Olympic and World champion Jordan Burroughs ready to return to top of podium in 2015
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by Craig Sesker USA Wrestling
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Gold-medal performances at the World Cup, U.S. Open, U.S. World Team Trials and Pan American Championships.
A World bronze medal to cap a season with just two losses.
Most wrestlers would love to experience a season like that.
But most wrestlers aren’t Jordan Burroughs.
Burroughs, an Olympic gold medalist and two-time World champion who was undefeated in his first three international seasons, finally showed he might actually be human during the 2013-14 campaign.
Burroughs suffered the first loss of his amazing international career when fellow American Nick Marable upset Burroughs at February’s Yasar Dogu event in Turkey. It ended his American record 69-match winning streak. Marable went on to make the 2014 U.S. World Team in freestyle at 70 kg/154 lbs.
Burroughs suffered a sprained MCL in his left knee early in his first-round match at 74 kg/163 lbs. at the 2014 World Championships last month in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Even after doctors administered two shots in his leg and with it heavily bandaged, Burroughs still went 4-1 in the tournament to place third.
Burroughs survived a huge scare in his opening-round bout where he had to rally for a 4-3 win over the unknown Augusto Midana of Guinea Bisau.
“My knee kind of popped early in the match and I wasn’t sure at first if I was hurt,” Burroughs said. “I came back and got in on another shot, and I tried to drive the guy out of bounds. It really hurt and it was really painful, and I gave up a takedown. I know you always have to overcome adversity to be great.
“When you see Guinea Bissau on the bracket, you figure you will just pin the guy quickly and get off the mat. The guy was solid and athletic, and he definitely surprised me. When he first came out there, he had some random blue singlet without the initials of his country on the back. It was crazy. I didn’t expect that kind of match. It was like they picked the guy up off the street and said, ‘Hey, you’ve got muscles, you ever wrestled before? Good, you can be on our team.’ But the guy wrestled really well. He was very defensive and stayed on his knees to block me, and he was a formidable opponent.”
Even with the injury, Burroughs had no thoughts of pulling out of the tournament.
“Never, never,” Burroughs said emphatically when asked if he considered defaulting out of the Worlds. “If you watch me wrestle, you know I will never quit. That’s one of the ways I’ve gotten to this level of success. I am going to fight and persevere through adversity.
“Initially, I was like, ‘Crap, I’ve got Tsargush on my side of the bracket and he is really tough.’ I could either quit or seize the moment and try to salvage the day.”
Tsargush is Russian standout Denis Tsargush, the 2009 and 2010 World champion who Burroughs knocked off en route to winning the 2011 World title and 2012 Olympic gold medal.
Burroughs won his next two bouts to set up the much-anticipated semifinal showdown at the 2014 Worlds with the talented Tsargush. Clearly not 100 percent, Burroughs was unable to generate much offense and suffered a 9-2 loss.
“It was really challenging,” Burroughs said. “It’s difficult when you’ve been successful for a long period of time and set a high standard for yourself. I was a three-time reigning World champion and anything less than first place was disappointing. It was difficult to not win, but I wrestled well and went 4-1 on the day. It was still a good day.”
Tsargush went on to win his third World title and Burroughs rebounded to earn his fourth World-level medal after earning a bronze medal.
“It was difficult to experience that loss, especially being the ferocious competitor I am,” said Burroughs, now 92-2 on the Senior level. “Tsargush was hungry and dedicated to winning. He didn’t even make the Russian team last year. Between the two of us, we’ve been the best in the World over the last six years. From 2009 to 2014, he and I have been the only champions at this weight class.
“He’s tough and he’s a competitor, and he’s a champion. He really wants to win and I really want to win. When we both get out on the mat, somebody has to lose unfortunately. I’m looking forward to seeing him again."
Another Burroughs-Tsargush match could happen at the 2015 World Championships in Las Vegas.
“It’s awesome having the Worlds in Vegas,” Burroughs said. “I don’t think I’ve ever been as excited for an event. I have everything to gain again. I’m hungry. I want to compete at a high level again. The Worlds would give me huge momentum going into the Olympic year. We’re home again and this will be great for us. We have home-field advantage and that will be big for us.”
Burroughs, 26, said he took a month off after the Worlds He spent time with his wife, Lauren, and three-month-old son, Beacon, while also beginning his new position as an assistant coach at the University of Nebraska.
Burroughs won two NCAA titles and the Hodge Trophy during his Husker career. He also continues to train at the NU wrestling room in Lincoln.
Burroughs is in Colorado Springs this week for World Team evaluations with the U.S. National freestyle coaches. He said he is working on his schedule for the upcoming season, which would include another trip to the World Cup in April in Los Angeles. He plans to compete in at least one event before the World Cup.
Burroughs is back training again. His main workout partner is Husker senior Robert Kokesh, a returning All-American at 174 pounds. He also trains with Husker senior All-American James Green, who was third at the 2014 NCAAs at 157 before winning a silver medal at the University World Championships in freestyle.
“I feel good,” Burroughs said. “My body has healed well physically. I don’t know if you know this, but I’ve got something called Superman syndrome where my body heals three times faster than the average human being. I am mentally refocused and looking forward to the new season.
“I really think I have a lot of improving to do as a wrestler. I have the right coaches in place. I am going back to the drawing board, so I can ensure myself that it doesn’t happen again. It’s going to be a long time before I lose again.”
Burroughs will face another challenge in trying to make the U.S. World Team in 2015. He has defeated strong wrestlers in Andrew Howe, Kyle Dake and David Taylor to make his four World-level teams.
“It will be extremely challenging,” Burroughs said. “There are some very tough wrestlers in this weight class in the U.S. I know those guys are right there with me at 74 kilos. It’s my job to keep beating those guys at the Trials and bringing home medals for the USA.”
Burroughs does have one big advantage over his competitors. He has already clinched a spot in the best-of-3 finals of the 2015 U.S. World Team Trials by virtue of winning a World medal in 2014.
“It’s huge for me, it’s huge,” he said. “That’s the reason why they implemented it, to protect the World medalists and the guys who are established and have already accomplished goals of being World and Olympic medalists. It’s a great situation we have set up for our previous medalists. I’ve had some tough matches at the Trials, but I’ve been able to pull them out.”
Being a new father has given Burroughs a new outlook on life.
“It’s awesome,” he said. “When I come home to my wife and my son after a long day of work, it’s like the best feeling ever. I am really happy to see those two every day. It’s humbling. Regardless of how well I’m doing on the wrestling scene, when I come home I’m dad and to my wife I’m Jordan. I still have to take out the trash, I still have to burp my son and I still have to change diapers.
“I’m not the Olympic champ in my house. My wife makes the rules. It’s fun. I enjoy my son. He’s starting to get a personality. He’s smiling and giggling, and all that cool stuff. It’s a great experience to be a dad – the best job I’ve ever had. Being a dad and a husband is cool.”
Burroughs was asked about the perception he will be more vulnerable now after dropping two matches this past season.
“When you got married and had kids did that stop you from doing your job to the best of your ability?” he said. “You definitely have to make some sacrifices. I’ve made a commitment to be the best wrestler in the World and my family is supportive of that. I’ve been there before. Once you’ve been to a place, it’s easier to get there a second time. I’ve been on top of the podium. I know what it takes to arrive there. I know the mindset and the physical output that you have to have.
“People that say I’m domesticated, and call me washed up and call me old, just don’t forget to call me a four-time World medalist.”
Burroughs’ wife, Lauren, who competed in athletics and has worked as a sportswriter, understands the challenges her husband faces as a competitor.
“Lauren’s been awesome,” Burroughs said. “It’s funny, we were talking the other day and she was like, ‘Man, if you wrestle Tsargush again, I don’t care if your leg is falling off you better not lose to him.’ She’s tough. That’s the type of input I have in my house, and that’s not even including my coaches. That makes it difficult for me to lose. But it’s fun. She’s a great wife and she takes responsibility in helping me become great. My goals have become her goals. She’s right there with me. She’s been awesome and she’s been great.”
Burroughs said he is ready to make another strong run on the mat in 2015.
“I’m working hard – I still have that fire and that desire to be the best,” he said. “I feel like I have a lot more gold medals in my future.”
A World bronze medal to cap a season with just two losses.
Most wrestlers would love to experience a season like that.
But most wrestlers aren’t Jordan Burroughs.
Burroughs, an Olympic gold medalist and two-time World champion who was undefeated in his first three international seasons, finally showed he might actually be human during the 2013-14 campaign.
Burroughs suffered the first loss of his amazing international career when fellow American Nick Marable upset Burroughs at February’s Yasar Dogu event in Turkey. It ended his American record 69-match winning streak. Marable went on to make the 2014 U.S. World Team in freestyle at 70 kg/154 lbs.
Burroughs suffered a sprained MCL in his left knee early in his first-round match at 74 kg/163 lbs. at the 2014 World Championships last month in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Even after doctors administered two shots in his leg and with it heavily bandaged, Burroughs still went 4-1 in the tournament to place third.
Burroughs survived a huge scare in his opening-round bout where he had to rally for a 4-3 win over the unknown Augusto Midana of Guinea Bisau.
“My knee kind of popped early in the match and I wasn’t sure at first if I was hurt,” Burroughs said. “I came back and got in on another shot, and I tried to drive the guy out of bounds. It really hurt and it was really painful, and I gave up a takedown. I know you always have to overcome adversity to be great.
“When you see Guinea Bissau on the bracket, you figure you will just pin the guy quickly and get off the mat. The guy was solid and athletic, and he definitely surprised me. When he first came out there, he had some random blue singlet without the initials of his country on the back. It was crazy. I didn’t expect that kind of match. It was like they picked the guy up off the street and said, ‘Hey, you’ve got muscles, you ever wrestled before? Good, you can be on our team.’ But the guy wrestled really well. He was very defensive and stayed on his knees to block me, and he was a formidable opponent.”
Even with the injury, Burroughs had no thoughts of pulling out of the tournament.
“Never, never,” Burroughs said emphatically when asked if he considered defaulting out of the Worlds. “If you watch me wrestle, you know I will never quit. That’s one of the ways I’ve gotten to this level of success. I am going to fight and persevere through adversity.
“Initially, I was like, ‘Crap, I’ve got Tsargush on my side of the bracket and he is really tough.’ I could either quit or seize the moment and try to salvage the day.”
Tsargush is Russian standout Denis Tsargush, the 2009 and 2010 World champion who Burroughs knocked off en route to winning the 2011 World title and 2012 Olympic gold medal.
Burroughs won his next two bouts to set up the much-anticipated semifinal showdown at the 2014 Worlds with the talented Tsargush. Clearly not 100 percent, Burroughs was unable to generate much offense and suffered a 9-2 loss.
“It was really challenging,” Burroughs said. “It’s difficult when you’ve been successful for a long period of time and set a high standard for yourself. I was a three-time reigning World champion and anything less than first place was disappointing. It was difficult to not win, but I wrestled well and went 4-1 on the day. It was still a good day.”
Tsargush went on to win his third World title and Burroughs rebounded to earn his fourth World-level medal after earning a bronze medal.
“It was difficult to experience that loss, especially being the ferocious competitor I am,” said Burroughs, now 92-2 on the Senior level. “Tsargush was hungry and dedicated to winning. He didn’t even make the Russian team last year. Between the two of us, we’ve been the best in the World over the last six years. From 2009 to 2014, he and I have been the only champions at this weight class.
“He’s tough and he’s a competitor, and he’s a champion. He really wants to win and I really want to win. When we both get out on the mat, somebody has to lose unfortunately. I’m looking forward to seeing him again."
Another Burroughs-Tsargush match could happen at the 2015 World Championships in Las Vegas.
“It’s awesome having the Worlds in Vegas,” Burroughs said. “I don’t think I’ve ever been as excited for an event. I have everything to gain again. I’m hungry. I want to compete at a high level again. The Worlds would give me huge momentum going into the Olympic year. We’re home again and this will be great for us. We have home-field advantage and that will be big for us.”
Burroughs, 26, said he took a month off after the Worlds He spent time with his wife, Lauren, and three-month-old son, Beacon, while also beginning his new position as an assistant coach at the University of Nebraska.
Burroughs won two NCAA titles and the Hodge Trophy during his Husker career. He also continues to train at the NU wrestling room in Lincoln.
Burroughs is in Colorado Springs this week for World Team evaluations with the U.S. National freestyle coaches. He said he is working on his schedule for the upcoming season, which would include another trip to the World Cup in April in Los Angeles. He plans to compete in at least one event before the World Cup.
Burroughs is back training again. His main workout partner is Husker senior Robert Kokesh, a returning All-American at 174 pounds. He also trains with Husker senior All-American James Green, who was third at the 2014 NCAAs at 157 before winning a silver medal at the University World Championships in freestyle.
“I feel good,” Burroughs said. “My body has healed well physically. I don’t know if you know this, but I’ve got something called Superman syndrome where my body heals three times faster than the average human being. I am mentally refocused and looking forward to the new season.
“I really think I have a lot of improving to do as a wrestler. I have the right coaches in place. I am going back to the drawing board, so I can ensure myself that it doesn’t happen again. It’s going to be a long time before I lose again.”
Burroughs will face another challenge in trying to make the U.S. World Team in 2015. He has defeated strong wrestlers in Andrew Howe, Kyle Dake and David Taylor to make his four World-level teams.
“It will be extremely challenging,” Burroughs said. “There are some very tough wrestlers in this weight class in the U.S. I know those guys are right there with me at 74 kilos. It’s my job to keep beating those guys at the Trials and bringing home medals for the USA.”
Burroughs does have one big advantage over his competitors. He has already clinched a spot in the best-of-3 finals of the 2015 U.S. World Team Trials by virtue of winning a World medal in 2014.
“It’s huge for me, it’s huge,” he said. “That’s the reason why they implemented it, to protect the World medalists and the guys who are established and have already accomplished goals of being World and Olympic medalists. It’s a great situation we have set up for our previous medalists. I’ve had some tough matches at the Trials, but I’ve been able to pull them out.”
Being a new father has given Burroughs a new outlook on life.
“It’s awesome,” he said. “When I come home to my wife and my son after a long day of work, it’s like the best feeling ever. I am really happy to see those two every day. It’s humbling. Regardless of how well I’m doing on the wrestling scene, when I come home I’m dad and to my wife I’m Jordan. I still have to take out the trash, I still have to burp my son and I still have to change diapers.
“I’m not the Olympic champ in my house. My wife makes the rules. It’s fun. I enjoy my son. He’s starting to get a personality. He’s smiling and giggling, and all that cool stuff. It’s a great experience to be a dad – the best job I’ve ever had. Being a dad and a husband is cool.”
Burroughs was asked about the perception he will be more vulnerable now after dropping two matches this past season.
“When you got married and had kids did that stop you from doing your job to the best of your ability?” he said. “You definitely have to make some sacrifices. I’ve made a commitment to be the best wrestler in the World and my family is supportive of that. I’ve been there before. Once you’ve been to a place, it’s easier to get there a second time. I’ve been on top of the podium. I know what it takes to arrive there. I know the mindset and the physical output that you have to have.
“People that say I’m domesticated, and call me washed up and call me old, just don’t forget to call me a four-time World medalist.”
Burroughs’ wife, Lauren, who competed in athletics and has worked as a sportswriter, understands the challenges her husband faces as a competitor.
“Lauren’s been awesome,” Burroughs said. “It’s funny, we were talking the other day and she was like, ‘Man, if you wrestle Tsargush again, I don’t care if your leg is falling off you better not lose to him.’ She’s tough. That’s the type of input I have in my house, and that’s not even including my coaches. That makes it difficult for me to lose. But it’s fun. She’s a great wife and she takes responsibility in helping me become great. My goals have become her goals. She’s right there with me. She’s been awesome and she’s been great.”
Burroughs said he is ready to make another strong run on the mat in 2015.
“I’m working hard – I still have that fire and that desire to be the best,” he said. “I feel like I have a lot more gold medals in my future.”
