Chun and Van Dusen receive draws for first day of women's freestyle Olympic wrestling on Saturday
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by Gary Abbott
BEIJING, CHINA - The women's freestyle wrestling competition at the China Agricultural University Gymnasium begins on Saturday, with competition in two weight classes, 48 kg/105.5 lbs. and 55 kg/121 lbs.
U.S. wrestlers Clarissa Chun (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) at 48 kg and Marcie Van Dusen (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) have weighed in and received their draw for Saturday. Both wrestlers are competing in their first Olympic Games.
Chun will face two-time Junior World champion Sofia Mattsson of Sweden in her opening match. If she wins, she could face one of three possible opponents, Zamira Rakhmanova of Russia, Vanessa Boubryemm of France or Mayelis Caripa of Venezuela.
"Her preparation has been great," said National Women's Coach Terry Steiner. "She is coming into her own with her style. She is really relaxed and ready to go. She needs to bring that spirit and fight with her. She showed what she can do at the Olympic Trials. She beat one of the most consistent wrestlers in the world (Patricia Miranda) at the Trials in two straight matches. She needs to keep her offense going and her motion going. We need that to win."
Chun was a member of the 2000 U.S. World Team. She attended Missouri Valley College and is now a USOTC resident athlete. Chun defeated 2004 Olympic silver medalist Patricia Miranda in the Olympic Trials. She also competed in judo as a youth. Chun has Chinese heritage in her ancestory.
Van Dusen will face two-time World bronze medalist Nataliya Snynyshyn of Ukraine in her opening match. If she wins, she will face either Jackeline Renteria of Colombia or Marwa Amri of Tunisia.
"She is really relaxed and focused right now. She had a consistent year. I think she is ready to win. Mentally, she is very stable and comfortable with herself. She has a lot of confidence in her ability and she has shown it," said Steiner.
Marcie Van Dusen was 10th in the 2007 World Championships. She attended Cal-State Monterrey Bay, UM-Morris and is now a USOTC resident athlete, where she attends UCCS. She defeated previously unbeaten Saori Yoshida of Japan at the 2008 World Cup.
Steiner is not really concerned about any of the draws that the women wrestlers will face.
"We are the bad draw. To get the gold medal, we have to beat whoever is in front of us. That is what we came here for," said Steiner. "The coaches have done a great job preparing the athletes. The training partners have done a great job assisting the athletes. Now it is the athletes' job to take it from there and put it to use."
He does what believe there is a style of wrestling that the entire American team must bring with them to the competition mats at the Olympics.
"We are fighting for the gold medal. We have to bring the fight and the attitude. Our competition is as good as we let them be. If we make our opponents wrestle us, we are fine, because we know how to wrestle. If we go out and wrestle our opponents, it is up for grabs," he said.
U.S. wrestlers Clarissa Chun (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) at 48 kg and Marcie Van Dusen (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) have weighed in and received their draw for Saturday. Both wrestlers are competing in their first Olympic Games.
Chun will face two-time Junior World champion Sofia Mattsson of Sweden in her opening match. If she wins, she could face one of three possible opponents, Zamira Rakhmanova of Russia, Vanessa Boubryemm of France or Mayelis Caripa of Venezuela.
"Her preparation has been great," said National Women's Coach Terry Steiner. "She is coming into her own with her style. She is really relaxed and ready to go. She needs to bring that spirit and fight with her. She showed what she can do at the Olympic Trials. She beat one of the most consistent wrestlers in the world (Patricia Miranda) at the Trials in two straight matches. She needs to keep her offense going and her motion going. We need that to win."
Chun was a member of the 2000 U.S. World Team. She attended Missouri Valley College and is now a USOTC resident athlete. Chun defeated 2004 Olympic silver medalist Patricia Miranda in the Olympic Trials. She also competed in judo as a youth. Chun has Chinese heritage in her ancestory.
Van Dusen will face two-time World bronze medalist Nataliya Snynyshyn of Ukraine in her opening match. If she wins, she will face either Jackeline Renteria of Colombia or Marwa Amri of Tunisia.
"She is really relaxed and focused right now. She had a consistent year. I think she is ready to win. Mentally, she is very stable and comfortable with herself. She has a lot of confidence in her ability and she has shown it," said Steiner.
Marcie Van Dusen was 10th in the 2007 World Championships. She attended Cal-State Monterrey Bay, UM-Morris and is now a USOTC resident athlete, where she attends UCCS. She defeated previously unbeaten Saori Yoshida of Japan at the 2008 World Cup.
Steiner is not really concerned about any of the draws that the women wrestlers will face.
"We are the bad draw. To get the gold medal, we have to beat whoever is in front of us. That is what we came here for," said Steiner. "The coaches have done a great job preparing the athletes. The training partners have done a great job assisting the athletes. Now it is the athletes' job to take it from there and put it to use."
He does what believe there is a style of wrestling that the entire American team must bring with them to the competition mats at the Olympics.
"We are fighting for the gold medal. We have to bring the fight and the attitude. Our competition is as good as we let them be. If we make our opponents wrestle us, we are fine, because we know how to wrestle. If we go out and wrestle our opponents, it is up for grabs," he said.
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