“That’s what makes a lot of successful people successful,” says Kyle Dake about how having clearly defined objectives helps as he heads to his second Olympic Games. Riding high on confidence after winning his fourth straight Pan Am Championships gold meal, Dake is one of the USA’s biggest hopes to win gold at this year’s quadrennial event, and the four-time NCAA champ can’t stress enough how a strong mentality is the key to greatness.

The USA is sending a beefed-up contingent to the Summer Olympics, intending to maintain the country’s wrestling legacy on the grandest stage. Among them, as the 10-to-1 favorite, Dake will spearhead the charge, and the former Cornell star thinks setting site on higher goals constantly is part of the process of getting better.

Dake’s run at the Tokyo Olympics ended with him bagging a bronze in the 74kg weight class. However, things might be very different this year. In a recent Instagram post, Kyle talked about “…the mentality and mental gymnastics you get to play in this life.” “They set their eyes on this peak, and then they get there, they’re like, oh no, that wasn’t the one,” elaborated four-time World Championships gold medalist in the accompanying video.

In a post on X by Justin Basch of Baschmania, Dake can be seen to have the best odds compared to the others of Team USA ahead of the Paris Olympics. Such numbers only bolster Kyle’s mastery of the sport and back up his claims to gold. With Dake’s latest statements about how he wants to keep pushing himself, the odds seem to be well-placed, too.

“I just wanted to keep going,” says Kyle in the IG post, noting how he could’ve loosened the grip after his first World Championships victory, but decided to pursue greater feats. “I still want to give myself to the sport because I know I can be even better,” said Dake, while admitting it’s also a tricky mental challenge. While his next step en route to wrestling immortality waits to be taken, Kyle is making sure his mental game stays on top in other ways.

Kyle Dake looking for inspiration everywhere

Just days before the US Olympic Team Trials, Dake lost his father, which was a massive blow to the guts for the wrestler. “He was the reason I got into wrestling, I just really miss him,” Kyle was heard saying in an interview highlighting how his struggle to make the national team has been a surmounting challenge. However, to make sure his father could also witness his son’s triumphs, Kyle revealed earlier this month that his Olympic boots would carry Doug’s special feature along with the national flag.

Dake’s chances of bagging gold have been further bolstered by the IOC’s pivotal decision to deem several Russian wrestlers intelligible to compete at this year’s Games. With the reigning 74kg world champ Zaurbek Sidakov out of the tournament, Dake is likely to fare strongly, and the USA’s wrestling heritage could end up extending its grand run further. However, it will still be a difficult task for anyone to overcome the threats posed by the likes of Khetik Tsabolov, Georgios Kougioumtsidis, and Amr Hussen. But will Kyle Dake be able to turn his bronze to gold this time around, even with him preparing mentally for the task at hand? Only time will tell.