Miller and Bernard receive draws for final day of women's freestyle on Sunday
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by Gary Abbott
BEIJING, CHINA - The women's freestyle wrestling competition at the China Agricultural University Gymnasium concludes on Sunday, with competition in two weight classes, 63 kg/138.75 lbs. and 72 kg/158.5 lbs.
U.S. wrestlers Randi Miller (Colorado Springs, Colo./Gator WC) at 63 kg and Ali Bernard, (New Ulm, Minn./Gator WC) have weighed in and received their draw for Sunday. Both wrestlers are competing in their first Olympic Games.
Miller has drawn the No. 16 spot in the bracket and will have an extra qualification match, where she will face Haiat Farac of Egypt. If she wins, she will face Yuliya Ostapchuk of Ukraine.
Olympic and World champion Kaori Icho of Japan is in Miller's half of the bracket, and could face her in the quarterfinals. Also on her half of the bracket is three-time World silver medalist Martine Dugrunier of Canada and 2006 World silver medalist Xu Haiyan of China.
"Randi has been very consistent. She is wrestling very good," said National Women's Coach Terry Steiner. "You know what you get when she steps on the mat. She comes at you. It becomes a brawl and a street fight. We believe she has the style to win. It is a loaded weight class. We feel very confident in what she can do."
Miller is a native of Arlington, Texas. She attended Neosho CC in Kansas, McMurray College in Illiniois and the Northern Michigan Univ. USOEC program. She is now a USOTC resident athlete. She beat 2004 Olympic silver medalist Sara McMann at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials.
Bernard has drawn Amarachi Favour Obiajunwa of Nigeria. If she wins, she will face the winner of the match between Jenny Fransson of Sweden and Wang Jiao of China.
Also in her half of the bracket is five-time World champion Kyoko Hamaguchi of Japan.
"She has some great ability. She needs to be in the right mindset and ready to fight in every situation. If she puts pressure on people, so they are attacking under her pressure, she will do well," said Steiner. "Ali finds a way to win. She is a winner. When the lights come on, she is ready to wrestle. She can go with any of these people. She hasn't wrestled a lot of them, which is to our benefit. She has an unorthodox style. I think she is very confident in her abilities."
Bernard was a two-time Junior World champion, and three-time Junior World medalist. She attends the Univ. of Regina in Canada, where she is a four-time CIS champion.
Steiner is upbeat about the competition on Sunday.
"We have good spots," said Steiner. "I don't see anyone we can't beat. It is really about us. If we go out there and wrestle, we will go a long way. I feel confident.
U.S. wrestlers Randi Miller (Colorado Springs, Colo./Gator WC) at 63 kg and Ali Bernard, (New Ulm, Minn./Gator WC) have weighed in and received their draw for Sunday. Both wrestlers are competing in their first Olympic Games.
Miller has drawn the No. 16 spot in the bracket and will have an extra qualification match, where she will face Haiat Farac of Egypt. If she wins, she will face Yuliya Ostapchuk of Ukraine.
Olympic and World champion Kaori Icho of Japan is in Miller's half of the bracket, and could face her in the quarterfinals. Also on her half of the bracket is three-time World silver medalist Martine Dugrunier of Canada and 2006 World silver medalist Xu Haiyan of China.
"Randi has been very consistent. She is wrestling very good," said National Women's Coach Terry Steiner. "You know what you get when she steps on the mat. She comes at you. It becomes a brawl and a street fight. We believe she has the style to win. It is a loaded weight class. We feel very confident in what she can do."
Miller is a native of Arlington, Texas. She attended Neosho CC in Kansas, McMurray College in Illiniois and the Northern Michigan Univ. USOEC program. She is now a USOTC resident athlete. She beat 2004 Olympic silver medalist Sara McMann at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials.
Bernard has drawn Amarachi Favour Obiajunwa of Nigeria. If she wins, she will face the winner of the match between Jenny Fransson of Sweden and Wang Jiao of China.
Also in her half of the bracket is five-time World champion Kyoko Hamaguchi of Japan.
"She has some great ability. She needs to be in the right mindset and ready to fight in every situation. If she puts pressure on people, so they are attacking under her pressure, she will do well," said Steiner. "Ali finds a way to win. She is a winner. When the lights come on, she is ready to wrestle. She can go with any of these people. She hasn't wrestled a lot of them, which is to our benefit. She has an unorthodox style. I think she is very confident in her abilities."
Bernard was a two-time Junior World champion, and three-time Junior World medalist. She attends the Univ. of Regina in Canada, where she is a four-time CIS champion.
Steiner is upbeat about the competition on Sunday.
"We have good spots," said Steiner. "I don't see anyone we can't beat. It is really about us. If we go out there and wrestle, we will go a long way. I feel confident.
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