Brad Vering and T.C. Dantzler warm up for practice on the wrestling mats used by the Olympic Team at Beijing Normal University. Gary Abbott photo
It is named Beijing Normal University, and normally serves as a teaching college for Chinese students. However, during the Olympic Games, it has been transformed into a high performance training center and base of operations for the U.S. Olympic Teams.
It may be called Normal, but, for the U.S. athletes, coaches and delegation members, it is simply spectacular.
BNU, as it is called among the U.S. Olympians, is a dormitory, a dining hall, a workout facility and a safe haven.
All you have to do is ask one of the U.S. team members, and they will tell you how much it means to them.
"It is great," said Olympic freestyle star Henry Cejudo. "The opponents aren't in the same room with us training. We have everything. PowerAde, a 24 Hour Fitness. Having more space makes a big difference to us. We get better warm-ups, more techniques and just more good wrestling."
The Olympic athletes and coaches live in the Athlete Village and eat there when they are in that location. They take a short bus ride from the Village out to BNU, where they have access to two gymnasiums, a number of athletic fields and the dormitory and cafeteria. The Olympians can concentrate on their workouts, and even catch a meal prepared by USOC cooks if the timing is right. There is a complete medical staff there, for all of the needs that an Olympian might need.
"It is ideal. We can't ask for better," said National Freestyle Coach Kevin Jackson. "I have talked to coaches from other nations. They go 40 minutes on a bus to train, where they share with other teams. This is an advantage for our team. We are doing our best to take advantage of this."
Living in the BNU dormitory are many of USA Wrestling's staff, including additional coaches, as well as all of the training partners for the Olympic athletes. They have a nice room with proper amenities, dining hall privileges, and the ability to help the Olympians in workouts.
"This is top notch," said 2006 World champion Bill Zadick, one of the training partners who is staying at BNU. "This is as good as you get anywhere. The food is like a five-star restaurant. The room is clean and the beds are made. Everything is here so we can do what we need. This place is awesome."
This is not just for wrestling. Almost every U.S. Olympic team comes to BNU to train. One of the teams which train here is the men's Olympic basketball team. Each of the sports have their own facility, with everything that they would need to train just like they were home in the United States.
The wrestling room is in the basement of one of the gymnasiums. It has almost three full mats. There is a sauna which has been set up outside under a staircase. In addition, the teams have used some of the fields for soccer and other cross-training situations. All three teams in wrestling use the facilities, and there have been workouts where all three teams are there at the same time.
When you see U.S. wrestlers winning medals in Beijing this week, you can give credit to the U.S. Olympic Committee's planning and execution with the BNU facilities.
"The USOC did a great job," said Assistant National Freestyle Coach Terry Brands. "They have been thinking of the things we needed, and spent a lot of time and effort to get them. It is as close to home as you can get. They give us what we need, and I appreciate them for that.
It is named Beijing Normal University, and normally serves as a teaching college for Chinese students. However, during the Olympic Games, it has been transformed into a high performance training center and base of operations for the U.S. Olympic Teams.
It may be called Normal, but, for the U.S. athletes, coaches and delegation members, it is simply spectacular.
BNU, as it is called among the U.S. Olympians, is a dormitory, a dining hall, a workout facility and a safe haven.
All you have to do is ask one of the U.S. team members, and they will tell you how much it means to them.
"It is great," said Olympic freestyle star Henry Cejudo. "The opponents aren't in the same room with us training. We have everything. PowerAde, a 24 Hour Fitness. Having more space makes a big difference to us. We get better warm-ups, more techniques and just more good wrestling."
The Olympic athletes and coaches live in the Athlete Village and eat there when they are in that location. They take a short bus ride from the Village out to BNU, where they have access to two gymnasiums, a number of athletic fields and the dormitory and cafeteria. The Olympians can concentrate on their workouts, and even catch a meal prepared by USOC cooks if the timing is right. There is a complete medical staff there, for all of the needs that an Olympian might need.
"It is ideal. We can't ask for better," said National Freestyle Coach Kevin Jackson. "I have talked to coaches from other nations. They go 40 minutes on a bus to train, where they share with other teams. This is an advantage for our team. We are doing our best to take advantage of this."
Living in the BNU dormitory are many of USA Wrestling's staff, including additional coaches, as well as all of the training partners for the Olympic athletes. They have a nice room with proper amenities, dining hall privileges, and the ability to help the Olympians in workouts.
"This is top notch," said 2006 World champion Bill Zadick, one of the training partners who is staying at BNU. "This is as good as you get anywhere. The food is like a five-star restaurant. The room is clean and the beds are made. Everything is here so we can do what we need. This place is awesome."
This is not just for wrestling. Almost every U.S. Olympic team comes to BNU to train. One of the teams which train here is the men's Olympic basketball team. Each of the sports have their own facility, with everything that they would need to train just like they were home in the United States.
The wrestling room is in the basement of one of the gymnasiums. It has almost three full mats. There is a sauna which has been set up outside under a staircase. In addition, the teams have used some of the fields for soccer and other cross-training situations. All three teams in wrestling use the facilities, and there have been workouts where all three teams are there at the same time.
When you see U.S. wrestlers winning medals in Beijing this week, you can give credit to the U.S. Olympic Committee's planning and execution with the BNU facilities.
"The USOC did a great job," said Assistant National Freestyle Coach Terry Brands. "They have been thinking of the things we needed, and spent a lot of time and effort to get them. It is as close to home as you can get. They give us what we need, and I appreciate them for that.
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