Past Stanford standout Matt Gentry punches ticket to Beijing
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by Stanford Media
Former Stanford wrestler and current volunteer assistant coach Matt Gentry has earned a spot at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. The 74 kg freestyle wrestler, who qualified for the Canadian Olympic Team in December, earned himself a spot in the Olympics yesterday, taking third at the Pan Am Championships in Colorado Springs.
Gentry, a dual citizen of the United States and Canada, won a 7-0, 5-0 decision over Felipe Arangure of Mexico in his opening match and pinned Panama's Leonardo Gonzalez 27 seconds into his second match. Gentry then lost a close decision to the wrestler from Cuba, but bested Columbia's Wilson Medina (5-0, 10-3) in the bronze medal match. In the wrestle-off for true third to go to the Olympics, he pinned Puerto Rican Jaime Espinal in 1:45. As the highest finisher not already qualified, Gentry earned himself a spot in this summer's Olympic Games.
Gentry has been competing internationally since graduating from Stanford in 2005. He won his first major international medal, a bronze, at the Pan Am Games last July. Gentry is Stanford's only NCAA Champion, having won the 157-pound title in 2004. He qualified for the Olympics on the same day his career win record was broken by current senior Tanner Gardner.
Gentry, a dual citizen of the United States and Canada, won a 7-0, 5-0 decision over Felipe Arangure of Mexico in his opening match and pinned Panama's Leonardo Gonzalez 27 seconds into his second match. Gentry then lost a close decision to the wrestler from Cuba, but bested Columbia's Wilson Medina (5-0, 10-3) in the bronze medal match. In the wrestle-off for true third to go to the Olympics, he pinned Puerto Rican Jaime Espinal in 1:45. As the highest finisher not already qualified, Gentry earned himself a spot in this summer's Olympic Games.
Gentry has been competing internationally since graduating from Stanford in 2005. He won his first major international medal, a bronze, at the Pan Am Games last July. Gentry is Stanford's only NCAA Champion, having won the 157-pound title in 2004. He qualified for the Olympics on the same day his career win record was broken by current senior Tanner Gardner.
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