When it comes to the 74-kilogram weight class for the U.S. Olympic team trials, age isn’t necessarily a decisive factor.
The top contenders, Jordan Burroughs, 35, and Kyle Dake, 33, defy the notion that wrestling is strictly for the young.
Burroughs, a former Husker national champion and 2012 Olympic gold medalist, holds the top seed in the weight class. He’ll need three victories to set up a face-off against Dake for a coveted spot on the U.S. team bound for Paris this summer.
Dake, a defending world medalist, enjoys a bye to the best-of-three final. He previously triumphed over Burroughs in the trials final for the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, ultimately securing a bronze in Tokyo.
The Olympic trials unfold Friday and Saturday on Penn State’s campus, drawing anticipation and intensity.
Despite facing some injuries last fall, Burroughs brings a wealth of mat experience to the upcoming weekend. With seven world championship titles, including the 2012 Olympic gold in London and his latest triumph in 2022 in Belgrade, Serbia, Burroughs is a formidable force.
Burroughs is among six former Huskers who have clinched spots in this weekend’s trials. Alongside him are Liam Cronin (seeded seventh at 57 kg), James Green (seeded third at 65 kg), Tyler Berger (seeded tenth at 74 kg), Eric Schultz (seeded seventh at 97 kg), and Christian Lance (seeded sixth at 125 kg).
In the 57-kg division, former Iowa All-American and Omaha Skutt graduate Thomas Gilman, seeded second, adds to the competition. Gilman, soon to turn 30, secured bronze at the Tokyo Games and claimed the world championship title in 2021.
At 97 kg, Schultz’s first opponent is Millard South graduate Isaac Trumble, seeded second. Trumble, a U23 World Championship gold medalist, redshirted his last season at North Carolina State to focus on the Olympic trials.
With only six weight classes, spots on the Olympic team are highly sought after. Wrestlers like Green, a former four-time All-American at Nebraska as a 157-pounder, face the challenge of weight management.
All trial matches will be available for streaming or broadcast on Peacock and USA Network, ensuring fans don’t miss a moment of the action.
