Two talented and experienced women freestyle wrestlers will compete for the United States at the 2003 Titan Games: The Road to Athens, Feb. 14-15 in San Jose, Calif.    The U.S. athletes in the two featured women's weight divisions are Tina George (Fort Carson, Colo./U.S. Army) at 55 kg/121 lbs. and Sara McMann (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) at 63 kg/138.75 lbs.    Women's wrestling is the newest sport added to the Olympic program, and will be the only new sport offering at the 2004 Summer Olympic Games in Athens, Greece. The United States is one of the world's top women's wrestling nations.    George won a silver medal at the 2002 Women's World Championships, the top performance on the U.S. team. She is a veteran competitor, having participated in four Women's World Championships events. Her previous best finish at the World Championships was sixth in 1999, the year that the United States won the World Team Title.    George was a 2001 U.S. Nationals champion, and boasts three University Nationals championships. She won a gold medal at the 2001 Pan American Championships. She competed for UM-Morris before moving to Colorado Springs then joining the Army. She attended Cleveland Heights High School in Ohio.    "I feel very fortunate to be picked to compete in the Titan Games," said George. "There are many girls from the USA to chose from and I'm very proud they chose me. I have not had as many international encounters as I would like to, so this event is very important. I have not competed since the World Championships. My training has been very consistent, which will have a positive impact on my wrestling."    McMann has competed in three straight World Championships, with ninth place in 2001 her highest placement. McMann has captured three straight U.S. Nationals titles and three straight World Team Trials titles.    She has won international tournaments in France, Sweden, Canada and the United States. McMann completed her college career competing on the men's wrestling team at Lock Haven Univ. She also attended UM-Morris. She is originally from McDowell High School in North Carolina.    "I think it's awesome," said McMann. "It will be especially fun because there are many other combat sports in the event. It's an excellent idea. It's like the old gladiator days. I'll be like a kid in a candy store watching all the other sports. For me, I'll have to dogfight through this event. That is what it is all about. It is in our home country and we always perform better here."    Coaching the U.S. women athletes will be USA Wrestling's National Women's  Coach Terry Steiner of Colorado Springs, Colo.    "It is a great event to have the martial arts come together," said Steiner. "For us to have two of the women's Olympic weights represented here is important. It helps us in California, which is a key developmental state for us. Anytime we can get matches with top foreign competition, we will take them."    "Tina George had a breakthrough year at the World Championships, taking second" said Steiner. "She needs to be put in front of this kind of competition, so she realizes how good she can be."    "The more international matches and live competition Sara McMann gets, the better for her," said Steiner. "She has been knocking on the door for a number of years and has not broken through. For Sara, it's just a matter of time."    The women wrestlers will be joined by seven men's freestyle wrestlers and four men's Greco-Roman wrestlers on the Titan Games squad. These rosters have been previously announced by USA Wrestling.    The two international teams scheduled to compete against the USA in wrestling at the Titan Games are Russia and Cuba. Russia is traditionally the world's top wrestling nation, and has won two Women's World Team titles. Cuba, a major power in men's wrestling, has not yet developed a women's wrestling program. Competing on the Cuban team will be a pair of talented wrestlers from Canada, which has one of the world's best women's wrestling programs.    The two Russian wrestlers who will compete in women's wrestling at the Titan Games are Olga Smirnova at 55 kg/121 lbs. and Anna Polovneva at 63 kg/138.75 pounds. Smirnova was a World Champion in 1996 and a Junior World Champion in 1998. She was also a 2002 European Champion. Polovneva competed in the 2002 World Championships for Russia, placing 15th.    The two Canadian wrestlers who will compete in women's wrestling at the Titan Games are Jennifer Ryz at 55 kg/121 lbs. and Trish Leibel at 63 kg/138.75 pounds. Ryz won a silver medal at the 1996 World Championships and a bronze medal at the 2000 World Championships. Leibel was fourth in the 1998 World Championships.    The Titan Games will provide a major test for U.S. Olympic hopefuls, as the world's best get set to compete in the mini-sport festival with a multi-sport format. The Road To Athens for America's elite boxers, fencers, shot putters, wrestlers, weightlifters and judo, taekwondo and karate athletes matches them up with the world's powers in each of these respective sports.    Developed by the USOC in partnership with the affiliated National Governing Bodies (NGBs) and hosted by the San Jose Sports Authority and the City of San Jose, the Titan Games will feature a "USA versus the World" format in dual and triangular meets. The Titan Games venue will accommodate four platforms with competition continuously happening on at least three platforms. The event's format is the first of its kind and will be staged over three finals-only format sessions at the 5,000 seat Event Center at San Jose State University.  Team and individual winners will be named by sport and weight classification, with the honor of "Ultimate Titan" up for grabs.    "For American athletes to be the best in the world, they must compete against the best in the world," said Jim Scherr, Chief of Sport Performance for the USOC.  "The Titan Games will provide our Olympic hopefuls that opportunity, as part of their on-going journey to Athens."    Tickets to this can't-miss event are already on sale at www.ticketmaster.com or through the participating National Governing Bodies, including California USA Wrestling. Tickets will also be available at all San Jose Ticketmaster locations beginning January 16.    U.S. Titan Games Wrestling Team  Women wrestlers  55 kg/121 lbs. - Tina George, Fort Carson, Colo. (U.S. Army)  63 kg/138.75 lbs. - Sara McMann, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)  Women's Coach - National Women's Coach Terry Steiner, Colorado Springs, Colo.    Greco-Roman wrestlers  55 kg/121 lbs. - Brandon Paulson, Anoka, Minn. (Minnesota Storm)  60 kg/132 lbs. - Jim Gruenwald, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)  74 kg/163 lbs. - T.C. Dantzler, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)  120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Rulon Gardner, Cascade, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)  Greco-Roman Coach - National Freestyle Coach Steve Fraser, Colorado Springs, Colo.    Freestyle wrestlers  55 kg/121 lbs. - Stephen Abas, Fresno, Calif. (Sunkist Kids)  60 kg/132 lbs. - Eric Guerrero, Stillwater, Okla. (Gator WC)  66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Chris Bono, Gilbert, Iowa (Sunkist Kids)  74 kg/163 lbs. - Casey Cunningham, Mount Pleasant, Mich. (Sunkist Kids)  84 kg/185 lbs. - Cael Sanderson, Ames, Iowa (Sunkist Kids)  96 kg/211.25 lbs. - Tim Hartung, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm)  120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Kerry McCoy, Bethlehem, Pa. (New York AC)  Freestyle Coach - National Freestyle Coach Kevin Jackson, Colorado Springs, Colo.