In a stunning upset, Aaron Brooks secured his spot at the Paris Olympics by defeating reigning 86-kilogram gold medalist David Taylor not once, but twice, at the U.S. Olympic wrestling trials. Brooks first triumphed over Taylor with a 4-1 victory, marking Taylor's first loss to an American wrestler in seven years. The win set the stage for Brooks to face off against the Tokyo gold medalist and fellow former Penn State athlete for a chance to solidify his spot.
Brooks seized the opportunity with a 3-1 victory in their second match, breaking a stalemate with a decisive takedown in the first period. After the intense showdown, Brooks and Taylor shared a touching moment in the center of the mat. Reflecting on their encounter, Brooks shared, "I told him I love him. He’s one of the first guys to make Penn State wrestling what it is."
This victory was especially sweet for Brooks, who had previously suffered losses to Taylor at last year's world championship qualifier, where he was swept in two straight matches. Brooks' triumphs have been mounting since March, including winning a Big Ten title, his fourth NCAA title, clinching the Hodge Trophy, and now securing a coveted spot in the Olympics.
The trials, held at Penn State's Bryce Jordan Center, saw a total of 18 wrestlers make the U.S. wrestling squad, with 13 of them qualifying directly for the Olympic tournament in Paris. However, champions in five classes will need to travel to Istanbul for a world qualification tournament in May to secure their spot in the Olympics.
Kyle Snyder dominated his championship series against Isaac Trumble, not conceding a single point and securing 5-0 and 4-0 wins to qualify for his third Olympics. The 2016 gold medalist expressed his excitement, stating, "The first time you do it you’re really happy, now it’s almost an expectation of myself, and then the real fun starts when you make the team and you’re competing for Olympic gold medals."
Zain Retherford's journey to securing an Olympic spot was filled with uncertainty just five months ago. However, with determination and perseverance, he defeated teammate Nick Lee in back-to-back matches at 65 kg, earning a spot on the U.S. national team and advancing to an international qualifying tournament.
Despite accepting a job at a financial firm in New York City, Retherford couldn't ignore the pull to compete. His next challenge will be the Olympic qualifying tournament in Istanbul, where he aims to finish in the top two to earn a trip to Paris.
Spencer Lee's path to the Olympics was paved with resilience, overcoming multiple injuries, including tearing his ACL twice and winning a national title despite tearing his other ACL just weeks earlier. His recent victory over Tokyo bronze medalist Thomas Gilman at 57 kg secured his spot on the U.S. team and propelled him to the world qualification tournament in Istanbul.
Lee expressed gratitude for the Iowa Hawkeye program's support, stating, "If it wasn’t for the Iowa Hawkeye program supporting me, I’d be planning to retire to be honest with you guys. I’ve had such a tough time staying healthy and trying to compete to the best of my ability."
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