LAS VEGAS – In exactly one month, the nation’s best Olympic-level
wrestlers will travel to Las Vegas to compete in the United States
Marine Corps U.S. World Team Trials at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
For two days, June 9-10, the top Olympic hopefuls in men’s freestyle,
men’s Greco-Roman and women’s freestyle will compete for coveted spots
on the 2007 U.S. World Team. In addition, Grappling, the new
international wrestling style, will host its first World Team Trials on
the mats at the Convention Center.
“The World Team Trials is the most important domestic event held
annually, which determines who will represent the United States as the
most important international event every year, the World
Championships,” said Rich Bender, USA Wrestling Executive Director. “We
are excited to bring the event to Las Vegas, which has long been a
strong supporter of wrestling. There is still time for people to make
plans to join us for this great event.”
“We are one month away from hosting one of the most prestigious
wrestling competitions – the 2007 United States Marine Corps U.S. World
Team Trials,” said Pat Christenson, president of Las Vegas Events. “Not
only is it exciting, but it is an honor to host the world’s best
wrestlers in Las Vegas for such a prominent event. We are confident
that the athletes, coaches, officials and fans will have a memorable
experience in Las Vegas, the most exciting city in the world.”
The field has been set in the three Olympic styles of wrestling for the
United States Marine Corps U.S. World Team Trials, as the final
qualifying event was completed this past weekend.
The United States Marine Corps U.S. World Team Trials will have the
same format and will feature the same field of athletes who are
expected to compete at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Wrestling,
also set for Las Vegas in June of 2008. This format provides one of the
most popular spectator events in wrestling, where athletes compete with
great intensity to reach a lifelong goal of representing the United
States in World or Olympic competition.
There are expected to be seven World or Olympic champions in the field,
as well as 21 past World medalists competing in the Olympic styles at
the World Team Trials.
Tickets remain available and can be purchased in three ways. There will
be an All-Event price, which covers every session during the two days
of action. There is a single-day All-Session price, for fans to attend
every session on a specific day. There is also a Single Session ticket
price. There are three seat location options, Gold, Silver and Bronze,
with the Gold seats considered the most desirable.
A FanFest will also be held, allowing all spectators and participants a
chance to attend entertaining and educational clinics, as well as
review exhibits from many wrestling vendors and organizations.
United States Marine Corps U.S. World Team Trials facts and figures:
There are two days of competition, Saturday, June 9 and Sunday,
June 10. All four styles of wrestling will be contested each day (men’s
freestyle, men’s Greco-Roman, women’s freestyle, Grappling)
Each weight class will be started and completed in one day.
Therefore, there will be championship finals matches on both days of
competition.
On Saturday, June 9, champions will be determined in 16 weight
classes. They are Men’s freestyle (60 kg, 74 kg, 96 kg), Men’s
Greco-Roman (55 kg, 74 kg, 84 kg, 120 kg), Women’s Freestyle (51 kg, 59
kg, 67 kg, 72 kg), Men’s Grappling (70 kg, 80 kg, 92 kg), Women’s
Grappling (48 kg, 55 kg)
On Sunday, June 10, champions will be determined in 14 weight
classes. They are Men’s freestyle (55 kg, 66 kg, 84 kg, 120 kg), Men’s
Greco-Roman (60 kg, 66 kg, 96 kg), Women’s Freestyle (48 kg, 55 kg, 63
kg), Men’s Grappling (62 kg, 125 kg), Women’s Grappling (63 kg, 72 kg)
In the three Olympic styles of wrestling, this event will
determine the 2007 U.S. World Team that will compete at the 2007 World
Wrestling Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 17-23.
In Grappling, this event will determine the 2007 U.S. World Team
that will compete at the 2007 World Wrestling Games in Antalya, Turkey,
Sept. 7-9
The tournament for the Olympic styles of wrestling consists of a
Challenge Tournament early in the day in each weight class, with a
best-of-three Championship Finals Series at the conclusion of the day.
Fifteen of the 21 U.S. Nationals champions in the Olympic styles,
based upon their past achievements, have earned the right to skip the
Challenge Tournament and advance directly into the Championship Final
Series.
All participants in the World Team Trials had to qualify in order
to compete. In the Olympic styles, the field in each weight consists of
the top seven placewinners from the 2007 U.S. Nationals, past World or
Olympic Team members, medalists from international tournaments within
the year and specific medalists from selected qualifying events.
A total of 232 athletes qualified to compete in the three Olympic
styles. That breaks down to 85 men freestyle qualifiers, 77 men’s
Greco-Roman qualifiers and 70 women’s freestyle qualifiers. (Usually,
not all of the qualifiers choose to enter).
There are seven World or Champions expected in the field. They include:
1998 World champion Sammie Henson (freestyle)
1996 Olympic champion Kendall Cross (freestyle)
2006 World champion Bill Zadick (freestyle)
2006 World champion Joe Warren (Greco-Roman)
2002 World champion Dremiel Byers (Greco-Roman)
2000 and 2003 World champion Kristie Marano (women’s freestyle)
2005 World champion Iris Smith (women’s freestyle)
There are 21 World or Olympic medalists expected to compete. Along with the gold medalists listed above, they include:
2006 World silver medalist Mike Zadick (freestyle)
Two-time World medalist Cary Kolat (freestyle)
2006 World bronze medalist Donny Pritzlaff (freestyle)
Two-time World medalist Joe Williams (freestyle)
2005 World bronze medalist Tolly Thompson (freestyle)
2006 World bronze medalist Lindsey Durlacher (Greco-Roman)
2006 World bronze medalist Harry Lester (Greco-Roman)
2005 World bronze medalist Justin Ruiz (Greco-Roman)
2001 World silver medalist Stephanie Murata (women’s freestyle)
Four-time World and Olympic medalist Patricia Miranda (women’s freestyle)
2003 World bronze medalist Jenny Wong (women’s freestyle)
Two-time World medalist Tina George (women’s freestyle)
Three-time World and Olympic medalist Sara McMann (women’s freestyle)
2005 World bronze medalist Katie Downing (women’s freestyle)
There are 29 past or current NCAA Div. I champions who qualified to compete.
For more information on USA Wrestling, please go to: TheMat.com
For regular updates on the 2007 U.S. World Team Trials and the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Wrestling, please go to: USAWrestlingLasVegas.com