Canada announces women’s freestyle lineup for the second annual Titan Games
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John Fuller (USA Wrestling)
04/22/2004
Canada has announced its potential lineups in women's freestyle wrestling for the second annual Titan Games, The Road To Athens powered by Home Depot, in Atlanta, Ga., June 18-20. The Titan Games will be the final chance for wrestling fans to see the 2004 U.S. Olympic Teams in all three styles compete before the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece. This will be the first Olympics to feature women's wrestling. Six-time World champion Christine Nordhagen will lead the team, competing at 72 kg/158.5 lbs. Nordhagen is also an eight-time World medalist. Also competing is 2003 World bronze medalist Viola Yanik at 67 kg/138.75 lbs. Lindsay Belisle, who placed fourth at the 2001 and 2002 World Championships, will compete at 48 kg/105.5 lbs. Belisle captured a gold medal at the 2003 World Cup and a silver medal at the 2003 Pan American Games. Rounding out the Canadian women's freestyle team will be Tonya Verbeek at 55 kg/121 lbs. Verbeek won silver medals at the 2003 World Cup and Pan American Games. The Canadian team will be coached by Todd Hines. Wrestling will again be one of the featured sports at the Titan Games, along with boxing, fencing, weightlifting, judo, taekwondo and shot put. Philips Arena is serving as the competition venue and Centennial Olympic Park is serving as the backdrop for the shot put. Wrestling will be contested on Saturday, June 19 and Sunday, June 20. The Titan Games will feature a "USA versus the World" format in dual and triangular meets. In men's freestyle and men's Greco-Roman, the teams competing against the United States will be Georgia and Iran. In women's freestyle, the opponents will be Canada and China. In men's freestyle, this field will feature the No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3 teams from the 2003 World Championships. Georgia won the World team title, followed by runner-up United States and third-place Iran. It was one of the closest team races in history. In men's Greco-Roman, Georgia was the 2003 World Champion. Iran is a developing power in Greco-Roman wrestling and has qualified six Greco-Roman weight classes for the Olympic Games. In women's freestyle, the U.S. team was second in the 2003 World Championships. China was fourth and Canada sixth at the 2003 World meet. All three teams have qualified all four women's weight classes for the Olympic Games. Canadian women participated in the 2003 Titan Games. Wrestling fans may purchase their tickets through USA Wrestling by calling (719) 598-8181. There are two packages available for purchase for wrestling fans. Package A features a $120 all-session floor pass, with only 100 available. This includes VIP Hospitality, matside seating and a chance to meet and greet wrestling legends. Package B features a $60 All-Session Lower Level Seating ticket, which will be placed in the arena where the wrestling mat is located. Only 707 of these prime seats exist. These exclusive packages are available only through USA Wrestling thru June 1. Individual session tickets are available through Ticketmaster. Final rosters of all competing nations will be posted on TheMat.com as they become available. Titan Games, The Road to Athens powered by Home Depot June 18-20, 2004 at Atlanta, Ga. Canada Tentative Team Roster Women's Freestyle 48 kg/105.5 lbs. - Lindsay Belisle 55 kg/121 lbs. - Tonya Verbeek 63 kg/138.75 lbs. - Viola Yanik 72 kg/158.5 lbs. - Christine Nordhagen Coach: Todd Hines