04-18-2012, 01:21 PM
This weekend is the Olympic Wrestling trials for all but one weight class each in freestyle and greco roman for which the USA is not yet qualified to send a wrestler.
Just found out that Cael Sanderson, the only undefeated and 4-time NCAA champ who won a gold medal in Athens in 2004 will not be competing afterall. It had been expected he would go for another gold medal after winning the World Cup spot for the US but finished 7th in the World Cup in Turkey last year. Sanderson is 32 and has likely ended his competitive career with this decision.
Also not competing is Kurt Angle who won gold in 1996 and has been a WWE or WWF or whatever it is "wrestler" since then. He is 41 and tore a ligament in his knee on Monday.
Rulon Gardner will be trying a comback as well. He was on the 11th season of Biggest Loser and weighed in at 474 pounds. Inspirational if nothing else. He won a gold medal in Greco Roman wrestling in 2000 and is around 40 years old. The maximum weight allowed is 265 pounds. Gardner also had a couple toes amputated after he got lost on his snowmobile overnight. He then went on to win bronze in the 2004 Olympics. Not sure he is going to make weight by this Friday. Was still over 300 pounds less than a month ago. There are weight loss tricks that wrestlers use that will get him about 10-15lbs of what is needed.
Dennis Hall, a 41 yo Greco Roman wrestler will be attempting to earn a spot on the Olympic team for the 4th time.
Several Ohio wrestlers will be seeking a spot on the freestyle team including:
Logan Stieber (Monroeville)
David Taylor
Shawn Contos (Toledo St. Johns Jesuit)
Dustin Schlatter
C.P. Schlatter
Colt Sponseller
Andy Hrovat
Dustin Kilgore (Kent State)
J. D. Bergman (Oak Harbor)
Tommy Rowlands.
There are several MAC wrestlers in the field but unlikely any will make the team.
Just found out that Cael Sanderson, the only undefeated and 4-time NCAA champ who won a gold medal in Athens in 2004 will not be competing afterall. It had been expected he would go for another gold medal after winning the World Cup spot for the US but finished 7th in the World Cup in Turkey last year. Sanderson is 32 and has likely ended his competitive career with this decision.
Also not competing is Kurt Angle who won gold in 1996 and has been a WWE or WWF or whatever it is "wrestler" since then. He is 41 and tore a ligament in his knee on Monday.
Rulon Gardner will be trying a comback as well. He was on the 11th season of Biggest Loser and weighed in at 474 pounds. Inspirational if nothing else. He won a gold medal in Greco Roman wrestling in 2000 and is around 40 years old. The maximum weight allowed is 265 pounds. Gardner also had a couple toes amputated after he got lost on his snowmobile overnight. He then went on to win bronze in the 2004 Olympics. Not sure he is going to make weight by this Friday. Was still over 300 pounds less than a month ago. There are weight loss tricks that wrestlers use that will get him about 10-15lbs of what is needed.
Dennis Hall, a 41 yo Greco Roman wrestler will be attempting to earn a spot on the Olympic team for the 4th time.
Several Ohio wrestlers will be seeking a spot on the freestyle team including:
Logan Stieber (Monroeville)
David Taylor
Shawn Contos (Toledo St. Johns Jesuit)
Dustin Schlatter
C.P. Schlatter
Colt Sponseller
Andy Hrovat
Dustin Kilgore (Kent State)
J. D. Bergman (Oak Harbor)
Tommy Rowlands.
There are several MAC wrestlers in the field but unlikely any will make the team.