Last chance Olympic Regional Trials set for Pueblo, Colo., May 16-17

The last of four Olympic Regional Trials hosted by USA Wrestling will take place at Massari Arena in Pueblo, Colo., May 15-17.

This event will be held in conjunction with the Rocky Mountain Grappling World Team Trials qualifier, as well as the Rocky Mountain Junior Regional Championships.

Competition will be held in the seven Olympic weight classes in men's freestyle and Greco-Roman with the winners in each advancing to the Challenge Tournament at the U.S. Olympic Trials for wrestling June 13-15 in Las Vegas, Nev.

All competitors who meet the age and citizenship requirements are eligible for competition. Athletes interested in competing must be U.S. citizens and 18 years of age or old on or before Dec. 31, 2008. Outstanding wrestlers from across the nation are expected to attend for their last chance to pursue their lifelong dream of qualifying for the Olympic Team Trials and a chance for the Olympics.

The U.S. Olympic Team Trials for wrestling are set for Las Vegas, Nev., June 13-15 at the Thomas and Mack Center on the campus of Nevada-Las Vegas. The event will determine which U.S. athlete will compete in each weight class at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China.

For the Grappling World Team Trials qualifier the top four men and the top three women from each weight class will qualify to compete at the 2008 Grappling World Team Trials. USA Wrestling has yet to determine the site and date for the 2008 U.S. Grappling World Team Trials, but it is expected to be held in September 2008.

The Rocky Mountain Junior Regional Championships has moved to Pueblo, Colo. from its longtime home in Laramie, Wyo. The top three place winners at this event qualify for their state's ASICS/Vaughan Junior National Championships team above the state limit. The ASICS/Vaughan Junior National Championships will take place in Fargo, N.D., July 19-26, 2008.

Schedule for 2008 Rocky Mountain Junior Regionals, Grappling World Team Trials Qualifier and Senior Olympic Team Trials Qualifier

Thursday, May 15
5-10 p.m. - Bronze Coaches Clinic
5:30-7 p.m. - Pairing Officials Clinic
7-8 p.m. - Greco-Roman and freestyle registration
8-8:30 p.m. - Senior Greco-Roman medical check and weigh-ins
8:30-10 p.m. - Mat Officials Clinic

Friday, May 16
8:30-9 a.m. - Greco-Roman and freestyle registration
9-9:30 a.m. - Junior and Cadet & Schoolboy/girl Greco-Roman Festival medical check and weigh-ins
10:30-10:45 a.m. - Greco-Roman Rules Clinic
11 a.m.-2 p.m. - Greco-Roman preliminaries
4 p.m.-conclusion - Greco-Roman preliminaries though Finals
7-8 p.m. - Freestyle registration
7-8:30 p.m. - Grappling registration and Weigh-ins (optional)
7-8:30 p.m. - Grappling Referees Training Course
8-8:30 p.m. - Senior freestyle Medical Check and weigh-ins

Saturday, May 17
8-8:30 a.m. - Freestyle registration
8-8:40 a.m. - Grappling registration and weigh-ins
8:30-8:40 a.m. - Junior and Cadet & Schoolboy/girl freestyle Festival medial check and weigh-ins
9-9:45 a.m. - Freestyle rules clinic
9-9:45 a.m. - Grappling rules demonstration
10 a.m.-1:30 p.m. - Freestyle preliminaries
10 a.m.-conclusion - Grappling competition
2:30 p.m.-conclusions - Freestyle preliminaries through finals