| Lawal named TheMat.com Wrestler of the Week |
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By Gary Abbott USA Wrestling
02/15/2006
Mo Lawal (Colorado Springs, Colo./Gator WC) has been named TheMat.com Wrestler of the Week for the week of February 7 - 13.
Each week, TheMat.com will select an Athlete of the Week, based upon performance within wrestling for that week. The selection committee will consider any level of wrestling, from youth programs through the Senior level. The announcement will be made each week on Wednesday.
Lawal won a gold medal at 84 kg/185 lbs. at the Yasar Dogu International in Samsun, Turkey, Feb. 11 in freestyle wrestling
Lawal won four matches on the way to the title, all against opponents from Turkey. He opened the tournament with a victory over Muhammad Gunaydin of Turkey, 1-0, 1-0. In the second round, he stopped Nuri Zengin of Turkey, 2-0, 4-1. His semifinal win was a 3-0, 2-0 decision over Gokhan Yavaser of Turkey, 3-0, 2-0. Lawal won in the gold-medal finals against Serhat Balci of Turkey, 1-0, 2-0.
He was the only U.S. champion during the tournament. Five Americans won medals and the U.S. placed second in the team standings.
Lawal won an international tournament for the second straight week, after claiming a gold medal at the Dave Schultz Memorial International in Colorado Springs, Colo., Feb. 3-4.
Lawal was seventh in the 2005 World Championships, his first appearance at the World level. He was a 2005 U.S. Nationals champion and 2005 World Team Trials champion. In 2004, he was third at the U.S. Nationals as well as the U.S. Olympic Team Trials.
Lawal placed third at the 2003 NCAA Championships competing for Oklahoma State. He previously attended the Univ. of Central Oklahoma, where he was a NCAA Div. II champion in 2002 and second in the 2001 Div. II Championships.
He is a U.S. Olympic Training Center resident athlete. Lawal originally hails from Plano, Texas, where he was a state high school champion in 1999.
Note: To nominate a wrestler for TheMat.com Wrestler of the Week, send the athlete's name, accomplishments for the week and career accomplishments to Gary Abbott at gabbott@usawrestling.org
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