Hrovat, Cormier, Mocco receive draws for final day of wrestling on Thursday
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by Gary Abbott
The final day of wrestling at the 2008 Olympic Games will be held on Thursday at the China Agricultural University Gymnasium. Two weight classes of men's freestyle wrestling will be contested in their entirety: 84 kg (185 lbs.), 96 kg (211.5 lbs.) and 120 kg (264.5 lbs.).
The athletes competing for the U.S. will be Andy Hrovat (Ann Arbor, Mich./New York AC) at 84 kg/185 lbs., Daniel Cormier (Stillwater, Okla./Sunkist Kids) at 96 kg/211.5 lbs. and Steve Mocco (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) at 120 kg/264.5 lbs.
Hrovat will face Reineris Salas of Cuba. If he wins, he will face the winner of Travis Cross of Canada and Serhat Balci of Turkey.
On his side of the bracket are 2007 World silver medalist Yasup Abdusalamov of Tajikistan and 2005 World bronze medalist Taras Danko of Ukraine.
"We have to compete. Andy has to execute. He has to wrestle like he has been trained. Against the best, you can't let them get to your legs. He is ready. He has trained hard and smart. He is a true professional. We believe it will all pay off," said National Freestyle Coach Kevin Jackson.
Hrovat is competing in his first Olympic Games. He was a member of the 2006 U.S. World team. Hrovat is from Cleveland, Ohio, and was an All-American for the Univ. of Michigan. He is currently a strength and conditioning coach for the Univ. of Michigan. He is nicknamed "Silent H"
Cormier will face Michel Batista of Cuba. If he wins, he will face the winner of Luis Vivenes of Venezuela and Taimuraz Tigiev of Kazakhstan.
On Cormier's side of the bracket is 2007 World silver medalist Saeid Abrahimi of Iran, who defeated Cormier at the World Championships last year. Also on his side of the bracket is former World champion Georgi Gogshelidze of Georgia
"As the bronze medalist from last year, he is confident he can win the gold medal," said Jackson. "His training has gone better than it ever has. He has made the weight, probably the last time he will ever be at 96 kg. We are ready for him to wrestle."
Cormier, the team captain, is competing in his second Olympic Games. He was fourth in the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece. Cormier was a 2007 World bronze medalist. He has made every U.S. World and Olympic team since 2003. He is from Lafayette, La. He was a NJCAA national champion at Colby CC in Kansas, and a NCAA runner-up for Oklahoma State.
Mocco will face Rajiv Tomer of India. If he wins, he will face the winner of Bartlomeij Bartnicki of Poland and Liang Lei of China.
On Mocco's side of the bracket is 2005 World champion Aydin Polatci of Turkey and 2006 World bronze medalist Fardin Mousoumi of Iran.
"If Steve lays out the effort, the intensity and the energy in the first period, he will do well. He has to wrestle all out that first period of wrestling. If he does, there is no heavyweight who can stay with him," said Jackson.
Mocco is competing in his first Olympic Games. This is his first U.S. Senior team. He is originally from N. Bergen, N.J. He was a NCAA champion twice, winning once for Iowa and once for Oklahoma State Univ., and a four-time finalist. His sister Katie is a nationally ranked judo athlete. Mocco is a USOTC resident athlete.
The athletes competing for the U.S. will be Andy Hrovat (Ann Arbor, Mich./New York AC) at 84 kg/185 lbs., Daniel Cormier (Stillwater, Okla./Sunkist Kids) at 96 kg/211.5 lbs. and Steve Mocco (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) at 120 kg/264.5 lbs.
Hrovat will face Reineris Salas of Cuba. If he wins, he will face the winner of Travis Cross of Canada and Serhat Balci of Turkey.
On his side of the bracket are 2007 World silver medalist Yasup Abdusalamov of Tajikistan and 2005 World bronze medalist Taras Danko of Ukraine.
"We have to compete. Andy has to execute. He has to wrestle like he has been trained. Against the best, you can't let them get to your legs. He is ready. He has trained hard and smart. He is a true professional. We believe it will all pay off," said National Freestyle Coach Kevin Jackson.
Hrovat is competing in his first Olympic Games. He was a member of the 2006 U.S. World team. Hrovat is from Cleveland, Ohio, and was an All-American for the Univ. of Michigan. He is currently a strength and conditioning coach for the Univ. of Michigan. He is nicknamed "Silent H"
Cormier will face Michel Batista of Cuba. If he wins, he will face the winner of Luis Vivenes of Venezuela and Taimuraz Tigiev of Kazakhstan.
On Cormier's side of the bracket is 2007 World silver medalist Saeid Abrahimi of Iran, who defeated Cormier at the World Championships last year. Also on his side of the bracket is former World champion Georgi Gogshelidze of Georgia
"As the bronze medalist from last year, he is confident he can win the gold medal," said Jackson. "His training has gone better than it ever has. He has made the weight, probably the last time he will ever be at 96 kg. We are ready for him to wrestle."
Cormier, the team captain, is competing in his second Olympic Games. He was fourth in the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece. Cormier was a 2007 World bronze medalist. He has made every U.S. World and Olympic team since 2003. He is from Lafayette, La. He was a NJCAA national champion at Colby CC in Kansas, and a NCAA runner-up for Oklahoma State.
Mocco will face Rajiv Tomer of India. If he wins, he will face the winner of Bartlomeij Bartnicki of Poland and Liang Lei of China.
On Mocco's side of the bracket is 2005 World champion Aydin Polatci of Turkey and 2006 World bronze medalist Fardin Mousoumi of Iran.
"If Steve lays out the effort, the intensity and the energy in the first period, he will do well. He has to wrestle all out that first period of wrestling. If he does, there is no heavyweight who can stay with him," said Jackson.
Mocco is competing in his first Olympic Games. This is his first U.S. Senior team. He is originally from N. Bergen, N.J. He was a NCAA champion twice, winning once for Iowa and once for Oklahoma State Univ., and a four-time finalist. His sister Katie is a nationally ranked judo athlete. Mocco is a USOTC resident athlete.
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