Koslowski vs. Wronski is the new “Bout of the Week” on USA Wrestling Members-Only website

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Gary Abbott (USA Wrestling)
03/29/2004


USA Wrestling has updated its new "Bout of the Week" on USA Wrestling's Members-Only website.    The featured match this week will be the Dennis Koslowski vs. Andrzej Wronski match at the 1992 Olympic Games at 100 kg/220 pounds in men's Greco-Roman wrestling.    This match was held in Barcelona, Spain. It was a first round match, pitting the 1988 Olympic gold medalist Wronski against the 1988 Olympic bronze medalist Koslowski. The winner would have an inside track at making the finals. Koslowski had returned from retirement the year before and placed seventh in the World. Was his comeback complete?    This time, Koslowski was ready. Fueled by a powerful pummel, an explosive gut wrench and strong defense, Koslowski scored a 2-0 upset of Wronski. He won his first four matches, scoring a gut wrench in each, and not allowing a single point in any match. In the gold-medal finals, he battled the 1991 World champion, powerful Hector Millian of Cuba, and 2-1 overtime match to win the silver medal.    Koslowski became the first and only U.S. Greco-Roman wrestler to win two career Olympic medals, his 1988 bronze and his 1992 silver medal. He also boasted a World silver medal in 1987, making him one of the most successful Greco-Roman wrestlers in American history.    His road to the top came through South Dakota, where he and his twin brother Duane attended Doland High school. Dennis was third in the state two times. In college, the Koslowski twins wrestled on the Div. III level for the Univ. of Minnesota-Morris, and Dennis won the national title two times. Their career in Greco-Roman blossomed when the brothers competed for the world respected Minnesota Wrestling Club. His brother Duane was on the 1988 Olympic team alongside Dennis, placing sixth at heavyweight.    After winning his 1988 Olympic bronze medal, Koslowski stopped competing, and became USA   Wrestling's first full-time National Greco-Roman Coach. His efforts helped get the program off the ground, and saw an improvement in U.S. Greco-Roman efforts. In 1991, Koslowski quit as coach and returned as an athlete, aiming for another Olympic medal. His victory against Wronski and his silver medal in Barcelona cemented his position as a true American great. Koslowski left wrestling to go into private business as a chiropractor afterwards, and has done some coaching of wrestlers in the Minnesota Greco-Roman program.    Wronski is one of the greatest wrestlers of his generation, and is actually still on the mats at the age of 38. He placed fourth in the 1992 Olympics after losing to Koslowski, but returned in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics to reclaim the gold medal, putting him in lofty territory as a two-time Olympic champion. He became a four-time Olympian in 2002, placing 13th in the Sydney Games.     He was a World champion in 1994, Other World medals were a silver in 1999 and bronzes in 1993 and 1997. He has added three European titles. In 2003, Wronski came back to competition, wrestling up at 120 kg. He was 13th at the 2003 World Championships, and competed in one of the Olympic Qualification Tournaments this winter. Poland has qualified for the Olympics at both 96 kg and 120 kg. Is it possible we might see Wronski for a fifth Olympic Games?    This popular feature will be changed on a regular basis, allowing members to enjoy many of the greatest matches in wrestling history.     Moving into the archived section of Bouts of the Week was last week's 1989 Jim Scherr vs. Makharbek Khadartsev men's freestyle match. Many other entertaining and historic matches are in the archive section for the Bout of the Week.     USA Wrestling has done a complete redesign and expansion of its Members-Only website, providing all USA Wrestling members with an impressive new resource stocked with interactive learning tools and entertaining features.     This on-line resource is available free of charge only to current members of USA Wrestling, one of the most exciting benefits of joining the organization.    USA Wrestling members will only need to enter the number from their 2003-04 membership card into an entry form, and the exciting new Members-Only page will become available to them.    RECENT BOUTS OF THE WEEK PLACED IN ARCHIVE  1989 Jim Scherr vs. Makharbek Khadartsev men's freestyle match  2003 Sally Roberts vs. Marianna Sastin women's freestyle match  1996 Melvin Douglas vs. Mike Van Arsdale men's freestyle match  1988 Ike Anderson vs. Buddy Lee men's Greco-Roman match  1996 Tom Brands vs. Jang Jae-Sung men's freestyle match  2004 Eric Larkin vs. T.J. Williams men's freestyle match  1992 Rodney Smith vs. Cecilio Rodriguez men's Greco-Roman match.  1988 Rico Chiapparelli vs. Lukman Jabrailov men's freestyle match  2003 Kristie Marano vs. Ewelina Pruszko women's freestyle match  1999 Stephen Neal vs. Andrei Shumilin men's freestyle match  2003 Cael Sanderson vs. Sajid Sajidov men's freestyle match