Slay to Receive Gold Medal on NBC's The Today Show

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Steve Brunner (USA Wrestling)
11/13/2000


COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. - U.S. Wrestler Brandon Slay will receive his Olympic gold medal Wednesday morning, November 15, on The Today Show, it was announced today.    The Ceremony will take place at Rockefeller Plaza off of West 49th Street in New York City between 8 and 9 a.m., according to USOC and NBC officials.  This ceremony will include new silver medalist Moon Eui-jae of Korea and bronze-medalist Adem Bereket of Turkey.    Slay was awarded the gold medal in the 76kg (167 pounds) weight division after Alexander Liepold of Germany was stripped of the medal by the International Olympic Committee last month after failing a drug test.    "I'm very excited for the unique opportunity to have the event showcased on national television," Slay said. "Unfortunately, I didn't get a ceremony in Sydney.  So in many ways, this is the best I could hope for under the circumstances. I appreciate the efforts by the IOC, USOC, and USA Wrestling on my behalf."    Added Bill Hybl, the USOC's Chairman: "We at the USOC are excited and proud for Brandon.  He is a resident athlete at our Olympic Training Center in Colorado and this ceremony is special for us all.  His performance in Sydney was outstanding and he deserves the best."    Slay, a native of Amarillo, Texas, is the first wrestler from Texas to win a gold medal.  Slay's meteoric rise to gold includes coming from being ranked No. 6 in the U.S. early in the year, to winning the Olympic Trials, then defeating three-time world champion and '96 Olympic gold-medalist Bouvasa Saitiev at Sydney en route the now gold medal.    Anita DeFrantz, the highest International Olympic Committee official, and Bruce Baumgartner, USA Wrestling President, will be on hand to give the athletes their medals.    FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:  Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling, 719.598.8181, x641 or Heather Van Peursem, x642.