantzler and Gruenwald have been selected to compete at Greco-Roman Olympic Qualifying Tournament No. 1 on May 10-11 in Rome, Italy.
The top four wrestlers in each weight class from the first of two qualifiers will qualify their countries for the 2008 Olympics, set for Aug. 12-21 in Beijing, China. The second and final Olympic qualifier for Greco-Roman is scheduled for May 24-25 in Serbia.
Gruenwald (Marquette, Mich./Sunkist Kids) will compete on May 10 at 60 kg/132 lbs. while Dantzler (Colorado Springs, Colo./Gator WC) will wrestle on May 11 at 74 kg/163 lbs.
The U.S. team, which won the team title at the 2007 World Championships, already has qualified the other five Greco-Roman weight classes for the Olympics.
Gruenwald and Dantzler, both 37, were among the champions this past weekend at the U.S. Nationals in Las Vegas.
"I feel very confident that T.C. and Jim are ready and capable of qualifying their respective weight classes in Rome," U.S. National Coach Steve Fraser said. "The competition will be very strong, but both of these guys have proven many times they are capable of beating the best wrestlers in the World. I look forward to the opportunity to show the World we have a well-balanced team and that we can qualify for the Olympics in the last two weight classes."
Gruenwald retired shortly after the 2004 Olympics, but returned to the mat last fall. He placed second at the Sunkist Kids International Open last October to 2007 World Team member Joe Betterman, but Gruenwald rebounded to beat Betterman in the finals of the U.S. Nationals this past Friday.
"Jim's always been very talented and his strength has been wrestling on his feet," Fraser said. "He wrestled well on his feet and in par terre at Nationals."
No country has qualified more than five weight classes for the Olympics in Greco-Roman. In addition to the United States, Russia, Cuba and South Korea have qualified in five divisions. Every other country has four or fewer classes qualified for Beijing.
The U.S. has qualified 14 of 18 weight classes overall for the Olympics. The U.S. has qualified 5-of-7 classes in Greco-Roman, 6-of-7 classes in freestyle and 3-of-4 classes in women's freestyle. One qualifier remains in freestyle and two qualifiers remain in women's freestyle.
The U.S. still needs to qualify for the Olympics in freestyle at 60 kg/132 lbs. The women still need to qualify at 55 kg/121 lbs.
Dantzler and Gruenwald have been selected to compete at Greco-Roman Olympic Qualifying Tournament No. 1 on May 10-11 in Rome, Italy.
The top four wrestlers in each weight class from the first of two qualifiers will qualify their countries for the 2008 Olympics, set for Aug. 12-21 in Beijing, China. The second and final Olympic qualifier for Greco-Roman is scheduled for May 24-25 in Serbia.
Gruenwald (Marquette, Mich./Sunkist Kids) will compete on May 10 at 60 kg/132 lbs. while Dantzler (Colorado Springs, Colo./Gator WC) will wrestle on May 11 at 74 kg/163 lbs.
The U.S. team, which won the team title at the 2007 World Championships, already has qualified the other five Greco-Roman weight classes for the Olympics.
Gruenwald and Dantzler, both 37, were among the champions this past weekend at the U.S. Nationals in Las Vegas.
"I feel very confident that T.C. and Jim are ready and capable of qualifying their respective weight classes in Rome," U.S. National Coach Steve Fraser said. "The competition will be very strong, but both of these guys have proven many times they are capable of beating the best wrestlers in the World. I look forward to the opportunity to show the World we have a well-balanced team and that we can qualify for the Olympics in the last two weight classes."
Gruenwald retired shortly after the 2004 Olympics, but returned to the mat last fall. He placed second at the Sunkist Kids International Open last October to 2007 World Team member Joe Betterman, but Gruenwald rebounded to beat Betterman in the finals of the U.S. Nationals this past Friday.
"Jim's always been very talented and his strength has been wrestling on his feet," Fraser said. "He wrestled well on his feet and in par terre at Nationals."
No country has qualified more than five weight classes for the Olympics in Greco-Roman. In addition to the United States, Russia, Cuba and South Korea have qualified in five divisions. Every other country has four or fewer classes qualified for Beijing.
The U.S. has qualified 14 of 18 weight classes overall for the Olympics. The U.S. has qualified 5-of-7 classes in Greco-Roman, 6-of-7 classes in freestyle and 3-of-4 classes in women's freestyle. One qualifier remains in freestyle and two qualifiers remain in women's freestyle.
The U.S. still needs to qualify for the Olympics in freestyle at 60 kg/132 lbs. The women still need to qualify at 55 kg/121 lbs.
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