U.S. Pan American Games freestyle wrestling team quotesWednesday, July 28, morning session
54 kg/119 lbs. - Eric Akin, Overland Park, Kan
Bronze medal - pin Geovanny Mora, Mexico
"I've been in tougher matches than this. The American Nationals and Olympic Trials are the toughest I have been in. I'm disappointed not because I took a bronze or silver, or even a gold, but because of the way I lost to the Cuban. I've got big shoes to fill. I beat Sammie Henson, who won the Worlds last year. I'm letting down myself, my team and my coaches. This is going to make me work twice as hard. I'm already in great shape, but I'm a young wrestler. I'm going to be thinking about my opponents. I'm going to work out hard, in fact, I'm going to be working out today. I wish I could get two or three tournaments like this before the worlds, but I can't."
58 kg/127.75 lbs. - Eric Guerrero, Stillwater, Okla.
Semifinals - pin David Ortiz, Venezuela, 1:57
"We don't get to pick our opportunities. They are placed in front of us for a reason. You have the make the best of them. I don't know what day it is. I have been home four days in the last seven weeks. I dropped 15 pounds since I got here. When I got the call, I just finished a meal of a hamburger, onion rings and a Doctor Pepper and was eating candy almonds in bed. I arrived at 4 a.m. and started working out right away."
"I fell into a good position off of his takedown attempt and pinned him."
63 kg/138.75 - Cary Kolat, Bethlehem, Pa.
Semifinals - pin Marty Calder, Canada, 2:42
"I felt slow. He controlled the match tempo-wise. It was 0-0 before the pin. That's not good. I'm 3-0 against my next opponent, but the last match against him was almost overtime. You can't overlook anyone."
69 kg/152 lbs. - Lincoln McIlravy, Iowa City, Iowa
"I was a little bit concerned about my total preparation. I have an overdrive that I haven't touched yet. It is a frame of mind that I take into training."
"Once the whistle blows, I'm feeling good. I know he's talented. I felt real good going into overtime. That is my match. The longer the better, the uglier the better. The longer it goes, the more it's in my favor. I feel better in OT than the first minute of the match. I felt in better shape, maybe not in a muscle science test, but mentally, yes."
"I heard them (the Canadian fans). I'm not sure what they were booing about. I wrestled a clean bout. If they want to boo, they can. I don't concern myself with that."