Elena Pirozhkova scores a takedown on Michele Muscato during the Dave Schultz Memorial International on Thursday. Larry Slater photo

After three matches, 2010 World silver medalist Elena Pirozhkova of the Gator WC has qualified for the finals of the Dave Schultz Memorial International at 63 kg/ 138.75 lbs. She is poised to win her second Dave Schultz title in Colorado Springs, Colo., at the United States Olympic Training Center. 

Despite defeating Italy’s Maria Diana, unattached Michele Muscato and Erin Clodgo of the Sunkist Kids to reach the 4:00 p.m. tournament finals, Pirozhkova feels she has a lot to work on before she can be happy with today’s performance. 

“Honestly I don’t think I wrestled very well today,” said Pirozhkova. “I’m wrestling very hesitant and sloppy.”

The adage, a win is a win, simply isn’t enough for Pirozhkova, the 2012 U.S. Open champion and four-time U.S. World Team member. Pirozhkova wants to not only win, but to wrestle well and win.
 
“I’m winning but I’m at the point now where I’m past winning. I need to wrestle well if I want to keep winning because further down the road I want to ultimately make the Olympics. There will be a lot tougher opponents there than here today. If I’m not wrestling well here, I don’t think I will do well later.

Pirozhkova will face Canada’s Danielle Lappage in tonight’s final. Lappage was a 2010 Junior World champion and placed third in the 2012 Canadian Olympic Trials.

The results of today’s tournament will be used to determine the U.S. women’s freestyle team for the 2012 Pan American Championships, which will be held Feb. 24-26 in Colorado Springs. Elena needs to defeat Lappage to automatically qualify; otherwise she will be in a wrestle-offon Saturday to see who will compete at the Pan Ams.

Although Pirozhkova is focused on tonight’s final, she is centering her training on the Olympic Team trials in April and the potential of making the team bound for London. 

“I need to keep working and fixing some bad habits and work against the competition here because I know I still have to make the (Olympic) team and train for that. But, long term, I’m training for the Olympics,” Pirozhkova said after defeating Clodgo.

“I’ve got to come to practice ready every single day and at every competition. I’m working to get better by focusing on my flaws and different positions, especially the areas I lack in,” Pirozhkova added. 

Like many of the athletes competing in today’s Schultz Memorial, Pirozhkova isn’t satisfied with just winning this tournament. She’s looking to not only make it to London, but to win gold. As a past World Championships finalist, she knows what it takes to get on the podium at the Senior level.

The first step for Pirozhkova is making the Olympic Team at the Trials, held April 21-22 in Iowa City, Iowa where her Olympic fate will be decided. 

“There are a lot of steps in the process, and making the team is just one of them but I don’t just want to make the Olympic Team and just be forever known as an Olympic Team member,” Pirozhkova said. 

“I would be so ecstatic to make the team, but not as excited if I were to win Olympic gold,” Elena said. “I think I would be happy to be a part of the team but I really want to medal and win, that’s my final goal. That’s when I will be happiest.”