Day 4 at the Olympics for wrestling wrapped up and it was a good day for Team USA.
Women’s Freestyle 57 KG
Round of 16 – Helen Maroulis (United States) VPO1 Ningning Rong (China); 8-4
Her first match was against 2018 World Champion Ningning Rong and it was a fun one to watch. Rong took an early 3-0 lead and it looked like Maroulis was on the ropes Maroulis threw in a gut wrench for 2 but a quick reversal made it 4-2 Rong. A takedown made it 4-4 with a questionable no points on a leg lace. Then she scored on a tilt making it 6-4 and it was all over from there.
Quarterfinals – Helen Maroulis (United States) VPO Tetyana Kit (Ukraine); 8-0
Maroulis was in control of this match. She started off with a first period takedown and led 2-0 at the break. In the second period Kit had no answer for Maroulis as Maroulis took down Kit 3 times in the second period and advanced to the Semi-Finals winning 8-0.
Semi-Finals – Risako Kawai (Japan) VPO1 Helen Maroulis (United States); 2-1
Low scoring but physical match here in the Semis. Two Olympic Champions from 2016 are squaring against each other in this one. Scoring started with Maroulis getting put on the shot clock in the first period, Kawai 1-0 at the break. 45 seconds into the second period Maroulis is back on the clock. John Smith is not sure how and I’m not either, 2-0 Kawai. Later in the period Kawai goes on the clock and surrenders a point, 2-1 now. Maroulis is fighting to get a shot opportunity but there is great positioning by Kawai and the clock runs out.
Maroulis awaits the winner of Fatoumata Canara and Khingorzul Boldsaikhan for her opponent in the Bronze Medal Match.
Men’s Freestyle 57 KG
Round of 16 – Zaur Uguev (ROC) VPO1 Thomas Gilman (United States); 5-4
Oh boy this was a good one. Starts off 1-1 in the first period and remained that score at the break. Uguev in the second period gets in deep on a single leg and Gilman tries to counter but Uguev had great positioning and its 3-1. Gilman wraps around a single leg near the edge of the mat. It’s called a step out and it’s 3-2 Uguev. Gilman a little later is back in on a single leg and this time it’s a takedown and it’s 4-3 Gilman late. 20 seconds left and we are scrambling and Uguev is on top of it with 10 seconds left and it’s 5-4 Uguev.
Thankfully for Gilman, Uguev advanced to the Gold Medal match tomorrow so Gilman will face Gulumjon Abdullaev of Uzbekistan in the Repechage round tonight.
Men’s Freestyle 86 KG
Round of 16 – David Taylor (United States) VSU Ali Shavanau (Belarus); 11-0
Taylor starts off the scoring as he goes for an ankle pick but can’t get the takedown, action goes out of bounds and it’s 1-0. Later Taylor hits a beautiful double leg and gets the takedown, 3-0 at the break. Shortly after the start of the second period Taylor is in on a shot and it’s 2, and then a tilt for another 2 and it’s quickly 7-0. Taylor is back in on a double leg this time he takes Shavanau to his back, 11-0.
Quarterfinals – David Taylor (United States) VSU1 Myles Amine (San Marino); 12-2
A little Penn State vs Michigan action in Tokyo for a spot in the Semi-Finals. Amine opens it up with a takedown and its 2-0 Amine. Taylor gets it going now with a crotch lift for 2 and we are tied. Taylor mounts up 2 more takedowns and its 6-2 at the break. Start off the second period and Taylor is on the prowl and picks up 2 quick takedowns and it’s 10-2. Taylor finishes it off with another takedown and its all over Taylor is onto the Semi-Finals.
Semi-Finals – David Taylor (Penn State) VSU Deepak Punia (India); 10-0
It starts out a little slow but Taylor wakes up and gets a takedown on Punia early plus the passivity because Punia was on the shot clock, 3-0. We are right into a gut wrench and Taylor takes Punia over twice its 7-0. Back on our feet and Taylor kinda misses on a shot and Punia is in good positioning but Round and round we go and somehow Taylor cuts the corner and gets the 2 and it’s 9-0. Taylor gets in on another shit but too close to the edge. Still a step out though and it makes it 10-0 and that’s it.
David Taylor will face Iran’s Hassan Yazdani tomorrow morning in the Gold Medal Match.
Let’s get into today’s new wrestlers now.
Women’s Freestyle 53 KG
Jaccara Winchester finally takes the mat and hopes to follow in the foot steps of Gray, Mensah-Stock, and Maroulis. Winchester opens up with Russia’s Olga Khoroshavtseva in the Round of 16 who won the Last Chance Qualifier. It will be tough but Winchester should get through that match and most likely set up with World Bronze Medalist Qianyu Pang from China. She also has another World Bronze Medalist Vinesh from India.
Men’s Freestyle 74 KG
Kyle Dake gets it going at 74 KG opening up with the 4 seed Mostafa Hosseinkhani from Iran. Who is taking the place of the Asian Olympic Qualifier Champ, Yones Emamicho cause Iran does things differently. Frank Chamizo from Italy is in this bracket and is the most likely Semi-Final challenger for Dake. Dake showed us at the Olympic trials that he can beat the world’s best (Jordan Burroughs) so I and I’m sure USA Wrestling fans are expecting a Medal at this weight.
Men’s Freestyle 125 KG
Gable Steveson makes his Olympic debut tonight and USA wrestling fans are ready for it. Steveson starts with Asian Olympic Qualifier Runner-up Lkhagvageral Munkhtur from Mongolia in the Round of 16. If getting through that match he will see either Amar Dhesi who wrestled at Oregon State and who Steveson beat at Pan Ams. Or he will take on 2019 World Silver Medalist Taha Akgul from Turkey. If Steveson gets through them I think he makes the finals.
I will be traveling the next 2 days so I will not be putting up brackets right after the competition but it should be by mid-day.