U.S. Olympic Team Trials preview in men's freestyle at 96 kg/211.5 lbs.
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by Craig Sesker
Daniel Cormier is looking to build on a strong 2007 when he won his first World-level medal by taking a. bronze medal at the 2007 Worlds. Cormier is heavily favored to make his second straight Olympic Team in 2008.
Cormier has clinched a spot in the best-of-3 finals for the Olympic Trials. He was fourth in the 2000 Olympic Games, and has won six straight U.S. Nationals titles
Among the wrestlers looking to knock off Cormier are Nik Fekete, Willie Parks, Kurt Backes, Damion Hahn, Max Askren and Nick Preston. Cormier swept Fekete 7-0, 2-0 in the finals of the 2008 U.S. Nationals. Parks, a past NAIA champion for Dana College, has made a quick transition to freestyle and placed third at U.S. Nationals. The burly, physical Parks beat Backes, a past NCAA runner-up for Iowa State, in the third-place match at U.S. Nationals.
Hahn, a two-time NCAA champion for Minnesota, placed fifth at U.S. Nationals. Hahn took third at the 2007 World Team Trials.
Max Askren, Ben's younger brother, wrestled well in placing sixth at U.S. Nationals. Askren, a 197-pound All-American for Missouri, is a bit undersized in this division but is an excellent young prospect in freestyle. He is a past Junior World Team member.
Sean Stender and Kyle Cerminara are two other wrestlers to keep an eye on in this class. Both have had considerable success on the Senior level, but did not place at the U.S. Nationals. College wrestlers Brent Jones of Virginia and Konrad Dudziak of Duke round out the qualifiers at this division.
2008 U.S. Nationals results
1st - Daniel Cormier, Stillwater, Okla. (Gator Wrestling Club) dec. Nik Fekete, Iowa City Iowa (New York AC), 7-0, 2-0
3rd - Willie Parks, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army) dec. Kurt Backes, Ames, Iowa (Sunkist Kids), 0-1, 2-0, 1-0
5th - Damion Hahn, Ithaca, N.Y. (New York Athletic Club) dec. Max Askren, Hartland, Wis. (Sunkist Kids), 7-0, 3-0
7th - Nick Preston, Columbus, Ohio (Sunkist Kids) dec. Konrad Dudziak, Bayonne, N.J. (New York AC), 1-0, 3-0
2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials Pre-Seeds
Qualified for Best-of-3 finals: Daniel Cormier, Stillwater, Okla. (Gator WC)
Challenge Tournament Seeds
1. Nik Fekete, Iowa City, Iowa (New York AC)
2. Willie Parks, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army)
3. Kurt Backes, Ames, Iowa (Sunkist Kids)
4. Damion Hahn, Ithaca, N.Y. (New York AC)
5. Max Askren, Hartland, Wis. (Sunkist Kids)
6. Nick Preston, Columbus, Ohio (Sunkist Kids)
7. Konrad Dudziak, Bayonne, N.J. (New York AC)
8. Sean Stender, Cedar Falls, Iowa (Sunkist Kids)
9. Kyle Cerminara, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)
10. Brent Jones, Burke, Va. (Cavalier WC)
Cormier has clinched a spot in the best-of-3 finals for the Olympic Trials. He was fourth in the 2000 Olympic Games, and has won six straight U.S. Nationals titles
Among the wrestlers looking to knock off Cormier are Nik Fekete, Willie Parks, Kurt Backes, Damion Hahn, Max Askren and Nick Preston. Cormier swept Fekete 7-0, 2-0 in the finals of the 2008 U.S. Nationals. Parks, a past NAIA champion for Dana College, has made a quick transition to freestyle and placed third at U.S. Nationals. The burly, physical Parks beat Backes, a past NCAA runner-up for Iowa State, in the third-place match at U.S. Nationals.
Hahn, a two-time NCAA champion for Minnesota, placed fifth at U.S. Nationals. Hahn took third at the 2007 World Team Trials.
Max Askren, Ben's younger brother, wrestled well in placing sixth at U.S. Nationals. Askren, a 197-pound All-American for Missouri, is a bit undersized in this division but is an excellent young prospect in freestyle. He is a past Junior World Team member.
Sean Stender and Kyle Cerminara are two other wrestlers to keep an eye on in this class. Both have had considerable success on the Senior level, but did not place at the U.S. Nationals. College wrestlers Brent Jones of Virginia and Konrad Dudziak of Duke round out the qualifiers at this division.
2008 U.S. Nationals results
1st - Daniel Cormier, Stillwater, Okla. (Gator Wrestling Club) dec. Nik Fekete, Iowa City Iowa (New York AC), 7-0, 2-0
3rd - Willie Parks, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army) dec. Kurt Backes, Ames, Iowa (Sunkist Kids), 0-1, 2-0, 1-0
5th - Damion Hahn, Ithaca, N.Y. (New York Athletic Club) dec. Max Askren, Hartland, Wis. (Sunkist Kids), 7-0, 3-0
7th - Nick Preston, Columbus, Ohio (Sunkist Kids) dec. Konrad Dudziak, Bayonne, N.J. (New York AC), 1-0, 3-0
2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials Pre-Seeds
Qualified for Best-of-3 finals: Daniel Cormier, Stillwater, Okla. (Gator WC)
Challenge Tournament Seeds
1. Nik Fekete, Iowa City, Iowa (New York AC)
2. Willie Parks, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army)
3. Kurt Backes, Ames, Iowa (Sunkist Kids)
4. Damion Hahn, Ithaca, N.Y. (New York AC)
5. Max Askren, Hartland, Wis. (Sunkist Kids)
6. Nick Preston, Columbus, Ohio (Sunkist Kids)
7. Konrad Dudziak, Bayonne, N.J. (New York AC)
8. Sean Stender, Cedar Falls, Iowa (Sunkist Kids)
9. Kyle Cerminara, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)
10. Brent Jones, Burke, Va. (Cavalier WC)
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