FEATURE: Chris Bono looking for his time to shine at the 2003 U.S. Nationals in Las Vegas, Nev. May
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Janessa Pierce (USA Wrestling)
05/02/2003
"I'm looking to win it," said Chris Bono of the Sunkist Kids, about the 2003 U.S. National Freestyle Wrestling Championships in Las Vegas May 9-10. As an assistant coach at Iowa State University and the father of one daughter and another child on the way, Bono has managed to make time to prepare himself for the competition he has never won. "Coach Bobby Douglas has given me a lot of freedom to do what I need to do to realize my dreams. Now that most of the college recruiting is over, I have more time to focus on my big competitions," he said. And Bono is dreaming big. His dreams of World and Olympic championships consume his thoughts as he prepares for every step along the way. "I haven't achieved my dreams of being World and Olympic champion. That's what motivates me. I get up every day and tell myself I'm not there yet, so I keep fighting. I have to take it one step at a time and the first step is to win [U.S. Nationals]," he said. In order to conquer this first step, Bono is all about wrestling right now. "I've been training hard and working to perfect the things I do well while fixing my mistakes. I have one more hard three-day cycle coming up and then I'll back off and start focusing on cutting weight," Bono said. Bono is in the 145.5 pound weight class division, which will be one of the toughest divisions in the competition. "Everybody and their sister is in my weight class. And that's good. It motivates me to work harder and train harder because I know it's going to be tough. Everyone is trying to knock me off and I know that." Included in this tough field of competition are two-time National Champion Bill Zadick, plus Lincoln McIlravy, a 2000 Olympic bronze medalist returning to the sport from a stint as USA Wrestling's Freestyle Resident Coach. Bono has beaten Zadick, but has never been able to defeat McIlravy after years of losses to him. The rest of the division is talented and deep, a tremendous test for Bono. Rather than worrying about specific competitors, however, Chris Bono is worrying about Chris Bono. "I'm going to go in and wrestle the way I can wrestle and hopefully that will be what it takes," he said. "You can't just watch one, two or three guys. There are 20 or 30 wrestlers in my weight class who are completely capable. I'm watching a lot of film and keeping an eye on everyone," he added. "One thing about me is that I'll be ready for anyone and everyone. If I get the opportunity to wrestle Lincoln [McLlravy], that'll just be another chapter in the story," said Bono. Bono is coming off a trememdous winter season. He won the World Cup, allowing no points to be scored. He also captured the Independence Cup in Uzbekistan and won both of his bouts at the Titan Games. All eyes will be on Bono and his 145.5-pound division at the 2003 U.S. Nationals, set for May 9-10 in Las Vegas, Nev.