What's The Best Case Scenario For The Last Chance Qualifiers?
What's The Best Case Scenario For The Last Chance Qualifiers?
What kind of impact do wrestlers at the Last Chance Olympic Team Trials Qualifier have on the Trails and the Olympics?
USA Wrestling's Last Chance Olympic Team Trials Qualifier tournament takes place this weekend in Fairfax, Virginia. What type of impact can we expect those competitors to have on the Olympic Team Trials themselves, and potentially the Olympic Games? Let's investigate!
We can start by taking a look at who won the previous two Olympic Team Trials Last Chance Qualifiers, which occurred in 2016 and 2021 (the 2020 Olympics were postponed a year because of the stupid novel coronavirus). The 2016 Rio Olympics was also the first to have just six weight classes per style.
2016 Last Chance Winners
Men's Freestyle
57: Obe Blanc
65: BJ Futrell
74: Mark Hall
86: Deron Winn
97: Kallen Kleinschmidt
125: Blaize Cabell
Women's Freestyle
48: Alesha Zappitella
53: Dajan Treder
58: Trinity Griffin
63: Rachael Shannon
69: Lorrie Ramos
75: Tanya Kusse
Greco-Roman
59: Justin LaValle
66: Marco Lara
75: Alec Ortiz
85: Hayden Zillmer
98: John Lorenz
130: Donny Longendyke
2021 Last Chance Winners
Men's Freestyle
57: Sean Russell
65: Evan Henderson
74: Chance Marsteller
86: Gabe Dean
97: Ben Honis
125: Tanner Hall
Women's Freestyle
50: Sage Mortimer
53: Melanie Mendoza
57: Xochitl Mota-Pettis
62: Michaela Beck
68: Kennedy Blades
76: Jackie Cataline
Greco-Roman
60: Travis Rice
67: Lenny Merkin
77: Austin Morrow
87: Alan Vera
97: Braxton Amos
125: Tanner Farmer
Now we can look back at the Olympic Team Trials and see how everyone did.
2016 Last Chance Winners
Men's Freestyle
Lost in the round of 16: 57 - Obe Blanc, 65 - BJ Futrell, 86 - Deron Winn, 97 - Blaize Cabell, 97 Kallan Kleinschmidt
Lost in the quarterfinals: 74 - Mark Hall
Women's Freestyle
Lost in the round of 16: 48 - Alesha Zappitella, 53 - Dajan Treder, 58 - Trinity Griffin, 63 - Rachael Shannon, 69 - Lorrie Ramos, 75 - Tanya Kusse
Greco-Roman
Lost in the round of 16: 59 - Justin LaValle
Lost in the quarterfinals: 66 - Marco Lara, 75 - Alec Ortiz, 85 - Hayden Zillmer
Did not compete: 98 - John Lorenz, 130 - Donny Longendyke
2021 Last Chance Winners
Men's Freestyle
Lost in the round of 16: 65 - Evan Henderson, 74 - Chance Marsteller
Lost in the quarterfinals: 57 - Sean Russell, 97 - Ben Honis, 125 - Tanner Hall
Lost in the semifinals: 86 - Gabe Dean
Women's Freestyle
Lost in the round of 16: 50 - Sage Mortimer, 53 - Melanie Mendoza, 62 - Michaela Beck
Lost in the semifinals: 57 - Xochitl Mota-Pettis, 76 - Jackie Cataline
Lost in the best 2 of 3 finals: 68 - Kennedy Blades
Greco-Roman
Lost in the round of 16: 67 - Lenny Merkin
Lost in the quarterfinals: 60 - Travis Rice, 77 - Austin Morrow, 125 - Tanner Farmer
Lost in the semifinals: 87 - Alan Vera
Lost in the best 2 of 3 finals: 97 - Braxton Amos
As you can see, it's very difficult to win matches at the Olympic Team Trials! This should come as no surprise as the quadrennial event attracts all the best wrestlers in the country and is limited to a mere six weight classes.
The qualifying system also already takes into account competitors who have had recent success, so most of the top contenders will have no need for the Last Chance tournament, as you can see from this list of 2024 Olympic Team Trials qualifiers.
Still, in 2021, two of the Last Chance winners made it all the way to the Olympic Team Trials finals, and several others made the Challenge Tournament semifinals. Could one of this year's Last Chance entries make it as far? Could they make the Olympic team? We'll find out soon!