Angélique Berthenet

Angélique Berthenet-Hidalgo (born September 18, 1976) is a retired amateur French freestyle wrestler, who competed in the women's flyweight category.[1] Considering one of the world's top female freestyle wrestlers in her decade, Berthenet has claimed a silver medal in the 47-kg division at the 1996 World Wrestling Championships in Sofia, Bulgaria, produced a staggering tally of five medals (one gold and four bronze) at the European Championships, and offered a chance to represent her country France at the 2004 Summer Olympics. Throughout her sporting career, Berthenet trained full-time for Dammarie Sport Wrestling Club (French: l'Entente Sportive de Lutte), under her personal coach Ryszard Chelmowski.[2]

Angélique Berthenet
Personal information
Full nameAngélique Berthenet-Hidalgo
Nationality France
Born (1976-09-18) 18 September 1976
Melun, France
Height1.57 m (5 ft 2 in)
Weight48 kg (106 lb)
Sport
SportWrestling
StyleFreestyle
ClubESL Dammarie
CoachRyszard Chelmowski
Medal record
Women's freestyle wrestling
Representing  France
World Championships
1996 Sofia47 kg
European Championships
1996 Oslo47 kg
1997 Warsaw47 kg
1998 Bratislava51 kg
2002 Seinäjoki48 kg
2003 Riga48 kg

Berthenet made sporting headlines at the 1996 World Wrestling Championships in Sofia, Bulgaria, where she picked up a silver medal in the women's 47-kg division, losing out to U.S. wrestler Tricia Saunders. On that same year, she took home her first European championship title in the same category, and continued to produce four more medals (1997, 1998, 2002, and 2003) in her career hardware.[3] Eventually, she entered the 2003 World Wrestling Championships in New York City, New York, United States, and came strong as a top medal contender in her category. Though she finished sixth in the women's flyweight, Berthenet granted a ticket to her first Olympics and was officially selected to the French Olympic team.[4]

When women's wrestling made its debut at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Berthenet seized her opportunity to compete in the inaugural 48 kg class.[4][5] In the prelim pool, Berthenet opened her match by dismantling Mongolia's Tsogtbazaryn Enkhjargal with a 7–4 decision, and then easily pinned Guinea-Bissau's Leopoldina Ross within the first minute to secure a spot in the semifinals. She lost the next day's semifinal match 12–0 in superb fashion to Japan's Chiharu Icho, and could not hold an early lead to throw U.S. wrestler Patricia Miranda off the mat with a tough, 4–12 decision for the bronze medal, dropping her position to fourth.[6][7]

References
  1. Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Angélique Berthenet". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 22 June 2014.
  2. "Les femmes libres de lutter à Athènes" [Women's freestyle wrestling in Athens] (in French). Libération. 26 July 2004. Retrieved 22 June 2014.
  3. "Angélique Berthenet bronzée" [Angélique Berthenet wins the bronze] (in French). Le Parisien. 16 April 2002. Retrieved 22 June 2014.
  4. Abbott, Gary (14 July 2004). "Olympic Games preview at 48 kg/105.5 lbs. in women's freestyle". USA Wrestling. The Mat. Archived from the original on 28 July 2014. Retrieved 29 September 2013.
  5. "Angélique Berthenet monte en puissance" [Angélique Berthenet has gained her momentum] (in French). Le Parisien. 30 June 2004. Retrieved 22 June 2014.
  6. "Wrestling: Women's Freestyle 48kg". Athens 2004. BBC Sport. 15 August 2004. Retrieved 30 September 2013.
  7. Abbott, Gary (23 August 2004). "McMann wins silver medal and Miranda wins bronze medal for United States in Olympic women's wrestling". USA Wrestling. The Mat. Archived from the original on 28 July 2014. Retrieved 29 September 2013.


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