The 2024 Olympic Games came to an end on Sunday. Since there was so much action going on for the last week you're sure to have missed something along the way. We'll go through each weight class and have a wrap-up for each, which includes results and some notable facts related to the weight.
Past weight classes
Round of 16
Rei Higuchi (Japan) over Alireza Sarlak (Iran) FFT
Darian Cruz (Puerto Rico) over Gamal Mohamed (Egypt) Fall 1:30
Aman Sehrawat (India) over Vladimir Egorov (North Macedonia) 8-0
Zelimkhan Abakarov (Albania) over Diamantino Iuna Fafe (Guinea-Bissau) 7-6
Bekzat Almaz Uulu (Kyrgyzstan) over Meirambek Kartbay (Kazakhstan) 4-1
Spencer Lee (USA) over Wanhao Zou (China) 3-2
Gulomjon Abdullaev (Uzbekistan) over Aliabbas Rzazade (Azerbaijan) 11-4
Arsen Harutyunyan (Armenia) over Roman Bravo-Young (Mexico) 13-3
Quarterfinals
Rei Higuchi (Japan) over Darian Cruz (Puerto Rico) 12-2
Aman Sehrawat (India) over Zelimkhan Abakarov (Albania) 12-0
Spencer Lee (USA) over Bekzat Almaz Uulu (Kyrgyzstan) 12-2
Gulomjon Abdullaev (Uzbekistan) over Arsen Harutyunyan (Armenia) 12-5
Semifinals
Rei Higuchi (Japan) over Aman Sehrawat (India) 10-0
Spencer Lee (USA) over Gulomjon Abdullaev (Uzbekistan) 14-4
Repechage
Bekzat Almaz Uulu (Kyrgyzstan) over Wanhao Zou (China) Fall 2:24
Darian Cruz (Puerto Rico) over Alireza Sarlak (Iran) FFT
Bronze Medal Matches
Gulomjon Abdullaev (Uzbekistan) over Bekzat Almaz Uulu (Kyrgyzstan) 4-1
Aman Sehrawat (India) over Darian Cruz (Puerto Rico) 13-5
Gold Medal Match
Rei Higuchi (Japan) over Spencer Lee (USA) 4-2
Notes:
Rei Higuchi captured his second career Olympic medal - he has a silver from way back in 2016 in his collection as well.
Higuchi now has four World/Olympic medals with two of them being gold.
Higuchi is Japan’s first multiple-time Olympic medalist in men’s freestyle since Akira Ota in 1984 (2) and 1988 (2).
Of the three wrestlers in this bracket with prior world medals, only Higuchi was able to get on the medal stand.
Spencer Lee earned a silver medal in his first Senior-level World/Olympic event.
The last three 57 kg representatives for the United States have all wrestled for the University of Iowa.
The two finalists generally appeared to be on a level of their own above the rest of the weight class. They combined to outscore their opponents 51-10 (plus a forfeit) on the way to the finals.
The United States and India both had Olympic medalists in 2020 and 2024 at this weight; however, neither came from the same wrestler. Thomas Gilman and Ravi Kumar were the medalists in 2020.
Sehrawat was the youngest of the medalists at 21.
The quarterfinal round saw a pair of past world medalists and favorites lose in relatively one-sided matches. Abakarov was teched by Sehrawat and Harutyunyan was defeated 12-5 by Abdullaev.
All four quarterfinal winners posted 12 points in each of their matches.
This was the only men’s freestyle weight where Iran did not post an individual win. Sarlak was a very late replacement and ended up forfeiting to Higuchi in the opening round.
Three of the eight seeded wrestlers fell in the first round. #3 Kartbay, #6 Zou, #8 Mohamed.
As you might expect from 57 kg, this weight class was littered with first-time Olympians. Only Abdullaev, Harutyunyan, Higuchi, and Iuna Fafe and previous Olympic experience.
This bracket contained three NCAA champions with Lee (x3), Roman Bravo-Young (x2), and Darian Cruz.
photo courtesy of Tony Rotundo; WrestlersAreWarriors.com
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