Springs wrestler Van Dusen narrowly misses qualifying spot

Marcie Van Dusen couldn’t complete the puzzle.

The Colorado Springs wrestler lost Saturday in the 121-pound women’s freestyle finals of the Pan American Championships at the Olympic Training Center, failing to qualify her weight class for the Beijing Games in August.

In a six-person bracket, Van Dusen, 25, fell to Canadian Tonya Verbeek 1-1, 1-0, 1-1 in the championship match following a first-round bye and a semifinal pin of Mexican Magdalena Arellano.

“Wasn’t that a bummer?” Van Dusen said with watery eyes after receiving her silver medal.

The U.S. has qualified 13 Olympic weight classes, including three of four in women’s freestyle. It must qualify five more — 132 and 163 in Greco-Roman, 121 and 132 in men’s freestyle and 121 in women’s freestyle — to field a full 18-person team in Beijing. Two world qualifying tournaments in each discipline remain after this weekend.

The 18-country Pan American Championships conclude today at the OTC with Coronado High School graduate Henry Cejudo (121 pounds) and Mike Zadick (132) trying to qualify. The elimination and repechage rounds begin at 9a.m. and the finals start at 5:30 p.m.

The previous time Verbeek, a 2004 Olympic silver medalist, and Van Dusen wrestled, Van Dusen won an 0-7, 2-1, 7-2 decision at the 2007 Pan American Games, where she finished second.

This time, Verbeek went on the defensive, letting Van Dusen become the aggressor. The strategy worked.

Verbeek controlled the first period and lost the second when Van Dusen scored a takedown at the buzzer. Van Dusen took a 1-0 lead less than 20 seconds into the third, then Verbeek drew even with 67 seconds left and withstood Van Dusen’s late attempts.

“She didn’t shoot as much,” Van Dusen said. “She was a lot more cautious, and she waited for me to come to her. I should have set her up a little bit better, and I think I would have had her.”

Verbeek said the key to the third was wiggling free from Van Dusen’s leg grabs.

“That would have been her point and her round, which meant the match,” Verbeek said. “I tried to stick with it and not give her that takedown. I don’t think it was my best match, but I got the job done.”

Asked if she feels pressure to qualify her weight class, Van Dusen said, “I’d be lying if I said I didn’t. But I know I’m going to qualify. It’s just a matter of time.”

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