This weekend, the Senior Nationals - US Olympic Trials Qualifier goes down in Fort Worth, Texas. Five Olympic Trials qualification spots will be on the line at each weight class. Here's how this event fits into the Olympic Trials qualification process. 

First, take a look at the events where athletes could have already qualified, then read about the qualifying events that are still to come, and finally, get to know how the Senior Nationals - U.S. Olympic Trials Qualifier works.

Previous Qualifying Events

First, it's important to recognize that this is one of several Olympic Trials qualifying events. There are several past events where athletes could have already qualified for the Olympic Trials. They are:

2018 - 2023 Senior World Championships: any "past Senior World Championships participants and/or Final World Team Trials Champions," have already qualified.

2023 U17 World Champion: Any gold medalist at this past year's U17 Worlds has a spot in State College for the Trials.

2023 U20 World Champion: Any gold medalist at this past year's U20 world championships has a spot at the trials.

2023 U23 World Champion: Any gold medalist at this past year's U23 world championships has a spot at the trials.

2023 Bill Farrell International Open: The highest-finishing U.S. athlete, who also places top four, at every weight has qualified.

(WFS ONLY) 2023 CISM World Military Championships: Any CISM World medalist is qualified.

Future Qualifying Events

(GR ONLY) 2023 US Armed Forces Championships: The highest placing athlete, who has yet to qualify, will be qualified.

2024 Pan American Championships (February 2024): U.S. wrestlers who win gold at the Pan Am Championships are qualified for the Trials.

2024 Pan American Olympic Qualifier (March 2024): U.S. wrestlers who qualify the weight for the Olympics get a spot at the Trials.

(MFS & GR ONLY) NCAA Division I Championships (March 2024): Anyone who wins the title in Kansas City this season gets a spot at the Olympic Trials.

(WFS ONLY) NCWWCs (March 2024): The NCWWC Women's champion will earn a spot in the Trials, wrestling at a weight they chose.

(WFS ONLY) NAIA National Championships (March 2024): The NAIA Women's champion will earn a spot in the Trials, wrestling at a weight they chose.

Final US Olympic Trials Qualifier: The champion at this event qualifies. And should be noted that reviously qualified athletes cannot compete.

How the Senior Nationals - US Olympic Trials Qualifier Fits in

OK, so there are a whole bunch of events where athletes could have qualified for the Olympic Trials or still can qualify. This event has the most qualifying spots on the line. Five spots are available at each weight.

According to USA Wrestling's Athlete Selection Procedures, "The Senior Freestyle/Women's Freestyle/Greco-Roman top 5 finishers per weight category at the 2023 USA Wrestling Olympic Trials Qualifier will earn a spot in the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials."

That means that athletes must place in the top five to qualify. Simple enough, right? Well, it gets a bit more complicated when you realize that registration is not limited to unqualified athletes. So, for example, at 57 kg, Spencer Lee has registered. Lee has already qualified by winning the Bill Farrell. If he places in the top five, he'll eliminate one of the remaining qualifying spots. 

So at this weekend's event, athletes who have already qualified have the opportunity to whittle down their Olympic Trials field a bit by showing out in Fort Worth. It will be fascinating to see what other previously qualified athletes opt to show up in Texas to keep their competition at bay.