By Jordan Hansen
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As the final day of United States Olympic Wrestling Trials competition came to a close on Sunday evening, the nine weight classes not contested on Saturday were filled with several of the biggest names in the sport.
Defending freestyle world champions Jordan Burroughs, Kyle Snyder, Adeline Gray, and Helen Maroulis were all winners on a star-filled Sunday night.
“I am just so excited; it is really surreal. I can’t even believe that it is here,” Gray said. “I qualified for the weight, and I knew I was No. 1 in the world and that I could do this. But to still actually have to get it done is something that is another story.”
In all, six of the nine weights the United States has qualified for the Olympics (a spot on the team doesn’t necessarily equate to a spot in Rio) were in action. Burroughs, Snyder, Gray will head to Rio. Joining them will be former Hawkeye Daniel Dennis, as will Greco-Roman wrestlers Andy Bisek and Robby Smith.
There are still two chances for the remaining nine weights to qualify — later this month in Mongolia and in Turkey in May. Two qualifiers from Sunday — J’Den Cox and Haley Augello — will both have to take this route to the Olympics.
For now, however, the celebration is on the achievement of getting to this incredible point in their careers.
“You never know what is going to happen,” Snyder said. “You never know if you’re going to win or if you’re going to lose. You just have to prepare yourself for the best of your ability.”
Snyder has had an incredible run, winning the 2015 World Championships and 2016 NCAA wrestling tournament.
Snyder and Burroughs will both be in the conversation for gold at the Olympics, as will Gray. In addition, 125-kilogram wrestler Tervel Dlagnev is also expected to contend at the games.
The best chance for a medal, however will come from Burroughs or Gray, the 2012 gold medalist at the London games. After battling through injuries and a third-place finish at the 2014 World Championships, he feels that he’s ready to defend his title.
“I feel so much better and mentally tougher,” Burroughs said. “My skillsets are significantly better, I feel stronger and more mentally developed as a man, and I have a great team of people around me. I am just excited; I am excited, and I dominated.”
Gray also has enjoyed quite a bit of success during the last four years after failing to qualify for the 2012 games. She’s won the last four World Championships and could be well on her way to yet another honor.
She was emotional after her match and spoke at length about her journey.
“I felt like this weekend was really easy and it was because of those great people,” Gray said. “It was fantastic; I owe so much to my coaches, my family, my boyfriend, and everybody who stepped up this weekend and allowed me to get my job done.”