- Dec 14, 2000
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Cael Sanderson's status as a past Olympic champion makes him eligible to compete in any USA Wrestling event.
Cael Sanderson's status as a past Olympic champion makes him eligible to compete in any USA Wrestling event.
Bob Martin/ SI
In his days of coaching Penn State to its first national team title this season, Cael Sanderson was on the mat every day. "Old man," his young wrestlers would tell him. "What have you got?"
But it was never the bruising and banging that got to Sanderson, six years removed from his Olympic gold medal and nine years away from completing his reign as an unbeaten collegian for Iowa State at 159-0. No, to be honest, it was the itching.
"It was always in the back of my mind how hard it was to stay away from the challenge of competing," says Sanderson, 10 days shy of his 32nd birthday. "That feeling never goes away. I'm not sure it ever will."
With little fanfare, Sanderson has been adding the sessions and losing the weight. In the back of his mind, the mornings wrestling with his collegians always had a dual purpose.
"I was doing everything to fire them up," he said by phone Wednesday night. "But actually they were firing me up." On Thursday he plans to make it official. One of the greatest U.S. wrestlers in history will announce his intentions to aim for a spot on the 2012 Olympic team.
Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/20...l-sanderson-comeback/index.html#ixzz1OnIG5iAd
HELL YEAH! this guy is one of my favorite wrestlers. he was amazing. Hope he goes on to make and win the gold.
though at 32 its going to a tough uphill fight. but the guy was a freak of nature. this is great news but knowing the TV channels they won't air the damn matches if he makes it. grrr
Decrease font
Enlarge font
Cael Sanderson's status as a past Olympic champion makes him eligible to compete in any USA Wrestling event.
Cael Sanderson's status as a past Olympic champion makes him eligible to compete in any USA Wrestling event.
Bob Martin/ SI
In his days of coaching Penn State to its first national team title this season, Cael Sanderson was on the mat every day. "Old man," his young wrestlers would tell him. "What have you got?"
But it was never the bruising and banging that got to Sanderson, six years removed from his Olympic gold medal and nine years away from completing his reign as an unbeaten collegian for Iowa State at 159-0. No, to be honest, it was the itching.
"It was always in the back of my mind how hard it was to stay away from the challenge of competing," says Sanderson, 10 days shy of his 32nd birthday. "That feeling never goes away. I'm not sure it ever will."
With little fanfare, Sanderson has been adding the sessions and losing the weight. In the back of his mind, the mornings wrestling with his collegians always had a dual purpose.
"I was doing everything to fire them up," he said by phone Wednesday night. "But actually they were firing me up." On Thursday he plans to make it official. One of the greatest U.S. wrestlers in history will announce his intentions to aim for a spot on the 2012 Olympic team.
Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/20...l-sanderson-comeback/index.html#ixzz1OnIG5iAd
HELL YEAH! this guy is one of my favorite wrestlers. he was amazing. Hope he goes on to make and win the gold.
though at 32 its going to a tough uphill fight. but the guy was a freak of nature. this is great news but knowing the TV channels they won't air the damn matches if he makes it. grrr
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