Zain Retherford: "I've come up short so many times. The first match I won was the first time I've won in the finals at all."

Zain Retherford made his first Senior World Team, winning the 65 kg title at the U.S. Freestyle World Team Trials in Lincoln, Neb. on June 10. Retherford, a two-time NCAA champion for Penn State, beat his former workout partner and mentor, 2016 Olympian Frank Molinaro, in the best-of-three championship series. After Molinaro won the first match, Retherford came back with two straight victories to punch his ticket to the Senior World Championships in Paris in August. A former Cadet World champion, Retherford was third at the 2016 Olympic Team Trials. He spoke about what it took to get the job done this year. (Photo on the home page of Retherford by Tony Rotundo, Wrestlers Are Warriors)