“A lot of times in my career, I’ve just been tougher and a better wrestler than people,” Kyle Snyder said while speaking with ABC 7News. Snyder’s strength and technique made strategy a secondary element of his wrestling approach. While you’d think such a move won’t get someone too far, he dominated the 97 kg category for years, winning Olympic gold at Rio 2016.

However, even the 7x world championship medalist couldn’t escape every athlete’s worst enemy, age. After coming up short against Abdulrashid Sadulaev in the 97 kg finals at the Tokyo Olympics, the 28-year-old has taken a brand new approach to wrestling. The 2024 Olympic Trials winner opened up about his approach in an interview with Scott Abraham.

Admitting that he didn’t have much of a “game plan” until he had to settle for silver, the 3x Olympian has a strategy for Paris. “I’m starting to learn that it’s necessary to have a plan, something to focus on. And that’s something that has changed with my training and competition,” Kyle Snyder told the 7News Sports Director during their interview.

While the 97kg wrestling veteran has confidence in physicality and technique, he plans to equally rely on strategy and planning before each bout. Kyle Snyder has also made some significant changes in how he trains. “My whole training philosophy is to do the least amount of work possible to obtain my goals,” said the 7x Pan Am Games champion.

The Olympian explained that he used to train all out and many wrestlers do the same. “We wanna be tough, we wanna work hard,” but this time it’s been the train smarter not harder approach. Snydeman’s confidence stems from the fact that he feels stronger and better conditioned than ever before. In fact, he’s confident that even his teammates will surpass expectations in Paris.

Kyle Snyder’s bold claim for Team USA Wrestling

The 28-year-old will be one of 16 wrestlers representing the Stars and Stripes on the grandest stage. After taking stock of his talented fellow wrestlers, Snyder said “We could legitimately have six gold medalists on this team,” during an interview with CBS KKTV 11 News. His confidence isn’t unfounded, as Team USA won 9 wrestling medals in Tokyo.

In fact, Kyle Snyder isn’t the only one who has shown supreme confidence. Head coach Herb House believes that Team USA has what it takes to “shock the world,” in Paris. House believes that young wrestlers heading to Paris are eager to prove themselves on the world stage. Thankfully, wrestling fans won’t have to wait too long to see Snyderman and the rest of Team USA in action.

The 2x Olympic medalist became the youngest U.S. wrestler to win an Olympic gold medal in Rio. Now 28, the veteran Snyder hopes to earn yet another medal at what could be his final Olympic Games as a competitor.