Beijing, China is over 6,000 miles from the U.S. For former NIU wrestler T.C. Dantzler, the flight shouldn’t be too hard when he travels to China to compete in the 2008 Summer Olympics.

Dantzler earned his trip to the Olympics by defeating Cheney Haight 2-0 in a best of three contest in the 163-pound division of the Greco-Roman U.S. Olympic Trials, on June 14.

“For me, making the team on my fourth try, it’s a great feeling,” Dantzler said. “At the same time I know the journey is not over. I’m looking at it as it’s great to go, but I’m really focusing on bringing back the gold medal.”

The 37-year-old South Holland, IL., native wrestled at NIU from 1990-93, and played football during his sophomore and junior years. Dantzler was a four-time NCAA qualifier while wrestling for the Huskies, and is a member of the NIU Hall of Fame.

Dantzler first tried qualifying for the games in 1996, but fell short.

“I just really wasn’t ready,” Dantzler said. “Knowing what I know now and when I look back, I just wasn’t ready for that stage.”

Dantzler fell short again in 2000 when he blew out his knee due to an illegal move from his opponent. In 2004, Dantzler was injured during his first match of the Olympic Trials.

“I won the match but I couldn’t stand up and get my hand raised,” Dantzler said.

Dantzler has qualified for the last five Greco-Roman World Championships, with his highest finish being fifth. One thing Dantzler is looking forward to for the Olympics is that there will be less competition than the World Championships.

“At the World Championships, you’re looking at six or seven matches to get to the finals,” Dantzler said. “I’m looking at winning three matches, and then I’m a gold medalist.”

Dantzler currently lives in Colorado Springs with wife Tanya and two children, and runs a company called TC Logiq, which runs background checks for different companies and organizations. Even though he’s miles from DeKalb, he still makes sure to root for the Huskies.

“Everybody at the Olympic Training Center knows I’m a Huskie, especially during football season,” Dantzler said. “Whenever I’m in the cafeteria, if the Huskies are on TV, you better

believe were gonna be watching.”