Henry Cejduo (Photo/John Sachs)Cejudo becomes the first U.S. wrestler to win an Olympic gold medal at the Beijing Olympics. He is believed to be the youngest wrestler to win an Olympic gold medal in wrestling.
Cejudo won the first period by scoring the highest point move, a two-point exposure. He won the second period on a three-point high crotch takedown.
Cejudo is competing in his first Olympic Games. He was a member of the 2007 U.S. World Team. He hails from Phoenix, Ariz., and finished high school in Colorado Springs, Colo. He became a U.S. Olympic Training Center resident athlete as a high school junior. He was the first high school wrestler to win a USA Wrestling Senior National freestyle title in 2006. His older brother Angel is his training partner in Beijing. Cejudo defeated 2004 Olympic silver medalist Stephen Abas in the finals of the U.S. Olympic Team Trials.
Cejudo advances to Olympic finals, Zadick still alive
BEIJING, CHINA -- Talented young Henry Cejudo (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) won three close matches to qualify for the gold medal finals at 55 kg/121 lbs. at the China Agricultural University Gymnasium on Tuesday.
To reach the championship finals, Cejudo defeated Namig Sevdimov of Azerbaijan, 3-5, 3-2, 4-3. Cejudo dropped the first period when Sevdimov scored two exposure points to break a 2-2 tie, then scored another counter takedown. In the second period, Cejudo scored the first takedown, and the only other points scored were on a 2-and-2 exchange where both wrestlers scored exposure. The third and deciding period was tied at 3-3 when Cejudo hit a single leg with 24 seconds left for the winning takedown.
Sevdimov was a 2006 World Military champion, but did not place in his only World Championships appearance in 2007.
Cejudo will face Tomihiro Matsunaga of Japan in the gold-medal match. Matsunaga upset 2007 World champion Besik Kudukhov of Russia in the semifinals. Matsunaga was the 2008 Asian champion and placed fifth in the 2007 World Championships.
Cejudo lost the first period of all three of his matches, but came back with excellent technique and conditioning in all three wins.
In the quarterfinals, Cejudo came back strong to defeat Besarion Gochashvili of Georgia, 1-3, 3-2, 3-0. Gochashvili scored his first period points on a takedown and a two-point reversal. In the third period, Cejudo quickly took control with a takedown and a two-point gutwrench. In the deciding third period, Cejudo scored two takedowns and an ankle lace turn for his points.
Cejudo opened with a tremendous showing, beating 2006 World champion Radolsav Velikov of Bulgaria, 0-1, 3-2, 4-3 in the first round. Velikov won the first period by winning the leg clinch from the offensive position. In the second period, Cejudo quickly took a three-point lead on a takedown and used it to win the period. In the final period, Cejudo fell behind 2-1 when Velikov got a counter exposure. Cejudo stormed back with a takedown, then a takedown with exposure, to reclaim the lead, 4-2. Velikov could only score a last second takedown for the final 4-3 margin.
Cejudo is competing in his first Olympic Games. He was a member of the 2007 U.S. World Team. He hails from Phoenix, Ariz., and finished high school in Colorado Springs, Colo. He became a U.S. Olympic Training Center resident athlete as a high school junior. He was the first high school wrestler to win a USA Wrestling Senior National freestyle title in 2006. His older brother Angel is his training partner in Beijing. Cejudo defeated 2004 Olympic silver medalist Stephen Abas in the finals of the U.S. Olympic Team Trials.
The other U.S. wrestler competing on Tuesday, Mike Zadick (Solon, Iowa/Gator WC) lost his first match, but has qualified for the repechage round tonight. Zadick is still eligible to wrestle back for a bronze medal.
Zadick lost his opening match to Vasyl Fedoryshyn of Ukraine, 5-0, 6-0. Fedoryshin scored early takedowns in both periods, and was able to turn Zadick with gut wrenches in both periods. Fedoryshyn placed fourth in the 2004 Olympics, fifth in the 2006 World Championships and won the 2008 European Championships.
When Fedoryshyn won his semifinal match against Kenichi Yumoto of Japan and qualified for the finals, Zadick was pulled back into the repechage. Only those who lose matches to gold-medal finalists are eligible for the repechage. Zadick will need to win two matches to secure a bronze medal Tuesday night.
Zadick will wrestle 2007 World bronze medalist Bazar Bazarguruev of Krygyzstan in the repechage match at the 4:00 p.m. session. If Zadick wins that bout, he will qualify for the bronze-medal match against Kenichi Yumoto of Japan.
Zadick was added to the field for the Olympic wrestling competition on Sunday. The U.S. had not qualified to compete at 60 kg. However, after the Bulgarian federation withdrew its entry at 60 kg due to injury, USA Wrestling made a formal request to FILA, the international federation, to add Zadick as the replacement. FILA notified USA Wrestling that Zadick was entered in the wrestling field.
A native of Great Falls, Montana, Zadick was a three-time All-American at the Univ. of Iowa. He is currently a member of the Iowa coaching staff. Zadick was a 2006 World silver medalist, and competed on the 2007 U.S. World Team. He won a silver medal at the 2007 Pan American Games. Zadick's training partner in Beijing is his older brother Bill, who was a 2006 World champion.
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