May 23, 2004

FRESNO, Calif. - Former Fresno State wrestler Stephen Abas is headed to the 2004 Olympics after beating Sammie Henson in the championship finals of the Olympic Trials in Indianapolis, Ind., today.

In the 55kg, or, 121-pound division, Abas won two matches in a row of a possible three against Henson. The score of the first match was 5-3 and the second was 3-1.

In match one, Abas got the first takedown and Henson followed up with a takedown of his own to tie it up 1-1. Abas then got busy, scoring three more times before Henson got back on the board. The score was 4-3 with Abas in the lead, but also on the bottom with time on the clock waning. At 5:22 in the match, Abas scored a reversal to end it 5-3.

The second match was all Abas up until the end. The ex-Bulldog led 3-0 3:31 into the match. Henson's only point came with seconds left to make it 3-1.

Because Abas is the 2004 National Champion, he got to sit out the three-day tournament until today, the last day, where he faced the winner of the challenger bracket in a best-of-three competition.

His opponent, Henson, was a silver medalist in the 2000 Olympics.

Complete results and coverage of the 2004 wrestling trials can be accessed at themat.com.

Live Results (provided by themat.com)

55kg/121 lbs. Men's Freestyle
Match 1: Stephen Abas (Sunkist Kids) dec. Sammie Henson (Sunkist Kids) 5-3
Match 2: Stephen Abas (Sunkist Kids) dec. Sammie Henson (Sunkist Kids), 3-1

Match 1
First Period
At :21, Abas 1-pt takedown, Abas 1-0.
At 1:07, Henson 1-pt takedown, 1-1.
At 1:50, Abas 1-pt takedown, Abas 2-1.
At 2:18, Abas 1-pt takedown, Abas 3-1.

Second Period
At 3:13, Henson takes injury time.
At 4:40, Abas 1-pt takedown, Abas 4-1.
At 5:10, Henson 1-pt takedown, Abas 4-2.
At 5:20, Henson 1-pt hand to hand gut wrench, Abas 4-3.
At 5:22, Abas 1-pt reversal, Abas 5-3.

Match 2
First Period
At :31 Abas single-leg takedown, 1-0 Abas
At 1:28 Abas single-leg takedown, 2-0 Abas

Second Period
At 3:31 Abas takedown, 3-0 Abas
At 4:52 Abas passive, no scoring
At 5:50 Henson takedown, 3-1