Williams advances to wrestling quarterfinals

By Bryce Miller

Gannett News Service

ATHENS, Greece - Iranian wrestler Mehdi Hajizadehjoybari waited as officials reviewed videotape of an edge-of-mat scramble against Joe Williams with three seconds left in regulation.

The vocal Iranian crowd expected Williams to be given one point, for a 2-0 lead, forcing the match to overtime Saturday at Ano Liossia Olympic Hall.

Williams was awarded two, though - reaching the three points needed for a regulation win - and moved the former University of Iowa star one step closer to a medal.

``People say we got that call,'' said U.S. assistant coach Tom Brands, who helped coach Williams at Iowa. ``We didn't get that call, he earned that call. He went out and took the risk, he was in and he got the exposure.

``Actually, he may have gotten a count, it should've been 4-0 the way I saw it.''

Williams advanced to a quarterfinal match on Sunday against Kazakhstan's Gennadiy Laliyev.

The Iowa City, Iowa, resident won his world bronze in 2001, while Laliyev captured his last year in New York.

``I've got to go out and wrestle,'' Williams said. ``Really force my offense and look to score.''

Williams opened his Olympics with a 6-1 victory against Georgia's Gela Saghirashvili to set up the meeting with the Iranian, a 2002 world champion.

``You can see the life come back into him that match,'' said Brands, the new coach at Virginia Tech. ``Now his emotions are flowing, he's not so tight.''

The other U.S. wrestler still alive for an Olympic medal is Daniel Cormier at 211.5 pounds.

Later on Saturday, the Americans wrestled for three medals with Cael Sanderson winning gold at 185 and silvers going to Stephen Abas (121) and Jamill Kelly (145.5).

The United States owns three medals with a chance for two more Sunday, including Williams.

``I think the difference is, we're scoring big points in big matches in critical situations,'' said Brands, a 1996 gold medalist. ``And that's up and down the lineup.''