Kyle Snyder celebrates with family and friends after winning Olympic gold (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)Another Summer Olympics is now history. The 2016 Rio Games were one of incredible thrills for some Team USA wrestlers ... while for others, it was a time of heartbreaking loss.
Let's review. Three U.S. wrestlers earned medals in Rio de Janeiro: gold medals for Helen Maroulis and Kyle Snyder ... and a bronze medal for J'den Cox. That means two men's freestyle medals, one for the women's freestyle squad, and none for U.S. Greco-Roman wrestlers.
Comparison to other nations
A total of 27 different nations won at least one Olympic wrestling medal in Rio, according to WIN (Wrestling Insider Newsmagazine). Russia and Azerbaijan led the way, each with a total of nine medals. Japan earned seven medals ... followed by Iran and Turkey, each with five medals. With three medals, the U.S. is tied with five other nations: Cuba, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Georgia, and Uzbekistan.
Comparison to predictions
Earlier this month, Sports Illustrated predicted that six Team USA wrestlers would leave Rio with medals. The weekly sports magazine said Jordan Burroughs would win gold in men's freestyle, with gold for women's freestyle wrestler Adeline Gray ... silver for Helen Maroulis and Kyle Snyder ... and bronze medals for Elena Pirozhkova and men's Greco-Roman competitor Andy Bisek.
Immediately before the start of the Olympics, TheMat.com -- the official website for USA Wrestling -- conducted an online poll, asking visitors, "How many gold medals will Team USA win in wrestling at the 2016 Olympic Games?" Thirty percent correctly predicted two gold medals for U.S. wrestlers.
Comparison to the past
How does the three medals Team USA wrestlers earned this summer compare to U.S. performance on the mat at recent Olympics?
Four years ago at the 2012 London Games, the U.S. claimed four medals: gold medals for Jordan Burroughs and Jake Varner, and bronze medals for Clarissa Chun and Coleman Scott. In other words, three medals for men's freestyle wrestlers, one for women's freestyle, and none in Greco.
At the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Henry Cejudo won gold, while Randi Miller and Adam Wheeler each got bronze ... one medal each for men's freestyle, women's freestyle and Greco.
A dozen years ago, the 2004 Athens Olympics were very good to Team USA wrestlers, for a total of a half-dozen medals. Three men's freestyle wrestlers medaled: Cael Sanderson won gold, while Stephen Abas and Jamill Kelly claimed silver. In the first Olympics featuring women's freestyle competition, the U.S. won two medals: Patricia Miranda got bronze, while Sara McMann got silver. Rulon Gardner added to his trophy case with a bronze medal in Greco-Roman.
Women's wrestling medalists
48 kilograms/105.5 pounds (wrestled Wednesday, Aug. 17)
53 kilograms/116.5 pounds (wrestled Thursday, Aug. 18)
58 kilograms/127.5 pounds (wrestled Wednesday, Aug. 17)
63 kilograms/138.75 pounds (wrestled Thursday, Aug. 18)
69 kilograms/152 pounds
75 kilograms/165 pounds
Freestyle wrestling medalists
57 kilograms/125.5 pounds (wrestled Friday, Aug. 19)
65 kilograms/143 pounds (wrestled Sunday, Aug. 21)
74 kilograms/163 pounds (wrestled Friday, Aug. 19)
86 kilograms/189 pounds (wrestled Saturday, Aug. 20)
97 kilograms/213 pounds (wrestled Sunday, Aug. 21)
125 kilograms/275 pounds (wrestled Saturday, Aug. 20)
Greco-Roman wrestling medalists
59 kilograms/130 pounds (wrestled Sunday, Aug. 14)
66 kilograms/145.5 pounds (wrestled Tuesday, Aug. 16)
75 kilograms/165 pounds (wrestled Sunday, Aug. 14)
85 kilograms/187 pounds (wrestled Monday, Aug. 15)
98 kilograms/216 pounds (wrestled Tuesday, Aug. 16)
130 kilograms/286 pounds (wrestled Monday, Aug. 15)
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