Competitions, training and history highlight USA Wrestling’s Olympic Day celebration today
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by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling
Bruce Baumgartner of the USA celebrates his gold medal at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, Calif. Baumgartner won the most Olympic wrestling medals in USA history with four, including two golds, a silver and a bronze. Photo by Steve Brown.
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Highlighted by LA 2024 and the LA84 Foundation’s “Follow the Sun” celebration in Los Angeles, the United States Olympic Committee is hosting a record-setting 2,400 events in honor of 2017 Olympic Day. Events are scheduled in 1,600 communities nationwide, with nearly 600,000 people engaged in celebration of the Olympic and Paralympic movements.
Olympic Day is held annually on June 23 to commemorate the birth of the modern Olympic Games in 1894 and is celebrated by millions of people in more than 160 countries. Its mission is to cultivate fitness, well-being, culture and education while promoting the Olympic values of excellence, friendship and respect, as well as the three pillars of Olympic Day: move, learn and discover.
Wrestling, one of the original sports of the ancient Olympics in Greece, and included in every modern Olympic Games except in 1900, remains a vibrant part of the Olympic program.
Every day is Olympic Day for USA Wrestling, which is active a number of different ways on the official celebration of Olympic Day in the United States
• Today is the first day of men’s freestyle at the Junior National Duals in Tulsa, Okla., one of the most prestigious dual meet events in U.S. wrestling. Action can be seen live on the broadcast from Trackcast.
• This is the fifth day of the West Cadet and Kids Regionals in Pocatello, Idaho, the largest of the youth Regionals in the nation. Today’s competition includes Greco-Roman action on the Bantam, Intermediate, Noves and Schoolboy levels. The live event broadcast is on TrackCast.
• A U.S. Greco-Roman Cadet tour team is in Serbia, completing its preparation for the Refik Memisevic Brale tournament in Subotica, Serbia. Half of the team weighs in today to compete on Saturday.
• The 2017 U.S. Greco-Roman World Team continues its training with the Hungarian National Greco-Roman Team in Hungary, in preparation for the 2017 World Championships in France in August.
“Olympic Day marks an exciting milestone on the sporting calendar each year, and gives us the opportunity to spread the values of Olympism to the next generation of Team USA athletes and fans,” said USOC CEO Scott Blackmun. “Hundreds of inspiring Team USA athletes, National Governing Bodies and Multi-Sport Organizations have come together to bring sport and the Olympic values to communities throughout the country.”
The flagship Olympic Day celebration is taking place today on Los Angeles’ iconic Will Rogers State Beach, and is being hosted by LA 2024, the LA84 Foundation and the Foundation for Global Sports Development. Joined by more than 30 Team USA Olympians and Paralympians, 500 young athletes are participating in eight Olympic and Paralympic sport clinics, including fencing, gymnastics, sitting volleyball, rugby, table tennis, team handball, track and field, and volleyball. In addition to five-time Olympic medalist Janet Evans and 12-time Paralympic medalist Candace Cable – who both serve as vice chairs of LA 2024 – gymnasts Samantha Peszek and Raj Bhavsar are also attending the Olympic Day celebration.
In honor of Olympic Day in the United States, let’s celebrate the U.S. Olympic Wrestling Medalists during the Modern Olympic Games.
OLYMPIC WRESTLING MEDALS BY THE UNITED STATES
132 total Olympic medals, including 54 golds, 43 silvers and 35 bronzes
Men’s freestyle includes 110 medals (50 gold, 36 silver, 26 bronze)
Greco-Roman includes 15 medals (3 gold, 6 silver, 6 bronze)
Women’s freestyle includes 5 medals (1 gold, 1 silver, 3 bronze)
MOST U.S. OLYMPIC WRESTLING MEDALS
Bruce Baumgartner, 4 (’84-gold, ’88-silver, ’92-gold, ’96-bronze)
John Smith, 2 (’88-gold, ’92-gold)
George Mehnert, 2 (’04-gold, ’08 gold)
Henry Wittenberg, 2 (’48-gold, ’52-silver)
Ben Peterson, 2 (’72-gold, ’76-silver)
John Peterson, 2 (’76-gold, ’72-silver)
Kenny Monday, 2 (’88-gold, ’92-silver)
Rulon Gardner, 2 (’00-gold, ’04-bronze)
Rick Sanders, 2 (’68-silver, ’72-silver)
Dennis Koslowski, 2 (’92-silver, ’88-bronze)
U.S. MEN’S FREESTYLE OLYMPIC MEDALS BY YEAR
1904 - Robert Curry (gold, 105), George Mehnert (gold, 115), Isador Niflot (gold, 125), Ben Bradshaw (gold, 135), Otto Roehm (gold, 145), Charles Erikson (gold, 158), Bernhulf Hansen (gold, 158+), John Hein (silver, 105), Gustav Bauers (silver, 115), August Wester (silver, 125), Theodore McLeer (silver, 135), Rudolph Tessing (silver, 145), William Beckman (silver 158), Frank Kungler (silver, 158+), Gus Thiefebthaler (bronze, 105), William Nelson (bronze, 115), ZB Strebler (bronze, 125), Charles Clapper (bronze, 135), Albert Zirkel (bronze, 145), Jerry Weinholz (bronze, 158), FC Warmbold (bronze, 158+)
1908 - George Dole (gold, 132.5), George Mehnert (gold, 119)
1920 - Charles Ackerly (gold, 119), Samuel M. Gerson (silver, 119), Nathanial Pendleton (silver, 176+), Charles Johnson (bronze, 152), Walter Mauer (bronze, 176), Fred Meyer (bronze, 176+)
1924 - Robin Reed (gold, 134), Russell Vis (gold, 145), John Spellman (gold, 191.5), Harry Steele (gold, 191.5+), Chester Newton (silver, 134), Bryan Hines (bronze, 123)
1928 - Allie Morrison (gold, 134), Lloyd Appleton (silver, 158.5)
1932 - Jack Van Bebber (gold, 158.5), Pete Mehringer (gold, 191.5), Robert Pierce (gold, 123), Edgar Nemir (silver, 134), John Riley (silver, 191.5 +)
1936 - Frank Lewis (gold, 158.5), A. Ross Flood (silver, 123), Francis Mallard (silver, 134), Richard Voliva (silver, 174)
1948 - Glen Brand (gold, 174), Henry Wittenburg (gold, 191.5), Gerald Leeman (silver, 125.5), Leland Merrill (bronze, 160.5)
1952 - William Smith (gold, 160.5), Jay Evans (silver, 147.5), Henry Wittenburg (silver, 191.5), Josiah Henson (bronze, 136.5)
1956 - Dan Hodge (silver, 174), Peter Blair (bronze, 191.5)
1960 - Terry McCann (gold, 125.5), Shelby Wilson (gold, 147.5), Doug Blubaugh (gold, 160.5)
1964 - Daniel Brand (bronze, 191.5)
1968 - Rick Sanders (silver, 114.5), Don Behm (silver, 125.5)
1972 - Dan Gable (gold, 149.5), Wayne Wells (gold, 163), Ben Peterson (gold, 198), Rick Sanders (silver, 125.5), John Peterson (silver, 180.5), Chris Taylor (bronze, 220+)
1976 - John Peterson (gold, 180.5), Lloyd Keaser (silver, 149.5), Ben Peterson (silver, 198), Russ Hellickson (silver, 220), Gene Davis (bronze, 136.5), Stan Dziedzic (bronze, 163)
1984 - Bobby Weaver (gold, 105.5), Randy Lewis (gold, 136.5), Dave Schultz (gold, 163), Mark Schultz (gold 180.5), Ed Banach (gold, 198), Lou Banach (gold, 220), Bruce Baumgartner (gold, 286), Barry Davis (silver, 125.5), Andy Rein (silver, 149.5)
1988 - John Smith (gold, 136.5), Kenny Monday (gold, 163), Bruce Baumgartner (silver, 286), Nate Carr (bronze, 149.5), Bill Scherr (bronze, 220)
1992 - John Smith (gold, 136.5), Kevin Jackson (gold, 180.5), Bruce Baumgartner (gold, 286), Zeke Jones (silver, 114.5), Kenny Monday (silver, 163), Chris Campbell (bronze, 198)
1996 - Kendall Cross (gold, 125.5), Tom Brands (gold, 136.5), Kurt Angle (gold, 220), Townsend Saunders (silver, 149.5), Bruce Baumgarnter (bronze, 286)
2000 - Brandon Slay (gold, 167.5), Sammie Henson (silver, 119), Terry Brands (bronze, 127.75), Lincoln McIlravy (bronze, 152)
2004 – Cael Sanderson (gold, 185), Stephen Abas (silver, 121), Jamill Kelly (silver, 145.5)
2008 – Henry Cejudo (gold, 121)
2012 – Jordan Burroughs (gold, 163), Jake Varner (gold, 211.5), Coleman Scott (bronze, 132)
2016 – Kyle Snyder (gold, 213.75), J’den Cox (bronze, 189)
U.S. GRECO-ROMAN OLYMPIC MEDALS BY YEAR
1984 - Steve Fraser (gold, 198), Jeff Blatnick (gold, 286), Greg Gibson (silver, 220), Jim Martinez (bronze, 149.5)
1988 - Dennis Koslowski (bronze, 220)
1992 - Dennis Koslowski (silver, 220), Rodney Smith (bronze, 149.5)
1996 - Brandon Paulson (silver, 114.5), Dennis Hall (silver, 125.5), Matt Ghaffari (silver, 286)
2000 - Rulon Gardner (gold, 286), Matt Lindland (silver, 187.25), Garrett Lowney (bronze, 213.75)
2004 – Rulon Gardner (bronze, 264.5)
2008 – Adam Wheeler (bronze, 211.5)
U.S WOMEN’S FREESTYLE OLYMPIC MEDALS BY YEAR
2004 – Sara McMann (silver, 138), Patricia Miranda (bronze, 105)
2008 – Randi Miller (bronze, 138)
2012 – Clarissa Chun (bronze, 105)
2016 – Helen Maroulis (gold, 116.5)
Olympic Day events in the U.S. are heavily supported by members of the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic family. More than 50 NGBs and HPMOs are hosting events.
For more information on Olympic Day celebrations in the U.S., visit TeamUSA.org/OlympicDay, and follow and join the social conversation using #OlympicDay. Additional Olympic Day resources can be found on the IOC’s website at Olympic.org/OlympicDay.
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Highlighted by LA 2024 and the LA84 Foundation’s “Follow the Sun” celebration in Los Angeles, the United States Olympic Committee is hosting a record-setting 2,400 events in honor of 2017 Olympic Day. Events are scheduled in 1,600 communities nationwide, with nearly 600,000 people engaged in celebration of the Olympic and Paralympic movements.
Olympic Day is held annually on June 23 to commemorate the birth of the modern Olympic Games in 1894 and is celebrated by millions of people in more than 160 countries. Its mission is to cultivate fitness, well-being, culture and education while promoting the Olympic values of excellence, friendship and respect, as well as the three pillars of Olympic Day: move, learn and discover.
Wrestling, one of the original sports of the ancient Olympics in Greece, and included in every modern Olympic Games except in 1900, remains a vibrant part of the Olympic program.
Every day is Olympic Day for USA Wrestling, which is active a number of different ways on the official celebration of Olympic Day in the United States
• Today is the first day of men’s freestyle at the Junior National Duals in Tulsa, Okla., one of the most prestigious dual meet events in U.S. wrestling. Action can be seen live on the broadcast from Trackcast.
• This is the fifth day of the West Cadet and Kids Regionals in Pocatello, Idaho, the largest of the youth Regionals in the nation. Today’s competition includes Greco-Roman action on the Bantam, Intermediate, Noves and Schoolboy levels. The live event broadcast is on TrackCast.
• A U.S. Greco-Roman Cadet tour team is in Serbia, completing its preparation for the Refik Memisevic Brale tournament in Subotica, Serbia. Half of the team weighs in today to compete on Saturday.
• The 2017 U.S. Greco-Roman World Team continues its training with the Hungarian National Greco-Roman Team in Hungary, in preparation for the 2017 World Championships in France in August.
“Olympic Day marks an exciting milestone on the sporting calendar each year, and gives us the opportunity to spread the values of Olympism to the next generation of Team USA athletes and fans,” said USOC CEO Scott Blackmun. “Hundreds of inspiring Team USA athletes, National Governing Bodies and Multi-Sport Organizations have come together to bring sport and the Olympic values to communities throughout the country.”
The flagship Olympic Day celebration is taking place today on Los Angeles’ iconic Will Rogers State Beach, and is being hosted by LA 2024, the LA84 Foundation and the Foundation for Global Sports Development. Joined by more than 30 Team USA Olympians and Paralympians, 500 young athletes are participating in eight Olympic and Paralympic sport clinics, including fencing, gymnastics, sitting volleyball, rugby, table tennis, team handball, track and field, and volleyball. In addition to five-time Olympic medalist Janet Evans and 12-time Paralympic medalist Candace Cable – who both serve as vice chairs of LA 2024 – gymnasts Samantha Peszek and Raj Bhavsar are also attending the Olympic Day celebration.
In honor of Olympic Day in the United States, let’s celebrate the U.S. Olympic Wrestling Medalists during the Modern Olympic Games.
OLYMPIC WRESTLING MEDALS BY THE UNITED STATES
132 total Olympic medals, including 54 golds, 43 silvers and 35 bronzes
Men’s freestyle includes 110 medals (50 gold, 36 silver, 26 bronze)
Greco-Roman includes 15 medals (3 gold, 6 silver, 6 bronze)
Women’s freestyle includes 5 medals (1 gold, 1 silver, 3 bronze)
MOST U.S. OLYMPIC WRESTLING MEDALS
Bruce Baumgartner, 4 (’84-gold, ’88-silver, ’92-gold, ’96-bronze)
John Smith, 2 (’88-gold, ’92-gold)
George Mehnert, 2 (’04-gold, ’08 gold)
Henry Wittenberg, 2 (’48-gold, ’52-silver)
Ben Peterson, 2 (’72-gold, ’76-silver)
John Peterson, 2 (’76-gold, ’72-silver)
Kenny Monday, 2 (’88-gold, ’92-silver)
Rulon Gardner, 2 (’00-gold, ’04-bronze)
Rick Sanders, 2 (’68-silver, ’72-silver)
Dennis Koslowski, 2 (’92-silver, ’88-bronze)
U.S. MEN’S FREESTYLE OLYMPIC MEDALS BY YEAR
1904 - Robert Curry (gold, 105), George Mehnert (gold, 115), Isador Niflot (gold, 125), Ben Bradshaw (gold, 135), Otto Roehm (gold, 145), Charles Erikson (gold, 158), Bernhulf Hansen (gold, 158+), John Hein (silver, 105), Gustav Bauers (silver, 115), August Wester (silver, 125), Theodore McLeer (silver, 135), Rudolph Tessing (silver, 145), William Beckman (silver 158), Frank Kungler (silver, 158+), Gus Thiefebthaler (bronze, 105), William Nelson (bronze, 115), ZB Strebler (bronze, 125), Charles Clapper (bronze, 135), Albert Zirkel (bronze, 145), Jerry Weinholz (bronze, 158), FC Warmbold (bronze, 158+)
1908 - George Dole (gold, 132.5), George Mehnert (gold, 119)
1920 - Charles Ackerly (gold, 119), Samuel M. Gerson (silver, 119), Nathanial Pendleton (silver, 176+), Charles Johnson (bronze, 152), Walter Mauer (bronze, 176), Fred Meyer (bronze, 176+)
1924 - Robin Reed (gold, 134), Russell Vis (gold, 145), John Spellman (gold, 191.5), Harry Steele (gold, 191.5+), Chester Newton (silver, 134), Bryan Hines (bronze, 123)
1928 - Allie Morrison (gold, 134), Lloyd Appleton (silver, 158.5)
1932 - Jack Van Bebber (gold, 158.5), Pete Mehringer (gold, 191.5), Robert Pierce (gold, 123), Edgar Nemir (silver, 134), John Riley (silver, 191.5 +)
1936 - Frank Lewis (gold, 158.5), A. Ross Flood (silver, 123), Francis Mallard (silver, 134), Richard Voliva (silver, 174)
1948 - Glen Brand (gold, 174), Henry Wittenburg (gold, 191.5), Gerald Leeman (silver, 125.5), Leland Merrill (bronze, 160.5)
1952 - William Smith (gold, 160.5), Jay Evans (silver, 147.5), Henry Wittenburg (silver, 191.5), Josiah Henson (bronze, 136.5)
1956 - Dan Hodge (silver, 174), Peter Blair (bronze, 191.5)
1960 - Terry McCann (gold, 125.5), Shelby Wilson (gold, 147.5), Doug Blubaugh (gold, 160.5)
1964 - Daniel Brand (bronze, 191.5)
1968 - Rick Sanders (silver, 114.5), Don Behm (silver, 125.5)
1972 - Dan Gable (gold, 149.5), Wayne Wells (gold, 163), Ben Peterson (gold, 198), Rick Sanders (silver, 125.5), John Peterson (silver, 180.5), Chris Taylor (bronze, 220+)
1976 - John Peterson (gold, 180.5), Lloyd Keaser (silver, 149.5), Ben Peterson (silver, 198), Russ Hellickson (silver, 220), Gene Davis (bronze, 136.5), Stan Dziedzic (bronze, 163)
1984 - Bobby Weaver (gold, 105.5), Randy Lewis (gold, 136.5), Dave Schultz (gold, 163), Mark Schultz (gold 180.5), Ed Banach (gold, 198), Lou Banach (gold, 220), Bruce Baumgartner (gold, 286), Barry Davis (silver, 125.5), Andy Rein (silver, 149.5)
1988 - John Smith (gold, 136.5), Kenny Monday (gold, 163), Bruce Baumgartner (silver, 286), Nate Carr (bronze, 149.5), Bill Scherr (bronze, 220)
1992 - John Smith (gold, 136.5), Kevin Jackson (gold, 180.5), Bruce Baumgartner (gold, 286), Zeke Jones (silver, 114.5), Kenny Monday (silver, 163), Chris Campbell (bronze, 198)
1996 - Kendall Cross (gold, 125.5), Tom Brands (gold, 136.5), Kurt Angle (gold, 220), Townsend Saunders (silver, 149.5), Bruce Baumgarnter (bronze, 286)
2000 - Brandon Slay (gold, 167.5), Sammie Henson (silver, 119), Terry Brands (bronze, 127.75), Lincoln McIlravy (bronze, 152)
2004 – Cael Sanderson (gold, 185), Stephen Abas (silver, 121), Jamill Kelly (silver, 145.5)
2008 – Henry Cejudo (gold, 121)
2012 – Jordan Burroughs (gold, 163), Jake Varner (gold, 211.5), Coleman Scott (bronze, 132)
2016 – Kyle Snyder (gold, 213.75), J’den Cox (bronze, 189)
U.S. GRECO-ROMAN OLYMPIC MEDALS BY YEAR
1984 - Steve Fraser (gold, 198), Jeff Blatnick (gold, 286), Greg Gibson (silver, 220), Jim Martinez (bronze, 149.5)
1988 - Dennis Koslowski (bronze, 220)
1992 - Dennis Koslowski (silver, 220), Rodney Smith (bronze, 149.5)
1996 - Brandon Paulson (silver, 114.5), Dennis Hall (silver, 125.5), Matt Ghaffari (silver, 286)
2000 - Rulon Gardner (gold, 286), Matt Lindland (silver, 187.25), Garrett Lowney (bronze, 213.75)
2004 – Rulon Gardner (bronze, 264.5)
2008 – Adam Wheeler (bronze, 211.5)
U.S WOMEN’S FREESTYLE OLYMPIC MEDALS BY YEAR
2004 – Sara McMann (silver, 138), Patricia Miranda (bronze, 105)
2008 – Randi Miller (bronze, 138)
2012 – Clarissa Chun (bronze, 105)
2016 – Helen Maroulis (gold, 116.5)
Olympic Day events in the U.S. are heavily supported by members of the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic family. More than 50 NGBs and HPMOs are hosting events.
For more information on Olympic Day celebrations in the U.S., visit TeamUSA.org/OlympicDay, and follow and join the social conversation using #OlympicDay. Additional Olympic Day resources can be found on the IOC’s website at Olympic.org/OlympicDay.
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