It’s almost here! The field has been set and the eyes of the American wrestling world are ready to collectively focus on State College, Pennsylvania, the setting of the 2024 US Olympic Team Trials. The Trials are always incredible and a must-see for fans; however, this one is a bit more special after the most recent Trials. Delayed by a year, because of COVID, the 2020(1) Trials were moved to Fort Worth, Texas, and did not have the type of crowd that is expected to pack the Bryce Jordan Center this time.
Our previews have been broken down to half of a particular style at a time. Earlier in the week, we started with men's freestyle - now we're wrapping up women's freestyle. The good news is that all six weights have been qualified for women's freestyle - either at the 2023 World Championships or at the 2024 Pan-American Olympic Qualifier. In a rule unique only to women's freestyle, the wrestler who earned the allocation bid for the United States can sit out until the best-of-three finals.
For each weight, we’ll mention the qualifiers, along with how they qualified, and notes about each of the participants, followed by a finals prediction.
62 kg Qualifiers
2024 Pan-American Olympic Games Qualifier Finalist: Kayla Miracle
2023 World Medalist in non-Olympic Weight: Jennifer Page (59 kg)
2023 World Medalist in non-Olympic Weight: Macey Kilty (65 kg)
2022 World Team member: Mallory Velte
2023 Bil Farrell runner-up: Katerina Lange
Senior National Runner-Up: Ashlynn Ortega
Senior Nationals Third Place: Aine Drury
Senior Nationals Fourth Place: Maya Letona
Senior Nationals Fifth Place: SaVannah Cosme
2024 NCWWC National champion: Reese Larramendy
2024 NCWWC National champion: Claire DiCugno
2024 NAIA National champion: Adaugo Nwachukwu
Last Chance Qualifier champion: Lauren Louive
Without a doubt, 62 kg is the deepest women’s freestyle weight in the Trials. Four of the entrants have won world medals at the Senior level. The field is led by mainstay Kayla Miracle. She has made the last five world/Olympic teams at this weight. After missing out on the medal stand at the 2020(1) Olympic Games, Miracle captured silver medals in the two World Championship events that followed the Games. In 2024, Miracle struck gold at the Pan-American Championships, then turned around and claimed a pair of wins at the Pan-Am Olympic Qualifier, which ensured the United States would be in the Olympics, at this weight. Miracle will have the advantage as she’ll wait in the best-of-three finals for a challenger to emerge.
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