Quotes from U.S. champions Cejudo, Tomeo, Ruiz and Paulson from the Dave Schultz Memorial on Saturday
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Elizabeth Wiley and Gary Abbott ()
02/09/2008
Quotes from U.S. champions at Dave Schultz Memorial International
Saturday, February 9
60 kg/132 lbs. - Men's freestyle
Angel Cejudo, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)
"I thought I wrestled really good. My first match was sluggish, but as the tournament went longer, I felt better. I recovered better each match, and my legs got stronger. I have trained hard for this. I just have to do this at the Olympic Trials.
(his improvement)
"I have put a lot together. My mom moved here and it has helped me. Coaches Terry Brands, Kevin Jackson, my brother and everybody here at the Olympic Training Center have helped me. I know I could do it. I had to prove it though. I have to get the gold at the Olympics now."
59 kg/130 lbs. - Women's freestyle
Erin Tomeo, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)
(On her strategy going into finals)
"I wanted to have fun. I wanted the wrestling to be fun, because that's what it's all about. I also focused on staying in positions."
(On her effort this weekend)
"I am happy with my performance. I will be able to sleep tonight. Overall, this tournament went well, and I have some great things to build on."
(On her opponent, Tatiana Padilla)
"In the past I have gone in and tried to rely on my experience against her. I didn't capitalize on my technique. I want to go up to the line and wrestle the same no matter who I am up against."
96 kg/211.5 lbs. - Men's Greco-Roman
Justin Ruiz, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)
(On the turn in the third period to win the match)
"I used the front headlock. I was able to slip in and lock him up. That was the difference in the match. He's a really big guy, so sometimes he's hard to move. I was able to score on top on him."
(On meeting his goals for the tournament)
"Honestly I wanted to get a takedown in every match and I wasn't able to do that. I am glad I won, but the real goal was to score on my feet every time and I didn't do that."
(On the tournament overall)
"I feel good. It always feels good to get a win."
74 kg/163 lbs. - Men's freestyle
Trent Paulson, Council Bluffs, Iowa (Sunkist Kids)
(about competing at his new weight class)
"I feel great. I gradually brought my weight down over three months. I did it the right way. I felt stronger than my opponents and my conditioning was better. I wouldn't have come down if I didn't have a twin brother, but I did it so we would both have a chance to make the Olympic team this year."
(about winning both clinches)
"Getting both clinches was lucky. The foreigners don't reach out and it was hard to get my offense going. I tried to pull on him and work on his arms. I wanted to get him tired. I knew that if went three periods that conditioning would be a factor.
(about what is next for him)
"I will keep training hard. In two weeks, I go to Ukraine, and then after that I go to Belarus. I will get an opportunity to get more intermational matches. It was nice for me in this tournament. Every match I had was against a foreigner, so I got great experience."