Takedown Report

International Wrestling News — # 4

IOC, IPC, Tokyo 2020 announce Olympics set for July 23 – August 8, 2021
BY INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE | MARCH 30, 2020, 
THE INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE (IOC), THE INTERNATIONAL PARALYMPIC COMMITTEE (IPC), THE TOKYO 2020 ORGANISING COMMITTEE, THE TOKYO METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT AND THE GOVERNMENT OF JAPAN TODAY AGREED NEW DATES FOR THE GAMES OF THE XXXII OLYMPIAD, IN 2021. THE OLYMPIC GAMES TOKYO 2020 WILL BE CELEBRATED FROM 23 JULY TO 8 AUGUST 2021. THEY ALSO AGREED ON NEW DATES FOR THE PARALYMPIC GAMES, WHICH WILL BE CELEBRATED FROM 24 AUGUST UNTIL 5 SEPTEMBER 2021.
The leaderships of the key parties came together via telephone conference earlier today, joined by IOC President Thomas Bach, Tokyo 2020 President Mori Yoshirō, Tokyo Governor Koike Yuriko and Olympic and Paralympic Minister Hashimoto Seiko, and agreed on the new schedule. This decision was taken based on three main considerations and in line with the principles established by the IOC Executive Board (EB) on 17 March 2020 and confirmed at its meeting today. These were supported by all the International Summer Olympic Sports Federations (IFs) and all the National Olympic Committees (NOCs):
1. To protect the health of the athletes and everyone involved, and to support the containment of the COVID-19 virus.
2. To safeguard the interests of the athletes and of Olympic sport.
3. The global international sports calendar.
These new dates give the health authorities and all involved in the organisation of the Games the maximum time to deal with the constantly changing landscape and the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.  …. story at https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling/Features/2020/March/30/IOC-announces-dates-of-Tokyo-Olympic-Games?mc_cid=864912e0e4&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

‘That fire is burning as strong as ever’: Penn State legend David Taylor is fueled by his desire for more greatness
It’s that tale of painful irony we’re all familiar with. Someone does something which, by all accounts, they’ve come to perfect and has become routine for them — only to have that very same thing lead them astray and contribute to downfall or hardship. This became the story of much of the last year of David Taylor’s life. He was on top of the wrestling world and one step closer to achieving his ultimate goal of being an Olympic champion. Then, the same sport which he admits has been his near-singular focus since he was eight, seemingly played a cruel trick on him. The 2018 World champion at 86 kilograms, Taylor was wrestling at a charity event at Madison Square Garden last year when he tore his ACL and couldn’t finish the match he was competing in. It was the first major injury of the 29-year old’s career and one which sidelined him from competition for nearly a year. “I’ve been wrestling at the highest level since I was eight years old. I was wrestling in national tournaments and I’ve wrestled in every big event since that time and I’ve been pretty serious with wrestling,” Taylor told The Daily Collegian. “Wrestling’s been the primary focus really every day since that time.” As much as there was a ‘Why me?’ moment that crept into Taylor’s thoughts after he got injured, it was his past experiences and the fact that he was never injured before that served as a counterbalance on that scale. “You look at it two ways. Man, why is this happening when I was at the top of my game coming off a world championship?” Taylor said. “But the other way it’s like, well, I’ve been pretty fortunate to progress at the level I have and never be injured. So, I didn’t really dwell on that.” …. story at https://www.collegian.psu.edu/sports/wrestling/article_a452f6f8-721f-11ea-94ab-c735c9fb4ffa.html?mc_cid=864912e0e4&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Wrestling postponed until 2021: information and directions for ticket holders updated
BY USA WRESTLING, PENN STATE, USOC AND BRYCE JORDAN CENTER | MARCH 31, 2020, USA Wrestling, Penn State Intercollegiate Athletics, the Bryce Jordan Center and U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee have collectively decided to postpone the U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Wrestling, scheduled for April 4- 5, 2020 at the Bryce Jordan Center. The International Olympic Committee has set the new dates for the Olympic Games in 2021. At this time, organizers are working closely with local officials and health experts in hopes of rescheduling the event at the Bryce Jordan Center in 2021. Updated event information will be shared as soon as it is available.
 After a new date is determined, tickets will be updated to reflect the rescheduled dates/time
o Previously purchased physical tickets will be reissued to the original purchaser
o Previously purchased mobile tickets will be automatically updated
 For fans who are unable to attend future dates, refunds are available by request to the original purchaser now through June 1, 2020
 Deadline to request a refund: June 1, 2020
An email was sent to original purchasers notifying them of the postponement in early March. Stay tuned for additional information via email regarding rescheduling. …. full story at https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling/Features/2020/March/31/Olympic-Trials-to-2021-and-ticket-holder-information-update?mc_cid=1f2298c90d&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

Dake reflects on Olympic postponement
By Dan Doherty, ESPN Ithaca
Had the world not been turned upside down by the coronavirus, this would be a very busy weekend for Lansing’s own Kyle Dake. The U.S. Olympic Wrestling Trials were scheduled to take place on April 4 and 5 inside the Bryce Jordan Center at Penn State University. Instead, it is one of many events in the sports world to either be postponed or canceled in an attempt to minimize large gatherings. Two weeks after that, it was announced that the Olympics as a whole would be moved to 2021, still set to take place in Tokyo, Japan. Dake, who is seeking his first-ever spot on the Olympic roster, was not surprised by the news of the delay.
“I found out about the postponement pretty much the same time everyone else did,” Dake said. “I had a feeling it was going to be postponed, especially with everything going on. … We had some hope that it would be Memorial Day Weekend and we’d still be able to make a push for the Olympics and it would be on schedule.”
That hope waned quickly for Dake after he was part of a video conference call with over 300 United States athletes. He found out that athletes from swimming and track and field were not given a chance to qualify for the Olympics. The sailing team would have been unable to get their equipment to Japan. The United States had no choice but to come out in favor of not holding the games. Some athletes came out and said they would love to participate in the games this year, in spite of the pandemic. Dake would rather be on the safe side of history. …. story at https://www.tompkinsweekly.com/stories/dake-reflects-on-olympic-postponement,3775?mc_cid=1f2298c90d&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

N.J. Olympian Frank Molinaro announces retirement from wrestling
By Bill Evans | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
There won’t be another miracle run to the Olympics for Frank Molinaro. The three-time state champion from Southern Regional High School and 2016 Olympian announced his retirement from wrestling on Tuesday morning in an interview on FloWrestling. Molinaro had qualified for the Olympic Trials with a fifth-place finish at Senior Nationals and was planning to either qualify for the Olympics or retire at the Trials which would have been held this weekend at Penn State – where Molinaro was a four-time All-American and NCAA champion.
But the Olympics were postponed – and on Tuesday USA Wrestling announced the Trials wouldn’t be held until 2021 as well – because of the coronavirus.
LATEST CORONAVIRUS UPDATES FROM NJ.COM
“There wasn’t a date set (for the Olympics) when they first canceled the (Olympic) Trials,” Molinaro told FloWrestling. “When they postponed the Olympics a year, I really took some time to download the information and process it, I thought it through and decided to hang them up.” The 31-year old Molinaro has been a college coach at Rutgers, Penn State and Virginia Tech. He left Virginia Tech at the end of 2018 to give his competitive career one last chance and he hooked on with the Oklahoma RTC. …. story at https://www.nj.com/sports/2020/03/nj-olympian-frank-molinaro-announces-retirement-from-wrestling.html?mc_cid=1f2298c90d&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

USA Wrestling suspends sanctioned events and national events through May 10
BY USA WRESTLING | MARCH 31, 2020, – With unanimous support of the USA Wrestling COVID-19 Advisory Committee, USA Wrestling has suspended all sanctioned events and national events through May 10. This is an extension of a previous suspension of activities announced on March 16, which discontinued sanctioned events through April 6 and postponed or canceled national events through April 20. For USA Wrestling, our number one priority is always the safety of our athletes and their families, all our members, our national staff and the entire U.S. wrestling community. This decision aligns USA Wrestling with the U.S. Center for Disease Control’s guidance from March 16 that no gatherings of 50 or more people take place for the following eight weeks. …. story at https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling/Features/2020/March/31/USA-Wrestling-suspends-sanctioned-and-national-events-through-May-10?mc_cid=1f2298c90d&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

USA Wrestling for Peace sets up in the Middle East, with Dan Russell living in Jordan for months so far
BY USA WRESTLING FOR PEACE | APRIL 03, 2020
USA Wrestling for Peace Ambassador Dan Russell moved to Amman, Jordan about six months ago to establish Wrestling for Peace in the region. He has formed a joint committee with the Jordanian Wrestling Federation to serve the needs of those in the wrestling match of life. Everyone wrestles. For the people of Jordan, the Middle-East and throughout the Asia region, wrestling bridges the gap to greater understanding and respect that can positively impact local communities. Why would we establish a USA Wrestling for Peace base in Amman, Jordan? With ongoing war in the region and animosity, Jordan is one of the few countries that has remained focused on keeping peace and living in harmony. Jordan is the poorest Arab country with widespread unemployment. Refugees from Syria and Iraq have flooded its borders and much of its resources and attention are directed toward the refugees, while Jordanians suffer as well. Plagued with water shortages, Jordan ranks second in the world with least access to clean water. With tremendous partners like “Make it Rain,” we can also provide much needed Humanitarian Aid where the needs are great and develop grass roots wrestling programs that can play a big role in teaching character and values. …. story at https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling/Features/2020/April/03/USA-Wrestling-for-Peace-in-Jordan?mc_cid=1f1b7bdc6e&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

Top Canadian wrestlers urge community to stay home
Canadian wrestlers Erica Wiebe, Danielle Lappage, and Sam Stewart are encouraging Canadians to stay at home and practice social distancing and Canada works to minimize the spread of the COVID-19 virus. “I’m at home doing my part to physical distance,” said Wiebe, 2016 Olympic Champion and qualifier for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, now set for 2021. “That means no wrestling for a little while. I know it sucks for everybody at home who feels like their season has ended and all the hard work they put in is gone. I just want to send a reminder that the hard work you put in this season will stay, it will always be there. You are the athlete you’ve always been.” …. story at https://wrestling.ca/top-canadian-wrestlers-urge-community-to-stay-home/?mc_cid=91538a90c1&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

Alumni Spotlight: Ashnault’s Olympic Goal Continues Despite Postponement
PISCATAWAY, N.J. – As a professional athlete vying for a spot in the next Olympic Games, Anthony Ashnault has access to some of the best facilities, practice partners and coaching the wrestling community has to offer. Training alongside standouts such as Jordan Burroughs, Kyle Snyder, Yianni Diakomihalis, Tyler Graff and Tony Nelson as a member of the U.S. men’s freestyle team, Ashnault most recently locked up a spot in the 2020 Olympic Trials after he won gold at the Pan American Championships on March 9 in Ottawa, Canada.  He became the second Scarlet Knight to earn a spot at the upcoming trials, as Nick Suriano secured his place at the tournament with his fourth-place finish at Senior Nationals on Dec. 22, 2019 in Fort Worth, Texas. …. story at https://scarletknights.com/news/2020/3/31/wrestling-alumni-spotlight-ashnaults-olympic-goal-continues-despite-postponement.aspx?mc_cid=1f2298c90d&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

Virginia Tech’s Ty Walz’s Olympic dreams on hold
Walz was set to compete in the Olympic Trials
BLACKSBURG, Va. – Former Virginia Tech wrestler Ty Walz should be at Penn State on Friday at the Olympic Trials, wrestling for a spot on Team USA. Instead, he’s at his home in Blacksburg. “We were actually prepping to start cutting weight, getting in really, really good shape, zoning in on our focus and our training, and preparing for competition,” Walz said. Walz’s progress was at its peak as it came to a screeching halt just weeks away from his biggest stage to date. “Then they postponed trials, after that the Olympics obviously,” he said. “I felt like I was extremely prepared and 100% ready to start dialing in and getting ready to compete, so it was a little disheartening to see it was postponed.” …. story at https://www.wsls.com/sports/2020/04/03/virginia-techs-ty-walzs-olympic-dreams-on-hold/?mc_cid=1f1b7bdc6e&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

Toby Erickson’s Olympic dreams on hold after trials postponed
By: Tom WyliePosted Apr 07, 2020 
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — East Helena’s Toby Erickson has always dreamed of competing in the Olympics. “This has been my dream since I was 5 years old,” he said. ”I’m 100 percent totally invested in this.” In December, Erickson finished third at the US Open wrestling tournament at 130 kilograms and qualified for the US Olympic Team Trials for the third time in his career in the Greco-Roman discipline. But his training is on hold while he waits in limbo for competition to resume following the postponement of the Trials and the Olympics due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Erickson was near the end of the eight-week training cycle and ready to compete. The Trials were originally set for April 4-5 at Penn State but were officially postponed on March 13. …. story at https://www.montanasports.com/more-sports/toby-ericksons-olympic-dreams-on-hold-after-trials-suspended?mc_cid=9b0303e966&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

Columbia native Eierman awaiting chance at Iowa, Olympic trials
Next weekend was supposed to be Jaydin Eierman’s chance at qualifying for the 2020 Summer Olympics. The Columbia native and former Missouri wrestler was primed to take to the mats for the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in University Park, Pennsylvania, home of Penn State University. Eierman was training every day since the middle of November for this opportunity in Iowa City, Iowa. But due to the coronavirus, Eierman’s possible place on the world stage will have to wait a year as the Tokyo Games have been postponed to 2021. Eierman, who took an Olympic redshirt this past year after three straight All-American seasons at Missouri, announced in November he would be transferring to Iowa for his final collegiate campaign. He sat out this past season to train for the Olympics and figures to be a key member of the Hawkeyes’ lineup next winter. Eierman’s plan — should no further wrestling be delayed due to the pandemic — is to wrestle at Iowa at either 141 or 149 pounds this coming season and help the Hawkeyes contend for a national team title. …. story at https://www.columbiatribune.com/sports/20200328/columbia-native-eierman-awaiting-chance-at-iowa-olympic-trials?mc_cid=1270ffe756&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

Olympic postponement gives Durango wrestler Nick Tarpley time
Nick Tarpley could barely move his neck. The clock was ticking. He wasn’t going to be at his best. Then, the world changed in a matter of a month. The new coronavirus swept the planet as COVID-19 cases soared and brought the sports world to a standstill. The 2020 Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo were postponed. Suddenly, Tarpley was given time. …. story at https://durangoherald.com/articles/319568?mc_cid=b9ab82d4d9&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

April 13, 2020 - Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized