Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, July 30, 1990 TAG: 9007300099
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B3 EDITION: STATE
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: SEATTLE LENGTH: Medium
While America's women gymnasts literally fell by the wayside in their attempt to upset the Soviets, the U.S. wrestling team beat the Soviets' best for the first time since the 1960 Olympics.
"It was the best Soviet team they could put together, and we did it," U.S. coach Joe Seay said.
Cory Baze, John Smith, Nate Carr and Bill Scherr won individual titles, and the U.S. team won the gold with a 17-13 victory over the Soviet Union in the early-morning hours Sunday.
The Americans began their match against the Soviets with four straight victories, by Baze, Zeke Jones, Joe Melchiore and John Smith. Scherr's 2-1 victory over Andrei Golovko in the 220-pound division clinched the victory.
"I was lucky to win, but I'm a much better wrestler than him," Scherr said.
Soviet coach Ivan Yarygin protested the scoring in the victories by Baze and Jones, but FILA, the sport's international governing body, overruled him.
"I can't explain how happy I am, I'm almost in tears," said Baze, at 105.5 pounds the smallest wrestler in America's biggest victory.
Kim Zmeskal and her U.S. gymnastics teammates sought redemption Sunday in the women's individual apparatus events.
The 14-year-old Zmeskal was the standout gymnast on the first day of competition Friday, the women's team event, but she fell off the uneven parallel bars in the individual all-around the next day. She wound up sixth as Soviets Natalia Kalinina and Svetlana Boginskaya swept the first two places.
The top American all-arounder was Betty Okino in fourth.
Kalinina scored the only perfect 10 of the day, on the vault.
"She was the most solid performer," U.S. coach Bela Karolyi said. "Her 10 was an expression by the judges of her performance, but I would have given it to her, too."
Led by world champion Eric Griffin, U.S. boxers won five of six fights. Griffin forced his opponent, Alcis Bel Flores of Venezuela, to take a standing eight-count in the second round and totally dominated him.
"I knew this guy was going to respect me," Griffin said. "I'm a world champion."
Griffin, a 106-pounder, was so dominant in his fight that one of the five judges had him winning by an almost unheard-of 10 points.
Also a winner was light heavyweight Jeremy Williams, who scored a first-round knockout of Ljubomir Agov of Bulgaria.
All five Soviets who fought won.
The American baseball team moved into the medals round with a 15-2 rout of Mexico.
by CNB