Aaron Brooks is gearing up for his Olympic debut in Paris, with David Taylor’s guidance playing a key role. Brooks, a Hagerstown native, earned his spot on Team USA by defeating Taylor, the defending Olympic gold medalist, in April. “I told him I love him,” Brooks said, reflecting on Taylor’s impact. Taylor, a former Nittany Lion now coaching at Oklahoma State University, shared his insights on the strategies Brooks needs for Paris. 

Taylor’s admiration for Brooks is evident in his words: “He’s one of the first guys to make (Penn State wrestling) what it is.” Brooks’ victory over Taylor, ending his seven-year unbeaten streak against American wrestlers, has fueled his drive to become one of the greatest wrestlers ever.

Taylor’s insights shape Brooks’ Olympic strategy as he aims for gold

In a recent YouTube interview with Nittany Sports Now, Penn State legend David Taylor shared key strategies for Aaron Brooks to beat Hassan Yazdani. “I think for Aaron he’s just gonna have to be ready early,” Taylor said. Having defeated Yazdani in the jaw-dropping Tokyo 2020 finals, Taylor knows how to tackle the Iranian star. The four-time Big Ten Conference champion appreciates Brooks’ practice and performance. Brooks turned 24 in June and is seen by many, including Taylor, as Yazdani’s biggest hurdle to a second gold medal. For Taylor, starting fast will be key for Brooks.

He says, “I think you know and Aaron has those abilities for sure um uh and those two guys I think are the best two guys.” About his former rival Yazdani, the retired wrestler notes, “Yazdani… he wrestles really hard. He wrestles really hard the whole time, especially early, he comes in pretty hot.” His comments show he’s as excited as everyone else for the upcoming American-Iranian duel. Upon sharing his thoughts about the frequency of matches between the two, the PSU great expresses, “They could wrestle first round, you know, they could wrestle in the finals or semi-finals.” This led us to remember the friendly demeanor Brook and Taylor had among them.

It was just in April 2024 that Aaron Brook defeated Taylor in the 86 kg wrestling bout to secure his position in the Paris Olympics. Brook dethroned Taylor by notching distinctive scores of 4-1 and 3-1. When the 33-year-old wrestler sank to his knees after defeat, Brook joined him in showing condolences. What a great example of sportsmanship! And now, in August, we see the recently retired freestyle wrestler going all the way to support his fellow Americans in the Olympics. 

Aaron Brooks to make his Olympics debut for Team USA, keeping eyes on gold

Brooks, from Hagerstown, was a top wrestling recruit from North Hagerstown High School. At Penn State, he dominated with a 50-2 record. He is a four-time NCAA champion with a 22-7 freestyle record since college. Brooks became the seventh wrestler to win four NCAA titles and received the 2024 Hodge Trophy as the best college wrestler. Brooks is on a six-match winning streak after winning the April 2023 U-23 World Championship and the Olympic Trials. This three-time world champion will represent Team USA at the Olympics for the first time, fulfilling a longtime dream. 

He has always pushed himself harder, training tirelessly. In an interview with DC News, his father, John Brooks, said, “He’s trained in the offseason and wrestled and just got better ever since then.” With hopes of winning gold, Brooks may face Hassan Yazdani, whom David Taylor defeated five times. Brooks has the upper hand, beating David Taylor in the trials to earn his Olympic spot. When asked by DC News Now about the Olympics, Brooks confidently said, “My job is to go out there and glorify the Lord,” pointing to his inspiration, David Taylor.

The rivalry between PSU and OK State is well-known, with nearly every world and Olympic title in the men’s 86 kg freestyle division going to one of them since 2017. Fans remember the battles between American Kyle Snyder and Russian Abdulrashid Sadulaev at the Rio and Tokyo Olympics. Snyder won gold in Rio but settled for silver in Tokyo. Can Aaron Brooks continue his winning streak and bring home the gold for Team USA? Let us know in the comments section below!