What's Next For David Taylor?
What's Next For David Taylor?
David Taylor sustained an injury at Beat the Streets, so now we look to see what the next steps are in the event he cannot wrestle this year.
While the wrestling community holds its collective breath and awaits the status of David Taylor's injury, they all began frantically trying to figure out what the next steps are.
Earlier today, Taylor released this video to his fans.
— David Taylor (@magicman_psu) May 7, 2019
At this point, we do not know the severity of the injury Taylor suffered to his right knee. Everyone is hoping for the best, but we also must prepare for the worst.
Taylor has already accepted his berth into Final X: Rutgers as a gold medalist from last year's world championships in Budapest. That could come into play later on if the injury is serious, as only world medalists can request a delayed wrestle-off.
Below are the official procedures from USA Wrestling, which are basically identical across all three styles:
V. Delays or Replacement Due to Injury or Illness
a. Only a 2018 Senior world medalist who earned an automatic berth into Final X may request a medical delay for competing in the Final Wrestle-Off for medical reasons.
i. Wrestle-offs must occur before the departure for the 2019 World Team Acclimation Camp.
b. This request must be submitted to USA Wrestling at least 48 hours prior to the scheduled weigh-in time (no request for delay will be allowed, or granted, with less than 48 hours before weigh-in).
c. The request must be submitted in writing to the respective Sport Committee Chair for review, to include a written certification of the injury or illness from a USA Wrestling approved medical doctor. USA Wrestling’s approval of a medical doctor will not be unreasonably withheld.
d. If a certified medical doctor’s note is provided within the appropriate timeframe to support a 2018 Senior World medalist’s request for a delay, the request for a delay in competition will be granted.
e. In the case of a delayed Final Wrestle-Off, the National Coach and athletes involved shall determine the date, time, and place for conducting the Final Wrestle-Off of the 2019 U.S. World Teams Trials. If consensus cannot be reached, the Men’s Freestyle Sport Committee shall make this determination.
One of the main questions everyone had after the injury was about other possible options at 86kg if Taylor cannot compete at worlds. First, a look at everyone qualified for World Team Trials.
It is important to remember that you merely qualify for the Trials, but the way in which you qualify does not lock you into a weight. Meaning it is theoretically possible that someone like Bo Nickal could drop down from 92kg or Kyle Dake could come up from 79kg. However, they would then have to forfeit the byes they've earned, in Nickal's case the bye to the Trials finals and in Dake's case the bye to Final X.
Realistically, with WTT next weekend, it is unlikely anyone changes weights solely on the potential chance that Taylor's injury might possibly keep him out longer than four months. The world championships are in September in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan, and 86kg competes on September 21st and 22nd.
There are 18 days in between the Trials finals and the day that Taylor will have to file for a delayed wrestle-off. The most likely scenario is that Pat Downey, or Nick Heflin, or Sammy Brooks, or Myles Martin wins the spot to Final X, and we find out more than a few days before Final X whether or not the best-of-three series to determine the world team spot will come on June 8 or further down the line.