Arujau, Winchester, Kilty, Valencia to sit out to Championship Series at Senior World Team Trials on Sunday

Four 2023 World medalists from the United States, who won their medal at a weight class being contested at the 2024 Senior World Team Trials, have accepted their automatic berth in the best-of-three Championship Series at the Senior World Team Trials in Omaha, Neb., September 14-15.

The deadline for this acceptance was today, September 9, at 6:00 p.m. ET.

Those who have accepted their automatic berths include:

• 2023 World champion Vito Arujau of Spartan Combat RTC/TMWC at 61 kg in men’s freestyle
• 2023 World silver medalist Jacarra Winchester of USOPTC/TMWC at 55 kg in women’s freestyle
• 2023 World silver medalist Macey Kilty of Iowa Women’s WC/TMWC at 65 kg in women’s freestyle
• 2023 World bronze medalist Zahid Valencia of Atreus RTC at 92 kg in men’s freestyle.

They were able to earn this “sit out” based upon the following provision of the 2024 World Team Trials Procedures:

“Athletes who medaled in the 2023 Senior Men’s Freestyle World Championships, at the weight being contested, will receive an automatic berth to the World Team Trials finals at that same weight category.  Athletes who receive automatic berth will face the World Team Trials Tournament Champion in a best-of-three series for the 2024 World Team spot.”

A fifth athlete was eligible for the automatic berth in the best-of-three championship series, but did not accept the position by the deadline, 2023 World bronze medalist Jennifer Page of the Titan Mercury WC at 59 kg in women’s freestyle. At this point, Page is registered to compete for the event at 65 kg.

There are no Greco-Roman wrestlers who were eligible to sit out until the Championship Series because the USA did not win any World medals in Greco-Roman at the 2023 Senior World Championships.

Another provision of the World Team Trials Procedures allows for a 2023 Senior World medalist at an Olympic weight class who enters the World Team Trials at an adjacent weight class, “that individual will receive an automatic #1 seed at the 2024 World Team Trials Challenge Tournament.”

There are only two athletes who are eligible for this automatic No. 1 seed if they enter an adjacent weight class, 2023 World champion David Taylor in men’s freestyle and 2023 World bronze medalist Adeline Gray in women’s freestyle. At this point, on September 9, neither has registered for the competition. However, both have the right to enter until the close of registration during medical check and weigh-ins on Saturday, September 14 between 7:30 a.m. and 8:00 a.m. CT

The weight classes being contested at the Senior World Team Trials include:

• Men’s freestyle: 61 kg, 70 kg, 79 kg, 92 kg
• Women’s freestyle: 55 kg, 59 kg, 65 kg, 72 kg
• Greco-Roman: 55 kg, 63 kg, 72 kg, 82 kg

Seeding will be done by the USA Wrestling National Staff. Pre-seeds are expected to be announced on Tuesday, September 10, but are subject to change through the completion of medical check and weigh-ins on Saturday, September 14.