Fani Psatha Explained

Fani Psatha
Fullname:Fani Psatha
Birth Date:2 February 1976
Birth Place:Psachna, Euboea, Greece
Weight:480NaN0
Style:Freestyle
Club:Psachna Evia Wrestling Club
Coach:Ioannis Tabounidis
Show-Medals:yes

Fani Psatha (Φανή Ψαθά; born February 2, 1976, in Psachna, Euboea) is a retired amateur Greek freestyle wrestler, who competed in the women's flyweight category.[1] Psatha has produced a full set of three career medals in different color, including her prestigious gold from the 2005 Mediterranean Games in Almería, Spain, and also finished tenth in the 48-kg division in Athens, when Greece hosted the 2004 Summer Olympics.[2] Psatha trained throughout her sporting career for Psachna Evia Wrestling Club in Chalcis, under her personal coach Ioannis Tabounidis.

Psatha qualified for the Greek squad, as a 28-year-old, in the inaugural 48 kg class at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens. Earlier in the process, she placed fourth from the 2003 World Wrestling Championships in New York City, New York, United States, but managed to fill up an entry by the International Federation of Association Wrestling and the Hellenic Olympic Committee, as Greece received an automatic berth for being the host nation.[2] [3] [4] Psatha began the preliminary competition early by pinning Tunisia's Fadhila Louati with only forty seconds left in front of the boisterous home crowd inside Ano Liossia Olympic Hall. She lost her succeeding match 3–5 in overtime to Tajikistan's Lidiya Karamchakova, and was immediately halted by Ukraine's Irini Merleni at the one-minute mark due to a 10–point superiority rule. Psatha placed third in the preliminary competition and tenth overall; She did not advance to the quarterfinals.[5]

At the 2005 Mediterranean Games in Almería, Spain, Psatha overcame her Olympic setback to edge France's Anne Deluntsch off the mat for the gold medal in the same class.[6]

Notes and References

  1. Fani Psatha. https://web.archive.org/web/20200418061751/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ps/fani-psatha-1.html. dead. 18 April 2020. 10 August 2014.
  2. News: el:Με 18 παλαιστές στο ολυμπιακό ταπί της Αθήνας. 18 wrestlers in the Olympic mat for Athens. Greek. http://www.tovima.gr/sports/article/?aid=141249. To Vima. 24 March 2002. 13 June 2014.
  3. News: Abbott. Gary. Olympic Games preview at 48 kg/105.5 lbs. in women's freestyle. USA Wrestling. The Mat. 14 July 2004. 29 September 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20140728115300/http://www.themat.com/section.php?section_id=3&page=showarticle&ArticleID=10288. 28 July 2014. dead.
  4. News: Indian grapplers miss medals but earn Olympic berths. https://web.archive.org/web/20160811195410/http://www.thehindu.com/2003/09/17/stories/2003091703261800.htm. dead. 11 August 2016. 17 September 2003. The Hindu. 10 August 2014.
  5. Web site: Wrestling: Women's Freestyle 48kg. Athens 2004. BBC Sport. 15 August 2004. 30 September 2013.
  6. News: el:«Χρυσή» η Φανή Ψαθά στους Μεσογειακούς. "Gold" for Fani Psatha at the Mediterranean Games. Greek. http://www.kathimerini.gr/221829/article/epikairothta/a8lhtismos/xrysh-h-fanh-ya8a-stoys-mesogeiakoys. Kathimerini. 1 July 2005. 10 August 2014.