subject: Final Spot On 2012 Olympic Wrestling Team To Be Determined Live In Times Square On June 7 [print this page] The U.S. Olympic Team Wrestle-off for the 60 kg/132 lbs. position on the U.S. Olympic Team in mens freestyle wrestling will be held in New York City on Thursday, June 7.
The event will be held alongside the USA vs. Russia international freestyle dual meet set for Times Square in New York City, also on Thursday, June 7.
Three wrestlers will participate in the U.S. Olympic Team Wrestle-off:
Shawn Bunch, Columbus, Ohio (Gator WC)
Reece Humphrey, Columbus, Ohio (New York AC)
Coleman Scott, Stillwater, Okla. (Gator WC)
The U.S. Olympic Team Wrestle-off became necessary because the United States had not yet qualified to compete at the London Olympic Games at 60 kg/132 lbs. in mens freestyle prior to the U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Wrestling in Iowa City, Iowa, April 21-22.
According to the Olympic Trials Procedures for Mens Freestyle Wrestling, USA Wrestling could hold athletes out of the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in order to participate in Olympic Games Qualifying Events. Bunch and Humphrey were chosen to train for the Olympic Games Qualifiers.
Also according to the Olympic Trials Procedures, the winner of the U.S. Olympic Team Trials at the weight class would also become eligible for the Secondary Olympic Trials if the United States was able to qualify the weight class. Scott was the champion at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in Iowa City.
On April 27, Bunch placed third in the World Olympic Games Qualifying Tournament in Taiyuan, China, which qualified the United States to compete in the London Games at 60 kg/132 lbs. At that event, the top three athletes in each weight class qualified their nation to participate in the Olympics.
Based upon the Olympic Trials Procedures, as the athlete who qualified the USA for the Olympics, Bunch moves directly into the best-of-three Championship Series for the Olympic berth.
Earlier on June 7, there will be a single preliminary match between Humphrey and Scott to determine which athlete advances to the Championship Series against Bunch. The match is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. in Times Square.
Bunch will face the Humphrey/Scott winner in the first match of the Championship Series at 6:00 p.m. in Times Square. The second match will be held at approximately 7:20 p.m. If necessary, the third match will be held at approximately 8:20 p.m.
Bunch was ranked No. 2 at 60 kg/132 lbs. on 2011-2012 Freestyle Team USA. He placed second in both the 2011 U.S. Open and the 2011 World Team Trials. He was a member of the 2009 U.S. World Team and has won two U.S. Open titles. He was an NCAA runner-up and two-time All-American for Edinboro and hails from Leavenworth, Kan.
Humphrey was ranked No. 1 on 2011-2012 Freestyle Team USA. He placed ninth in the 2011 World Championships in Istanbul, Turkey. Humphrey won the 2011 U.S. Open and the 2011 U.S. World Team Trials. He is a two-time University World Championships medalist. He was an NCAA runner-up and two-time All-American for Ohio State and hails from Indianapolis, Ind.
Scott was ranked No. 3 on 2011-2012 Freestyle Team USA. He won the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team Trials, defeating Logan Stieber in the Championship Series. He went undefeated in five matches at the 2012 Freestyle World Cup. He was third at the World Team Trials the last three years and was a 2008 U.S. Open runner-up. Scott was a 2008 NCAA champion and four-time All-American for Oklahoma State and hails from Waynesburg, Pa.
The international dual meet between the United States and Russia will feature the other six U.S. mens freestyle wrestlers who won titles at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials and will represent the United States this summer at the London Games.
The U.S. lineup will feature Olympic Trials champions Sam Hazewinkel (55 kg), Jared Frayer (66 kg), Jordan Burroughs (74 kg), Jake Herbert (84 kg), Jake Varner (96 kg) and Tervel Dlagnev (120 kg). Competing in the dual at 60 kg will be Olympic Trials runner-up Logan Stieber.
Beat the Streets Wrestling, Inc. has also announced two additional Senior-level exhibition matches featuring top stars in both mens and womens freestyle wrestling.
There will be a battle at 74 kg/163 lbs. in mens freestyle between college wrestling sensation and three-time NCAA champion Kyle Dake (Ithaca, N.Y./New York AC) and a two-time Olympian and NCAA champion Matt Gentry of Canada.
