Precocious teen earns Olympic berth

Jake Deitchler has been called young, unrealistic and even ignorant.

The 18-year-old Minnesota native used all of those adjectives to his benefit Saturday.

Deitchler overcame a huge deficit in his second championship match to capture a berth in the 2008 Olympics in Greco-Roman wrestling.

A recent high school graduate, Deitchler downed 32-year-old Turkish immigrant Faruk Sahin in the 145-pound (66 kilogram) men's division of the U.S. Olympic team trials at the Thomas & Mack Center.

"People tell me sometimes I'm kind of ignorant," said Deitchler, who will be the first U.S. wrestler since 1976 to compete in the games in the year he graduated from high school. "People say I'm not realistic about things, but to tell you the truth, it really doesn't matter when I can do things like this."

Deitchler beat two-time world bronze medalist Harry Lester to earn a spot in the best-of-3 final against Sahin.

He narrowly beat Sahin in three periods in the first match, then lost the first period and fell behind 5-0 in the second period of the second match.

"I felt a little pressure, and I came out a little slow," Deitchler said.

Deitchler got back into the match with an escape and a throw. He won the second period 7-5 and used a roll in the final 30 seconds of the third period to take a 3-1 lead.

"When I'm down, I just find a way to win," Deitchler said. "It's the difference between life and death for me."

T.C. Dantzler, a 37-year-old three-time national champion, qualified for his first Olympics by winning the 163-pound (74 kg) Greco-Roman division.

Also earning Olympic berths were 2004 Olympian Brad Vering in the men's 185-pound (84 kg) Greco-Roman division; Henry Cejudo in the men's 121-pound (55 kg) freestyle division; and Doug Schwab in the men's 145-pound (66 kg) freestyle division.

Former Eldorado High School standout and two-time state prep champion Matt Azevedo lost to Nick Simmons in the consolation final of the men's 121-pound (55 kg) freestyle division.

Azevedo, the top seed in the division, was beaten by 2004 Olympic silver medalist Stephen Abas in the semifinals and did not qualify for the finals.

A story published in Saturday's Review-Journal mistakenly listed Azevedo as having an automatic berth in the final.

In the judo trials, 34-year-old Valerie Gotay will return to the Olympics for the first time since 1992.

Gotay, who retired from competition after qualifying for the games in Barcelona and is a mother of two, returned four years ago and finished second at the trials. She defeated Hannah Martin to qualify for the Olympics in the 125-pound (57 kg) division.

Also qualifying for the Olympics in judo were Sayaka Matsumoto in the women's 105-pound (48 kg) division; 2004 Olympian Taraje Williams-Murray in the men's 132-pound (60 kg) division); Ryan Reser in the men's 160-pound (73 kg) division; and Travis Stevens in the men's 178-pound (81 kg) division.

Wrestling action concludes today with competition at 10 a.m. and 5 p.m.