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In a historic moment at the 2024 Paris Olympics, 20-year-old Amit Elor from California clinched the gold medal in the 68kg weight class, becoming the youngest American to achieve this feat in wrestling. Elor's remarkable journey culminated in a flawless 3-0 victory over Kyrgyzstan’s Meerim Zhumanazarova, solidifying her place in Olympic history.
Elor's achievement surpasses the record previously held by Kyle Snyder, who won his gold medal in 2016. Notably, Snyder remains an active competitor, preparing to represent the United States in the 97kg category, with his matches set to begin on Saturday.
The emotional highlight of Elor's victory was her celebration with her coach, Sara McMann, a former UFC title challenger, and the first American woman to win an Olympic wrestling medal, securing silver in Athens in 2004.
Elor expressed her disbelief and joy moments after her win, saying,
“I just couldn’t believe that I became an Olympic champion. This has been my dream for my entire life. It’s hard to believe. It’s such a full-circle moment. For me, the past few months, especially after I made the Olympic team, I received so many messages from younger girls telling me I was their inspiration.”
Elor’s journey to gold was nothing short of spectacular. Competing in a new weight class after winning two World Championships at 72kg, she dominated her opponents, outscoring them 31-2 over four matches. Her success was a testament to her hard work and dedication.
“I’m sharing this medal with my whole entire family and my whole entire country,” Elor shared. “Becoming an Olympic champion is one of the most difficult things in the whole entire world.”
Elor’s gold medal is the first for the American wrestling team at the 2024 Olympics, with her teammate Sarah Hildebrandt aiming to join her in the gold medal ranks as she competes on Wednesday.
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