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The USA men’s freestyle wrestling team, once brimming with high expectations, faced a crushing end to their 2024 Olympics campaign. The team, which had hoped to replicate or even surpass their previous success, walked away from Paris with just three medals—and for the first time in 56 years, none of them were gold.
The final blow came when Kyle Snyder, a former Olympic gold medalist and one of the team’s brightest stars, lost his bronze medal match at 97kg to Iran's Amirali Azarpira. Snyder, who had never failed to medal in the Olympics or World Championships before, struggled in the match after sustaining a cut on his forehead early on. The injury led to multiple stoppages, disrupting his rhythm and ultimately contributing to his 4-1 defeat.
The disappointment was palpable as the team, which had been touted as a potential powerhouse, failed to live up to the hype. The USA had been riding high after a stellar performance at the Tokyo Games in 2021, winning five medals, including two golds from Gable Steveson and David Taylor. Many believed that the 2024 team could bring home even more hardware.
However, the reality in Paris was far from the dream. Spencer Lee was the only American wrestler to reach a final, competing in the 57kg category. Despite his best efforts, he fell to Japan's Rei Higuchi, earning a silver medal—a commendable achievement, but still a step short of gold.
Aaron Brooks, who had been passed the torch by Taylor, secured a bronze medal at 86kg, but his journey was marred by a shocking semifinal loss to Bulgaria’s Magomed Ramazanov. Kyle Dake, competing at 74kg, also claimed bronze after overcoming early struggles, but like Snyder, he was aiming for gold and left the mat with a sense of unfinished business.
The absence of Gable Steveson, who had retired from wrestling to pursue a career in WWE and football, was deeply felt. His replacement, Mason Parris, was eliminated in the opening round at 125kg, marking a sharp contrast to Steveson’s dominance in the previous Olympics.
As the USA men’s freestyle wrestling team returns home, they do so with heavy hearts and a clear understanding that there is much work to be done before the World Championships and the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. The pressure is on to rebuild and reclaim their place at the sport's top.
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