Quotes from U.S. wrestlers Henson, Lightner and Bono, and coaches Seay and Duroe after morning sessi
<< Back to Articles
Gary Abbott (USA Wrestling)
09/26/2005
55 kg/121 lbs. - Sammie Henson (Flintstone, Ga./Sunkist Kids)
"It was nothing. I just woke up this morning and didn't feel it. I was tired. I was strong; I am always strong. That guy is a good wrestler, but he's not in my league. He is done. He won't beat the other guys. He beat me. I got beat. Sammie Henson wasn't there today. What are you going to say? I am mad. I am pissed off. I have three kids and a family…"
60 kg/132 lbs. - Michael Lightner (Norman, Okla./Sunkist Kids)
"For myself, I felt good. I don't feel like he did anything. I was in on his leg. I got beat with my own technique. I didn't react on my finish quite enough. At the end, the rest of the points were scored on me forcing attacks. It is going to be hard to swallow. I beat myself, hesitating on a shot."
"I was ready to go physically and mentally. I felt I went out there and was in control. Coach Jackson preaches it all the time. Don't let him score on your technique. I let him score on my technique. The chances are against me getting back in with (Olympic champion) Quintana there."
"It has been a good experience. I have gotten better. I have grown as a wrestler. I am disappointed it ended this way. I had higher expectations and my family had higher expectations. I've been knocked down before. I will be back."
66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Chris Bono (Gilbert, Iowa/Sunkist Kids)
"I made two of the biggest mistakes in my life. Those were things I worked in camp. I let my coaches down. They had me ready. I felt great. I didn't do the things we practiced. I played defense instead of building my lead and wrestling. I didn't stay aggressive. I should have gone for another point. I played defense and it cost me."
"He has a tough draw ahead of him, the Kazakhstan wrestler who was fourth in the Olympics and the Bulgarian."
"I still feel like I can win this tournament. To do that, you have to wrestle mistake free. I didn't do that. I was ready. I blew it, everything I worked for."
Joe Seay, U.S. World Team Coach
"I don't know the reason Sammie lost. I can't say it was mental. But today, I looked at Sammie and I didn't see what I should see. He is in excellent shape. But it seemed like he was tired. It was a combination of things. I wish I had the answer."
"You don't sit on a lead. You don't wrestle on the edge. You control the middle of the mat and you stay there. We worked on that all summer."
Mike Duroe, U.S. World Team Coach
"The bottom line is we were in scoring position and didn't finish the holds. That happened in Michael's match, and in Bono's match. Bono was ahead in both periods. A one-point lead is never enough. If you try to hold a lead, you are taking a chance. When you are in a position to win, you have to finish it clean. We are capable of doing that."
"With Chris Bono, it happened with 15 seconds left in the first period and just four seconds left in the second period. You have to keep wrestling. That is how we coached them."