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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Saturday, August 2, 2003

Wrestler sends anniversary greetings to wife from Games

Associated Press

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic — Brandon Paulson began his day at the Pan American Games with a greeting and an apology.

The Greco-Roman wrestler, a silver medalist at the 1996 Olympics, sent a message back home to his wife, Shelly: "Happy Anniversary."

"Today is our fifth anniversary," the 121-pound U.S. champion said yesterday. "I have to mention that. I am not home to celebrate it, obviously."

Paulson, who begins the tournament today, offered to skip the Pan Ams, but his wife knew it was an important step in his career. Besides, Paulson will make it up to her by taking her to Paris for next month's world championships, which are in Cretiel, France.

"Ten days in Paris," he said with a smile. "She has been very supportive."

Paulson is competing in the Pan Ams for the first time. He has an 0-4 record against Cuba's Lazaro Rivas, who figures to be his main foe here.

"He's taller and has long arms and he's stronger than me," Paulson said. "I'm looking for revenge."

Old shooter: At 62, Puerto Rico's Ralph Rodriguez is still going strong in his eighth Pan American Games.

Rodriguez, whose specialty is prone shooting, first appeared at the Pan Ams in 1971 in Cali, Colombia. Since then, he has missed only the 1999 Games in Winnipeg for work reasons. When not shooting, he is a television journalist.

The passing years have done little to douse his energy. Retirement hasn't crossed his mind.

"Sport is my life and I'm not going to give it up just like that," he said. "I'm not completely satisfied with what I've achieved in shooting, and I think that at my age I can still improve."

His best performance at the Pan Ams was third place in Mexico two decades ago. At the Central American and Caribbean Games, he has won 13 medals: four gold, five silver and four bronze.

"I am in top form because of my mental power," he said. "Your age isn't what your birth certificate says. It's what you feel inside, the way you think, the way you are."

Four of his colleagues at the games are former students of Rodriguez. And he's just finished training the Dominican team. But there's little chance of the apprentice putting one over the master.

"There isn't a student around who can beat him," team delegate Plinio Martinez said.

Rodriguez is only too happy to agree.

"Even though I teach them everything I know, my students think I am unbeatable," he says, breaking into laughter. "And I also don't think there's anyone who can beat me."

Almost a flagbearer: John McNally has competed in five Olympics and seven Pan American Games. The former Army Ranger and marine and current national champion in rapid fire pistol nearly got the chance to be the U.S. flagbearer at the opening ceremony yesterday.

And Anderson wasn't even nominated by the shooting team.

Instead, his name was placed in nomination by the baseball and volleyball contingents.

"It was a tremendous honor," said McNally, who finished second in U.S. team voting to Carl Eichenlaub, a 73-year-old sailing technician chosen to carry the flag. "To have two other teams nominate me ... I mentioned I had been to seven Pan Ams and medaled in them all, and was to five Olympics, and they said, 'He should be the guy.' I guess I kind of impressed them."

McNally, whose father was a two-time Olympian in shooting, got involved in the sport when he was 11. Now 47, he's seeking a berth at the Athens Olympics, which he says will be "the epic Olympics at the birthplace of the games."

"For the last two years, I committed myself to making the Athens Games and winning a medal," he said. "That would be very special."

Who knows, he might even wind up carrying the flag.

Other Chilavert: Paraguay's men's soccer team at the Pan American Games will be led by a Chilavert.

No, not world-renowned goalkeeper Jose Luis Chilavert. It's his older brother, Rolando, who will coach Paraguay.

Paraguay will face Mexico, Guatemala and Argentina in the first round, which starts today.

Argentina is one of the favorites in the event, but Rolando Chilavert, a former forward, will try to continue the family tradition of embarrassing Paraguay's South American neighbor.

In 1996, Jose Luis scored a free-kick goal against Argentina in a World Cup qualifying match after predicting he would do just that.

2004 meetings: San Antonio will host the 2004 meeting of the Pan American Sports Organization, the group that oversees the Pan American Games.

The meeting of the PASO general assembly will include 84 delegates from Western Hemisphere nations and dozens of sports-related presentations.

The selection of San Antonio was announced yesterday by the San Antonio Sports Federation, which led the city's efforts to land the 2007 Pan Am Games that were awarded to Rio de Janeiro.

A date has not been set for the meetings, although they are expected to take place before the Summer Olympics in Athens, which run from Aug. 13-29.