Seven key matches are showcased during U.S. Olympic Team Trials broadcast on USA Network on June 5

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Gary Abbott (USA Wrestling)
06/02/2004


The U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Wrestling will be aired on USA Network on Saturday, June 5 from 10:00 a.m. - noon Eastern Time.    The two-hour show will include footage of all 17 athletes to qualify for the Olympic team in the three Olympic styles.    However, seven matches will receive special focus during the production, three in men's freestyle, and two each in women's freestyle and men's Greco-Roman.    Two of these Championship Series went to a third and deciding match before an Olympian was determined. They were:    * Cael Sanderson, Ames, Iowa (Sunkist Kids) vs. Lee Fullhart (Colorado Springs, Colo./Gator WC) at 84 kg/185 lbs. in men's freestyle  * Dennis Hall (Plover, Wis./Sunkist Kids)  vs, Brandon Paulson (Coon Rapids, Minn./Minnesota Storm) at 55 kg/121 lbs.  in men's Greco-Roman    The Sanderson vs. Fullhart series went to the final match after Sanderson won the first bout and Fullhart claimed the second bout. Sanderson was a 2003 World silver medalist, but Fullhart had beaten Sanderson in the U.S. Nationals to claim the No. 1 position in the Olympic Trials.     Hall and Paulson were teammates on the 1996 Olympic team at different weight classes, and both won Olympic silver medals. Hall dropped in weight to challenge Paulson, even though they are friends and frequent training partners. The third and final match of this showdown was one of the most compelling in Olympic Trials history, going into an extended overtime, needing almost 17 minutes until a champion was determined.    Two of the matches were at the super heavyweight division in men's wrestling, and featured members of the 2000 Olympic team:  * Rulon Gardner, Cascade, Colo. (Sunkist Kids) vs. Dremiel Byers (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army) at 120 kg/264.5 lbs. in men's Greco-Roman  * Kerry McCoy (Bethlehem, Pa./New York AC)  vs. Tolly Thompson (Cedar Fallls, Iowa/Sunkist Kids) in men's freestyle    The Gardner vs. Byers match was the first time in U.S. Greco-Roman history that two past World champions battled for a single spot on the U.S. Olympic team. Gardner boasts a 2000 Olympic gold medal and 2001 World title, while Byers has a 2002 World title. Gardner became a national sports hero when he beat three-time Olympic champion and previously unbeaten Alexander Kareline of Russia in the Sydney Games.    McCoy placed fifth in the 2000 Olympic Games, and won a World silver medal in 2003. Thompson is a veteran who has won a U.S. Nationals title in the past and has extensive experience.    Two of the matches feature women's freestyle wrestling, the newest sport on the Olympic Games program. They are:   * Toccara Montgomery (Cleveland, Ohio/New York AC) vs. Kristie Marano (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) at 72 kg/158.5 lbs. in women's freestyle  * Patricia Miranda (Colorado Springs, Colo./Dave Schultz WC) vs. Clarissa Chun (Colorado Springs, Colo./Gator WC) at 48 kg/105.5 lbs. in women's freestyle    The Montgomery vs. Marano showdown feature a pair of international stars. Montgomery boasts two World silver medals. Marano is a two-time World Champion and seven-time World medalist. Both were 2003 U.S. Nationals champion, but Marano missed weight at the Olympic Trials and moved up to challenge Montgomery.    Miranda has won two World silver medals, and has dominated her U.S. opponents in recent seasons. Chun is a veteran who has been the top challenger in this division for a number of years.    The final featured match is at 96 kg/211.5 lbs. in men's freestyle, showcasing Daniel Cormier (Stillwater, Okla./Gator WC) vs. Tim Hartung (Minneapolis, Minn./Minnesota Storm). Cormier was fifth in the 2003 World Championships, while Hartung was a member of the 2002 U.S. World team. Both are highly skilled competitors.    All of the Championship Series winners will be included in the show, and sports fans will get the chance to see every athlete who will be going to Athens representing our nation.    The broadcast crew that handled the coverage of the U.S. Olympic Team Trials will be the same announcers who will work wrestling for NBC at the Athens Games. They include veteran wrestling announcers Russ Hellickson and Jeff Blatnick, who handle the play-by-play and color commentary duties, as well as veteran NBC broadcaster Len Berman, who conducts the interviews.    The event was originally held at the RCA Dome in Indianapolis, May 21-23.     Wrestling fans are asked to e-mail this information to all of their friends to let them know about this exciting broadcast.    USA Network is available in 86 million U.S. television households, one of the most prominent cable networks in the nation. USA Network will capture the drama and excitement of at least 10 different Olympic sports qualifying athletes to represent the USA at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens.    Featured matches from the U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Wrestling  On the USA Network broadcast June 5    MEN'S FREESTYLE  84 kg/185 lbs. -  Cael Sanderson, Ames, Iowa (Sunkist Kids) vs. Lee Fullhart (Colorado Springs, Colo./Gator WC)  96 kg/211.5 lbs. -  Daniel Cormier (Stillwater, Okla./Gator WC) vs. Tim Hartung (Minneapolis, Minn./Minnesota Storm)  120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Kerry McCoy (Bethlehem, Pa./New York AC)  vs. Tolly Thompson (Cedar Fallls, Iowa/Sunkist Kids)    WOMEN'S FREESTYLE  48 kg/105.5 lbs. - Patricia Miranda (Colorado Springs, Colo./Dave Schultz WC) vs. Clarissa Chun (Colorado Springs, Colo./Gator WC)  72 kg/158.5 lbs. -  Toccara Montgomery (Cleveland, Ohio/New York AC) vs. Kristie Marano (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC)    MEN'S GRECO-ROMAN  55 kg/121 lbs. -  Dennis Hall (Plover, Wis./Sunkist Kids)  vs, Brandon Paulson (Coon Rapids, Minn./Minnesota Storm)  120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Rulon Gardner, Cascade, Colo. (Sunkist Kids) vs. Dremiel Byers (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army)