Skip to content
USA Wrestling
International
USAW

Three athletes qualify for U.S. Olympic Team Trials field in Iowa City through Vantaa Cup

Share:

by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling

Nikko Triggas, shown hitting a gutwrench at the 2011 World Team Trials, qualified for the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team Trials in Greco-Roman this past weekend. Larry Slater photo.


There were three athletes added to the field this weekend for the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Wrestling, which will be held at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa, April 9-10.


Greco-Roman wrestlers who win a medal on an international tour event within the year of the Olympic Trials qualify to compete in Iowa City. This weekend, three Greco-Roman wrestlers who had not already qualified earned their spots in the field by winning a medal at the Vantaa Cup, held in Vaanta, Finland.


The athletes added to the Olympic Trials field were:

• Nikko Triggas (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) - ’15 Vantaa Cup silver medalist at 59 kg

• Brian Graham (Minneapolis, Minn./Minnesota Storm) -’15 Vantaa Cup bronze medalist at 66 kg

• Taylor Walsh, Cherry Hill, N.J. - ’15 Vantaa Cup bronze medalist at 75 kg


At this time, there has been 63 athletes who have met qualifying standards for the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team Trials, 22 in women’s freestyle, 24 in Greco-Roman and 17 in men’s freestyle.

Click here for U.S. Olympic Team Trials Qualifiers, through November 23, 2015


The next #Road2IowaCity Trials Qualifiers event is the U.S. Senior Nationals/Trials Qualifier, to be held at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nev., Dec. 18-19. Only Olympic weight classes will be contested in this event. The top seven placewinners in each weight class in all three styles qualify for Iowa City. This event will qualify as many as 126 athletes for the U.S. Olympic Team Trials. This event will be broadcast by Flowrestling.


Note: Women freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestlers who win a medal on an international tour event within the year also may qualify for the U.S. Olympic Team Trials.


All-session tickets to the U.S. Olympic Wrestling Team Trials are available for purchase. All-session options include adult ($75), and youth (18 and younger, $50). VIP tickets are sold out. Fans can purchase tickets at Carver-Hawkeye Arena, over the phone at 1-800-IA-HAWKS, or online at iowacitytorio.com.

Remaining #Road2IowaCity Trials Qualifiers

December 18-19– U.S. Senior Open, Las Vegas, Nev. (FS/GR/W)**

January 28-30 – Dave Schultz Memorial International, Colorado Springs, Colo. (FS/GR/W)**

February 12-13 - WCWA Women’s College Nationals, Oklahoma City, Okla. (W)**

February 20-21– Armed Forces Championships, Naval Base KITSAP, Seattle, Wash. (GR)

February 26-28 - Pan American Championships, Frisco, Texas (FS/GR/W)

March 4-6 - Pan American Olympic Games Qualifier, Frisco, Texas (FS/GR/W)

March 17-19 - NCAA Div. I Championships, New York, N.Y. (GR/FS)

March 26 - Women’s University Nationals, Oklahoma City, Okla. (W)**

April 2-3 – Last Chance Trials Qualifier, Cedar Falls, Iowa (FS/GR/W)**

** - #Road2IowaCity events currently scheduled for Flowrestling broadcasts


For specific information on the Athlete Selection Procedures for the 2016 Olympic Games, visit:


Athlete Selection Procedures – Women’s Freestyle
http://content.themat.com/forms/2016-critieria-WFS.pdf


Athlete Selection Procedures – Men’s Freestyle
http://content.themat.com/forms/2016-critieria-MFS.pdf


Athlete Selection Procedures – Greco-Roman
http://content.themat.com/forms/2016-critieria-GR.pdf

Read More#