Pan American Olympic Qualifiers: USA Men’s Wrestlers Fail to Emulate Women’s Success as Only One Chance Remains

The Olympic qualification is subdivided into three crucial phases for the wrestling fraternity. Where phase one consisted of the 2023 World Championships in Serbia, the phase two was the continental qualification tournament. Considering Pan American Olympic Qualifiers, as a part of the phase two process, the USA men’s wrestlers failed to emulate the Women USA Wrestling Champions.

The results are very much unlike the American freestyle women’s titles, wrestlers, namely Amit Elor, Dom Parrish, and Kayla Miracle who won their titles at the PAN American Olympic qualifiers grabbing their Olympic spot in the 68kg, 53kg, and 62kg weight category, respectively. This is because a few male members of the USA Wrestling, could not secure weight class quotas needed for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.

Worthy contenders could not shine at the Pan American Olympic Qualifiers

Unable to structure into the Olympic framework, two reigning World Team members, Zane Richards and Nick Lee, failed to clinch a winning spot in the men’s freestyle wrestling at the Pan American Olympic Qualifiers. The US wrestling’s official errand to Acapulco, Mexico ended in adversity when Zane Richards lost in his semifinals and Nick Lee got defeated in his quarterfinals.

Earning a pair of shot-clock points at the beginning of Zane Richards’ fight, he lost to an NCAA champion, Darian Cruz of Puerto Rico, by a 2-2. Nick Lee, on the other hand, failed to garnish his performance when his opponent ousted him with a 22-12 victory. With this let us take a look at the qualification scenario.

US hopes are hanging by a thread

Phase one and phase two, as mentioned above, once acknowledged, will lead to the most significant phase three. It would include one last chance that the wrestlers could get for the Paris Olympics. The World Olympic Games Qualifier in Istanbul at the 2024 World Qualification Tournament that will be held in Istanbul, Turkey from May 9-12, this year, is that probability.

Read More: Pan American Olympic Qualifier: USA’s Zane Richards’ Paris 2024 Aspirations Hit a Roadblock After Semifinal Loss

With all countries eligible to send athletes to compete for the final three Olympic berths in each weight class, 54 Olympic quotes will be determined globally. In total, the U.S. picked up six quotas for the 2024 Paris Olympics at the Pan American Olympic Games Qualifying tournament. For U.S. wrestlers, they will next head to the State College, Pennsylvania, for the Olympic Trials on 19-20 April.

Read More: Pan American Championship: Team USA’s Top Ranked 65kg Wrestler Nick Lee Secures Gold