Clarissa Kyoko Mei Ling Chun (陳美玲) is the head coach of the Iowa Hawkeyes Women's wrestling program, formerly, the USA Wrestling assistant National coach and an American Olympic women's freestyle 48 kg (105.5 lbs) wrestler. Chun was the first female wrestler from Hawaii to win a medal at the Olympics. She was inducted into the 2018 Hawaii Sports Hall of Fame and 2022 National Wrestling Hall of Fame as a Distinguished Member.
In 2022, it marked the first time that more than one female was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame as a Distinguished Member, with Chun and Sara McMann becoming the third and fourth female Distinguished Members, joining fellow female wrestlers Tricia Saunders (2006) and Kristie Davis (2018).Clarissa Chun '05, Olympian and UCCS alumna, named to National Wrestling Hall of Fame, Retrieved on 2021-10-28.National Wrestling Hall of Fame Announces Class of 2022, Retrieved on 2021-10-28.FORMER MVC WRESTLER HAS BEEN INDUCTED INTO THE WRESTLING HALL OF FAME, Retrieved on 2021-10-28. Chun was also among the inductees of the 2023 class of the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) National High School Hall of Fame.Four Former Standout High School Athletes Headline 2023 Class of National High School Hall of Fame, Retrieved on 2023-3-18.
On November 18, 2021, Chun was announced as the first head coach of the University of Iowa's women's wrestling program.Hawkeyes Hire Clarissa Chun To Lead New Women's Program, Retrieved on 2021-11-18.
Biography Chun was born in Honolulu, Hawaii and raised in Kapolei, Hawaii. She is Asian-American.Asian Americans Going for the Gold in…, Retrieved on 2012-09-12., Retrieved on 2012-09-12. Her mother, Gail Higashi, is Japanese-American from Līhuʻe, Kauaʻi.Chun’s Olympic bronze sends waves of pride across Kaua‘i , Retrieved on 2012-08-11.Olympic medalist pays visit to Kauaʻi ‘ohana , Retrieved on 2012-08-29. Her father, Bryan Chun, is Chinese-American from ʻAiea, Oʻahu.Clarissa Chun’s bronze ends U.S. medal drought in wrestling, Retrieved on 2012-08-8.Clarissa Chun Takes Bronze At Olympics, Retrieved on 2012-09-3.
In 2008, Chun taught English to kindergarten students in Japan.http://www.gazette.com/sports/chun-55595-world-need.html , Retrieved on 2012-09-30. Chun had a guest starring role in Hawaii Five-0 in Season three episode twenty as a contestant.
On November 19, 2021, Chun was announced as the first ever Head Coach of the Iowa Hawkeyes Women's Wrestling Program. The program concluded its inaugural year in 2024 by going undefeated in dual meet competitions at 16–0, by winning the 2024 NWCA National Dual Team Championships in Cedar Falls Iowa, and by capturing the team title at the 2024 National Collegiate Women's Wrestling Championships in Cedar Rapids Iowa. The Hawkeyes brought home 12 All-Americans and 6 individual championships with Emilie Gonzalez (101), Ava Bayless (109), Felicity Taylor (116), Reese Laramendy (143), Marlynee Deede (155), and Kylie Welker (170) all capturing titles.
Athletic career Chun came from a judo background, winning five junior national championships before she tried wrestling in her junior year at Roosevelt High School in Honolulu, Hawaii.Two Hawai'i women invited to live at Olympic Center, Retrieved on 2012-08-14.Trip to Olympics in China no surprise to Chun, Retrieved on 2012-08-21. She captured the state wrestling title in 1998, the first year girls wrestling was a sanctioned sport.Chun took circuitous route to top, Retrieved on 2012-05-9.
Chun attended Missouri Valley College in Marshall, Missouri and earned a communications degree from the University of Colorado Colorado Springs.Roosevelt alum is first wrestler from Hawaii to earn trip to Games , Retrieved on 2012-05-9.
Chun was one of the charter members of the Valley program when it began in 1999, and was one of its most decorated. She placed second in the U.S. World Team Trials and medaled in both the U.S. Nationals and Pan American Games during all three of her seasons in Marshall—along with winning several college-level competitions.
Prior to her senior campaign, Chun accepted an invitation to attend the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, eventually earning her degree from the University of Colorado branch there. After placing second in the U.S. Olympic Trials in 2004, the first year women's wrestling competition was held at the Games, she made the squad four years later.London 2012: Team MVC , Retrieved on 2012-08-08.
At the 2008 U.S. Olympic wrestling team trials in June, Chun gained the admiration of fans and media alike by staging a huge upset of seven-time national champion and 2004 Olympic bronze medalist Patricia Miranda. In the process, Chun, who stands , fulfilled a lifelong dream, becoming the first wrestler from Hawai'i to qualify for a U.S. Olympic team.
Wrestling at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Women's freestyle 48 kg, after winning the first two matches, Chun fell to world champion Chiharu Icho of Japan in the semifinals in an overtime tiebreaker (last to score).How Hawaii olympians fared, Retrieved on 2012-06-25. She lost in the bronze-medal match to 2004 gold medalist Irini Merleni of Ukraine, and made her mark at the international level by finishing fifth.Roosevelt alum wins U.S. World Team Trials in wrestling, Retrieved on 2009-06-01.Sports Reference Clarissa Chun, Retrieved on 2012-04-24.
Two months after the 2008 Olympic Games, Chun turned in a superb effort to capture a gold medal at the World 2008 Championships in Tokyo, Japan. She relied on her defense in pulling out a gritty 1–0, 1–0 finals win over Kazakhstan's Jyldyz Eshimova-Turtbayeva at the Yoyogi National Stadium.WORLD CHAMPION !! !! American Clarissa Chun wins gold at World Championships , Retrieved on 2012-05-10.
Chun's successful seasons included winning the U.S. Senior National titles, and international titles from the Canada Cup, New York AC Freestyle International, Poland Open, Mongolia Championships, Russia International and Pan American Games. Chun also represented the U.S. at the FILA Women's World Cup in China in 2009 and Japan in 2012.U.S. to compete at Women's World Cup in Taiyuan, China, March 21–22 , Retrieved on 2012-04-30.Wrestling World Cup 2009 – FW – Ranking 5 / 6 th places – Match#1, Retrieved on 2012-04-30.
Chun became the first women's freestyle wrestler to be nominated to her second Olympic Team after her stellar performance at the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Wrestling in Iowa City, Iowa, on April 22, 2012.The latest news from the USOC – April 24, Retrieved on 2012-04-24.Olympic Wrestling Trials: Team Status & Surprises, Retrieved on 2012-04-24.
Wrestling at the 2012 Summer Olympics – Women's freestyle 48 kg, Chun qualified for the bronze-medal match by launching World bronze medalist Iwona Matkowska of Poland to her back and recording a dramatic second-period fall in the repechage. Chun knocked off 2004 Olympic gold medalist Iryna Merleni of Ukraine 1–0, 3–0 to capture a bronze medal in women's freestyle wrestling at the 2012 London Olympics.Clarissa Chun delivers to capture bronze medal at Olympic Games , Retrieved on 2012-08-08.Heart of Gold , Retrieved on 2013-06-24. Chun twice wrestled in the bronze medal match at the Olympics, winning her medal in London and taking fifth in Beijing. She was a five-time world team member, winning the world title in 2008.
Chun is currently an assistant coach for USA Wrestling's women's national team. On May 15, 2018, she was inducted into the Hawaii Sports Hall of Fame.Dave Reardon: These dozen are Hawaii’s top female Olympians, Retrieved on 2021-06-11.
USA Wrestling National Women's Freestyle Assistant Coach Clarissa Chun has been invited as a United World Wrestling Ambassador to be a part of a program, reaching out to Syrian Refugees in Azraq, Jordan, on July 19.
The initiative, called Inspire Together for Peace, is a joint effort with UWW and World Taekwondo/Taekwondo Humanitarian Foundation. WT/THF already has an existing presence there with a facility and program to help get other sports established.
The goal of this initiative is to introduce these combat sports to the community.
On November 18, 2021, Chun was chosen as the inaugural coach for the women's wrestling program at the University of Iowa, the first women's wrestling program among Power 5 schools. As of 4/19/22, Iowa and Chun have attracted an array of the top recruits in the country to commit to the Hawkeyes; including four #1 prospects in their respective weight divisions.
Clarissa Chun named USA Wrestling Assistant Women’s National Coach, Retrieved 2018-03-24.Clarissa Chun is USA Wrestling's New Assistant Women's National Coach, Retrieved on 2017-04-20.Clarissa Victorino, Chun among inductees into Hawaii Sports Hall of Fame, Retrieved on 2018-05-20. USA Wrestling coach Clarissa Chun to partner with UWW for Inspire Together for Peace in Jordan, Retrieved on 2019-07-16.
Team USA had three gold, two silver and four bronze at the Tokyo 2021 Olympics. It is the most medals won by the US in a non-boycotted Olympics, and is only surpassed by the 1984 Los Angeles team which won 13 medals. The USA had all five of its men's freestyle entries win a medal, as well as a record four women's freestyle medalists.Olympic Wrestling Medal Count as of August 7: United States wins medal count with nine, Retrieved on 2021-08-07.
International award winning wrestler 2016: U.S. Olympic Team Trials champion – Third place – women's freestyle wrestlingOlympic Wrestling Trials 2016 results, Retrieved on 2016-04-11. 2016: Gold Medal – Pan Am Games women's freestyle, FRISCO, Texas.Chun, Campbell, Pirozhkova win women’s gold medals at Pan American Championships, Retrieved on 2016-2-27. 2016: 2nd place – Dave Schultz Memorial International tournament, Colorado Springs, ColoradoDAVE SCHULTZ MEMORIAL INTERNATIONAL WRESTLING TOURNAMENT IN PICTURES, Retrieved on 2016-2-8. 2015: Gold Medal – Open Cup of Russia, CHEBOKSARY, RussiaFLASH: Chun wins gold, Ragan gets bronze at Open Cup of Russia., Retrieved on 2015-12-11. 2015: 3rd place – Henri Deglane Challenge, Nice, FranceHenri Deglane Challenge wraps with Francois and Chun earning medals for Team USA., Retrieved on 2015-12-5. 2015: 3rd place – U.S. World Team Trials in Madison, WisconsinCoronado graduate Kyle Snyder books first trip to wrestling worlds., Retrieved on 2015-06-15. 2015: 3rd place – 2015 Las Vegas/ASICS U.S. Senior Open. May 8–9 at Las Vegas, Nevada.2015 Las Vegas/ASICS U.S. Senior Open results. May 8th–9th at Las Vegas, NV., Retrieved on 2015-05-11. 2015: 2nd place – Dave Schultz Memorial International tournament, Colorado Springs, Colorado 2014: 3rd place – U.S. World Team Trials in Madison, WisconsinU.S. World Team Trials Results, Retrieved on 2014-6-7. 2014: 3rd place – in U.S. Nationals OpenAlyssa Lampe among women's champs crowned at US Open, Retrieved on 2014-04-21. 2014: Bronze Medal – Grand Prix of Paris, France.WINS 10 MEDALS IN MEN’S & WOMEN’S FREESTYLE AT GRAND PRIX OF PARIS ON SATURDAY, Retrieved on 2014-4-16. 2012: 9th Place – Women's Freestyle World Championships, SHERWOOD PARK, CanadaWORLD CHAMPION! American Elena Pirozhkova strikes gold at Women's World Championships , Retrieved on 2012-9-29. 2012: Bronze medal – The Games of the XXX Olympiad (London, England, Great Briton, United Kingdom)USA's Clarissa Chun rebounds for wrestling bronze, Retrieved on 2012-08-08.Clarissa Chun delivers to capture bronze medal at Olympic Games , Retrieved on 2012-08-08.takes down Olympic freestyle legend, Retrieved on 2012-08-08. 2012: 5th Place – Canada Cup, Guelph, CanadaChun places fifth at Canada Cup, Retrieved on 2012-07-01.UPDATE: Olympians Varner, Pirozhkova win Canada Cup, plus Americans Sigman, Lampe, Perrelli & Pickett , Retrieved on 2012-07-01.