BROCK'S AZARBAYJANI DEFEATS THREE-TIME OLYMPIAN SISSAOURI
April 28, 2008
TORONTO, Ont. - Saturday afternoon in front of a crowd of over 200 fans at Newtonbrook Secondary School, Saeed Azarbayjani from the Brock Wrestling Club defeated three-time Olympian and former World Champion Guivi Sissaouri from Montreal for the first time in his career to win the 60kg Olympic Team Wrestle-Off. Azarbayjani joins 2004 Olympic Silver Medalist and Brock University graduate Tonya Verbeek who also will represent Canada at the 2008 Olympics this summer.
As Olympic Trials Champion, Azarbayjani came into the wrestle-off one match up in the best two of three challenge format. Sissaouri came in as challenger and had to win two straight matches to make the Canadian Olympic Team.
Needing just one match victory, Azarbayjani scored a single point late in the first round to take a 1-0 lead. In the second round, Sissaouri scored on a three-point under over and added a single to win the round 4-0 tying the match 1-1. In the third round, it was Azarbayjani battling Sissaouri's pressure countering on his under- over throw attempt and catching Giuvi on his back for two points. With less than 20 seconds remaining, Azarbayjani scored on a cross ankle to win in dramatic fashion against one of the top wrestlers in Canada for the past 15 years.
\"We had a good strategy going in against Sissaouri,\" said head coach Marty Calder. \"Saeed battled hard throughout the match and did the right thing in the third round that worked in his favour. He has worked very hard for the past four years and is well deserving of this victory and a place with the Olympic Team.\"
\"With Team Canada we have nine wrestlers qualified for the 2008 Olympics. The strong talent that we continue to produce at Brock and with our National Team is credit to a lot of people's hard work in our organization. We all do the things it takes to be successful which makes our program what it is.\"
(Source: Shawn Whiteley, Brock Badgers, Sports Information)
As Olympic Trials Champion, Azarbayjani came into the wrestle-off one match up in the best two of three challenge format. Sissaouri came in as challenger and had to win two straight matches to make the Canadian Olympic Team.
Needing just one match victory, Azarbayjani scored a single point late in the first round to take a 1-0 lead. In the second round, Sissaouri scored on a three-point under over and added a single to win the round 4-0 tying the match 1-1. In the third round, it was Azarbayjani battling Sissaouri's pressure countering on his under- over throw attempt and catching Giuvi on his back for two points. With less than 20 seconds remaining, Azarbayjani scored on a cross ankle to win in dramatic fashion against one of the top wrestlers in Canada for the past 15 years.
\"We had a good strategy going in against Sissaouri,\" said head coach Marty Calder. \"Saeed battled hard throughout the match and did the right thing in the third round that worked in his favour. He has worked very hard for the past four years and is well deserving of this victory and a place with the Olympic Team.\"
\"With Team Canada we have nine wrestlers qualified for the 2008 Olympics. The strong talent that we continue to produce at Brock and with our National Team is credit to a lot of people's hard work in our organization. We all do the things it takes to be successful which makes our program what it is.\"
(Source: Shawn Whiteley, Brock Badgers, Sports Information)