Saunders, Bacher and Marano advance to gold-medal match; Murata in bronze-medal match after day two of the Women's World Championships in Boden, Sweden, Sept. 11The United States has three wrestlers competing for the gold medal and one competing for the bronze medal after day two at the 12th Women's World Championships in Boden, Sweden, Saturday, Sept. 11.
Three-time World Champion Tricia Saunders (Phoenix, Ariz./Sunkist Kids) won by a technical fall over Lindsay Belisle of Canada, 10-0, in round three at 101.25 pounds. She defeated Inga Karamtjakova of Russia in the semifinals, 5-3, to advance to the gold-medal match against Xue Zhong of China on Sunday, Sept. 12.
Saunders is the only U.S. wrestler to ever win a gold medal at the Women's World Championships, and boasts a record nine U.S. Nationals titles. This is her eighth World Championship appearance.
Three-time World silver medalist Kristie Marano (Albany, N.Y./ATWA) won by technical fall over Yana Panova, 13-3, to advance to the semifinals at 165.25 pounds. Marano pinned Elvina Barriga of Austria advance to the gold-medal match against Kyoko Hamaguchi of Japan. This is a re-match of the last two gold-medal matches.
Marano was a 1998 Junior World Champion and has won four U.S. Nationals titles. Marano is competing in her fourth World tournament.
Two-time World medalist Sandra Bacher (San Jose, Calif./Dave Schultz WC) won in overtime, 3-2, over Heidi Skemark of Sweden in round three at 149.75 pounds. Bacher lost in the semifinals to Natalia Bodnarets of Ukraine, 5-3, but the United States protested the match and a re-match was scheduled. In the re-match, Bacher won by a decision, 4-0. She will face Anita Schatzle of Germany in the gold-medal match.
Bacher was a 1997 World silver medalist and 1998 World bronze medalist. She has been a member of two U.S. Olympic judo teams. Bacher is wrestling in her fifth World Championships.
Stephanie Murata (Boca Raton, Fla./Sunkist Kids) won by a decision in the fourth round, 6-5, in overtime over Natali Karamtjakova of Russia at 112.25 pounds. In the semifinals, she lost a decision to Erica Sharp of Canada, 4-3. Murata will face Yanzhi Gao of China in the bronze-medal match.
Murata placed fourth in the 1998 World Championships. Murata has won four U.S. Nationals titles, and is on her third World team.
Lauren Lamb (Troy, N.Y./Michigan WC) won in round three by a fall over Ludmila Golovtjena of the Ukraine in 3:49 at 136.5 pounds. She then lost a decision to Jane Hofweber of Canada. Lamb is competing in her fifth World Championships. She has placed fifth in the World tournament on two occasions.
Tina George (Colorado Springs, Colo./Minnesota Storm) pinned Tanja Sauter of Germany in round three at 4:16 at 123.25 pounds. She then lost by a fall to Mariko Shimuzu of Japan in 5:44. George is competing in her second World Championships.
Two team members were recently married. Marano previously wrestled under her maiden name Stenglein, and Lamb competed under her maiden name Wolfe.
The U.S. team is talented and experienced, and includes the same six members that placed third in the final team standings at the 1998 World Championships. Russia is the defending World team champions in Women's wrestling.
The U.S. team is led by head coach Rob Eiter of Chicago, Ill., assistant coach Shannon Yancey of Simi Valley, Calif. and USA Wrestling Freestyle Developmental Coach Mike Duroe of Colorado Springs, Colo.
The 12th Women's World Wrestling Championships will conclude with medal matches on Sunday, Sept. 12.
1999 WOMEN'S WORLD WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIPS
at Boden, Sweden, Sept. 11
U.S. results
46 kg/101.25 lbs. - Tricia Saunders, Phoenix, Ariz. (Sunkist Kids) - won by tech. fall over Lindsay Belisle (Canada), 10-0*; dec. Inga Karamtjakova (Russia), 5-3
51 kg/112.25 lbs. - Stephanie Murata, Boca Raton, Fla. (Sunkist Kids) - dec. Natali Karamtjakova (Russia), 6-5, ot*; lost dec. to Erica Sharp (Canada), 4-3
56 kg/123.25 lbs. - Tina George, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Minnesota Storm) - pin Tanja Sauter (Germany), 4:16; lost by pin to Mariko Shimuzu (Japan), 5:44
62 kg/136.5 lbs. - Lauren Lamb, Troy, N.Y. (Michigan WC) - pin Ludmila Golovtjena (Ukraine), 3:49; lost dec. to Jane Hofweber (Canada)**
68 kg/149.75 lbs. - Sandra Bacher, San Jose, Calif. (Dave Schultz WC) - dec. Heidi Skemark (Sweden), 3-2, ot*; lost dec. to Natalia Bodnarets (Ukraine), 5-2, overturned; re-match - Bacher dec. Natalia Bodnarets (Ukraine), 4-0
75 kg/165.25 lbs. - Kristie Marano, Albany, N.Y. (ATWA) - won by tech. fall over Yana Panova***, 13-3; pin Elvina Barriga (Austria)*
* = time unavailable
**=score unavailable
***=country unavailable
Sunday's pairings
46 kg/101.25 lbs. - Tricia Saunders, Phoenix, Ariz. (Sunkist Kids) - vs. Xue Zhong of China in the gold-medal match
51 kg/112.25 lbs. - Stephanie Murata, Boca Raton, Fla. (Sunkist Kids) - vs. Yanzhi Gao of China in the bronze-medal match
68 kg/149.75 lbs. - Sandra Bacher, San Jose, Calif. (Dave Schultz WC) - vs. Anita Schatzle of Germany in the gold-medal match
75 kg/165.25 lbs. - Kristie Marano, Albany, N.Y. (ATWA) - vs. Kyoko Hamaguchi of Japan in the gold-medal match
Head Coach - Rob Eiter, Chicago, Ill.
Assistant Coach - Shannon Yancey, Simi Valley, Calif.
National Developmental Coach - Mike Duroe, Colorado Springs, Colo.