Gallick and Rowlands add to U.S. gold-medal total at World University Games
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John Fuller (USA Wrestling)
08/14/2005
Izmir, Turkey - Coming into Sunday night, the U.S. had only seen three wrestlers win gold medals at the World University Games. After Sunday night, that number was raised to five after Nate Gallick (Tucson, Ariz./Iowa State Univ./Sunkist Kids) and Tommy Rowlands (Columbus, Ohio/The Ohio State Univ./Sunkist Kids) won gold medals at 60 kg/132 lbs. and 96 kg/211.5 lbs., respectively. Gallick downed 2004 Olympian Odabasi Tevfik of Turkey (2-6, 1-0, 3-0) to win the gold medal. Tevfik opened up the match in the first period, forcing Gallick into a wild scramble that ended with a three-point throw for Tevfik. As Gallick attempted a three-point throw of his own near the edge of the mat, Gallick was put to his back again. The officials awarded Tevfik three more points, immediately ending the period on the rule that a period is over when two, three-point throws are executed by one wrestler. "He caught me off-guard a little bit (in the first period)," Gallick said after the win. "I was down points and had to come back. I was down 3-0, and the only way I was going to win was to get a three-point move." Gallick shut Tevfik down after that, holding a scoreless second period and winning the coin toss to lock first in the leg clinch. Gallick finished the takedown and tied the match at one period apiece. In the third period, Gallick again waited for the right opportunity to score, finishing a takedown with nine seconds left in the match for the winning point. "The second period, I didn't want to rush too much. It's a best two-out-of-three. If I lose that period, it's over. I didn't get the opening I wanted that period," Gallick added. "The third period, he held good position. He did a good job of keeping his distance. Towards the end of the period, I knew I didn't want to leave it up to the clinch." Rowlands defeated Hakan Koc of Turkey (3-0, 2-2) for his gold medal. In the first period, Rowlands wasted little time in taking a big lead, scoring a takedown only 22 seconds into the period and then turning Koc immediately with a gut wrench. The second period was more exciting for the Turkish fans that nearly filled the 1,641-seat Ozel Yamanlar High School Sports Hall. Rowlands again started strong, scoring a takedown while Koc was on his back for a 2-0 lead. Koc battled back, scoring two takedowns to tie the match at 2-2. However, Rowlands was awarded the win based on the criteria of most two-point scoring moves. "It was a hostile crowd. I kind of got a kick out of it. I knew it was going to be a lot of fun," Rowlands said. "My whole goal was to take the crowd out of it right away. I scored that three-point move in the first 30 seconds of the first period, and that was big." The U.S. women's freestyle team will compete on Monday beginning at 10:00 a.m.