Team USA is showcasing its true worth in the most spectacular way at the Paris Olympics. With 94 medals (27 of them gold), the USA is sitting firmly at the top of the medal table, and more are expected to come! With gymnastics and most of the track and field events completed, the responsibility to carry the momentum forward lies on the wrestling contingent, and so far, they haven’t disappointed.

Sarah Hildebrandt (50kg) and Amit Elor (68kg) both won gold at the 33rd Olympics, with stars like Helen Maroulis, Kyle Snyder, and Kennedy Blades still waiting for their chances to get on the mat. With that, the USA is also standing on the verge of ending Russian dominance in the world of wrestling while also subduing the Japanese giant that is considered a formidable force in the sport.

Paris Olympics could be where the USA makes history

A post on X by Justin Basch of Baschmania earlier today, highlighted the milestone wrestlers from the country have achieved in the City of Love. “We’re only halfway through Women’s Freestyle in Paris, but already, Team USA has had multiple Olympic Champions for the first time in US history,” reads the caption of the post, which is accompanied by two emphatic images of Elor and Hildebrandt. While having multiple champions in the same Olympics may not seem like a massive feat, it isn’t as frequent an occurrence as many would believe it to be.

Since women’s wrestling was introduced in the Olympic Games at the 2004 Athens Olympics, only Japan has been able to have more than one champion on the grandest stage. And now, with the USA replicating the achievement, it once again has underscored the amount of talent that is to be found in the country.

Maroulis and Blades are the favorites to win gold in their respective weight classes, and with that, the hope of America also shines bright. As of now, the USSR still boasts the highest number of golds in Olympic wrestling (62). On the other hand, the USA stands in the second spot with 59 golds thanks to its latest double victory, and if the stars align, fans will stand witness to when Hildebrandt & Co. swoops in and picks the top spot for the world to see. However, while history beckons, let’s not forget that things could have turned out to be very different.

Last moment directives aid the USA’s dream

In June, the IOC sent shockwaves across the wrestling fraternity as it decided to ban several Russian and Belarussian stars from competing at the Paris Olympics. Zaur Uguev, Zaurbek Sidakov, Abdulrashid Sadulaev, Nadezhda Sokolova, and Olga Khoroshavtseva were among the few Russians who didn’t get their chance to take to the mat. While it’s up for debate as to what could happen if these wrestlers were to stand in the way of the USA at the French capital, American stars like Aaron Brooks and Spencer Lee cannot be blamed for seizing the opportunity that presented itself unexpectedly.

While the Russians are considered a true powerhouse by the wrestling community, Japanese wrestlers aren’t too shabby themselves. The reigning women’s 50kg Olympic champion, Yui Susaki was the #1 seed in the bracket and could have caused trouble for Hildebrandt. However, she was subdued by India’s Vinesh Phogat in the quarterfinals, and the Japanese star went on to win bronze. On the other hand, Nao Kusaka and Kenichiro Fumita have both won gold medals in the Greco-Roman format. Considering how the USSR and Japan are considered the Behemoths of women’s wrestling, it remains to be seen if the USA can alter the situation on the banks of the iconic Seine, or if it has to settle for the second spot again.