13 accept U.S. Olympic Team Trials finals berths, while six accept berths in Challenge Tournament semifinals
by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling
The 19 qualifiers for the U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Wrestling who were either 2023 Senior World Championships Medalists or 2024 Pan American Olympic Games Qualifier finalists have accepted their automatic berths in the event, as specified by the Olympic Games procedures for each specific style.
The U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Wrestling will be held at Bryce Jordan Center on the campus of Penn State University in State College, Pa., April 19-20.
There are 13 athletes who have accepted their position in the best-of-three Championship finals of the U.S. Olympic Team Trials, and will compete on Saturday, April 20 against the winner of the Friday Challenge Tournament in their weight class. This includes six women’s freestyle wrestlers, four men’s freestyle wrestlers and three Greco-Roman wrestlers.
The six women’s freestyle wrestlers who will sit out to the Challenge Tournament finals are Sarah Hildebrandt of New York AC/USOPTC (50 kg), Dominique Parrish of the Sunkist Kids (53 kg), Helen Maroulis of the Sunkist Kids (57 kg), Kayla Miracle of the Sunkist Kids (62 kg), Amit Elor of the Titan Mercury WC/NYC RTC (68 kg) and Adeline Gray of the New York AC (76 kg). Hildebrandt, Maroulis and Gray were 2023 World medalists at an Olympic weight, while Parrish, Miracle and Elor were finalists at the 2024 Pan American Olympic Games Qualifier.
The four men’s freestyle wrestlers who will sit out to the Challenge Tournament finals are Kyle Dake of Titan Mercury WC/Nittany Lion WC (74 kg), David Taylor of Titan Mercury WC/Nittany Lion WC (86 kg), Kyle Snyder of Titan Mercury WC/Nittany Lion WC (97 kg) and Mason Parris of Titan Mercury WC/Cliff Keen WC (125 kg). All four were 2023 World medalists at an Olympic weight.
The three Greco-Roman wrestlers who will sit out to the Challenge Tournament finals are Spencer Woods of U.S. Army WCAP (87 kg), Alan Vera of New York AC (97 kg) and Cohlton Schultz of the Sunkist Kids (130 kg). All three were finalists at the 2024 Pan American Olympic Games Qualifier.
Six 2023 World medalists at non-Olympic weight classes, three in women’s freestyle and three in men’s freestyle, accepted their automatic berth in the semifinals of the Challenge Tournament at an Olympic weight class. All six have specified the weight class where they intend to compete.
This is based upon the following provision of the Olympic Games Procedures:
A 2023 Senior World Championship non-Olympic weight category medalist will receive an automatic berth to the semifinals of Olympic Team Trials Tournament (Day One).
• A 2023 Senior World Championship non-Olympic weight category medalist may only move one World weight category up or down immediately adjacent to their 2023 World Championships weight in order to receive the automatic berth to the semifinals of the Olympic Team Trials Tournament
Sitting out to the semifinals of the Challenge Tournament at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in women’s freestyle are 2023 World medalists at non-Olympic weights Jacarra Winchester of Titan Mercury WC/Cowboy RTC, Jennifer Page of Titan Mercury WC/Nittany Lion WC and Macey Kilty of Sunkist Kids,
Winchester, a 2023 World silver medalist at 55 kg, has specified she will compete at 53 kg. Page, a 2023 World bronze medalist at 59 kg, has specified she will compete at 62 kg. Kilty, a 2023 World silver medalist at 65 kg, has specified she will compete at 62 kg.
Sitting out to the semifinals of the Challenge Tournament at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in men’s freestyle are 2023 World medalists at non-Olympic weights are Vitali Arujau of Titan Mercury WC/Spartan Combat RTC, Zain Retherford of Titan Mercury WC/Nittany Lion WC and Zahid Valencia of the Sunkist Kids.
Arujau, a 2023 World champion at 61 kg, has specified he will compete at 57 kg. Retherford, a 2023 World champion at 70 kg, has specified he will compete at 65 kg. Valencia, a 2023 World bronze medalist at 92 kg, has specified he will compete at 86 kg.
The sit out berths are not finalized until day one weigh-ins of the U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Wrestling are completed.
The athletes who accepted their automatic berths at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials were required to notify USA Wrestling in writing via email by March 25 of their intent to accept the automatic berth.
U.S. OLYMPIC TEAM TRIALS – WRESTLING’
At Bryce Jordan Center, Penn State, State College, Pa., April 19-20
Sitting out to the Best-of-Three Championship Series
Women’s freestyle
50 kg - Sarah Hildebrandt (New York AC/USOPTC)
53 kg - Dominique Parrish (Sunkist Kids)
57 kg - Helen Maroulis (Sunkist Kids)
62 kg - Kayla Miracle (Sunkist Kids)
68 kg - Amit Elor (Titan Mercury WC/NYC RTC)
76 kg- Adeline Gray (New York AC)
Men’s freestyle
74 kg - Kyle Dake (Titan Mercury WC/Nittany Lion WC)
86 kg - David Taylor, State College, Pa. (Titan Mercury WC/Nittany Lion WC)
97 kg - Kyle Snyder (Titan Mercury WC/Nittany Lion WC)
125 kg- Mason Parris (Titan Mercury WC/Cliff Keen WC)
Greco-Roman
87 kg - Spencer Woods (U.S. Army WCAP)
97 kg - Alan Vera (New York AC)
130 kg - Cohlton Schultz (Sunkist Kids)
2023 World medalists sitting out to the semifinals of the Challenge Tournament
Women’s freestyle
53 kg – Jacarra Winchester (Titan Mercury WC/Cowboy RTC)
62 kg – Jennifer Page (Titan Mercury WC/Nittany Lion WC)
62 kg – Macey Kilty (Sunkist Kids)
Men’s freestyle
57 kg – Vitali Arujau (Titan Mercury WC/Spartan Combat RTC)
65 kg – Zain Retherford (Titan Mercury WC/Nittany Lion WC)
86 kg – Zahid Valencia (Sunkist Kids)
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