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One month until U.S. Olympic Team Trials: More Trials qualifiers & Olympic quota spots up for grabs in March

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by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling

The wrestling community is excited that the 2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Wrestling is just one month away, set for Penn State University’s Bryce Jordan Center on Saturday, April 4 and Sunday, April 5.


While the event has been sold out for months, one thing is not yet set – what will be the complete field for the U.S. Olympic Team Trials?


At this point, there are now 164 athletes qualified for the Olympic Trials, 52 in men’s freestyle, 53 in women’s freestyle and 59 in Greco-Roman.

Click here for current Olympic Trials Qualifiers list


There are a four important Olympic Team Trials qualifiers remaining which can add a number of athletes to the field at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials. The remaining Qualifying Events include:


March 6-9 - Pan American Championships, Ottawa, Canada

March 13-14: NAIA National Women’s Invitational, Jamestown, N.D.

March 19-21 – NCAA Div. I National Championships, Minneapolis, Minn.

March 26-28 – Last Chance U.S. Olympic Trials Qualifier, Millersville, Pa.


Any 2020 Pan American Championships champion who has not qualified will qualify for the Olympic Trials. Four athletes on the U.S. roster competing in Ottawa are not yet qualified for Penn State.


The 2020 NAIA National Women’s Invitational champions advance to Penn State. Since only the champion advances, there are between 0-10 spots in the Trials available, since nobody qualifies in a weight where the champion has already qualified.


The champion at the 2020 NCAA Div. I Championships also advances to the Olympic Trials. Theoretically, an NCAA champion could choose to wrestle freestyle or Greco-Roman or both based upon Trials procedures. Since only the champion advances, there are between 0-10 spots in the Trials available, since nobody qualifies in a weight where the champion has already qualified.


There are 32 spots in the U.S. Olympic Trials up for grabs at the Last Chance Qualifier in Millersville. The top two placewinners at each of the 18 Olympic weight classes earn a spot into the field at Penn State. Only those who have not already qualified can enter this event.

Click for Olympic Trials selection process


The Pan American Olympic Qualifier in Ottawa, Canada, March 13-15, will have an impact on the U.S. Olympic Team Trials. Currently, the USA has qualified a weight classes for the Tokyo Games in four of the 18 Olympic weight classes. The USA will seek Olympic Games qualification berths in those 14 remaining weight classes, by placing in the top two of the non-qualified weights.


How this affects the Olympic Trials is that any athlete who qualifies the USA for the Olympics at the Pan American Olympic Qualifier in women’s freestyle or Greco-Roman will advance directly into the best-of-three championship series. This is not the case in men’s freestyle. Therefore, as many as 10 athletes (6 in Greco, 4 in women's freestyle) could move into the championship series at Penn State if they get their weight qualified.


Those who have not secured Olympic Trials tickets can watch all of the action through NBC Sports coverage. The morning session will air on Trackwrestling and other NBC digital platforms, with the evening sessions on NBCSN.

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