Fresno State Athletics
Stephen Abas Wrestles for Olympic Gold
8/28/2004 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
Aug. 28, 2004
FRESNO, Calif. - Moving forward and sticking to his game plan, three-time NCAA champion Stephen Abas is going for it all tonight in the 55 kg/121 lbs class of Olympic freestyle wrestling after defeating Japan's Chikara Tanabe, 3-0, in the semifinals at the Ano Liossia Olympic Hall in Athens, Greece.
With three U.S. freestyle wrestlers winning their semifinals, the gold medal finals will be held during the 5:30 p.m. session (Athens) on Sat., Aug. 28.
Abas needed just three points to advance to his first Olympic gold medal match. Controlling the entire match, his offense entailed three total take downs as he scored one in the first period before adding on two in the second against Tanabe, who finished seventh at the 2003 Worlds Championships.
The victory means Abas will wrestle Russia's Mavlet Batirov in the gold-medal finals on Saturday evening and will have a chance to make more than personal history.
Having wrestled Batirov at the 2003 Worlds and posting a class weight win, Abas will look to not only win Olympic gold in his Olympic debut but become the first freestlyer in the 55 kg/121 lb class to capture Olympic gold since 1904.
Men's freestyle Olympic Games session 3 quotes
8/28/2004John Fuller/USA Wrestling
55 kg/121 lbs. - Stephen Abas, Fresno, Calif.
"What was your game plan going into this match?"
I knew he was real strong with the two-on-one on my left side, so I made sure and just didn't give him my arm. He got it a couple of times and I just kind of yanked it out. I knew if he got me in that position, he would have a good chance to score.
"Did any momentum carry over from yesterday?"
I came with pretty good wins yesterday, and I just had to come in and keep the ball rolling.
"Are you satisfied with where you are in this Olympics?"
I haven't had a medal yet at this level. Just to get this far is a great accomplishment for me. I've made it this far. I'm not going to stop now. I'm going to try to get that gold tonight.
"Did your tough pool draw help you to gain momentum in this tournament?"
Drawing the Cuban in my pool, I knew it was going to be a tough go. Coming back from a deficit like that definitely gave me a positive outlook on my matches to come.
U.S. Results for Saturday, August 28 at the 9:30 a.m. session
55 kg/121 lbs. -
Semifinals - Stephen Abas (USA) dec. Chikara Tanabe (Japan). 3-0
60 kg/132 lbs.
Purevbaator Oyunbileg (Mongolia) dec. Eric Guerrero (USA), 3-1 ot, 7:50
66 kg/145.5 lbs.
Semifinals - Jamill Kelly (USA) dec. Makhach Murtazaliev (Russia), 3-1, ot, 7:31
74 kg/163 lbs.
Joe Williams (USA) dec. Gela Saghirashivili (Georgia), 6-1
84 kg/185 lbs.
Semifinals - Cael Sanderson (USA) dec. Yoel Romero (USA), 3-2
96 kg/211.5 lbs.
Daniel Cormier (USA) dec. Radovan Valach (Austria), 9-0
Semifinal results
55 kg/121 lbs.
Stephen Abas (United States) dec. Chihara Tanabe (Japan), 3-0
Mavlet Batirov (Russia) dec. Amiran Karntanov (Greece), 7-1
66 kg/145.5 lbs.
Elbrus Tedeev (Ukraine) dec. Leonid Spiridonov (Kazakhstan), 4-2
Jamill Kelly (USA) vs. Makhach Murtazaliev (Russia), 3-1, ot, 7:31
84 kg/185 lbs.
Cael Sanderson (USA) dec. Yoel Romero (Cuba), 3-2
Moon Eui Jae (Korea) dec. Sajid Sajidov (Russia), 10-2
120 kg/264.5 lbs.
Artur Taymazov (Uzbekistan) dec. Aydin Polatci (Turkey), 3-0
Ali Reza Rezaei (Iran) dec. Marid Mutalimov (Kazakhstan), 4-1
Medal match pairings for Saturday, August 28 at 5:30 p.m. session
55 kg/121 lbs.
Gold - Stephen Abas (USA) vs. Mavlet Batirov (Russia)
Bronze -Chihara Tanabe (Japan) vs. Amiran Karntanov (Greece)
66 kg/145.5 lbs.
Gold - Jamill Kelly (USA) vs. Elbrus Tedeev (Ukraine)
Bronze - Leonid Spiridonov (Kazakhstan) vs. Makhach Murtazaliev (Russia)
84 kg/185 lbs.
Gold - Cael Sanderson (USA) vs. Moon Eui Jae (Korea)
Bronze -Yoel Romero (Cuba) vs. Sajid Sajidov (Russia)
120 kg/264.5 lbs.
Gold - Artur Taymazov (Uzbekistan) vs. Ali Reza Rezaei (Iran)
Bronze - Aydin Polatci (Turkey) vs. Marid Mutalimov (Kazakhstan) vs.
U.S bouts for Saturday, August 28 5:30 p.m. session
55 kg/121 lbs.
Gold medal finals - Stephen Abas (USA) vs. Mavlet Batirov (Russia)
60 kg/132 lbs.
Eric Guerrero (USA) vs. David Pogosian (Georgia)
66 kg/145.5 lbs.
Gold medal finals - Jamill Kelly (USA) vs. Elbrus Tedeev (Ukraine)
74 kg/163 lbs.
Joe Williams (USA) vs. Mehdi Hajizadehjobari (Iran)
84 kg/185 lbs.
Gold medal finals - Cael Sanderson (USA) vs. Moon Eui Jae (Korea)
96 kg/211.5 lbs.
Daniel Cormier (USA) vs. Bartolomej Bartnicki (Poland)
