Olympian Clarissa Chun ready to make run at gold medal in Beijing

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Clarissa Chun walked off the mat with tears in her eyes after one of the most crushing setbacks of her career.

Chun had fallen short of making the historic first U.S. Olympic women's freestyle wrestling team after losing to Patricia Miranda in the finals of the 2004 Olympic Trials in Indianapolis.

A short time later, U.S. National Coach Terry Steiner provided the words that fueled Chun's fire the past four years.

"Your time will come," Steiner told Chun back in 2004. "Your time will come."

Chun's time has come, and in a big way. Chun reversed her fortunes from 2004 by stunning the heavily favored Miranda on June 13 in Las Vegas to make the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team at 48 kg/105.5 lbs.

"I was so overwhelmed after I won the Trials," Chun said. "I was so excited, happy, everything. I thought I was going to cry, but I didn't. I may have teared up a little bit. To be able to perform like that was amazing."

Chun (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) now advances to wrestle at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China. Chun, whose father is Chinese and mother is Japanese, is scheduled to compete in the Olympics on Aug. 16.

Chun, a 2000 World Team member who grew up in Honolulu, Hawaii, placed fourth at the 2008 U.S. Nationals. But Chun did throw a bit of a scare into Miranda in their semifinal matchup. Chun won the first period before Miranda came back to win the next two.

The pint-sized, 4-foot-11 Chun, who looks more like a gymnast than a wrestler, came back with a determined effort at the Olympic Trials. She stormed through the Challenge Tournament, knocking off past World Team member Mary Kelly in the finals.

She then advanced to the best-of-3 finals series against Miranda, who earned a berth in the finals by virtue of winning U.S. Nationals.

Chun won the first match 4-0, 0-6, 3-1 before capturing the second bout by a 1-0, 3-1 score. Miranda won a bronze medal at the 2004 Olympics and is a two-time World silver medalist.

Chun was cradled in the second period of the first match, but somehow fought off her back. She then regrouped to win the decisive third period and win the match.

"When she got that cradle, I was like, 'Oh crap, I can't get pinned here,'" Chun said. "I just kept fighting and fighting. I knew I had won the first period and all I needed was one more period to win the match. I was able to come back in the third period."

The 26-year-old Chun was in her first season of freestyle wrestling when she competed at the 2000 World Championships.

"I was really young and I was really intimidated out there," she said. "I think having gone through that will help me when I get out there at the Olympics."

Chun nearly made the 2006 World Team before falling to Kelly in a Special Wrestle-Off for the spot on the U.S. squad.

Chun has made significant gains while training with her coach, Keith Wilson, at the Colorado Fight Factory in Colorado Springs.

"A lot of it has been mental in working with Keith," Chun said. "He's taught me to believe in myself and he's given me a lot of positive reinforcement that I could win the Olympic Trials. He's taught me to stay focused for all three periods."

An emphasis on conditioning also has been a key for Chun.

"I have worked really hard on that," she said. "That comes in handy when you're in shape. I wasn't tired at all when I wrestled Patricia. I felt great in the third period."

Chun's performance at the Olympic Trials impressed her coaches as well.

"Clarissa needs to stay inside herself and not get caught up in the hype of the Games and wrestle," Steiner said. "She has great movement and ability. She needs to make sure she is wrestling her kind of matches - a lot of attempts and motion."

Chun has wrestled nearly everyone in her division that will compete in the Olympics at 48 kilos.

"Clarissa has a great chance to medal and win," Steiner said. "I feel that when you make the U.S. team you are tested and ready to win. There is no person out there that outclasses us. We just need to put it together on the right day."

Chun said her natural weight is right around 106 pounds.

"I don't cut any weight," she said. "I think that helps me because I'm always feeling good when I train. I don't have to worry about watching my weight like a lot of the other girls."

Chun started competing in swimming when she was 5 years old before taking up Judo a couple of years later. She started wrestling as a junior in high school.

Chun, who graduated from the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs with a degree in communications, is planning to teach English to kindergarten students in Japan during the 2008-09 school year.

Chun said she likely will continue to train and compete after the Olympics.

Chun said it is starting to sink in now that she's an Olympian.

"It's kind of weird and kind of crazy to think about it," she said. "It is great when people call you an Olympian, it's really cool to hear that. I could get used to this. It's still hard to believe I beat Patricia in two straight matches. I'm still kind of like, 'Did I really beat her?' It's a great feeling."

Chun said she will have a large contingent of family and friends, including her parents, watching her from the stands in Beijing.

"I want to win an Olympic gold medal," Chun said. "I feel really confident right now and I've wrestled well against a lot of the top girls in my weight class. I had a really good tournament at the Olympic Trials, but I know I can wrestle better at the Olympics. I've wrestled in the World Championships, so I'm not going to be overwhelmed or intimidated by the big stage of the Olympics. I've been training my whole life for this opportunity. I will be ready.