Murata and Kelly To Wrestle-Off; Winner Will Face Jenny Wong for World Team Spot
<< Back to Articles
John Fuller (USA Wrestling)
08/10/2002
One more weight is still up for grabs on the 2002 Women's Freestyle World Team, which will compete at the Women's World Championships in Halkida, Greece, Nov. 1-2. A three-athlete Special Wrestle-Off will be held to finalize the team. Stephanie Murata (Minden, Nev./Sunkist Kids) will wrestle Mary Kelly (Mahomet, Ill./Dave Schultz WC) in a Special Tournament Match on Monday, August 19 at 11:00 am at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. The winner will then face Jenny Wong (Stillwater, Minn./Sunkist Kids) in a best two-out-of-three Championship Series to claim the 51 kg/112 lbs. spot on the World Team. All competitors will weigh-in on Sunday, Aug. 18. A new USA Wrestling rule approved by the Women's Sports Committee allows for additional women's wrestle-offs at the three non-Olympic weight classes (51 kg, 59 kg and 67 kg). The athletes that place second or third at the four Olympic weights (48 kg, 55 kg, 63 kg and 72 kg) are allowed to challenge the winners of the three non-Olympic weights for a spot on the U.S. Women's World team. Wong won the 51 kg/112 lbs. weight class at the U.S. World Team Trials in June by defeating Katie Kunimoto (Kaneohe, Hawaii/Pacific) two matches to none. Murata lost two matches to one to Tina George (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army) at 55 kg/121 lbs., an Olympic weight. She was a 2001 World Silver Medalist and has captured three Pan-American titles. Murata is a five-time member of the Women's World Team (1996-99, 2001) and a seven-time U.S. Nationals champion (1996-2002). Kelly lost in the Challenge Tournament finals to Clarissa Chun (Kapolei, Hawaii/Wilson's Angels) by fall at 48 kg/105.5 lbs. She placed third overall at that Olympic weight. Kelly is a National Girls High School Champion and has been named to the First Team of TheMat.com/ASICS Girls High School All-American Wrestling Team twice. The first match in the Aug. 20 Championship Series will take place at 10:00 am. The second match is scheduled for 1:30 pm and the third match, if necessary, will take place one hour after the conclusion of the second match. Competition will take place on the second floor of Building #2 on the U.S. Olympic Training Center Complex. Admission is free to all spectators.