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Colon accepts Final X berth, and will compete for U.S. World Team at Final X: Lincoln on June 15

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by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling

2018 World bronze medalist Joe Colon (Fresno, Calif./Titan Mercury WC/Valley RTC) has officially accepted his berth in Final X. He will battle for the spot at 61 kg/134 lbs. on the 2019 U.S. World Team in men’s freestyle at Final X: Lincoln on Saturday, June 15.


The event will be hosted at the Bob Devaney Center on the campus of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Exclusive live and on-demand coverage will be provided on FloWrestling, as well as on the FloSports apps on iOS, Roku and Apple TV 4.


Colon won a World bronze medal at 61 kg at the 2018 World Championships in Budapest, Hungary. He went to the event as a replacement for the injured Nahshon Garrett, and cashed in on the opportunity to compete in his first Senior World Championships. Colon was a 2018 U.S. Open champion and Final X runner-up. He has won the Pan American Championships the last two years (2018, 2019). Colon boasts a number of medals at major Senior-level tournaments around the world.


He was third in the 2014 NCAA Championships for Northern Iowa, and was a 2010 NJACC Junior College national champion for Iowa Central CC. Colon won two Iowa state titles for Clear Lake High School.


To order tickets, go to the tickets tab on the official Final X website at: www.FinalX.tv


The Final X series will determine the 2019 U.S. Senior World Teams in all three Olympic disciplines, and is held in two different locations and dates in June.


The Team Selection procedures for the U.S. World Teams allow for 2018 Senior World medalists to advance directly to Final X at the weight class where he/she won a medal in 2018. 2018 World medalists must declare, in writing, their intent to accept the automatic berth into by 6:00 p.m. Eastern Time on May 1. Colon has met this requirement and accepted his qualification.


In Final X, the top two wrestlers in each World Championships weight class will compete in a best-of-three series, with winners earning spots on the U.S. Senior World Team to compete at the 2019 Senior World Championships in Astana, Kazakhstan, September 14-22, 2019.


There are two sessions in each Final X event. The series at 61 kg, featuring Colon, has not yet been assigned a session time.


The Final X opponent for Colon will be determined at the World Team Trials Challenge Tournament in Raleigh, N.C., May 16-19.


With Colon’s acceptance, all 12 of the 2018 World medalists have declared and taken their Final X spots.


The weight classes assigned to the Final X: Lincoln are:

• Men’s Freestyle: 57 kg, 61 kg, 70 kg, 74 kg, 97 kg

• Women’s Freestyle: 53 kg, 55 kg, 59 kg, 62 kg, 76 kg

• Greco-Roman: 60 kg, 63 kg, 72 kg, 97 kg, 130 kg


Ticket prices for Final X are:

• VIP Floor - $100

• Reserved seating (100 level) - $65

• General Admission (200 – 300 level) - $40

• Group (GA only) – Buy 10 or more tickets and get $40 off


In addition to Final X: Lincoln, the series also includes Final X: Rutgers on June 8 at the Rutgers Athletic Center (RAC) on the campus of Rutgers University


Final X is an exciting partnership between USA Wrestling, the national governing body for wrestling in the United States, and FloSports, the innovator in live digital sports and original content.


FINAL X: LINCOLN


At Devaney Center in Lincoln, Neb., Saturday, June 15

Qualifiers to date

Men’s FS 61 kg – Joe Colon (Fresno, Calif./Titan Mercury WC/Valley RTC) vs. winner at World Team Trials Challenge Tournament

Men’s FS 74 kg – Jordan Burroughs (Lincoln, Neb./Sunkist Kids/Nebraska WTC) vs. winner at World Team Trials Challenge Tournament

Men’s FS 97 kg - Kyle Snyder (Columbus, Ohio/Titan Mercury WC/Ohio RTC) vs. winner at World Team Trials Challenge Tournament

Women’s FS 53 kg – Sarah Hildebrandt (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC/OTC) vs. winner at World Team Trials Challenge Tournament

Women’s FS 62 kg - Mallory Velte (Sacramento, Calif./Titan Mercury WC) vs. winner at World Team Trials Challenge Tournament

Women’s FS 76 kg – Adeline Gray (Denver, Colo./New York AC) vs. winner at World Team Trials Challenge Tournament

Men’s GR 130 kg - Adam Coon (Ann Arbor, Mich./New York AC/Cliff Keen WC) vs. winner at World Team Trials Challenge Tournament


FINAL X: RUTGERS


At the RAC in Piscataway, N.J., Saturday, June 8

Qualifiers to date

Men’s FS 79 kg - Kyle Dake (Ithaca, N.Y./Titan Mercury WC/Finger Lakes RTC) vs. winner at World Team Trials Challenge Tournament

Men’s FS 86 kg – David Taylor (State College, Pa./Nittany Lion WC) vs. winner at World Team Trials Challenge Tournament

Men’s FS 92 kg – J’den Cox (Colorado Springs, Colo./Titan Mercury WC/OTC) vs. winner at World Team Trials Challenge Tournament

Men’s FS 125 kg - Nick Gwiazdowski (Raleigh, N.C./Titan Mercury WC/Wolfpack RTC) vs. winner at World Team Trials Challenge Tournament

Women’s FS 68 kg - Tamyra Mensah-Stock (Colorado Springs, Colo./Titan Mercury WC/OTC) vs. winner at World Team Trials Challenge Tournament

JOE COLON

Residence: Fresno, Calif.

Club: Titan Mercury WC

College: Northern Iowa, Iowa Central CC

High School: Clear Lake, Iowa

Born: Jan. 22, 1991 Height: 5-7

• 2018 World bronze medalist

• 2018 Final X runner-up

• 2018 and 2019 Pan-American gold medalist

• 2018 U.S. Open champion

• Second in 2018 Alexander Medved Prizes (Belarus)

• 2018 Dave Schultz Memorial International champion

• Second in 2015 World Team Trials

• Third in 2014 NCAA Championships for Northern Iowa

• 2010 NJCAA national champion for Iowa Central CC

• Two-time Iowa state high school champion

About FloSports

FloSports, the innovator in live digital sports and original content, partners with event rights holders, governing bodies, and other media companies to unlock a world of sports coverage that true fans have been waiting for. Through live streaming of premier events, original video programming, and weekly studio shows, FloSports is growing the sports, the events, the athletes, and the fans. Current verticals under the FloSports header include Wrestling, Rugby, MMA, Football, Track, Gymnastics, Hockey, and more.

About USA Wrestling

USA Wrestling is the National Governing Body for the sport of wrestling in the United States and, as such, is its representative to the United States Olympic Committee and United World Wrestling, the international wrestling federation. USA Wrestling is the central organization that coordinates amateur wrestling programs in the nation and works to create interest and participation in these programs. USA Wrestling has more than 237,000 members, including athletes, coaches, officials, parents, fans and others who are actively involved in the sport. Its president is Bruce Baumgartner, and its Executive Director is Rich Bender.

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