Several storylines have been made since Spencer Lee, one of the most beloved names in American wrestling history, punched his Paris Olympics ticket in Istanbul. The victory may have been expected as the three-time NCAA champion looked on the first gear from the start of his fights in the qualifying matches. Eventually, he spent 7 minutes and a few seconds confirming his ticket. But such a transformation would have been hard to cherish without backing from some stalwarts from Iowa. 

Eventually, Spencer Lee thanked them all after his achievement at Başakşehir Gençlik ve Spor Tesisleri in Istanbul on Saturday. With such a revelation, Spencer put a seal on his correctness in taking a decision that had once raised questions. 

Spencer Lee relishes his bonding with the Iowa Hawkeyes behind his achievement

After’smoking’ opponent Rakhat Kalzhan in the semifinals of World Olympics qualifier Istanbul, Spencer was visibly immersed in joy. With the qualification for Paris, the 25-year-old becomes the 20th Hawkeye to represent the camp in Olympic history. But things touched a distinct height when he named colleague Drake Ayala as his training partner in all those days. 

“He’s [Drake Ayala] obviously a great guy and he was there for me. It’s awesome,” Spencer told Hawk Central. Moreover, in several instances, suffocating injuries and knee surgeries have made Spencer Lee a debilitating factor in elite gymnastics. Last year’s NCAA Division 1 semifinal match is still fresh in wrestling fans’ minds.

The much-favored Hawkeye had to face a deafening defeat from Matt Ramos, the standout from Purdue, after maintaining a long streak of victories in the NCAA. Despite experiencing such low points, coach Tom Brands and the Iowa Hawkeyes camp continued to provide him with thorough support. At the end of the achievement, that has also been reflected in Spencer Lee’s comments. 

“There was other guys that would have been there for me if I needed it; that’s just how it is. Iowa Hawkeye wrestling was, they were ready to prepare me in any way I needed,” the Colorado native chimed in. Ultimately, deep down somewhere, Spencer Lee may have rejoiced in his decision that once made him dwindle regarding his wrestling future. 

Larry Lee hails the early decision made by his son

In his early days in high school, Spencer Lee rejoiced at Penn State wholeheartedly. Furthermore, PSU coach Cael Sanderson’s influence acted positively on him, as he had been inclined toward choosing Penn State as his ultimate destination. 

“Spencer always wore pajama pants to warm up. It was a great move and spoke to how hard Penn State worked to recruit him,” Larry Spencer’s father narrated once. But in the end, it was the Iowa Hawkeyes that left a certain mark on teenager Spencer Lee as he decided to shift to Iowa. With such a decision, Larry Lee was stunned, as Spencer used to share close bonds with Penn State mates, such as Bo Nickal. However, the 4x NCAA wrestling champion himself spilled the reason for his decision. 

“Going to Penn State would make everyone happy… The easy choice isn’t the right choice. Dad, I’m going to become a Hawkeye,” was his primary admission. Since then, the wrestler hasn’t had to look back. Rather, with the Paris Olympic ticket, Spencer Lee has established himself in the Iowa Hawkeyes’ history, continuing the legacy of the camp.