Takedown Report

Olympic medalist Dake leads strong Senior World Team Trials field in men’s freestyle

This weekend, 59 elite athletes will battle in the men’s freestyle division at the Senior World Team Trials Challenge Tournament being held at Norton Healthcare Sports and Learning Center in Louisville, Ky., May 16-17.
Multiple Olympians, World medalists, Senior World Team members, age-group standouts, college national champions and top high school prospects are in the fold with sights set on securing one of the eight remaining spots at Final X.
Online registration is open through May 15, leaving the door open for more athletes to enter last minute. However, the registration deadline to be eligible for tournament seeding was last Friday, making it unlikely many more entries come in. 
WHAT’S AT STAKE?
Eight brackets will be contested in the men’s freestyle division at the Senior World Team Trials Challenge Tournament. Each champion in Louisville will face the 2025 U.S. Open champion in a best-of-three series at Final X to determine the Team USA representative at the 2025 Senior World Championships. Final X will take place on June 14 at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J.
There are two Final X matchups already determined in men’s freestyle, 57 kg and 61 kg, which removes those weight classes from the Senior World Team Trials Challenge Tournament field.
ELIGIBLE ATHLETES
Athletes must qualify to enter the Senior World Team Trials Challenge Tournament field. To review the Senior World Team selection process in each discipline, including Senior World Team Trials Challenge Tournament qualification criteria, visit the Team Selection Criteria page.
A list of qualified athletes for Louisville post-U.S. Open is available on themat.com. A complete list of entries as of May 13 is available below.
13 WRESTLERS TO WATCH
Kyle Dake headlines the group at 86 kg. The two-time Olympic bronze medalist shifted to a new weight class in late April at the U.S. Open. Dake, a four-time Senior World champion, looks to secure the last spot in Final X.
There are six athletes that have competed at a Senior World Championship tournament. Nick Lee, Dake and Chance Marsteller were teammates on the 2023 Senior World Team that competed in Belgrade, Serbia. … more at … https://www.themat.com/news/2025/may/13/olympic-medalist-dake-leads-strong-senior-world-team-trials-field-in-men-s-freestyle

May 15, 2025 - Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | olympics, sports