U.S. Olympic Greco-Roman Team arrives in Beijing
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by Craig Sesker
T.C. Dantzler arrives at the Beijing airport on Saturday afternoon. Photo by Gary Abbott.
Click here for Olympic photo gallery
BEIJING, China - T.C. Dantzler has waited a long time for this moment.
Even though he was a little groggy from the marathon, 12-hour flight from San Francisco to Beijing, Dantzler was all smiles as he walked through Beijing Capital International Airport late Saturday afternoon.
The 37-year-old Dantzler has made the last five U.S. World Teams, but this is his first trip to the Olympic Games. He is scheduled to compete in the Olympics on Aug. 13 at the China Agriculture University Gymnasium.
Dantzler and the U.S. Olympic Greco-Roman wrestlers and coaches were the first American wrestling team to arrive in Beijing. The men's and women's freestyle teams are due in next week.
"Man, it's very exciting to be here and everybody is excited about bringing home that gold medal," Dantzler said. "Now that I'm here in Beijing, I can't wait to get out there and compete. I'm ready to go."
Brad Vering has been here before, but his trip to the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece ended in a first-round loss. The 30-year-old Vering has improved considerably since then.
Vering won a World silver medal last year at 84 kg/185 lbs. in leading the U.S. to its first-ever team title in Greco-Roman.
"It's rejuvenating to get here," Vering said. "It's been a long trip, but it's everything we've been expecting and more since we got here. It's just beautiful. Now is when you start really realizing you're an Olympian and this is it. You're here and you're ready to compete. Once we get a little bit of rest and get ready to roll, we're 10 days out from competing."
The U.S. Greco-Roman Team is scheduled to hold its first practice in Beijing on Sunday afternoon. The team will practice at Beijing Normal University, where a number of American Olympic squads are practicing.
The U.S. team is coached by a pair of Olympic champions in U.S. National Coach Steve Fraser and Assistant National Coach Momir Petkovic.
Fraser became the first U.S. Olympic Greco-Roman champion in 1984 in Los Angeles.
"We're feeling good, and we're excited to get acclimated and get going," Fraser said. "There is a special feeling you get from taking part in an Olympic Games. We're ready to do well and have a great performance."
Petkovic won an Olympic gold medal for the former Yugoslavia at the 1976 Olympics in Montreal, Canada.
"This obviously is a huge event - it only comes along every four years so there is a lot at stake," Petkovic said. "We have a little bit younger team, but our team is real solid. We just have to go out there and keep our focus, and good things will happen."
The Greco-Roman team traveled on the same flight with U.S. Olympians in women's volleyball and track and field.
The U.S. Greco-Roman squad will compete on Aug. 12-14. Spenser Mango will compete at 55 kg/121 lbs. on Aug. 12. Jake Deitchler (66 kg/145.5 lbs.) and Dantzler will wrestle on Aug. 13. Vering, Adam Wheeler (96 kg/211.5 lbs.) and Dremiel Byers (120 kg/264.5 lbs.) are scheduled to wrestle on Aug. 14.
"We have a real nice mix of veterans and young guys on this team," Fraser said. "These young guys bring a lot to this team. This team has real good chemistry and gets along real well with each other. We're working real hard and everybody has the same mission. So it's been great."
The U.S. hopes to carry the momentum of winning the 2007 World Team title into the competition in Beijing.
"We're the defending World champions and we feel good about that," Fraser said. "But we're not taking anything for granted. I believe that every guy on our team, all six guys, can win a medal. They're going to have to bring their 'A' game and wrestle like they've never wrestled before. I'm confident we have great potential to do very well here, we just have to go out and do it.
Click here for Olympic photo gallery
BEIJING, China - T.C. Dantzler has waited a long time for this moment.
Even though he was a little groggy from the marathon, 12-hour flight from San Francisco to Beijing, Dantzler was all smiles as he walked through Beijing Capital International Airport late Saturday afternoon.
The 37-year-old Dantzler has made the last five U.S. World Teams, but this is his first trip to the Olympic Games. He is scheduled to compete in the Olympics on Aug. 13 at the China Agriculture University Gymnasium.
Dantzler and the U.S. Olympic Greco-Roman wrestlers and coaches were the first American wrestling team to arrive in Beijing. The men's and women's freestyle teams are due in next week.
"Man, it's very exciting to be here and everybody is excited about bringing home that gold medal," Dantzler said. "Now that I'm here in Beijing, I can't wait to get out there and compete. I'm ready to go."
Brad Vering has been here before, but his trip to the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece ended in a first-round loss. The 30-year-old Vering has improved considerably since then.
Vering won a World silver medal last year at 84 kg/185 lbs. in leading the U.S. to its first-ever team title in Greco-Roman.
"It's rejuvenating to get here," Vering said. "It's been a long trip, but it's everything we've been expecting and more since we got here. It's just beautiful. Now is when you start really realizing you're an Olympian and this is it. You're here and you're ready to compete. Once we get a little bit of rest and get ready to roll, we're 10 days out from competing."
The U.S. Greco-Roman Team is scheduled to hold its first practice in Beijing on Sunday afternoon. The team will practice at Beijing Normal University, where a number of American Olympic squads are practicing.
The U.S. team is coached by a pair of Olympic champions in U.S. National Coach Steve Fraser and Assistant National Coach Momir Petkovic.
Fraser became the first U.S. Olympic Greco-Roman champion in 1984 in Los Angeles.
"We're feeling good, and we're excited to get acclimated and get going," Fraser said. "There is a special feeling you get from taking part in an Olympic Games. We're ready to do well and have a great performance."
Petkovic won an Olympic gold medal for the former Yugoslavia at the 1976 Olympics in Montreal, Canada.
"This obviously is a huge event - it only comes along every four years so there is a lot at stake," Petkovic said. "We have a little bit younger team, but our team is real solid. We just have to go out there and keep our focus, and good things will happen."
The Greco-Roman team traveled on the same flight with U.S. Olympians in women's volleyball and track and field.
The U.S. Greco-Roman squad will compete on Aug. 12-14. Spenser Mango will compete at 55 kg/121 lbs. on Aug. 12. Jake Deitchler (66 kg/145.5 lbs.) and Dantzler will wrestle on Aug. 13. Vering, Adam Wheeler (96 kg/211.5 lbs.) and Dremiel Byers (120 kg/264.5 lbs.) are scheduled to wrestle on Aug. 14.
"We have a real nice mix of veterans and young guys on this team," Fraser said. "These young guys bring a lot to this team. This team has real good chemistry and gets along real well with each other. We're working real hard and everybody has the same mission. So it's been great."
The U.S. hopes to carry the momentum of winning the 2007 World Team title into the competition in Beijing.
"We're the defending World champions and we feel good about that," Fraser said. "But we're not taking anything for granted. I believe that every guy on our team, all six guys, can win a medal. They're going to have to bring their 'A' game and wrestle like they've never wrestled before. I'm confident we have great potential to do very well here, we just have to go out and do it.
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