Feb. 10, 2012
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IOWA CITY, Iowa — Each week through the U.S. Olympic Wrestling Team Trials, USA Wrestling and the UI Athletics Department will provide updates on the sport, its athletes and activities in anticipation and preparation for two action-packed days of wrestling inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena in late April culminating in the celebration of the team of wrestlers who will represent the United States in the 2012 Summer Olympic Games in London. To purchase all-session tickets, confirm event details and schedules, learn about the greater Iowa City/Coralville community, visit iowacitytolondon.com.
Current News
- World champion Burroughs wins Dave Schultz Memorial freestyle title. Click HERE for details.
- Top U.S. Olympic hopefuls to compete on seven international tours in February. Click HERE for details.
- Adeline Gray receives Living the Dream Medal Fund bonus at Schultz Memorial in Colorado. Click HERE for details.
- Sanders named Outstanding Wrestler after winning Schultz Memorial Greco-Roman title. Click HERE for details.
- Lee, Lampe, Pirozhkova capture Dave Schultz Memorial women’s titles. Click HERE for details.
- Conder, Maroulis, Beltzz win Pan American Championships Wrestle-off in women’s freestyle. Click HERE for details.
Looking Ahead
Here’s a list of competitions which will feature U.S. athletes in the month ahead…
Feb 11 12- Hungarian Grand Prix, Szombathely, Hungary (GR)
Feb. 12 13 – Granma Cup, Havana, Cuba (GR)
Feb. 14-15 – Cerro Pelado International, Havana, Cuba (GR)
Feb. 15-16 – Outstanding Ukrainian International, Kiev, Ukraine (FS)
Feb. 17-18 – Vladimir Semenov International, Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia (FS)
Feb. 18-19 – Klippan Lady Open, Klippan, Sweden (W)
Feb. 25-26 – Pan American Championships, Colorado Springs, Colo. (FS/GR/W)
Some Additional Items of Interest
Lampe seeks to return to top during Olympic year – Wrestling fans in Wisconsin remember Alyssa Lampe of Tomahawk, who became the first girl to reach the state high school finals competing against boys in 2006. Lampe also excelled against girls in freestyle. She started by attending Northern Michigan’s USOEC women’s program, then moved on to the Olympic Training Center. Lampe was a 2007 and 2008 Junior World bronze medalist. In 2008, she was second at the World Team Trials to Olympian and World Champion Clarissa Chun, and has been in the finals ever since. At the 2010 World Trials, she beat Chun to make her first Senior World Team. Chun reclaimed the spot in 2011. Lampe, a strong and aggressive wrestler, hopes to move back to the top in 2012 and make her first Olympic Team.
Young stars from South Dade High School reach Olympic Trials – Five wrestlers qualified to compete at the 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials based on their performance at the 2012 Dave Schultz Memorial. Two of them are natives of Homestead, Florida and attended South Dade High School. Kendrick Sanders won the Schultz at 74 kg in Greco. A three-time Junior National champion in Greco in high school, he went to Purdue for a short time for college, then switched to the USOEC program at Northern Michigan to wrestle Greco-Roman full-time. In his second year there, Sanders is starting to blossom. Hall graduated last spring from South Dade, but has not yet gone to college. He is training this year at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, and will go to Rutgers next year. Hall placed fourth at 55 kg to earn his trip to the Trials in Iowa City.
Jordan looking to take next big step on Senior level – Raymond Jordan keeps getting better. A native of New Bern, N.C., he competed in college for Missouri, where he was third in the 2009 NCAA Championships. Jordan’s first stop after college was at Arizona State, where he was an assistant coach. He quickly improved in freestyle, and made Freestyle Team USA by placing third at the 2010 World Team Trials at 84 kg. Jordan has moved to Nebraska, where he is training under Coach Mark Manning, and working out with 2011 World champion Jordan Burroughs (74 kg) and Craig Brester (96 kg). A win at the 2012 Dave Schultz Memorial gives him a boost going into the Olympic year.
Junior World champion Bradley seeking Olympic berth – Dom Bradley is considered a heavyweight star of the future in freestyle, but wants it all right now. A native of Blue Springs, Mo., he won three Junior freestyle national titles then signed with Missouri for college. He backed up NCAA champion Mark Ellis there for a few seasons, and continued with his freestyle. Bradley was impressive winning the 1999 Junior World Championships. He has also been strong on the Senior level, finishing No. 3 on Freestyle Team USA the last two years. In 2011, Bradley was third at the NCAA Championships. This year, he is taking an Olympic redshirt year from college and pursuing the Olympics. A win at the Dave Schultz Memorial starts his year off strong.
Mango looks to return to Olympics and win first medal – A native of St. Louis, Mo., Spenser Mango chose to pursue Greco-Roman during college rather than the NCAA collegiate style. He went to the Northern Michigan USOEC program to train under respected coach Ivan Ivanov and was quickly a top prospect. In 2008, he surprised many by making the Olympic Team at 55 kg and placing eighth in Beijing. Since then, Mango has made the last three U.S. World Teams, owning his weight class. A year ago, he joined the Army World Class Athlete Program after college graduation. He still seeks his first World-level medal, and hopes to win it in London in 2012.
