Takedown Report

Olympic Team Trials Results 2021

TDR Editor’s Notes ; There was extensive coverage of the Olympic Team Trials earlier this month not only on the internet but also on TV. The coverage this year was expanded which was encouraging to see. Keep on Wrestling!
Contact us at the Editor’s office at martinkfleming@gmail.com with updates and information.
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1 } – Looking back and some Olympic Team Trials Memories
This coming week, we’ll finally have the U.S. Olympic Team Trials for what will be the 2021 Olympic Games in Tokyo. Originally scheduled for Penn State’s Bryce Jordan Center, Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas is now the host city. Texas last hosted the Trials in 2000 to then-record crowds. The pandemic will limit attendance, but we’ll still have three styles of wrestling looking to crown champions who will earn the right to represent the United States. 

On this episode of the Short Time Wrestling Podcast, I’ll look back at the previous six Olympic Trials I’ve worked – four in the U.S. and two in Canada – and talk about some of the memorable moments from them. It starts in 2004 in Indianapolis, then on to Las Vegas in 2008, then Iowa City in 2012 and 2016 and then north of the border in suburban Edmonton in 2015 and Niagara Falls in 2019. Those dates don’t line up? I’ll explain some on-the-mat and off-the-mat schedules that make things unique in the U.S. and in Canada. … rest of story at https://www.mattalkonline.com/podcast/short-time/looking-back-and-some-olympic-team-trials-memories/?mc_cid=44df579129&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

2 } – Steveson Advances to U.S. Olympic Team Trials Final
FORT WORTH, TEXAS – NCAA Champion and Hodge Trophy winner Gable Steveson is one step away from qualifying for the 2021 Tokyo Olympics after reaching the finals of the U.S. Olympic Team Trials. Steveson will face top seed Nick Gwiazdowski in a best-of-three championship series on Saturday night.
 
Steveson rolled into the finals with back-to-back technical falls. In the quarterfinals, he needed just 1:59 to dispatch No. 7 seed Tanner Hall, 11-0. Steveson recorded an identical 11-0 technical fall against Daniel Kerkvliet of Penn State in a rematch of their NCAA quarterfinal meeting in March. This will be the fourth meeting between Steveson and Gwiazdowski, a two-time World Championship bronze medalist and two-time NCAA Champion at N.C. State (2014-15). … rest of story at https://gophersports.com/news/2021/4/2/wrestling-steveson-advances-to-us-olympic-team-trials-final.aspx?mc_cid=b369974b64&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

3 } – Schultz Enters Final Round of Team USA Olympic Trials
FORT WORTH, TX — 2021 Pac-12 heavyweight champion Cohlton Schultz defeated both of his opponents on Friday positioning himself to wrestle in the best-of-three final for the 2021 US Olympic Team Trials Greco-Roman 130 kg weight class. The 18 championship matches of the US Olympic Team Trials will begin at 4:30 pm MST on Saturday, April 3 on NBCSN. 

The redshirt freshman from Colorado will face three-time All-American and two-time NCAA finalist, Adam Coon, tomorrow in the best-of-three. The winner of the duals will go to an international qualifying tournament to qualify the US at heavyweight for the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. “Cohlton did a fantastic job today,”  said Arizona State head coach Zeke Jones. … rest of story at https://thesundevils.com/news/2021/4/2/wrestling-schultz-enters-final-round-of-team-usa-olympic-trials.aspx?mc_cid=b369974b64&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

4 } – SANCHO, HANCOCK, HAFIZOV, STEFANOWICZ QUALIFY FOR TOKYO OLYMPICS IN GRECO-ROMAN; PORTER AND COON HEAD TO FINAL QUALIFIER
FORT WORTH, Texas — Four U.S. Greco-Roman stars have punched their ticket for the Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan with victories at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Wrestling on Saturday night. Alejandro Sancho (U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program) will represent the United States at 67 kg in Tokyo after winning his Championship Series. The Miami native gutted out two tight wins, 2-0 and 3-1, over teammate Ellis Coleman (Army WCAP) in the best-of-three series.

Coleman, who was once known for his Flying Squirrel move, took off his shoes and left them in the center of the mat following the match, signalling his retirement from the sport. Ironically, Sancho had replaced an injured Coleman at the 2020 Pan American Olympic Qualifier, where Sancho qualified the weight class. … rest of story at https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling/Features/2021/April/04/Greco-Roman-wrap-for-US-Olympic-Team-Trials?mc_cid=7136a52740&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

And Monday Roundup: Top 10 Greco Olympic Trials Stories
The 2020 US Olympic Team Trials was too large, too important of a tournament to receive a “wrapped” designation as is typically the case for a Monday Roundup. Therefore, in an effort to not overwhelm one space with post-event material, various notes, statistics, and the critical “Undercover Stars” section will all be disseminated separately throughout the week in a more consumable format along with athlete insights that are already in the harvesting process. The first part in our series of follow-ups are Top 10 stories that stood out over the weekend in Fort Worth. If you’re looking for full finals recaps, or perspectives on the three stars who left their shoes on the mat, this piece is not it. Rather, what you have here is a compilation of individual moments and/or canvassed performances that differ in what they meant or had to offer.
10. STANGHILL SAID HELLO
Every single wrestler in the arena was affected by the pandemic athletically, personally, or both. For Barrett Stanghill (87 kg, Minnesota Storm), it meant a complete lifestyle change. He had left Northern Michigan and returned home to his native Montana where he began working long, long hours for his dad, whose roster of employees had considerably shrunk. In doing so, Stanghill disappeared off the radar. Eventually, he moved to Georgia — not exactly a Greco hotbed — and got engaged. Hardly anyone had a clue what was going with the guy. Was he done? How would he even train for the Trials if he’s not?
It turned out after all that Stanghill indeed was not done. By the looks of things, he has a whole lot left. ’20 Olympian John Stefanowicz (Marines) decisioned Stanghill in the quarterfinal; but as everyone now knows, “STEF” was not going to be stopped by anyone in Fort Worth. … restof story at http://www.fivepointmove.com/usa-greco/top-10-greco-moments-trials/?mc_cid=c3ca94c3de&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

5 } – THE NEW CREW: Team USA Welcomes Six First-Time Greco Olympic Team Members
FORT WORTH, TX — Sometimes, hearts get filled. Other times, they break. It happens to everyone. Often. Unavoidable. Just an aspect of the human condition. For a special lot, this carousel of glory and pain does not reveal itself only in the shadowy confines of their thoughts. Instead, they put it all on display in front of the eyes of strangers. Interested yet mostly anonymous faces who are pleased and eager enough to bear witness to their high’s and low’s.
The final round of the 2020 US Olympic Team Trials for Greco-Roman began at 6:30pm live from the Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, TX and aired around the country on NBC Sports Universal.

On Saturday night, six Greco-Roman athletes became first-time United States Olympic Team members before a socially-distanced-but-enthusiastic crowd who whooped, cheered, and booed during every match. Alas, you cannot call each of the evening’s tournament champs “Olympians, for the victors at 77 and 130 kilograms have one more step to take until they can boast that distinction. … rest of story at http://www.fivepointmove.com/usa-greco/olympic-trials-finals-results/?mc_cid=7136a52740&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

And York County wrestler adds to his Hollywood story: How John Stefanowicz became an Olympian
It’s only fitting that Kennard-Dale grad John Stefanowicz ran the toughest road to become an Olympian. He was, after all, the 5-foot-3 high school wrestler who never even qualified for a state tournament. The one who picked the U.S. Marines because college programs didn’t want him.

The one whose brother owned the Olympic path as the one of the premier high school wrestlers in the nation. Even when Stefanowicz stunningly became a late-life wrestling force, COVID shut down his sport and, quite possibly, his dreams. All of that led to this past weekend at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in Fort Worth, Texas. Though just the No. 4 seed, Stefanowicz took down each favored opponent, often in dramatic, comeback fashion. … rest of story at https://www.ydr.com/story/sports/2021/04/05/john-stefanowicz-earns-spot-u-s-wrestling-team-tokyo-olympics/7087840002/?mc_cid=a167ed32cf&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

6 } – DAKE BEATS BURROUGHS, SNYDER OFF TO SECOND GAMES, TAYLOR, GILMAN AND STEVESON ALSO QUALIFY FOR TOKYO GAMES IN FREESTYLE, OLIVER HEADING TO QUALIFIER
By ANDY ELDER, Special to TheMat.com
FORT WORTH, Texas — For nearly a decade, 2012 Olympic gold medalist Jordan Burroughs has been one of the faces of U.S. freestyle wrestling.
Saturday night in the 2020 U.S. Olympic Trials – Wrestling in Dickies Arena, Kyle Dake (Titan Mercury Wrestling Club/Spartan Combat Regional Training Center) made a case for replacing Burroughs (Nebraska Regional Training Center/Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club), or at least being included in the picture.

Dake, who swept the 74 kg best-of-three series with Burroughs, 3-0 and 3-2, punched his ticket to the Tokyo Olympic Games. A two-time World Champion, the Lansing, New York, native will try to win an Olympic title to his resume. “I feel good. Jordan [Burroughs] is one of the best we’ve ever had. He’s a great ambassador for the sport and he’s really pushed me and motivated me. I’m happy with all of the work I put in to get here… I want to get the Olympic Gold, that’s the goal,” said Dake. A World champion at 79 kg in 2018 and 2019, Dake is ready to take on the international competition at 74 kg. … rest of story at https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling/Features/2021/April/04/Mens-Freestyle-OTT-finals-wrap?mc_cid=7136a52740&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

7 } – KYLE SNYDER QUALIFIES FOR OLYMPIC GAMES IN TOKYO
FORT WORTH, Texas – Ohio State graduate Kyle Snyder defeated fellow Buckeye Kollin Moore in the best-of-three Final X Championship series at the US Olympic Team Trials on Saturday night at the Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas.

Snyder won the opening round bout 10-0 and then took control from the beginning of the second bout and held on for a 5-1 victory. “Kollin is a great wrestler,” Snyder said immediately following the match. “We went to the same college (Ohio State) and I know a lot about how he wrestles. I was just thankful for the opportunity to compete. Tokyo is a few months away and I’m going to have to continue to work hard.”
This is Snyder’s second Olympic Games. He became the youngest American gold medalist when he won the title in Rio in 2016. Snyder seems to be in top form heading into the summer. He has a 38-2 international freestyle record over the last two years.
Moore had a great run at the trials. He won his three matches in the challenger bracket by a combined score of 26-2. … rest of story at https://ohiostatebuckeyes.com/kyle-snyder-qualifies-for-olympic-games-in-tokyo/?mc_cid=7136a52740&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

8 } – Kyle Dake ’13 Defeats Burroughs, Becomes Cornell Wrestling’s Fifth Olympian
FORT WORTH, Texas – Kyle Dake ’13 defeated Olympic gold medalist Jordan Burroughs in a best-of-three series on Saturday night at the 2021 Olympic Team Trials to become the United States’ representative at 74kg for the Tokyo Olympics. Dake defeated Burroughs in consecutive matches, 3-0, 3-2, to become the fifth Cornell wrestler to compete at the Olympics and the first since Dave Auble ’60 in 1964.

Wrestling at both 79 and 74kg, Dake hasn’t dropped a freestyle match since January of 2018 with a 13-0 record against world and Olympic medalists. In total, Dake is 43-0 in that time frame and has outscored his opponents 331-41. “I put in the time, work and discipline to become an Olympian and dethrone Jordan,” Dake said following the match. “I went out, competed, and put it all out there. It feels like it’s been a long time coming for me, I’ve always been right there.” Dake was the only wrestler on the scoreboard in match one against Burroughs, marking the first time the five-time world champion was held scoreless in a freestyle bout in 206 senior level matches. In the first period, Dake got out to a 1-0 lead after forcing a step out from Burroughs. … rest of story at https://cornellbigred.com/news/2021/4/4/kyle-dake-13-becomes-cornell-wrestlings-fifth-olympian.aspx?mc_cid=7136a52740&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

9} – WRESTLING: Local wrestling coaches excited about Dake’s Olympic berth
Local wrestling coaches were excited to watch New York-bred Kyle Dake earn a spot at the Tokyo Olympics following his victory over former gold medalist Jordan Burroughs in the 74kg (163 pounds) freestyle division during last Saturday’s 2021 Olympic Qualifier in Fort Worth, TX. Dake, a two-time NYS champion from Section IV’s Lansing High School, located about five miles north of Ithaca, went on to become the first-ever NCAA wrestler to win four national titles in four separate weight classes while wrestling at Cornell University from 2010 to 2013. Dake defeated Burroughs 3-0 and 3-2 over the weekend in the best of three series. The 2021 Olympics will take place in Tokyo July 23-August 8.
Wrestling will take place August 1-7 at the Makuhari Messe Event Hall. Dake entered the qualifiers as a two-time US National champion, ‘18 World Cup champion and ‘18 Ivan Yarygin Grand Prix Silver medalist. He has won two back-to-back World Championships at 79 kilograms by defeating the 2016 Olympic medalist Jabrayil Hasanov in the finals, in 2018 and 2019. During his first World Championship tournament, Dake outscored his opposition 37 points to zero, not surrendering a single point. … rest of story at https://www.thedailynewsonline.com/sports/wrestling-local-wrestling-coaches-excited-about-dake-s-olympic-berth/article_c7c4b3dd-78ba-5b7c-b027-9869dbecb7fd.html?mc_cid=69381deb62&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

10 } – ‘The Official Review’ #1: Casey Goessl
Welcome to the premier of The Official Review, which kicks off with Casey Goessl, one of the most accomplished and respected referees on the entire planet.
Goessl, from Wisconsin, has been donning a whistle during matches for two decades and is as recognizable as it gets when it comes to American refs. He can be seen patrolling mat space at every major event, domestically or overseas. There is not one wrestling situation, no matter how obscure, with which he is unfamiliar. At this stage of his sparkling career, Goessl has experienced the gamut of confusing scoring sequences and intricate rule interpretations that the average observer may fail to adequately grasp. Which, of course, is the catalyst behind The Official Review, to provide a more personalized brand of education courtesy of top-level referees whose scope of responsibilities include translating difficult, on-the-spot decisions. Decisions that, plainly, far too many take for granted. Part of it also centers around achieving common ground. … rest of story at http://www.fivepointmove.com/usa-greco/official-review-1-casey-goessl/?mc_cid=3fad4ffad8&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

And Thirty-Six Olympic Berths Secured by 10 Different Nations at African and Oceania Olympic Qualifier
HAMMAMET, Tunisia (April 5) — Thirty-six Olympic berths were secured by 10 different nations this past weekend at the African and Oceania Olympic Qualifier in Hammamet, Tunisia. Wrestlers who finished in the top two in their respective weight categories qualified their nations for the Tokyo Olympic Games.
Host nation Tunisia secured the most Olympic berths with 10 across the three styles. Algeria qualified eight weight categories, while Egypt qualified seven. Below is a brief recap from each of the three styles. … rest of story at https://uww.org/article/thirty-six-olympic-berths-secured-10-different-nations-african-and-oceania-olympic?mc_cid=a167ed32cf&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

11 } – Four NLWC Athletes Qualify for Tokyo Olympics as David Taylor Becomes Penn State’s Newest Olympian
Penn State and the Nittany Lion Wrestling Club excel in Fort Worth
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.  – Four resident athletes with the Nittany Lion Wrestling Club have qualified for the Tokyo Olympics later this summer and former all-time great David Taylor became the newest member of Penn State wrestling’s Olympian club.  Penn State and/or the NLWC had 15 athletes competing at the United State Olympic Wrestling Team Trials in Fort Worth, Texas, this weekend.   
The NLWC had five wrestlers competing for titles in the OTT finals, all of whom had already clinched spots on the U.S. National Team.  Four of the NLWCs finalists became 2020 Olympians with wins while the fifth lost to an NLWC teammate in the finals.  
Additionally, two more Penn State/NLWC wrestlers finished in the top three in their respective weight and classifications, earning spots on the U.S. National Team.  In all, seven NLWC resident athletes/current Nittany Lions earned spots on the U.S. National Team after their performances this weekend. The NLWC partnered with Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC) for this weekend’s tournament.  
Taylor became the newest member of Penn State Wrestling’s Olympic club. … rest of story at https://gopsusports.com/news/2021/4/3/wrestling-four-nlwc-athletes-qualify-for-tokyo-olympics-as-david-taylor-becomes-penn-states-newest-olympian.aspx?mc_cid=7136a52740&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

12 } – Former OSU Wrestler Jordan Oliver Claims Olympic Team Trial Championship
FORT WORTH, Texas – Former Oklahoma State wrestler Jordan Oliver claimed the 2021 U.S. Olympic Team Trials championship at 65kg in the men’s freestyle division Saturday night. He defeated No. 5 seed Joey McKenna in two matches of the best-of-three series to determine the 65 kg champion. He forced a step out and got a takedown while on the 30 second shot clock to claim a 3-0 decision in the first bout. Oliver followed with a 5-2 decision in the second match to capture the title.  
While many winners punched their ticket to Tokyo’s Olympic Games on Saturday, Oliver just took a step closer to his ultimate goal. The 65kg men’s freestyle weight has not qualified for the Olympics yet, which means Oliver will have to place in the top two at the World Qualifier in Sofia, Bulgaria, May 6-9 in order to compete in Tokyo.  
“It starts right now,” Oliver said. “Going home and jumping right back on the horse. There’s not too much time to celebrate. This is something that needs to be done and something that we’ve been focusing on. We understand the process of being an Olympian and achieving a gold medal.  … rest of story at https://okstate.com/news/2021/4/3/wrestling-former-osu-wrestler-jordan-oliver-claims-olympic-team-trial-championship.aspx?mc_cid=7136a52740&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

And Coon Claims 130kg Greco Title at U.S. Olympic Trials, Parris Takes Third
FORT WORTH, Texas — Former University of Michigan wrestling standout Adam Coon swept the best-of-three championship series to capture the 130kg/286-pound Greco-Roman title at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials on Saturday night (April 3) at Dickies Arena.
Coon, who claimed the 130kg Greco spot for the third straight year and was a 2018 world silver medalist, still needs to qualify the weight class for the United States. The final Olympic Games Qualifier is scheduled for May 6-9 in Sofia, Bulgaria, where the top-two finishers at each weight will qualify their country for the Tokyo Games.
He defeated Arizona State’s Cohlton Schultz, 10-1 and 3-3, in the championship series — his second straight trials win over the Sun Devils wrestler. Coon cruised in the first bout, earning a big first-period lead off a Schultz passivity and two gut wrenches. He was also hit for passivity himself in the second but gave up no points when put down and followed with a bodylock for a takedown and subsequent caution. …. rest of story at https://mgoblue.com/news/2021/4/3/wrestling-coon-claims-130kg-greco-title-at-us-olympic-trials-parris-takes-third.aspx?mc_cid=7136a52740&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

April 15, 2021 - Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized