Al Bello Photographer

PICTURE STORIES: TRAINING FOR GOLD

I was commissioned by ESPN The Magazine to follow these 4 remarkable athletes for one week of training in New York as they prepared for the Olympic Games in Athens. It is the first time Women Wrestling will appear in an Olympic Games. 

  • Patricia Miranda, Tela O'Donnell, Sara McMann, and Toccara Montgomery of the US Olympic Woman's Wrestling team at their training camp at Monsignor Farrell High School on June 22, 2004 in Staten Island, New York.
  • Sara McMann, of the US Olympic Woman's Wrestling team practices at their training camp at Monsignor Farrell High School on June 28, 2004 in Staten Island, New York.
  • Tela O'Donnell, of the US Olympic Woman's Wrestling team trains at their training camp at Monsignor Farrell High School on June 22, 2004 in Staten Island, New York.
  • Patricia Miranda (right), of the US Olympic Woman's Wrestling team trains with Stephanie Murata at their training camp at Monsignor Farrell High School on June 26, 2007 in Staten Island, New York.
  • Patricia Miranda, Tela O'Donnell, Sara McMann, and Toccara Montgomery of the US Olympic Woman's Wrestling team ride to practice at their training camp at Monsignor Farrell High School on June 22, 2004 in Staten Island, New York.
  • Tela O'Donnell, of the US Olympic Womans Wrestling team practices playing her guitar between training sessions on June 24, 2004 in Staten Island, New York.
  • Toccara Montgomery of the US Olympic Woman's Wrestling team wrestles Christine Nordhagan of Canada at the Titans Games on June 20, 2004 in Atlanta Georgia.
  • Toccara Montgomery of the US Olympic Woman's Wrestling team undresses after her match at the Titans Games at the Phillips Arena on June 20, 2004 in Atlanta Georgia
  • Sara McMann of the US Olympic Woman's Wrestling team runs past a window at their training camp at Monsignor Farrell High School on June 28, 2004in Staten Island, New York.
  • Toccara Montgomery of the US Olympic Woman's Wrestling team and training partner and 2003 147lbs World Champion Kristie Marano spar at their training camp at Monsignor Farrell High School on June 24, 2004 in Staten Island, New York.
  • A wrestler spreads her belongings on the floor after a practice session at training camp for the US Olympic Woman's Wrestling team at Monsignor Farrell High School on June 26, 2004 in Staten Island, New York.
  • A view of the bandaged ear of training partner Kasi Lyle of the US Olympic Woman's Wrestling team at their training camp at Monsignor Farrell High School on June 24, 2004 in Staten Island, New York.
  • Tela O'Donnell (far right), and Patricia Miranda (front middle) of the US Olympic Woman's Wrestling team perform calisthetics drills at their training camp at Monsignor Farrell High School on June 23, 2004in Staten Island, New York.
  • Patricia Miranda, Tela O'Donnell, and Toccara Montgomery, and Head Coach Terry Steiner of the US Olympic Womans Wrestling team pose on the Staten Island Ferry on June 25, 2004 in Staten Island, New York.
  • Sara McMann of the US Olympic Woman's Wrestling team flips Katie Couric of the Today Show as Tela O'Donnell and Toccara Montgomery look on June 22, 2004 in Staten Island, New York.
  • Tela O'Donnell, Sara McMann, and and Head Coach Terry Steiner of the US Olympic Woman's Wrestling team greet Staten Island Yankees team mascot at their home opener on June 22, 2004 in Staten Island, New York.
  • Patricia Miranda, of the US Olympic Woman's Wrestling team, and soon to be law student at Yale University this fall reads her book between training sessions at their training camp at at the Staten Island Hotel on June 26, 2004 in Staten Island, New York.
  • Patricia Miranda, of the US Olympic Woman's Wrestling team does one of 16 100 yard dashes on the track at their training camp at Monsignor Farrell High School on June 24, 2004 in Staten Island, New York.
  • Toccara Montgomery of the US Olympic Woman's Wrestling team braids the hair of training partner Stephany Lee in her room at the Staten Island Hotel between sessions at their training camp at Monsignor Farrell High School on June 27, 2004 in Staten Island, New York.
  • Toccara Montgomery (left) of the US Olympic Woman's Wrestling team battles training partner Stephany Lee at their training camp at Monsignor Farrell High School on June 27, 2004 in Staten Island, New York.
  • Tela O'Donnell of the US Olympic Woman's Wrestling team is chased by training partner Stephany Lee during their version of Dodge Ball at their training camp at Monsignor Farrell High School on June 27, 2004 in Staten Island, New York.
  • Sara McMann, Patricia Miranda, Tela O'Donnell, and Toccara Montgomery of the US Olympic Womans Wrestling team pose on top of the Staten Island Hotel on June 26, 2004 in Staten Island, New York.
  • SPORTS PORTFOLIO
  • VIDEO PROJECTS
  • PORTRAITS
  • PICTURE STORIES
    • OUT OF THE DARKNESS AND INTO THE LIGHT
    • THE SAVANNAH BANANAS
    • KELSIE WHITMORE
    • JOCKEY SCHOOL
    • THE STRENGTH FACTORY
    • THE URBAN ARM WRESTLING LEAGUE
    • GYM GOES VIRTUAL TO ADAPT DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC
    • PANDEMIC HUGS DURING COVID-19 CRISIS
    • BOXERS TRAIN DURING COVID-19 LOCKDOWN
    • COCKFIGHTING IN PUERTO RICO
    • FACES OF BOXING
    • THE PARA POWERLIFTER
    • BLACK LIVES MATTER PROTESTS ON LONG ISLAND, NY
    • DOGS DELIVER BEER DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC
    • RIVERHEAD RACEWAY REOPENS DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC
    • HUNTSMAN WORLD SENIOR GAMES 2019
    • SPORT IN PUERTO RICO ONE YEAR AFTER HURRICANE MARIA
    • UMPIRE ACADEMY
    • SANTA CLAUS SCHOOL
    • FIGHT NIGHT AT THE BLUE HORIZON
    • THE WORLDS GAME AT THE WORLD FAIRGROUNDS
    • HORSE DAYS
    • SENIORS OF THE FREEPORT RECREATION CENTER
    • TRAINING FOR GOLD
  • AERIALS
  • UNDERWATER
  • OLYMPIC SPORTS
  • BOXING
  • AWARDS (Click on the Link to View)
  • BIO/CONTACT
  • AL IS FEATURED IN (Click on the Link to View)

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