Sept. 27, 2006
GUANGZHOU, CHINA – Hawkeye volunteer assistant coach Mike Zadick has won a sliver medal at the 2006 World Championships in Guangzhou, China, Wednesday. Zadick, who competed in his first World Championships, lost to 2005 World bronze medalist Seyed Mourad Mohammadi of Iran, 1-0, 1-1, in the 132-pound finals at the Tianhe Sports Center.
According to themat.com, Mohammadi trailed 1-0 before pushing Zadick out of bounds in the closing seconds, winning the period by virtue of scoring last. The match was scoreless in the first two minutes before the first period went to a 30-second leg clinch. Zadick won the coin flip, but couldn’t get the takedown and Mohammadi was awarded a point to win the period, 1-0. The clear aggressor the entire bout, Zadick fired in for a double-leg takedown at the 1:03 mark to lead 1-0 in the second period. He held the lead until being pushed out with nine seconds left in the match.
“There’s not much to say,” said Zadick after the match. “You have to keep wrestling and I didn’t keep wrestling. I was too worried about making a mistake. I didn’t keep wrestling solid, keeping up the pressure. It’s something I should always do. There is no excuse, I was tentative. It’s a difference of being a World Champion or not – the lightest, smallest little thing.”
Zadick defeated Olympic champion Mavlet Batirov of Russia in the semfinals. Former Iowa State wrestler Sammie Henson is the other medalist for the Americans, winning the bronze medal at 121 pounds.