Olympic champion Momir Petkovic focused on helping U.S. Greco-Roman wrestlers strike gold at 2008 Olympics
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by Craig Sesker
U.S. Assistant National Greco-Roman Coach Momir Petkovic watches practice on Tuesday night at Beijing Normal University. Photo by Gary Abbott.
Click here for Olympic photo gallery
BEIJING, China - It happened 32 years ago.
But Momir Petkovic still vividly remembers everything about that special moment.
It was the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal, Canada and Petkovic reached the pinnacle of his sport by winning an Olympic gold medal for the former Yugoslavia.
"It was just an unbelievable joy to do something you dreamed about doing," Petkovic said after Tuesday night's practice at Beijing Normal University. "Everything came together in that one moment. When I was a kid, I looked up to the Olympic champions like they were Gods. To be able to win an Olympic gold medal, it was pretty special."
Now the Assistant National Coach for the United States Greco-Roman Wrestling Team, Petkovic is determined to see his athletes experience the same feeling he did more than three decades ago. The U.S. Greco-Roman Team will compete in the Olympic Games on Aug. 12-14 at the China Agricultural University Gymnasium.
One of Petkovic's top athletes is 2007 World silver medalist Brad Vering, a two-time Olympian. Vering is one of the favorites at 84 kg/185 lbs. in Beijing.
"Successful people talk about surrounding themselves with good people," Vering said. "That's a huge part of success because you're not just worried about yourself. Momir is a genuinely good person in every aspect of his life. He's just a huge example for anyone as a person. When you have that, it's easy to compete for someone like that because he's such an inspiration on and off the mat."
Even though he is in his 50s, Petkovic still is in fantastic shape. He does many of the conditioning workouts right alongside the team, including running the Incline in Colorado Springs. He was running around barefoot when the team played a soccer game during a cross-training workout on Sunday at Beijing Normal.
"You could see his competitive juices flowing in that soccer game," Vering said. "He's just a guy who is never going to grow old. He loves life and enjoys every second of whatever he does."
One significant difference between an Olympic Games and a World Championships is the size of the field in each weight class. Wrestlers have to qualify for the Olympics, meaning the field is around 20 wrestlers in each division compared to roughly twice as many in a weight class at a World Championships.
"Every second of every match is going to be a war, there is no question about that," Petkovic said. "This tournament is going to be very, very rough and tough right from the beginning all the way through the end."
Petkovic played a key role as the U.S. won the team title at the 2007 World Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan. It was the first Greco-Roman World team title in American history.
Only three members of that team - Vering, Dremiel Byers and T.C. Dantzler - made the 2008 Olympic Team. Three newcomers - Spenser Mango, Jake Deitchler and Adam Wheeler - made their first World-level teams after making the Olympic Team this year.
"The new guys were welcomed in like they were part of the family, which they are now," Petkovic said. "These guys care about each other and pull for each other. Spenser, Adam and Jake have fit in great with the veteran guys on the team. It's a great group to work with."
The U.S. has won three Olympic gold medals in its Greco-Roman history, but only one since 1984. Petkovic said he wouldn't be surprised if the U.S. won three gold medals next week in Beijing.
"That would be special to see them do it," Petkovic said. "We have a number of guys who are capable of winning a gold medal.
Click here for Olympic photo gallery
BEIJING, China - It happened 32 years ago.
But Momir Petkovic still vividly remembers everything about that special moment.
It was the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal, Canada and Petkovic reached the pinnacle of his sport by winning an Olympic gold medal for the former Yugoslavia.
"It was just an unbelievable joy to do something you dreamed about doing," Petkovic said after Tuesday night's practice at Beijing Normal University. "Everything came together in that one moment. When I was a kid, I looked up to the Olympic champions like they were Gods. To be able to win an Olympic gold medal, it was pretty special."
Now the Assistant National Coach for the United States Greco-Roman Wrestling Team, Petkovic is determined to see his athletes experience the same feeling he did more than three decades ago. The U.S. Greco-Roman Team will compete in the Olympic Games on Aug. 12-14 at the China Agricultural University Gymnasium.
One of Petkovic's top athletes is 2007 World silver medalist Brad Vering, a two-time Olympian. Vering is one of the favorites at 84 kg/185 lbs. in Beijing.
"Successful people talk about surrounding themselves with good people," Vering said. "That's a huge part of success because you're not just worried about yourself. Momir is a genuinely good person in every aspect of his life. He's just a huge example for anyone as a person. When you have that, it's easy to compete for someone like that because he's such an inspiration on and off the mat."
Even though he is in his 50s, Petkovic still is in fantastic shape. He does many of the conditioning workouts right alongside the team, including running the Incline in Colorado Springs. He was running around barefoot when the team played a soccer game during a cross-training workout on Sunday at Beijing Normal.
"You could see his competitive juices flowing in that soccer game," Vering said. "He's just a guy who is never going to grow old. He loves life and enjoys every second of whatever he does."
One significant difference between an Olympic Games and a World Championships is the size of the field in each weight class. Wrestlers have to qualify for the Olympics, meaning the field is around 20 wrestlers in each division compared to roughly twice as many in a weight class at a World Championships.
"Every second of every match is going to be a war, there is no question about that," Petkovic said. "This tournament is going to be very, very rough and tough right from the beginning all the way through the end."
Petkovic played a key role as the U.S. won the team title at the 2007 World Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan. It was the first Greco-Roman World team title in American history.
Only three members of that team - Vering, Dremiel Byers and T.C. Dantzler - made the 2008 Olympic Team. Three newcomers - Spenser Mango, Jake Deitchler and Adam Wheeler - made their first World-level teams after making the Olympic Team this year.
"The new guys were welcomed in like they were part of the family, which they are now," Petkovic said. "These guys care about each other and pull for each other. Spenser, Adam and Jake have fit in great with the veteran guys on the team. It's a great group to work with."
The U.S. has won three Olympic gold medals in its Greco-Roman history, but only one since 1984. Petkovic said he wouldn't be surprised if the U.S. won three gold medals next week in Beijing.
"That would be special to see them do it," Petkovic said. "We have a number of guys who are capable of winning a gold medal.
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