U.S. women wrestlers George, Roberts, McMann weigh in and receive draws at the World Championships
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Gary Abbott (USA Wrestling)
09/28/2005
Three U.S. women wrestlers weighed in and received their draws on Wednesday for the World Wrestling Championships in Budapest, Hungary.
At 55 kg/121 lbs., two-time World silver medalist Tina George (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army) will open by competing against Naidan Otgonjargal of Mongolia.
George has competed in five World Championships and is one of the veterans on the U.S. team. Otgonjargal was a 2003 Asian champion, and has been a medalist at the Asian Championships four times.
At 59 kg/130 lbs., 2003 World bronze medalist Sally Roberts (Colorado Springs, Colo./Gator WC) will face Dorj Naramandakh of Mongolia in her first round. Roberts is competing in her second World meet. Naramandakh was third in the 2005 Asian Championships.
In the first round, there will be a rematch of the 2004 Olympic gold medal match, when Olympic silver medalist Sara McMann (Iowa City, Iowa/Sunkist Kids) will face Olympic gold medalist Kaori Icho of Japan.
These two athletes met in the finals of the 2003 World Championships gold-medal match, with Icho winning that showdown as well. Icho has won two previous World gold medals (2002, 2003). McMann has competed in five previous World Championships for the United States.
"We have the heart of our lineup today, in more ways than one," said U.S. Women's World Team Coach Bill Scherr. "If we are going to produce as a team, these are the three who will produce for us."
All three weight divisions will begin and be completed on Thursday, Sept. 29.