HENRY CEJUDO WINS OLYMPIC GOLD!
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by Gary Abbott
BEIJING, CHINA - Henry Cejudo (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) controlled the action to claim a two-period victory over Tomihiro Matsunaga of Japan in the gold-medal match, 2-2, 3-0 at 55 kg/121 lbs.
Cejudo becomes the first U.S. wrestler to win an Olympic gold medal at the Beijing Olympics. It was the third medal won by the U.S. wrestlers at the Olympics, to go with a Greco-Roman bronze medal by Adam Wheeler and a women's freestyle bronze medal by Randi Miller.
He is believed to be the youngest U.S. wrestler to win an Olympic gold medal in wrestling at 21 and 1/2 years old.
Cejudo won the first period against Matsunaga by scoring the highest point move, a two-point exposure. He won the second period on a three-point high crotch takedown.
It was the first of his four Olympic victories where Cejudo won the first period. He dropped the first period in his three previous bouts on Tuesday morning, and had to come from behind to win.
Cejudo is competing in his first Olympic Games. He was a member of the 2007 U.S. World Team. He hails from Phoenix, Ariz., and finished high school in Colorado Springs, Colo.
He became a U.S. Olympic Training Center resident athlete as a high school junior. He was the first high school wrestler to win a USA Wrestling Senior National freestyle title in 2006. His older brother Angel is his training partner in Beijing and is also a resident athlete. Henry chose to continue wrestling freestyle after high school rather than compete in college wrestling.
Cejudo defeated 2004 Olympic silver medalist Stephen Abas in the finals of the U.S. Olympic Team Trials.
Mike Zadick (Solon, Iowa/Gator WC) dropped his repechage match at 60 kg/132 lbs., losing to 2007 World bronze medalist Bazar Bazaraguruev of Krygyzstan, 1-0, 3-0. Both periods were scoreless and went to the leg clinch, with Bazarguruev getting the ball pick. In the first, Bazarguruev scored a one point takedown from the clinch and in the second he hit a three-point takedown from the clinch.
Zadick went 0-2 for the day, and did not place in the top 10 of his division, finishing in 19th.
The men's freestyle team continues to compete on Wednesday, with Doug Schwab competing at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. and Ben Askren competing at 74 kg/163 lbs.
U.S. performances on Tuesday
55 kg/121 lbs. - Henry Cejudo (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids), Gold Medal
First match - Henry Cejudo (USA) dec. Radoslav Velikov (Bulgaria), 0-1, 3-2, 4-3
Quarterfinals - Henry Cejudo (USA) dec. Besarion Gochashvili (Georgia), 1-3, 3-2, 3-0
Semifinals - Henry Cejudo (USA) dec. Namig Sevdimov (Azerbaijan), 3-5, 3-2, 4-3
Gold Medal Match - Henry Cejudo (USA) dec. Tomihiro Matsunaga (Japan), 2-2, 3-0
60 kg/132 lbs. - Mike Zadick (Solon, Iowa/Gator WC), dnp/19th
First match -Vasyl Fedoryshyn (Ukraine) dec. Mike Zadick (USA), 5-0, 6-0
Repechage match - Bazar Bazarguruev (Krygyzstan) dec. Mike Zadick (USA), 1-0, 3-0
Cejudo becomes the first U.S. wrestler to win an Olympic gold medal at the Beijing Olympics. It was the third medal won by the U.S. wrestlers at the Olympics, to go with a Greco-Roman bronze medal by Adam Wheeler and a women's freestyle bronze medal by Randi Miller.
He is believed to be the youngest U.S. wrestler to win an Olympic gold medal in wrestling at 21 and 1/2 years old.
Cejudo won the first period against Matsunaga by scoring the highest point move, a two-point exposure. He won the second period on a three-point high crotch takedown.
It was the first of his four Olympic victories where Cejudo won the first period. He dropped the first period in his three previous bouts on Tuesday morning, and had to come from behind to win.
Cejudo is competing in his first Olympic Games. He was a member of the 2007 U.S. World Team. He hails from Phoenix, Ariz., and finished high school in Colorado Springs, Colo.
He became a U.S. Olympic Training Center resident athlete as a high school junior. He was the first high school wrestler to win a USA Wrestling Senior National freestyle title in 2006. His older brother Angel is his training partner in Beijing and is also a resident athlete. Henry chose to continue wrestling freestyle after high school rather than compete in college wrestling.
Cejudo defeated 2004 Olympic silver medalist Stephen Abas in the finals of the U.S. Olympic Team Trials.
Mike Zadick (Solon, Iowa/Gator WC) dropped his repechage match at 60 kg/132 lbs., losing to 2007 World bronze medalist Bazar Bazaraguruev of Krygyzstan, 1-0, 3-0. Both periods were scoreless and went to the leg clinch, with Bazarguruev getting the ball pick. In the first, Bazarguruev scored a one point takedown from the clinch and in the second he hit a three-point takedown from the clinch.
Zadick went 0-2 for the day, and did not place in the top 10 of his division, finishing in 19th.
The men's freestyle team continues to compete on Wednesday, with Doug Schwab competing at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. and Ben Askren competing at 74 kg/163 lbs.
U.S. performances on Tuesday
55 kg/121 lbs. - Henry Cejudo (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids), Gold Medal
First match - Henry Cejudo (USA) dec. Radoslav Velikov (Bulgaria), 0-1, 3-2, 4-3
Quarterfinals - Henry Cejudo (USA) dec. Besarion Gochashvili (Georgia), 1-3, 3-2, 3-0
Semifinals - Henry Cejudo (USA) dec. Namig Sevdimov (Azerbaijan), 3-5, 3-2, 4-3
Gold Medal Match - Henry Cejudo (USA) dec. Tomihiro Matsunaga (Japan), 2-2, 3-0
60 kg/132 lbs. - Mike Zadick (Solon, Iowa/Gator WC), dnp/19th
First match -Vasyl Fedoryshyn (Ukraine) dec. Mike Zadick (USA), 5-0, 6-0
Repechage match - Bazar Bazarguruev (Krygyzstan) dec. Mike Zadick (USA), 1-0, 3-0
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