#ThrowbackThursday: 1984 Olympic freestyle champion Bobby Weaver
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by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling
Image: Bobby Weaver of the USA competing in the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, Calif.
For many years, the lightest weight class for men in international wrestling was 48 kg, which comes out to 105.5 pounds. Over the years, the United States had a number of talented 48 kg wrestlers in freestyle. The most accomplished of them all was 1984 Olympic champion Bobby Weaver.
A native of wrestling rich Pennsylvania, Weaver put together a great career on the high school, college and international levels, culminated with a gold medal in front of the home fans at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, Calif. Because of his achievements, Weaver was elected as a Distinguished Member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2008.
Trivia Question: Who was the only other U.S. wrestler besides Bobby Weaver to win a gold medal at 48 kg in men’s freestyle wrestling?
(Answer at the bottom of this story)
Weaver won three state high school titles for Easton High School, and in a post-graduate year at Blair Academy, he added a National Prep title. Weaver developed into a successful college wrestler at traditional power Lehigh, earning All-American honors by placing third at the 1982 NCAA Championships, in spite of giving up considerable weight and size to his opponents.
While in high school, college and afterwards, Weaver distinguished himself on the freestyle mats. In 1977, in his first major international appearance a great one, by winning a silver medal at the Junior World Championships. He made his first Senior World team in 1979, when he brought home a World silver medal in San Diego, Calif.
Click here for Bobby Weaver’s Hall of Fame biography
Unable to compete in the 1980 Olympic Games because of the U.S. government boycott of the Moscow Games, Weaver committed to another Olympic quadrennium. He came back to place fifth in the 1983 World Championships, and added gold medals at the 1980 and 1984 World Cups. Among his other achievements was a silver medal at the respected Tbilisi Tournament in the Soviet Union, considered the toughest open freestyle event in the world at the time.
The culmination of his career came in Los Angeles at the 1984 Olympics, where he dominated the field, including a pin over Japan’s Takashie Irie in the gold-medal match. Many fans remember Weaver carrying his child on the raised mat at the Olympic Games after his victory.
Trivia Question answer: Robert Curry won the gold medal at 48 kg in men’s freestyle at the 1904 Olympic Games in St. Louis, Mo.
For many years, the lightest weight class for men in international wrestling was 48 kg, which comes out to 105.5 pounds. Over the years, the United States had a number of talented 48 kg wrestlers in freestyle. The most accomplished of them all was 1984 Olympic champion Bobby Weaver.
A native of wrestling rich Pennsylvania, Weaver put together a great career on the high school, college and international levels, culminated with a gold medal in front of the home fans at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, Calif. Because of his achievements, Weaver was elected as a Distinguished Member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2008.
Trivia Question: Who was the only other U.S. wrestler besides Bobby Weaver to win a gold medal at 48 kg in men’s freestyle wrestling?
(Answer at the bottom of this story)
Weaver won three state high school titles for Easton High School, and in a post-graduate year at Blair Academy, he added a National Prep title. Weaver developed into a successful college wrestler at traditional power Lehigh, earning All-American honors by placing third at the 1982 NCAA Championships, in spite of giving up considerable weight and size to his opponents.
While in high school, college and afterwards, Weaver distinguished himself on the freestyle mats. In 1977, in his first major international appearance a great one, by winning a silver medal at the Junior World Championships. He made his first Senior World team in 1979, when he brought home a World silver medal in San Diego, Calif.
Click here for Bobby Weaver’s Hall of Fame biography
Unable to compete in the 1980 Olympic Games because of the U.S. government boycott of the Moscow Games, Weaver committed to another Olympic quadrennium. He came back to place fifth in the 1983 World Championships, and added gold medals at the 1980 and 1984 World Cups. Among his other achievements was a silver medal at the respected Tbilisi Tournament in the Soviet Union, considered the toughest open freestyle event in the world at the time.
The culmination of his career came in Los Angeles at the 1984 Olympics, where he dominated the field, including a pin over Japan’s Takashie Irie in the gold-medal match. Many fans remember Weaver carrying his child on the raised mat at the Olympic Games after his victory.
Trivia Question answer: Robert Curry won the gold medal at 48 kg in men’s freestyle at the 1904 Olympic Games in St. Louis, Mo.
