Takedown Report

Amateur Wrestling Reports

Abbott Blog: I would come back to Estonia again with my family (in the summer)

TDR ; As always good writing and insights by Gary Abbott.
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BY GARY ABBOTT, USA WRESTLING | August 18 – Many of us who have made a career in international sport have travelled to all kinds of places on the globe for competitions. Although I don’t travel nearly as much as many of our coaches, I have been blessed to have been to every continent except Africa and Antartica. Some of the places we have been are amazing; others, not so much. One of my problems is that when I go to all these countries, I often spend most of my time in gymnasiums and hotels. Wrestling tournaments take a long time, plus we try to do as much coverage as possible of the athletes and teams, and that also takes a lot of time. I don’t get to do much sightseeing, because, honestly, we are here on business. 

I had a chance to steal a few moments during the Junior Worlds to check out some of Tallinn. Most people may not consider Estonia as a tourist destination, but from my small sampling, this is a place I would consider spending a little time on vacation with my family. Thursday morning before weigh-ins at the Hestia Europa Hotel, I went a little early and walked along the docks in the harbor. It wasn’t a long walk, but was very good for the soul. I shot some pictures of the various boats in the marina, and walked down far enough to get a good photo of a massive cruise ship docked nearby. I got a neat shot of an old man fishing off the pier. Those are the kind of scenes you can find in cities on an ocean or a major sea.
Because the two-day tournament format, the last day is much shorter. There is only repechage and medal matches in the final five weight classes in Greco-Roman on Sunday. The hosts were smart enough to put those sessions in the late afternoon and in the evening, giving everybody the morning off. Some people may have chosen to sleep in. Instead I got up around the normal time, had some breakfast, and set off on a short adventure. Judi Tekautz, the team trainer who hails from Minnesota, agreed to bring me around Tallinn Old Town, which she had visited a few times already. Rest of the story at https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling/Features/2019/August/11/Abbott-Blog-Junior-Worlds?mc_cid=c5b71cd582&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

August 18, 2019 Posted by | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

The Women Of USA Wrestling Show Up Strong, Earn Three Medals In Lima

Women’s wrestling was introduced to the Pan American Games in 2003. Since then, competitors have been battling not only for medals but for respect for their sport. Thursday at Miguel Grau Coliseum at the Pan American Games Lima 2019, three more United States wrestlers added to that push for equal respect. Sarah Hildebrandt dominated in the women’s 53 kg. final to secure the gold, and Whitney Conder outlasted her opponent to win gold in the women’s 50 kg. final. In the women’s freestyle 57 kg. final, Jenna Burkert lost a close match and claimed silver. 

Hildebrandt squared off against Betzabeth Arguello of Venezuela. It didn’t take long for Hildebrandt to take control. She started with a simple takedown to score the first two points of the match. That takedown turned into a nightmare for Arguello, however, as Hildebrandt began to roll. And roll. And roll. Four consecutive gator rolls from Hildebrandt improved her score to 10-0, a win by technical superiority. The match hardly lasted a minute. In her three matches on Thursday, no one scored a point on Hildebrandt throughout her dominant path toward gold.  “This is the stuff you dream of,” Hildebrandt said. “Running with the flag behind my back as I took a lap took years and years of dreaming. Getting to experience this only makes me hungrier and more motivated. Rest of the story at
https://www.teamusa.org/News/2019/August/08/The-Women-Of-USA-Wrestling-Show-Up-Strong-Earn-Three-Medals-In-Lima?mc_cid=12b6854c02&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

August 18, 2019 Posted by | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Where did the stigma of “pro wrestling” go?

TDR Edit.’s Note ; This is something that baffles me as it is clear that in Amateur Wrestling (including folkstyle, freestyle, greco-roman, etc styles) the final result of a match is not known or guaranteed ahead of time. Thus it is a contest or sport. One side or wrestler may be greatly favored and there could be confident coaches and wrestlers but the result is not pre-determined. Professional wrestling is an athletic exhibition with a coordinated series of moves and events in which the result is known or guaranteed by those not directly on the mat. It is similar to a movie or play in which the end may seem to be in doubt or come as a surprise yet it is pre-determined because it is in the Script!
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Episode 525 is a little different as we take to Twitter and Facebook to ask fans about the stigma of “pro wrestling” and why “our” side of the sport seems to be less annoyed with the pro wrestling/sports entertainment side of it. In the 80s and 90s, there was an anger, a vitriol about it compared to “amateur wrestling,” that does still hold some feelings within the sport, but in large, it seems to have gone away. So there’s the question of the week! Where did the stigma of “pro wrestling” go?
Next week’s question: What’s your favorite All-Star Classic match of all-time? Read the rest of the story and listen in at
http://www.mattalkonline.com/podcast/short-time/where-did-the-stigma-of-pro-wrestling-go/?mc_cid=12b6854c02&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

August 18, 2019 Posted by | Uncategorized | Leave a comment