Kendall Duane Cross
Encyclopedia
Kendall Duane Cross (born February 24, 1968 in Hardin, Montana
) is an American
Olympic
gold medalist in wrestling
. He won the gold medal at the 1996 Summer Olympics
in Atlanta, Georgia, where he wrestled in the 57 kilogram (125.5 pounds) weight class. He defeated Guivi Sissaouri
of Canada
5-3 in the final match. Cross also competed at the 1992 Summer Olympics
where he placed sixth.
He wrestled for Oklahoma State University where he was a three time All-American and won the NCAA Championship in 1989. Kendall graduated from OSU with a major in political science and economics.
He also worked for Merrill Lynch
.
and worked at Merrill Lynch
in Boston
. While in Boston
, he founded the Kendall Cross Gold Medal Wrestling Club, which developed young athletes, and gave the region access to his world class abilities.
Hardin, Montana
Hardin is a city in and the county seat of Big Horn County, Montana, United States. The population was 3,384 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Hardin is located at ....
) is an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Olympic
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
gold medalist in wrestling
Amateur wrestling
Amateur wrestling is the most widespread form of sport wrestling. There are two international wrestling styles performed in the Olympic Games under the supervision of FILA : Greco-Roman and freestyle. Freestyle is possibly derived from the English Lancashire style...
. He won the gold medal at the 1996 Summer Olympics
1996 Summer Olympics
The 1996 Summer Olympics of Atlanta, officially known as the Games of the XXVI Olympiad and unofficially known as the Centennial Olympics, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia, United States....
in Atlanta, Georgia, where he wrestled in the 57 kilogram (125.5 pounds) weight class. He defeated Guivi Sissaouri
Guivi Sissaouri
Guivi Sissaouri is a Canadian freestyle wrestler. Born in Tbilisi, Georgia, he began wrestling at age ten.Sissaouri won the silver medal at the 1996 Summer Olympics in the 57 kg class...
of Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
5-3 in the final match. Cross also competed at the 1992 Summer Olympics
1992 Summer Olympics
The 1992 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event celebrated in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, in 1992. The International Olympic Committee voted in 1986 to separate the Summer and Winter Games, which had been held in the same...
where he placed sixth.
Early career
In high school, he wrestled for Mustang High School in Oklahoma where he won a state title.He wrestled for Oklahoma State University where he was a three time All-American and won the NCAA Championship in 1989. Kendall graduated from OSU with a major in political science and economics.
Other Achievements
- Distinguished Member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame, inducted 2002
- Three time US National Champion
- Outstanding Freestyle Wrestler at the U. S. Nationals, 1992 and 1995
- 1997 USA Wrestling Athlete of the Year
- Espoir National and Espoir World Cup Champion, 1988
- Bronze medal at Junior World Championships, 1986
- World Cup Champion, 1997
He also worked for Merrill Lynch
Merrill Lynch
Merrill Lynch is the wealth management division of Bank of America. With over 15,000 financial advisors and $2.2 trillion in client assets it is the world's largest brokerage. Formerly known as Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc., prior to 2009 the firm was publicly owned and traded on the New York...
.
Coaching
After college he served as an assistant coach at University of North Carolina Chapel Hill in Chapel Hill, NC while training for the Olympics. He also served as a coach for the Sunkist Kids and the Dave Schultz Wrestling Clubs. Kendall went on to become an assistant coach at Harvard UniversityHarvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
and worked at Merrill Lynch
Merrill Lynch
Merrill Lynch is the wealth management division of Bank of America. With over 15,000 financial advisors and $2.2 trillion in client assets it is the world's largest brokerage. Formerly known as Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc., prior to 2009 the firm was publicly owned and traded on the New York...
in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
. While in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, he founded the Kendall Cross Gold Medal Wrestling Club, which developed young athletes, and gave the region access to his world class abilities.
Family
Kendall has two children: Kennedy Rand and London Grace Cross. He is currently working with the SCS Eagles wrestling team, Fort Worth, TX.See also
- Wrestling at the 1996 Summer OlympicsWrestling at the 1996 Summer OlympicsAt the 1996 Summer Olympics, 2 different wrestling disciplines were contested: freestyle wrestling and Greco-Roman wrestling. The freestyle category was notable as it featured the gold medal performance of Kurt Angle, who later became a notable professional wrestler.-Freestyle:-Greco-Roman:-Medal...
- List of Oklahoma State University Olympians