Women's freestyle Olympic Games Session 4 quotes

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John Fuller (USA Wrestling)
08/23/2004


48 kg/105.5 lbs. - Patricia Miranda, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Dave Schultz WC)  How important was tonight for the sport of women's wrestling?  "I'm very excited for my sport and the demonstration that women's wrestling has put on. The Olympic Games is going to do leaps and bounds for the sport itself. I think adding us to the Games was just step one to legitimizing us as a sport. We had a leeway into every tv set turned on. They got to see this great finals match between Japan and Ukraine that went to double overtime with the sweat running, and the pain on their faces and they're going into the last second and nobody knows who's going to get the last takedown. That's what sport is. That's what the tragedy and triumph was communicated there."    Is winning a bronze medal any consolation for not winning gold?  "Winning a medal definitely helps in that it's an honor to see your flag raised, to see your country represented, to look genuinely happy to have been able to have clashed heads with the best in the world. I do have to say that the six-hour period between the semifinals and my third and fourth match was probably one of the hardest I've had in my sport. Every time I go to bed I see gold. But, there is some pride."    How have people reacted to finding out you are a wrestler?  I found more people than not, at least that communicated with me, became supportive in a very short period of time. And I don't think it takes one Olympic medal in order to convince them. I think that most people can recognize when somebody's is going after something they love."    Will you continue for another four years?  I feel very privileged to start at Yale next week. They let me defer for two years and I am very grateful for that. Maybe I can shake it out of my blood and maybe I can't. The idea is to climb another mountain.      63 kg/138.75 lbs. - Sara McMann, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)  How would you describe your relationship with Kaori Icho?  "We trained together after World Cup and different training camps. We've come to Japan and they've come to the training center in the United States - Colorado Springs. We don't speak the same language but we've drilled together and exchanged gifts. I would say that we are friends."    Can you describe your feeling right now?  "I don't there's anything more painful in the world."    Can you take us through the last minute of the match?  "In the last minute, it was tied 2-2. I was just doing whatever I could to get my last takedown to make it three points. I was just trying to fight through her hands and get to her legs. When I could get to the leg, I couldn't finish. After it was over, I just felt like I did everything I could and worked as hard as I could and it just wasn't good enough."