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August 28, 2004 5:53 pm

Sanderson achieves wrestling gold-medal

By BRYCE MILLER

Gannett News Service

ATHENS, Greece - The tiny piece of paper Debbie Sanderson found in the scrapbook of her son, Cael, listed the ambitious goals of the Utah first-grader.

Be a good student.

Be a good person.

Be an Olympic champion.

Sanderson, as he did in his singularly exceptional college career, is perfect again - 3 for 3.

The soft-spoken former Iowa State star lived up to the steep expectations launched after his 159-0 NCAA career, beating Korea's Eui Jae Moon 3-1 on Saturday for an Olympic gold medal in freestyle wrestling.

The victory unfolded in front of an Ano Liossia Olympic Hall crowd that included his wife, Kelly, and family.

``I see the medal,'' said Sanderson, looking down at his chest. ``but it's hard to believe.''

Sanderson traveled to Athens as the name and face of the U.S. freestyle team, but the spotlight was dimmer than it might have been because of Greco-Roman wrestler Rulon Gardner and the debut of women's wrestling.

The extra space allowed Sanderson more room to focus on the mat.

Sanderson entered Saturday's semifinal match with an 0-2 career record against Cuba's Yoel Romero but controlled the match and won 3-2 after giving up a meaningless last-second point.

In the gold medal match, the 25-year-old trailed 1-0 to Moon - a 2000 Olympic silver medalist and two-time runner-up at the world championships.

Sanderson attacked Moon's ankles and scored two points at the 4 minute, 32 second mark of the six-minute match to lurch in front, 2-1. He scored by rolling on top of Moon and exposing his own back, but earned the points for initiating the move.

A one-point takedown with 50 seconds left provided the final margin, and the golden moment of a lifetime.

Sanderson awkwardly put his arms in the air, a celebration for a guy who never does - even though he has reason to almost every time he steps on a wrestling mat.

``I just wanted to get out of there before I make a fool out of myself, really,'' he said.

Sanderson's brother, Cody, another former Iowa State wrestler in a family of four wrestling brothers, barely could speak after the match.

The voice box took a beating as he cheered for the two other American finalists of the night - Jamill Kelly (145.5 pounds) and Stephen Abas (121), both of whom ended up with silver medals.

``We had three guys in the finals going for gold, so it's not like I could save my voice up,'' Cody said. ``So by the time he came up, I was already shot.

``This isn't something temporary - this is something that lasts forever.''Sanderson was swarmed on the mat by U.S. national freestyle coach Kevin Jackson - a former Iowa State wrestler - and assistant coach Bobby Douglas, Sanderson's coach when he competed for the Cyclones.

``Three Cyclones on the mat at one time,'' said Douglas, gushing.

Douglas barely reached the tunnel of the arena when he dialed his cell phone and called Ames, Iowa, to break the news to his wife, Jackie.

``She was screaming - about broke my ear drums,'' Douglas said.

Douglas said he wasn't concerned about long-distance charges back to the United States.

``It's not my bill, it's USA Wrestling's bill,'' said Douglas, a two-time Olympian. ``But I don't mind that, and I don't think they will, either.''Sanderson said he plans to return to Iowa State and work with the wrestling program but is unsure about his competitive future.

``I'm just going to take some time off, and if I have that desire to continue to compete then I'll definitely continue,'' he said. ``But if it's not there, I'll do something else. I don't know what, but I'll have fun whatever I'm doing.''

Sanderson became the fifth Iowa State wrestler to win an Olympic gold, and the first since Jackson at Barcelona in 1992.

Most expected the other side of the bracket to be won by Russia's Sazhid Sazhidov, who had beaten Sanderson for the 2003 world title and had won both career meetings.

But Moon produced the stunner of the tournament, stopping Sazhidov 10-2 in the semifinals.

The post-gold thoughts were a blur to America's newest gold medalist.

``I'm kind of out to lunch right now,'' Sanderson said.

Sanderson played the part of reluctant Olympic champion, even to the end.He laughed when asked about the medal ceremony, where the presenter struggled to get the Greek victor's wreath on his head.

``The nice gentleman that was putting it on my head thought it would stay,'' Sanderson said. ``I guess he doesn't know how big of a head I had.''

The irony: Sanderson, the little boy with the big dreams, never had a big head - only a big heart.

``He can be our ambassador,'' Douglas said. ``We need one real bad. I can't think of a better person.''

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