Sam Hazewinkel’s Olympic family tradition was short-lived

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Updated: August 10, 2012

Sam Hazewinkel was part of the first father-son combination of wrestlers who wrestled in the Olympics. His father and uncle competed in 1968 and 1972 in Greco-Roman.

Unfortunately for the former Oklahoma All-American, he would only competed in one freestyle match, a 3-1, 2-0 loss to Daulet Niyazbekov of Kazahkstan, who later lost a semifinal match to Russia’s Dzhamal Otarsultanov, which eliminated the 29-year-old native of Pensacola, Fla.

“It’s kind of disappointing, said Hazewinkel, whose father and uncle competed in Greco-Roman wrestling in the 1968 and 1972 Olympics. “I absolutely love being out here and I came to win. It’s going to bug me for a while, no doubt. I’m going to keep training and try to get back here again.”

Niyazbekov, the former World bronze medalist, got on the board first at the 19-second mark with a two-point exposure from a front headlock. Hazewinkel earned a point a little over 10 seconds later to bring the match to 2-1, but Niyazbekov reversed him back at the :49 mark and hung on to win 3-1. Hazewinkel tried an arm spin late in the period, but wasn’t able to score.

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