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Team USA Takes Shape for Tokyo

By Admin, 04/07/21, 10:15AM EDT

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Olympic Team Trials Brings Change, Heartbreak, and Triumph!

Jordan Oliver (THWC) and John Stefanowicz (All-Marine Team) were among the winners in Forth Worth this past weekend, as USA Wrestling saw a potentially powerful Olympic Team take shape.

The trials were full of surprises, drama, heartbreak, and triumph, as America's best wrestlers battled for the right to represent Team USA in Tokyo later this summer.

In women's freestyle Macey Kilty (THWC) pushed Kayla Miracle to the limit in their best of three final X matchup at 62kg, only to suffer a match ending injury in the third and decisive bout.  Helen Maroulis returned to the top of the 57kg weight class with a dramatic fall over Jenna Burkert, who turned in one of the most inspiring performances of the trials.  Other winners in women's freestyle included 50 kg - Sarah Hildebrandt , 53 kg - Jacarra Winchester, 68 kg - Tamyra Mensah-Stock, and 76 kg - Adeline Gray.

Men's freestyle saw drama and a  changing of the guard in several weights, including an impressive run by THWC member Jordan Oliver at 65kg. Oliver scored a dramatic wins over Nick Lee and  Yanni Diakomihalis before downing Joseph McKenna in the Final X series 2-0.  Other notable newcomers included Kyle Dake at 74kg, and Gable Steveson at 125kg. Dake and Stevenson knocked off Jordan Burroughs and Nick Gwiazdowski (Wolfpack RTC)  respectively to earn their first ever Olympic Team slots. Other men's freestyle winners were: 57 kg - Thomas Gilman, 86 kg - David Taylor, and 97 kg - Kyle Snyder. 

Finally in Greco-Roman,  Peyton Walsh (All-Marine Team) narrowly missed a spot on the team at 77kg, while teammate John Stefanowicz earned his first ever Olympic team spot with a win over Joe Rau at 87kg. Stefanowicz will join 60 kg - Ildar Hafizov, 67 kg - Alejandro Sancho, 77kg- Jesse Porter, 97 kg - G’Angelo Hancock, and 130 kg - Adam Coon as members of the Greco-Roman squad.

All women's weights are qualified for Tokyo, while men's freestyle still must qualify 65 kg, and Greco-roman must qualify 77kg and 130kg at the last chance qualifier in Sophia, Bulgaria later this spring.

For full details on the Olympic Team Trials, visit the special section on THEMAT.com