Ali Bernard

Ali Bernard (b. April 11, 1986, New Ulm, Minnesota) is a female wrestler who earned a bye in women's freestyle wrestling qualifying her to compete against 2004 bronze medal-winner Katie Downing, whom she defeated in two matches at the 2008 qualifying match in Las Vegas; that feat earned her a spot to compete in the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China, competing for the United States. She competed in the freestyle 72kg/158.5 lbs class, because Greco-Roman-style is not yet an Olympic sport for women. [cite web| title = Athletes > Ali Bernard > Bio| publisher = NBC| url = http://www.nbcolympics.com/athletes/athlete=1315/bio/index.html| accessdate =2008-08-04]

Bernard defeated Nigeria's, Amarachi Obiajunwa, then lost to China's Jiao Wang which put her in the repechage competition for a bronze medal. In those matches, she defeated Sweden's Jenny Frannson before losing to Japan's Kyoko Hamaguchi, placing fourth in her class. [cite web| last = SOUHAN| first = JIM| title = New Ulm's Bernard falls short of bronze| publisher = Star Tribune| date = 2008-08-17| url = http://www.startribune.com/sports/olympics/27061814.html?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O:DW3ckUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aULPQL7PQLanchO7DiUX| accessdate =2008-08-18]

Wrestling Greco-Roman-style in high school at New Ulm High School, she earned the Minnesota state high school championship in 2004. Bernard received a college scholarship to compete in women's wrestling at the University of Regina in Saskatchewan, Canada, where she's won four national college titles. Bernard now sports bleach-blond hair, a tongue and nose piercing, and a patriotic red and blue tattoo. [cite web| last = Weiner| first = Jay| title = Three tales: The changing face and thoughtful Olympic pursuit of Minnesota wrestling| publisher = MinnPost.com| url = http://www.minnpost.com/jayweiner/2008/06/09/2165/three_tales_the_changing_face_and_thoughtful_olympic_pursuit_of_minnesota_wrestling
accessdate =2008-08-04]

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