Army Sergeant Wrestling for Team USA - Spenser Mango

As you know, from our prior postings, the US Army sent 11 soldiers to the 2012 London Olympics!  We've looked at Dremiel Byers and Keith Sanderson.  This time we'll talk about an Army soldier and Greco-Roman wrestler, Spenser Mango.

Spenser wrestles in the 55 kg category (to save you the calculation, 55 kg = 121 lbs).  Going into these Olympics, Spenser is Team USA's #1 ranked wrestler in his weight class.

After being a two-time All American wrestler for Stanford, he transferred to Northern Michigan University where he enrolled in the US Olympic Education Center.  He graduated from Northern Michigan and has been wrestling for Team USA for 6 years.  He has also served in the US Army for 2 years.

Spenser's wrestling career includes:

• 2006 World Championship, Bronze
• 2006 University World Championship, 1st Place
• 2008 National Championship, 1st Place
• 2008 Olympics, 8th Place
• 2009 World Championship, 9th Place
• 2010, 2011 and 2012 US Open Championship, 1st Place

So given his dominance of the American field, let's cheer Spenser on to dominate the International field at these London Olympics!

Go Spenser and Team USA Wrestling!!

The Olympic Wrestling competition starts Sunday, Aug 5th

Here's a video of Spenser wrestling at the New York Athletic Club...

Army Soldier is Pistol Shooting for Team USA - Keith Sanderson

We have talked before about the US Army's World Class Athlete Program (WCAP).  They sent 11 soldiers to the 2012 London Olympics!  And here's one of them - sharp shooter Keith Sanderson.

Keith joined the Marine Corps just after high school, where he competed for the Marine Shooting Team in rifle matches.  After eight years with the Marines he joined the Army Reserves and started college.  In 2005, after four years in the Reserves, he transferred to Active Duty as an Army soldier.

Along the way Keith has sharpened his shooting skills, primarily in the Rapid Fire Pistol program, and his results prove it.  Keith has medaled in multiple events:

• Gold - National Championship (2004)
• Gold - National Championship (2005)
• Bronze - Championships of the Americas (2005)
• Silver - Pan American Games (2006)
• Bronze - World Cup Munich (2007)
• Gold - World Cup Beijing (2009)
• Bronze - World Cup Munich (2009)
• Silver - World Cup Chagnwon (2009)
• Bronze - World Championship (2010)
• Bronze - World Cup Final Wroclaw (2011)
• Silver - World Cup Chagnwon (2011)

This year his sights are set on medaling at the London Olympics!

Go Keith and Team USA Shooting!!

The Shooting competition started a few days ago, but Keith's portion starts today (Aug 2nd) and continues for the next few days

Check out this video where Keith talks about going to his 2nd Olympics!!

US Army Soldier and Olympic Wrestler - Dremiel Byers

Dremiel Byers has an impressive resume, both for his service in the US Army and for his career as a wrestler.  He is an amateur wrestler who competes in the Greco-Roman discipline.

Dremiel grew up wrestling in high school and won the North Carolina State Championship in 1993.  He opted to attend college on a football scholarship, but that lasted just one year.  He then joined the Army as a soldier and was quickly placed in the Army's World Class Athlete Program (WCAP).

Over the years Dremiel has achieved several things in the super heavyweight category:

• US Armed Forced Champion (9 times)
• US National Champion (10 times)
• World Military Champion (2005)
• World Champion (2001)

This will be his second trip to the Olympics, following his previous trip to Beijing in 2008.

At the 2012 London Olympics, Dremiel has his sights set on Gold.  Before his grandfather passed away he promised his grandfather he would bring home an Olympic Gold medal.  He wants to fulfill that promise!

As a Sergeant 1st Class Army soldier, Dremiel is based in Fort Carson, CO.  And he is on Active Duty in the Quartermaster Corps.

The Olympic Wrestling schedule starts on Sunday, August 5th

Check out this video from the US Army and Dremiel Byers!

And Go Team USA!!