U17 World silver medalist and high school sophomore Jax Forrest defeats past NCAA champion Nathan Tomasello in the 57 kg finals at the Last Chance Olympic Team Trials Qualifier
Forrest, Joseph highlight men’s freestyle champions at Last Chance Olympic Team Trials Qualifier
by Richard Immel, USA Wrestling
Watch: Last Chance OTT Qualifier Champion Interviews
FAIRFAX, Virginia – Six men’s freestyle standouts have secured a berth to the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials after earning top prize in a deep and talented Last Chance Olympic Team Trials Qualifier field on Sunday.
The youth movement arrived on Sunday at James W. Robinson Secondary School, highlighted by 57 kg champion Jax Forrest of Pennsylvania, who is a sophomore at Bishop McCourt Catholic High School. Forrest, a 2022 U17 World silver medalist, ran through Senior level staple Nathan Tomasello, a NCAA champion and four-time All-American for Ohio State, in the finals, 10-0.
2023 Bill Farrell silver medalist and U.S. Open third-place finisher Matthew Kolodzik stopped a magnificent run by 2021 U17 World champion Bo Bassett in the 65 kg finals. Kolodzik earned a 10-0 technical fall over the upstart high schooler. Like Forrest, Bassett is also a sophomore at Bishop McCourt.
Two-time NCAA champion for Penn State and 2022 U.S. Open runner-up Vincenzo Joseph earned a 2-0 decision over two-time age-group World Team member and NCAA All-American for Northwestern Yahya Thomas in the 74 kg finals.
The 86 kg finals featured two veteran competitors—past U.S. Open champion David McFadden and CISM Military World champion Morgan McIntosh. It was McFadden earning the Olympic Trials birth with a 12-2 technical fall. Both men were three-time NCAA All-Americans, McFadden at Virginia Tech and McIntosh at Penn State.
Also earning spots in the Olympic Trials were two-time U20 World Team member Christian Carroll at 97 kg and former Maryland Terrapin Jaron Smith at 125 kg.
Following today’s results in Fairfax, the complete 231-athlete field for the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Wrestling has been finalized. Tune in to the action from Bryce Jordan Center in State College, Pa., April 19-20 on USA Network and Peacock. Tickets are still available for those seeking to attend in person.
Archived matches from the Last Chance Olympic Team Trials Qualifier are available to watch on FloWrestling.com. Brackets and live results can be found on Trackwrestling.com.
For more information about the Last Chance Olympic Team Trials Qualifier, please visit usawrestlingevents.com.