Fresno State Athletics
Golden Boy?
11/26/1999 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
Nov. 26, 1999
FRESNO, Calif. - One of the most celebrated Fresno State Bulldog athletes has decided to take his skills and compete on the world?s stage. Stephen Abas, a 1999 national champion wrestler at the 125 weight class, is setting his sights on the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia.
Abas has rewritten many of the Bulldog records for wrestling and is the second Fresno State wrestler to garnish an NCAA Division I title. Abas? accomplishments are still a work in progress at Fresno State as he has two more years of eligibility left.
The Hayward, Calif. native training regiment requires him to hone his wrestling skills at dual meets all over the world. During the summer, Abas collected three victories as a member of the National Wrestling Coaches Association All-American Team. The team traveled to Europe and faced off against the French and Polish national teams in dual meets.
Currently, Abas is taking a hiatus from school entirely to train extensively for the 2000 games. Due to NCAA rules, Abas has to withdraw from school in order to redshirt from the Bulldogs again (1996-97 redshirt).
"My training includes specified weightlifting and simulated matches with selected wrestlers from the current Bulldog team," Abas said. "Sparing with assistant coach (Yero) Washington has helped develop my skills further, because he is such a great tactician." Washington is also training for a spot on the 2000 Olympic wrestling team.
Abas and Washington will travel to Freestyle tournaments all over the nation in order to practice on top notch wrestlers and get the real feeling of intense competition.
In order for Abas to get a spot on the U.S. team, he will need to defeat the best wrestlers in the country. "I?ve had a pretty good taste of what other wrestlers have to throw against me, but Sam Henson (1998 Freestyle champion), Lou Rosselli (1996 Olympic wrestler) and Eric Akin (1999 Freestyle World Team Trails champion) will be my biggest obstacles," Abas said.
If Abas is successful in Dallas, host city for the U.S. Olympic wrestling team trials, he will be the first Bulldog wrestler ever to participate in the Olympic games.
