Spencer Lee on Olympics: ‘It would be wrong to say that I’m not representing Iowa’
Wrestler Spencer Lee meets with media ahead of his upcoming appearance in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Team USA has a gold medal winner in wrestling, as 20-year old Amit Elor won the 68-kilogram weight class in women’s freestyle Tuesday.
She rolled in four matches the past two days, conceding just two points and scoring 31. Alongside her, the United States has secured at least two medals as Sarah Hildebrandt advanced to the gold medal final on Tuesday afternoon as well. That match will be wrestled Wednesday afternoon against India’s Vinesh Phogat, a three-time Olympian who made wavs by defeating Japan superstar Yui Susaki.
Along with dominance on the women’s side by Team USA, there was also some electric Greco-Roman action on day 2 of wrestling in Paris.
Catch up on anything you might of missed, get to know Elor and see how she and Hildebrandt arrived where they are now here below:
Amit Elor secures gold medal for Team USA
20-year old Amit Elor got it done in Paris, winning a gold medal over Kyrgyzstan’s Meerim Zhumanazarova by a 3-0 scoreline.
Elor got things going with a go-behind takedown just over a minute into the first period, quickly followed by a penalty point against Zhumanazarova for not attempting to shoot in the 30-second shot clock. From there, Elor held strong in the remaining four minutes by now allowing a shot with some superior positioning in the rest of the bout.
The two-time senior world champion was the youngest US wrestler to ever win a world title when she did so in 2022 and is now the youngest US wrestler to ever win gold at the Olympics, surpassing Kyle Snyder when he did so in 2016 in Brazil. She did so by outscoring her opponents 31-2 in four matches.
It was clear that here in Paris, the next wrestling great has only just gotten started.
The women’s wrestling powerhouse of Japan got a bronze medal in the 68 kilogram class from Nonoka Ozaki, who defeated Nigeria’s Blessing Oborududu, an Olympic silver medalist in Tokyo last cycle. That will keep them close with Team USA’s blistering hot start.
Gold – Team USA’s Amit ElorSilver – Kyrgyzstan’s Meerim ZhumanazarovaBronze – Turkey’s Buse CavusogluBronze – Japan’s Nonoka OzakiOlympic medal match results from Men’s Greco-Roman 130 kilogram class, Cuba’s Mijain Lopez wins fifth gold
A battle between two Cuban’s in the four-time Olympic champion Mijain Lopez and now-Chilean Yasmani Acosta Fernandez was quite a bout. Fernandez was once a wrestler for Cuba and Lopez’s training parter, but switched allegiances to Chile. Here, the veteran secured a pair of passivity points against Acosta, a takedown and a gut wrench to win his fifth gold medal.
Lopez’s win was historic in several ways. He’s the first wrestler to ever win five Olympic golds, the first-ever to win five-consecutive Olympic golds in the same individual event and is the oldest wrestler to ever win gold at 41-years old. He left his shoes on the mat following the win, signaling his retirement.
Also of note, Azerbaijan’s Sabah Saleh Shariati marked his retirement after losing to Iran’s Amin Mirzazadeh in the bronze medal match by placing his shoes at the center of the mat, but not before he got a piggyback ride from his opponent to celebrate his career. Very cool moment on display in Paris.
Gold – Cuba’s Mijain Lopez NunezSilver – Chile’s Yasmani Acosta FernandezBronze – China’s Lingzhe MengBronze – Iran’s Amin MirzazadehFirst Olympic medalists are crowned in Men’s Greco-Roman 60 kilogram class
Japan’s Kenichiro Fumita took silver in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, but came back with a vengeance to take gold in Paris. His gut wrench for two points was the main difference maker in his 3-1 against China’s Liguo Cao. It’s the first gold medal for Japan in Greco-Roman since 1984 despite sustained success in Japan men’s and women’s freestyle. Fumita is now a two-time world champion and Olympic champion with this win.
Also of note, North Korea’s Se Ung Ri is the country’s first Greco-Roman wrestler to medal since 2000.
Gold – Japan’s Kenichiro FumitaSilver – China’s Liguo CaoBronze – Kyrgyzstan’s Zholaman SharshenbekovBronze – North Korea’s Se Ung RiTeam USA’s Sarah Hildebrandt advances to gold medal match
Hildebrandt got out early in this one with a snap-down, go-behind takedown to go up 2-0. While Dolgorjav was in on a single-leg shot, Hildebrandt slipped out of the Mongolian’s grasp and countered with a single-leg takedown of her own. After a passivity point, she led 5-0 going into the second period and held on for a victory.
Hildebrandt, despite a significant height advantage, broke free or held on for a whistle on three shots that Dolgorjav was in deep on her legs to secure a shutout victory. While Dolgorjav had gotten the best of her on two occassions at the world championships prior, she was the more technically sound and tougher wrestler in this match.
She will face India’s Vinesh Phogat, who has bursted onto the scene for the first time as a three-time Olympian by defeating Japan superstar Yui Susaki (four-time world champion and Tokyo Olympic gold medalist) in the first round. She is a two-time world bronze medalist.
Greco-Roman gold medal matches set at 77 kilograms and 97 kilograms, Josef Rau qualifies for repeechage
At 77 kilograms, Japan’s Nao Kusaka’s early second period takedown was enough to defeat Armenia’s Malkhas Amoyan to reach the gold medal final. The 24-year old senior world bronze medalist allowed just one push-out point to win 3-1 over Amoyan. Kusaka will face Demeu Zhadrayev of Kazakhstan, a two-time Olympian, who thrashed Azerbaijan’s Sanan Suleymanov for a 6-1 win on six first-period points to reach the gold medal final.
In a world championship final rematch between Armenia’s Artur Aleksanyan vs. Cuba’s Gabriel Alejandro Rosillo Kindelan, Aleksanyan got his revenge by scoring in a mad scramble. Aleksayan moved into a reversal and threw a pair of gut wrenches after conceding a takedown to take a 5-3 lead and held on for victory from there. The 2016 gold medalist will face Iran’s Mohammad Hadi Saravi, a 2021 World Champion.
With Saravi’s 6-0 win over Egypt’s Mohamed Ali Elsayed Gabr, Team USA’a Josef Rau will now wrestle in the repechage on Wednesday for bronze.
Semifinals set for Day 2 of Olympic wrestling
MGR 77 kilograms
Japan’s Nao Kusaka (No. 1) vs. Armenia’s Malkhas Amoyan (No. 4)Kazakhstan’s Demeu Zhadrayev (No. 6) vs. Azerbaijan’s Sanan Suleymanov (No. 2)
MGR 97 kilograms
Armenia’s Artur Aleksanyan (No. 1) vs. Cuba’s Gabriel Alejandro Rosillo Kindelan (No. 4)Iran’s Mohammad Hadi Saravi (No. 3) vs. Egypt’s Mohamed Ali Elsayed Gabr
WFS 50 kilograms
India’s Vinesh Phogat vs. Cuba’s Yusnylis Guzman LopezTeam USA’s Sarah Hildebrandt (No. 6) vs. Mongolia’s Otgonjargal Dolgorjav (No. 2)Team USA’s Kamal Bey has been officially eliminated, Josef Rau still alive for repechage
To hav a chance to compete for bronze after a loss, the wrestlers Bey and Rau lost to must reach the gold medal final. Bey’s loss to Akzhol Makhmudov of Kyrgyzstan in opening round, followed by Makhmudov’s loss in the quarterfinals dropped Bey from the competition. Rau, however, remains alive for an opportunity to wrestle in repechage with Iran’s Mohammad Hadi Saravi reaching the semifinal. He must win one more time against Egypt’s Mohamed Ali Elsayed Gabr to keep Bey alive for the repechage.
Team USA’s Sarah Hildebrandt counters China’s Ziqi Feng to reach semifinals
Each time Feng scored, Hildebrandt had an answer.
An early take down to go down 2-0? Hildebrandt answered with a reversal and takedown for the 3-2 lead. After Feng scored another takedown to take the lead, Hildebrandt rotated behind Feng as she fiercely defended for some time before Hildebrandt eventually completed it for two and a 5-4 lead. She added one more takedown before getting her hand raised and moving to the semifinals.
Hildebrandt had to fight for this one, but secured an upset over the No. 3 seeded bronze world medalist. Thus far in Paris, Team USA’s women are 5-0 and have outscored their opponents 45-6 in those matches. To say the least, that’s pretty darn good from the red, white and blue.
If Hildebrandt is to match what her fellow American Amit Elor has done, she’ll have to beat Mongolia’s Otgonjargal Dolgorjav, the No. 2 seed. Dolgorjav is 23-years old and a two-time world silver medalist and one-time world bronze medalist. Dolgorjav has won two matches in the world semifinals against Hildebrandt, but the American won by techincal fall at a UWW Ranking Series match in July of 2023.
Quarterfinal matches set for Day 2 of Olympic wrestling
MGR 77 kilograms
Japan’s Nao Kusaka (No. 1) vs. Uzbekistan’s Sanan Sulymanov (No. 8)Iran’s Amin Yavar Kaviyaninejad vs. Armenia’s Malkhas Amoyan (No. 4)Kyrgyzstan’s Akzhol Makhmudov (No. 3) vs. Kazakhstan’s Demeu Zhadrayev (No. 6)Hungary’s Zoltan Levai (No. 7) vs. Azerbaijan’s Sana Suleymanov (No. 2)
MGR 97 kilograms
Armenia’s Artur Aleksanyan (No. 1) vs. Uzbekistan’s Rustam AssakalovFinland’s Arvi Martin Savolainen (No. 5) vs. Cuba’s Gabriel Alejandro Rosillo Kindelan (No. 4)Iran’s Mohammad Hadi Saravi (No. 3) vs. Kyrgyzstan’s Uzur DzhuzupbkovEgypt’s Mohamed Ali Elsayed Gabr vs. AIN (Individual Neutral Athlete) Abubakar Khaslakhanau (No. 2)
WFS 50 kilograms
India’s Vinesh Phogat vs. Ukraine’s Oksana Livach (No. 8)Lithuania’s Gabija Dilyte vs. Cuba’s Yusnylis Guzman LopezTeam USA’s Sarah Hildebrandt (No. 6) vs. China’s Ziqi Feng (No. 3)Azerbaijan’s Mariya Stadnik (No. 7) vs. Mongolia’s Otgonjargal Dolgorjav (No. 2)Team USA’s Sarah Hildebrandt advances to quarterfinal with ease
It only took one move for Hildebrandt. After shooting for a high-crotch shot, Hildebrandt completed the takedown and leg laced Ibtissem Doudou of Algeria four times in a row to secure a 10-0 technical fall in 1:45.
Now, Hildebrandt advances to the quarterfinal to face China’s Ziqi Feng, the No. 3 seed. Feng took third at the world championships in 2023 and will be a tough out for the American, but this was as good of a start as you could ask for.
As Japan’s biggest names continues to falter and Team USA’s thrive on the women’s side, we’re approaching a reality where Team USA could do the unthinkable and at least push Japan for the team title on the women’s side with how things have started.
Team USA’s Josef Rau drops match to Mohammad Hadi Saravi of Iran
Tied at one entering the second period, Rau was battling tough until a passivity point placed him on bottom. Saravi then rattled off a pair of gut wrenches to make it 6-1, followed by a takedown and another gut wrench to secure a 10-1 technical fall.
Rau will ned Saravi to reach the final to compete for bronze, which could be a good bet considering Saravi was an Olympic bronze medalist in Tokyo and a 2021 world champion.
India’s Vinesh Phogat stuns Japan Olympic champion Yui Susaki in opening round
This upset is the biggest one of the tournament thus far, as the Tokyo gold medalist and four-time senior world champion suffered a 2-2 loss by criteria. Susaki was 21-0 all-time in Olympic and world championship competition, also winning five age-world championships in her career in addition to her three Senior World Championships.
This is Phogat’s third Olympics, but she had never medaled despite two bronze medals at the world championships in her career.
This is good news for Team USA’s Sarah Hildebrandt, who’s field got a bit easier if she remains on the top side of competition.
Team USA’s Kamal Bey struggles on offense, falls to Akzhol Makhmudov of Kyrgyzstan in opening round
There was very little offensive in this one, with th only points being scored bing passivity and push-out points, but Makhmudov didn’t give Bey any room to wrestle in this one, stifling Bey for a 4-1 win.
Makhmudov is the No. 3 seeded wrestler in the field, but as an Olympic silver medalist in Tokyo gice Bey a decent shot at reeturning in the repechage should Makhmudov make the final once again.
Bronze medal matches set for WFS 68 kilogram class and 97 and 130 kilogram MGR classes
WFS 68 kilograms
Buse Cavusoglu (Turkey) vs. Sol Gum Pak (North Korea)Nonoka Ozaki (Japan) vs. Blessing Oborududu (Nigeria)
MGR 60 kilograms
Mehdi Seifollah Mohsen Nejad (Iran) vs. Zholaman Sharshenbekov (Kyrgyzstan)Se Ung Ri (North Korea) vs. Raiber Jose Rodriguez Orozco (Venezuela)
MGR 130 kilograms
Amin Mirzazadeh (Iran) vs. Seungchan Lee (South Korea)Abdellatif Mohamed Ahmed Mohamed (Egypt) vs. Lingzhe Meng (China)Who is Amit Elor?
Elor is the 68-kilogram freestyle representative for Team USA. The 20-year-old is one of the sports’ young phenoms as a two-time Senior World champion and the youngest American to ever win a World title, doing so in 2022 at 18-years old. In her career, she has won a Cadet World title, three Junior World titles and two U23 World titles along with her two Senior World titles.
Elor’s ascension has been nothing short of rapid but has also been one of trials and tribulations. USA Today’s Tom Schad profiled Elor’s journey ahead of the Olympics, which you can read here. Her training partner is also an Iowa Hawkeye in Macey Kilty, a Silver World Medalist.
Learn more about Amit Elor
Who is Amit Elor? Meet the Olympic wrestler from the United States
Who is Amit Elor? Meet the Olympic wrestler from the United States
FloWrestling/For the Register
Who is Sarah Hildebrandt?
An Olympic bronze medalist in 2020, Hildebrandt is looking for more in 2023 in the 50-kilogram weight class.
The Granger, Indiana native is the No. 6 seed in the field and as accomplished as anyone. She is a four-time Senior World medalist and has won two silver and two bronze medals. At 31-years old, she won a pair of collegiate wrestling titles for King University in 2014 and 2015.
She’ll face Ibtissem Doudou of Algeria in the first round, who has never competed in the World Championship or Olympics, according to the UWW (United World Wrestling). If Hildebrandt advances as expected, she will face the winner of Ziqi Feng of China or Nada Medani Ashour Abdalla Mohamed of Egypt in the next round. Feng was a World bronze medalist in 2023, while Mohamed was a U23 World silver medalist in 2022.
The semifinal is where things would be likely to get much tougher, with potential opponents like four-time Olympic medalist and two-time World champion Mariya Stadnik of Azerbaijan or three-time World silver medalist Otgonjargal Dolgorjav of Mongolia.
Who is Kamal Bey?
Bey had Team USA’s spot for the Olympics locked up but fell short of qualifying. That was until United World Wrestling disallowed Individual Neutral Athletes (AIN) from Russia and Belarus to compete, opening a spot for Bey to wrestle.
Bey is a 26-year-old, Oak Park, Illinois native that also happens to be enlisted in the US Army. He won a Junior World title in 2017 but has been unable to find that success on the Senior World stage as of yet.
Bey got no favors with his draw, as he will face No. 3 seed Akzhol Makhmudov of Kyrgyzstan first, a 2020 Olympic silver medalist and a two-time World champion in 2022 and 2023. His next opponent would then likely be No. 6 seeded Demeu Zhadrayev of Kazakhstan, a World silver medalist.
It’s going to be a tough road for Bey from the first draw, however, that does mean a better chance for repechage should he lose early on to someone who reaches the gold medal match.
Who is Josef Rau?
Rau is competing in his first Olympics at 33 years old in the 97-kilogram weight class. The Elmhurst College graduate was a three-time NCAA Division III All-American and won a national title in 2013. He’s competed for Team USA in four Senior World Championships but has never medaled.
Rau has the No. 3 seed Mohammadhadi Saravi of Iran in the first match, a World champion in 2021. Past that, however, his path to the finals would not include any wrestler who has placed better than third at the Senior World Championships, so Saravi would be his toughest challenge on accomplishments alone.
It’s going to be tough from the beginning, but a win early could spark something.
Eli McKown covers high school sports and wrestling for the Des Moines Register. Contact him at Emckown@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @EMcKown23.
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Publish date : 2024-08-06 09:03:00
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