BACHER DEFEATS BELEW-KENNEDY IN TWO STRAIGHT BOUTS IN SPECIAL WRESTLE-OFF FOR U.S. WOMEN'S WORLD TEAM POSITION 
   Sandra Bacher (San Jose, Calif./Dave Schultz WC) claimed a spot on the U.S. Women's World Team in freestyle wrestling at 149.75 pounds, by winning a Special Wrestle-off, Sunday, June 29, at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. 
   Bacher defeated Sheri Belew Kennedy (Chowchilla, Calif./Chowchilla FS) in two straight matches, both by pin, to claim the best-of-three series. 
   Bacher will represent the United States at 149.75 pounds at the 1997 Women's World Wrestling Championships in Clermont-Ferrand, France, July 8-12. 
   In the first match, Bacher scored the opening takedown, then turned Belew-Kennedy for a pin in 1:06. 
   The second match was very similar to the first, with Bacher scoring a takedown, then turning Belew-Kennedy and securing a pin at 1:26. 
   The Special Wrestle-off became necessary when Bacher was unable to compete in the Women's World Team Trials in Roseville, Calif., June 13-14, due to an injury. According to USA Wrestling rules, only the U.S. Nationals champion has the right to delay a final series for the U.S. World Team due to injury, and Bacher exercised her right. 
   "My leg is feeling pretty good," said Bacher. "I tore a hamstring a few weeks ago and don't have my full flexibility. I didn't think about it when I was competing, which is good. My conditioning was good, even though I was out for a few weeks. I train hard all year round." 
   "My goal is to win the World Championships," she said. "I feel that I can beat anybody that I face there. If I have a good tournament, and wrestle better than I did today, I can win." 
    The Special Wrestle-off was held alongside the Women's World Team Training Camp held at the U.S. Olympic Training Center, June 23-July 6. 
   Bacher will compete on her third straight U.S. World Team. She also placed fourth in the 1996 World Championships and ninth in the 1995 World Championships. Bacher claimed U.S. Nationals titles in 1995 and 1997. 
   Bacher is also a world-class judo athlete, and competed on the 1992 and 1996 U.S. Olympic judo teams. She attended San Jose State Univ. and went to high school in Franklin, Wash. 
   Belew-Kennedy was seventh in the 1993 World Championships and eighth in the 1994 World Championships. She is a three-time U.S. Nationals champion (1993-94, 1996). Belew-Kennedy graduated from Turlock High School in California. 
  WOMEN'S SPECIAL WRESTLE-OFF at Colorado Springs, Colo., June 29 
   149.75 pounds - Sandra Bacher, San Jose, Calif. (Dave Schultz WC) dec. Sheri Belew Kennedy, Chowchilla, Calif. (Chowchilla FS), two matches to none   
  Bout One - Bacher pin Belew-Kennedy, 1:06; Bout Two - Bacher pin Belew-Kennedy, 1:26