Training partners provide valuable support for Olympians, gain valuable experience for future
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by Craig Sesker
BEIJING, China - Spenser Mango knows how valuable the role of a training partner can play at a World Championships or an Olympic Games.
He served as a training partner for the 2007 United States team that won the Greco-Roman World title in Baku, Azerbaijan.
Mango learned as much as he could from the experience and it paid off this year when he made the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team. 2008 Olympian Adam Wheeler also was a training partner for that team.
"Watching those guys win last year just made me hungrier to be on the team," Mango said. "It was great seeing those guys win, but you want to be down there wrestling and contributing. It made me work a little harder so I could be in that position this year."
Each of the 16 U.S. Olympians brought a training partner with them to the Olympics in Beijing, China. The Olympians are allowed to pick their own training partners.
Having a workout partner not only gives the Olympians someone to train with, but someone that they can gain support from off the mat.
Unlike at a World Championships, the Olympians and training partners are not staying in the same place. The Olympic team members are in the Olympic Village while the training partners are at Beijing Normal University, where the wrestlers are practicing. It's about a 15-minute bus ride from the Olympic Village to BNU.
During his trip to Worlds as a training partner last year, Mango said he spent time studying other wrestlers in his weight class of 55 kg/121 lbs.
"You definitely get a feel for how the other guys in your weight class are wrestling," Mango said. "You can see what their go-to moves are and what moves are their high-scoring moves. I learned a lot just by watching."
Mango brought Willie Madison to Beijing as his training partner, but Madison tweaked his knee and now he is training with 2007 World Team member Joe Betterman. All three have been teammates at the U.S. Olympic Education Center program at Northern Michigan University.
"Those guys help me with everything," Mango said. "We get along great and we've known each other for four years. The comfort level is definitely there with those guys around. It's just like we're back in the United States getting ready for any other tournament. I have the same people helping me out and helping me get ready."
The U.S. traditionally will take up-and-coming wrestlers as training partners to big events like the Worlds or the Olympics to give them an idea of what an event of this magnitude is like.
"Being a training partner can provide a huge benefit for our young guys," U.S. Assistant National Coach Momir Petkovic said. "You can learn so much by just watching the World Championships and the Olympic Games. Spenser and Adam were training partners last year, but they didn't want to do that again. I'm sure watching what happened last year in Baku motivated them to make the team this year. They wanted to be out there competing."
Being a training partner also involves being selfless. Veteran Mark Rial beat Jake Deitchler in the finals of April's U.S. Nationals, but Deitchler bounced back to make the Olympic Team. Now Rial is here in Beijing as a training partner for the 18-year-old Deitchler.
"My role is to do whatever it takes to help Jake win a medal and help the other guys as much as I can," Rial said. "Of course, I would like to be a part of it. Part of me, it's tough being here because Wrestling in the Olympics was my dream. But I put that aside to help these guys. We have a great team and I want to help us win."
Rial and Deitchler worked out together on Monday morning at Beijing Normal.
"Jake's looking tough," Rial said. "When he's focused and determined, he is very tough. And he's really focused right now."
Deitchler said he picked Rial as a training partner for a reason.
"Mark's been huge for me in helping me get ready," Deitchler said. "I am real comfortable being around Mark and training with him. I know he will push me. He and his wife just had a baby, and I have a lot of appreciation for him for taking the time away from his family to come over to help me. He's very selfless to come over here and do this. It's been great.
He served as a training partner for the 2007 United States team that won the Greco-Roman World title in Baku, Azerbaijan.
Mango learned as much as he could from the experience and it paid off this year when he made the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team. 2008 Olympian Adam Wheeler also was a training partner for that team.
"Watching those guys win last year just made me hungrier to be on the team," Mango said. "It was great seeing those guys win, but you want to be down there wrestling and contributing. It made me work a little harder so I could be in that position this year."
Each of the 16 U.S. Olympians brought a training partner with them to the Olympics in Beijing, China. The Olympians are allowed to pick their own training partners.
Having a workout partner not only gives the Olympians someone to train with, but someone that they can gain support from off the mat.
Unlike at a World Championships, the Olympians and training partners are not staying in the same place. The Olympic team members are in the Olympic Village while the training partners are at Beijing Normal University, where the wrestlers are practicing. It's about a 15-minute bus ride from the Olympic Village to BNU.
During his trip to Worlds as a training partner last year, Mango said he spent time studying other wrestlers in his weight class of 55 kg/121 lbs.
"You definitely get a feel for how the other guys in your weight class are wrestling," Mango said. "You can see what their go-to moves are and what moves are their high-scoring moves. I learned a lot just by watching."
Mango brought Willie Madison to Beijing as his training partner, but Madison tweaked his knee and now he is training with 2007 World Team member Joe Betterman. All three have been teammates at the U.S. Olympic Education Center program at Northern Michigan University.
"Those guys help me with everything," Mango said. "We get along great and we've known each other for four years. The comfort level is definitely there with those guys around. It's just like we're back in the United States getting ready for any other tournament. I have the same people helping me out and helping me get ready."
The U.S. traditionally will take up-and-coming wrestlers as training partners to big events like the Worlds or the Olympics to give them an idea of what an event of this magnitude is like.
"Being a training partner can provide a huge benefit for our young guys," U.S. Assistant National Coach Momir Petkovic said. "You can learn so much by just watching the World Championships and the Olympic Games. Spenser and Adam were training partners last year, but they didn't want to do that again. I'm sure watching what happened last year in Baku motivated them to make the team this year. They wanted to be out there competing."
Being a training partner also involves being selfless. Veteran Mark Rial beat Jake Deitchler in the finals of April's U.S. Nationals, but Deitchler bounced back to make the Olympic Team. Now Rial is here in Beijing as a training partner for the 18-year-old Deitchler.
"My role is to do whatever it takes to help Jake win a medal and help the other guys as much as I can," Rial said. "Of course, I would like to be a part of it. Part of me, it's tough being here because Wrestling in the Olympics was my dream. But I put that aside to help these guys. We have a great team and I want to help us win."
Rial and Deitchler worked out together on Monday morning at Beijing Normal.
"Jake's looking tough," Rial said. "When he's focused and determined, he is very tough. And he's really focused right now."
Deitchler said he picked Rial as a training partner for a reason.
"Mark's been huge for me in helping me get ready," Deitchler said. "I am real comfortable being around Mark and training with him. I know he will push me. He and his wife just had a baby, and I have a lot of appreciation for him for taking the time away from his family to come over to help me. He's very selfless to come over here and do this. It's been great.
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