YES, Olympic karma pays off for Montana wrestler Mike Zadick.

[Scott]

In fall 2006, I posted a thread on here about two brothers born and bread in Montana who not only BOTH qualified for the US World Team in 2006 and got to go to the World Championships in China, but both brought home a medal. I've casually known Bill Zadick and his little brother Mike since we were freshman in HS.

In fall 2006, Bill Zadick, At that same tournament younger brother Mike (graduated GFHS in about 1997) won a Silver medal at the 2006 Worlds at 60 kilos.

Big brother Bill fell short at the 2008 Olympic trials to his old college teammate Doug Scwabb from the University of Iowa. So the 2006 World Champ didn't make the Olympic team.

Little Brother Mike WON the Olympic trials at 60 kilos, however the 60 kilogram US wrestlers didn't do well enough at various international competitions in the last two years to qualify for the Olympic games. He wins the trials, doesn't go to Beijing.

There are SEVEN wild cards the IOC handed out to wrestlers from various countries to get into the Olympics who didn't make it in. There are only seven weight groups for men and 4 for women in each discipline of Greco-Roman and Freestyle. That means a country could have a total of 18 wrestlers that could compete, given that all of their weights qualified.

Did world silver medalist Mike Zadick get one of the wildcards? HELL no. Guess who got them. ALL 7 sent to the Chinese. SEVEN???????

Well guess what...Mike did the right thing. He worked out with the team as if he were on the team. He went to Beijing and practiced as if he were going to compete. On Sunday, Mike was told the Bulgarian at 60k was injured and not going to enter the games. MIKE IS IN!!!!!!!!!!!!!

He wrestles in just a couple of hours!!!!!!!!!!

News articles.
http://www.themat.com/specialevents/2008/olympics/main.php?page=showarticle&ArticleID=19416

http://www.themat.com/specialevents/2008/olympics/main.php?page=showarticle&ArticleID=19413


60 kilo bracket:
http://www.themat.com/specialevents/2008/olympics/brackets/FS60.htm

I sure hope the Chinese wrestlers run into Mike tonight.

Let's go Mike. Whip some s h i t t i e s for Montana.

 

[WYO312]

Glad he got in, hope he kicks some a$$

 

[nitromaniac]

Glad he got in. Whip some b u t t like the good ole USA should.

I don't see any Chinese on the bracket though

 

[ragincajun]

wow what are the odds of that!? Frenchie had one of them at a wrestling camp in Choteau a year or two ago and i think the dad came into a couple of practices this last year too. i kinda miss wrestling but then again i think about the dieting i had to do to lose water weight...that sucked! learned alot from wrestling though!

 

[Scott]

Looks like Mikey is on at 8:20pm mountain time. Gotta wait another 45 mins.
http://www.nbcolympics.com/wrestling/resultsandschedules/

Here is the bout sheet:
http://www.nbcolympics.com/wrestling/resultsandschedules/rsc=WRM260402/index.html

Mike was the clinician at the North Idaho College team camp last summer. It was good to talk to him again. Hadn't talked to him in about 7 years.

Say what you want about the Zadicks (specifically Dad, LOL), but Zadicks are good for wrestling. Gotta love what they've done for themselves and for Montana wrestling.

 

[Scott]

Damn. He lost.

5-0 and 6-0.

He got worked.

Crap. Hope that guy makes the gold medal so he gets into the repechage (consolations) for a chance at bronze.

 

[Spud]

think he's past his prime Scott, gotta be old er...

 

[Scott]

Na...he's only 30. Lot's of wrestlers are still winning at that level when they are 32-36.
Most of em don't hit their stride till late 20's.

 

[Spud]

sooo what happn'd to you, whats yur excuse. LOL!

 

[Nate]

sooo what happn'd to you, whats yur excuse. LOL!

He started doing commercials for Mr.Clean to promote product so he pretty much became their mascot.

sorry Scott

 

[SAWYER]

hahahahaha^^^^^

 

[Scott]

I got no excuse...except for I wasn't a 4 time state HS champ like BOTH of em. LOL I never got the chance to be that good. HAHA.