Jordan Oliver's Path To The Olympics
Jordan Oliver's Path To The Olympics
Jordan Oliver will have to navigate a field of wrestlers filled with past World/Olympic champs and medalists in order to qualify for the Olympics.
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Immediately following Jordan Oliver's first place finish at the Olympic Trials, attention moved to May 7th-the day Oliver will compete at the last Olympic Qualifier in Sofia, Bulgaria. 65kg is the only weight (in men's freestyle) that Team USA has not qualified for the Olympics and Jordan Oliver has his work cut out for him.
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Before outlining the competitors Oliver will face, it’s worth briefly explaining the qualification process. 14 of the 16 available Olympic Spots have been filled at every weight. (If you’d like to see how Team USA's qualified men’s freestyle team ranks in the field, check it out here) The remaining 2 Olympic spots will be granted to the finalists of the qualifier in Bulgaria. There will be no “true seconds” and the brackets will be randomly drawn.
There will likely be 35 competitors in Jordan Oliver’s bracket. In that size field, he’ll have to win at least 4 matches to make the finals. To help give context around his competition, I seeded the top 10, listed their accomplishments and all results against American wrestlers. Remember, because of random draw, the real bracket will not be seeded and Oliver could end up having none or all of the top guys on his side of the bracket.
1. Ilyas Bekbulatov (UZB)
2020 Asian Gold, 2018 Euro Silver, 2018, 15, 13 Yarygin Gold, 2017 Euro Gold, Ranked #12 in world at 65kg
4-0 Against Americans
-2018 Kolov - 4-0 win over Frank Molinaro
-2018 Yarygin - 16-6 win over Logan Stieber
-2013 Yarygin - 8-0, 3-1 win over Brent Metcalf
-2015 Yarygin - 8-6 win over Brent Metcalf
*Both Yarygin matches are from WrestDag's Youtube page
2. Magomedmurad Gadzhiev (POL)
2020 World Cup Gold, 2019 World Bronze, 2017 World Silver
6-1 Against Americans
-2019 Worlds - 4-3 win over James Green
-2018 Outstanding Ukrainian - 9-4 win over Evan Henderson
-2016 Olympics - 2-2 loss to Frank Molinaro
-2015 Cerro Pelado - 5-4 win over Dustin Schlatter
-2015 Cerro Pelado - 11-1 win over Jason Welch
-2015 Grand Prix of Paris - 8-3 win over Cyler Sanderson
-2011 Dave Schultz - 1-0, 1-0 win over Ryan Morningstar
3. Beka Lomtadze (GEO)
2019 World Champion, 2016 World Silver
4-2 Against Americans
-2019 Worlds - 3-1 over Tyler Graff
-2019 Henri Deglane - 10-0 win over Cory Clark
2018 Poland Open - Pinned by Jaydin Eierman
-2018 Outstanding Ukrainian - 11-0 win over Joe Colon
-2016 Worlds - 8-4 loss to Logan Stieber
-2016 World Cup - 8-5 win over Tony Ramos
4. Niurgun Skriabin (BLR)
2020 Euro Silver, 2016 Russian Nationals Silver, 2013 Euro Silver
0-2 Against Americans
-2020 Henri Deglane - 14-6 loss to Evan Henderson
-2014 World University Games - 8-2 loss to BJ Futrell
5. Haji Ali (BRN)
2019 Arab Gold, 2019 Yasar Dogu Silver
0-2 Against Americans
-2020 Henri Deglane - 11-6 loss to Evan Henderson
-2018 U23 Worlds - 14-4 loss to Colton McCrystal
6. Gor Oganesyan (UKR)
2019 Euro Bronze
1-1 Against Americans
-2019 Poland Open - 9-8 loss to Yianni Diakomihalis
-2018 Outstanding Ukrainian - 8-6 win over Evan Henderson
7. Ilman Mukhtarov (FRA)
2020 World Cup 5th, 2020 U23 World 5th
3-2 Against Americans
-2020 Henri Deglane - 9-0 loss to Dean Heil
-2018 Bill Farrell - 19-8 win over Earl Hall
-2018 Bill Farrell - 6-4 win over Andy Simmons
-2018 Bill Farrell - pinned by Evan Henderson
-2016 Junior Worlds - 16-11 win over Seth Gross
8. Selahattin Kilicsallayan (TUR)
2019 Euro Silver, 2018 Euro Bronze, 2013 Jr World Gold
0-3 Against Americans
-2020 Matteo Pellicone - 4-0 loss to Jordan Oliver
-2019 Kolov - 9-1 loss to Jordan Oliver
-2019 Kolov - 16-6 loss to BJ Futrell
9. Nikolai Okhlopkov (ROU)
2020 Euro Bronze, 2019 Yarygin Silver, 2018 U23 World Bronze
1-0 against Americans
-2013 Dmitry Korkin - win over Kyle Hutter
10. David Habat (SLO)
2017 Euro Bronze, NCAA All-American
5-4 against Americans
-2021 Matteo Pellicone - 7-3 loss to Joey McKenna
-2020 PWC - 9-0 loss to Luke Pletcher
-2018 Poland Open - 2-1 win over Andy Simmons
-2016 Dave Schultz - 9-1 win over Chris Dardanes
-2016 Dave Schultz - 11-0 loss to Nazar Kulchytskyy
-2016 Dave Schultz - 10-0 loss to Nazar Kulchytskyy
-2016 Dave Schultz - 8-7 win over Chase Pami
-2016 Dave Schultz - pinned Hayden Tuma
-2016 Dave Schultz - 10-0 win over Michael Mitchell