1948 U.S. Olympic Team
As we gear up for the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, a question immediately comes to mind: How have U.S. wrestlers performed at past Olympics?
One common measure is the number of gold, silver and bronze medals Team USA members have brought home from previous Olympics going back to the 1904 Games in St. Louis, the first modern Olympics to feature wrestling.
The big picture
USA leads the way in total medals in wrestling
In terms of total individual medals handed out in all types of wrestling -- men's and women's freestyle, and Greco-Roman -- from 1904 up through the 2012 London Games, the U.S. leads the way, with a total of 125 medals of all types. U.S. wrestlers have claimed the most bronze and silver medals, with 32 and 43 each, respectively. U.S. grapplers have brought home 50 gold medals, second only to the USSR in terms of gold with 62. (That figure applies only to gold medals won during the existence of the Soviet Union. There are separate figures for Russia, which ranks seventh overall in terms of wrestling gold medals, with 25.)
One more fun fact about U.S. wrestlers' medal haul over the more than a century of participation at Olympic Games: with 125 medals overall, Team USA has claimed nearly one in ten of all the medals awarded -- 1,199 -- in all types of wrestling since 1904.
Which teams rank behind Team USA wrestlers in terms of total Olympic medals earned? The old Soviet Union is second overall, with 116 (62 gold, 31 silver and 23 bronze). Sweden is third, with 84 Olympic wrestling medals (28 gold, 27 silver, 29 bronze), with neighboring Finland right behind, with 83 medals total (26 gold, 28 silver, 29 bronze). In fifth place is Bulgaria, with 68 total medals (16 gold, 32 silver, 20 bronze).
Rounding out the top ten countries earning Olympic medals in wrestling: Japan (6th place, 68 total medals); Turkey (7th, 58 medals); Hungary (8th, 54 medals); Russia (9th, 48 medals); and South Korea (10th, 35 medals).
U.S. tops in total medals in freestyle ...
In terms of total number of medals awarded in men's and women's freestyle from 1904 through 2012, the U.S. also leads the way, with a total of 110 medals -- 47 gold, 37 silver, and 26 bronze. That total medal haul is nearly twice that of the second-ranked country, the USSR, which could claim a total of 56 medals -- 28 gold, 15 silver, and 13 bronze -- during the time of its existence. Coming in third is Japan, with 49 total medals -- 20 gold, 12 silver, 13 bronze. Turkey ranks fourth overall in freestyle medals, with 36 -- 17 gold, 11 silver, eight bronze. Right behind Turkey is Bulgaria with 35 total medals, including seven gold, 17 silver, and 11 bronze.
Rounding out the top ten overall in freestyle medals: Iran is sixth, with 33 total medals (five gold, a dozen silver, 16 bronze); Sweden is seventh, with 26 medals (eight gold, ten silver, eight bronze), closely followed by Scandinavian neighbor Finland with 25 (eight, seven, and ten). In ninth place is Russia, with 22 medals (13 gold, five silver, four bronze) ... with South Korea claiming tenth, with four gold, nine silver, and seven bronze medals.
... but tied for 14th in Greco
By comparison, Team USA's Greco-Roman medal performance isn't quite in the same league as its success in freestyle. In fact, the U.S. ranks fourteenth in total medals earned in Greco, with a total of fourteen -- three gold, six silver, and five bronze. (The U.S. is tied with Russia for fourteenth place.)
Which country has excelled in Greco? The now-defunct Soviet Union ranks at the top, having earned a total of 60 medals -- 34 gold, 16 silver, 10 bronze. Finland is a close second, with 58 medals -- 18 gold, 21 silver, 19 bronze ... closely followed by Sweden, with 20 gold, 17 silver, and 19 bronze to add up to a total of 56 medals in Greco. In fourth place is Hungary, with 36 medals -- 16 gold, and ten each in silver and bronze. Bulgaria came in fifth with 31 medals -- nine gold, 14 silver, eight bronze.
The rest of the top ten in Greco: Romania is sixth (six gold, eight silver, 13 bronze); Turkey placed seventh with 20 (11 gold, five silver, four bronze); Poland in eighth place with 19 (five gold, eight silver, six bronze). Italy and Germany tied for ninth with 18 medals -- five gold, four silver, nine bronze for the Italians ... while the Germans earned four gold, nine silver, and five bronze medals.
Team USA medalists in men's freestyle
Meet the men from the U.S. who earned medals in freestyle wrestling competition, listed by each individual Olympics.
1904 St. Louis
Light-flyweight: Robert Curry, gold; John Hein, silver; Gustav Thiefenthaler, bronze.
Flyweight: George Mehnert, gold; Gustave Bauer, silver; William Nelson, bronze
Bantamweight: Isador Niflot, gold; August Wester, silver; Louis Strebler, bronze
Featherweight: Benjamin Bradshaw, gold; Theodore McLear, silver; Charles Clapper, bronze
Lightweight: Otto Roehm, gold; Rudolph Tesing, silver; Albert Zirkel, bronze.
Welterweight: Charles Erickson, gold; William Beckmann, silver; Jerry Winholtz, bronze.
Heavyweight: Bernhoff Hansen, gold; Frank Kugler, silver; Fred Warmbold, bronze.
1908 London
Bantamweight: George Mehnert, gold.
Featherweight: George Dole, gold
Lightweight: Not in Olympics.
Welterweight: Not in Olympics.
Middleweight: Not in Olympics.
Heavyweight: No medals for U.S.
1912 Stockholm
Bantamweight: Not in Olympics
Featherweight: Not in Olympics
Lightweight: Not in Olympics
Welterweight: Not in Olympics
Middleweight: Not in Olympics
Heavyweight: Not in Olympics
1920 Antwerp
Bantamweight: Not in Olympics
Featherweight: Charles Ackerly, gold; Samuel Gerson, silver; Philip Bernard, bronze
Lightweight: No medals for U.S.
Welterweight: Not in Olympics.
Middleweight: No medals for U.S.
Light-Heavyweight: Walter Maurer, bronze
Heavyweight: Nat Pendleton, silver; Fred Meyer, bronze
1924 Paris
Bantamweight: Bryan Hines, bronze
Featherweight: Robin Reed, gold; Chester Newton, silver
Lighweight: Russell Vis, gold
Welterweight: No medals for U.S.
Middleweight: No medals for U.S.
Light-Heavyweight: John Spellman, gold
Heavyweight: Harry Steel, gold
Allie Morrison won gold in 1928
Bantamweight: No medals for U.S.
Featherweight: Allie Morrison, gold
Lightweight: No medals for U.S.
Welterweight: Lloyd Appleton, silver.
Middleweight: No medals for U.S.
Light-heavyweight: No medals for U.S.
Heavyweight: No medals for U.S.
1932 Los Angeles
Bantamweight: Robert "Bobby" Pearce, gold
Featherweight: Edgar Nemir, silver
Lightweight: No medals for U.S.
Welterweight: Jack VanBebber, gold.
Middleweight: No medals for U.S.
Light-Heavyweight: Pete Mehringer, gold
Heavyweight: John Riley, silver
1936 Berlin
Bantamweight: Ross Flood, silver
Featherweight: Francis Millard, silver
Lightweight: No medals for U.S.
Welterweight: Frank Lewis, gold
Middleweight: Richard "Dick" Voliva, silver
Light-Heavyweight: No medals for U.S.
Heavyweight: No medals for U.S.
1948 London
Flyweight: No medals for U.S.
Bantamweight: Gerald "Gerry" Leeman, silver
Featherweight: No medals for U.S.
Lightweight: No medals for U.S.
Welterweight: Leland Merrill, bronze.
Middleweight: Glen Brand, gold
Light-Heavyweight: Henry Wittenberg, gold
Heavyweight: No medals for U.S.
1952 Helsinki
Flyweight: No medals for U.S.
Bantamweight: No medals for U.S.
Featherweight: Joe Henson, bronze
Lightweight: No medals for U.S.
Welterweight: Bill Smith, gold.
Middleweight: No medals for U.S.
Light-Heavyweight: Henry Wittenberg, silver
Heavyweight: No medals for U.S.
1956 Melbourne
Flyweight: No medals for U.S.
Bantamweight: No medals for U.S.
Featherweight: No medals for U.S.
Lightweight: No medals for U.S.
Welterweight: No medals for U.S.
Middleweight: Dan Hodge, silver
Light-Heavyweight: Peter Blair, bronze
Heavyweight: No medals for U.S.
Shelby Wilson, Terry McCann and Doug Blubaugh won gold medals at the 1960 Olympics in Rome
Flyweight: No medals for U.S.
Bantamweight: Terry McCann, gold
Featherweight: No medals for U.S.
Lightweight: Shelby Wilson, gold
Welterweight: Doug Blubaugh, gold
Middleweight: No medals for U.S.
Light-Heavyweight: No medals for U.S.
Heavyweight: No medals for U.S.
1964 Tokyo
Flyweight: No medals for U.S.
Bantamweight: No medals for U.S.
Featherweight: No medals for U.S.
Lightweight: No medals for U.S.
Welterweight: No medals for U.S.
Middleweight: Dan Brand, bronze
Light-Heavyweight: No medals for U.S.
Heavyweight: No medals for U.S.
1968 Mexico City
Flyweight: Richard Sanders, silver
Bantamweight: Donald Behm, silver
Featherweight: No medals for U.S.
Lightweight: No medals for U.S.
Welterweight: No medals for U.S.
Middleweight: No medals for U.S.
Light-Heavyweight: No medals for U.S.
Heavyweight: No medals for U.S.
1972 Munich
Light-flyweight: No medals for U.S.
Flyweight: No medals for U.S.
Bantamweight: Richard Sanders, silver
Featherweight: No medals for U.S.
Lightweight: Dan Gable, gold
Welterweight: Wayne Wells, gold
Middleweight: John Peterson, silver
Light-Heavyweight: Ben Peterson, gold
Heavyweight: No medals for U.S.
Superheavyweight: Chris Taylor, bronze
1976 Montreal
Light-flyweight: No medals for U.S.
Flyweight: No medals for U.S.
Bantamweight: No medals for U.S.
Featherweight: Gene Davis, bronze
Lightweight: Lloyd Keaser, silver
Welterweight: Stan Dziedzic, bronze
Middleweight: John Peterson, gold
Light-Heavyweight: Ben Peterson, silver
Heavyweight: Russ Hellickson, silver
Superheavyweight: No medals for U.S.
1980 Moscow
U.S. boycott
Bobby Weaver was one of seven gold medalists for Team USA in freestyle in 1984 in LA
Light-flyweight: Bobby Weaver, gold
Flyweight: No medals for U.S.
Bantamweight: Barry Davis, silver
Featherweight: Randy Lewis, gold
Lightweight: Andy Rein, silver
Welterweight: Dave Schultz, gold
Middleweight: Mark Schultz, gold
Light-Heavyweight: Ed Banach, gold
Heavyweight: Lou Banach, gold
Superheavyweight: Bruce Baumgartner, gold
1988 Seoul
Light-flyweight: No medals for U.S.
Flyweight: No medals for U.S.
Bantamweight: No medals for U.S.
Featherweight: John Smith, gold
Lightweight: Nate Carr, bronze
Welterweight: Kenny Monday, gold
Middleweight: No medals for U.S.
Light-Heavyweight: No medals for U.S.
Heavyweight: Bill Scherr, bronze
Superheavyweight: Bruce Baumgartner, silver
1992 Barcelona
Light-flyweight: No medals for U.S.
Flyweight: Zeke Jones, silver
Bantamweight: No medals for U.S.
Featherweight: John Smith, gold
Lightweight: No medals for U.S.
Welterweight: Kenny Monday, silver.
Middleweight: Kevin Jackson, gold
Light-heavyweight: Chris Campbell, bronze
Heavyweight: No medals for U.S.
Superheavyweight: Bruce Baumgartner, gold
Kendall Cross celebrates after winning an Olympic gold medal in Atlanta in 1996
Light-flyweight: No medals for U.S.
Flyweight: No medals for U.S.
Bantamweight: Kendall Cross, gold
Featherweight: Tom Brands, gold
Lightweight: Townsend Saunders, silver
Welterweight: No medals for U.S.
Middleweight: No medals for U.S.
Light-Heavyweight: No medals for U.S.
Heavyweight: Kurt Angle, gold
Superheavyweight: Bruce Baumgartner, bronze
2000 Sydney
Flyweight: Sammie Henson, silver
Bantamweight: Terry Brands, bronze
Featherweight: No medals for U.S.
Lightweight: Lincoln McIlravy, bronze
Welterweight: Brandon Slay, gold
Middleweight: No medals for U.S.
Heavyweight: No medals for U.S.
Superheavyweight: No medals for U.S.
Jamill Kelly finished with a silver medal in Athens
Bantamweight: Stephen Abas, silver
Featherweight: No medals for U.S.
Lightweight: Jamill Kelly, silver
Welterweight: No medals for U.S.
Middleweight: Cael Sanderson, gold
Heavyweight: No medals for U.S.
Superheavyweight: No medals for U.S.
2008 Beijing
Bantamweight: Henry Cejudo, gold
Featherweight: No medals for U.S.
Lightweight: No medals for U.S.
Welterweight: No medals for U.S.
Middleweight: No medals for U.S.
Heavyweight: No medals for U.S.
Superheavyweight: No medals for U.S.
2012 London
Bantamweight: No medals for U.S.
Featherweight: Coleman Scott, bronze
Lightweight: No medals for U.S.
Welterweight: Jordan Burroughs, gold
Middleweight: No medals for U.S.
Heavyweight: Jake Varner, gold
Superheavyweight: No medals for U.S.
Current men's freestyle weight classes for 2016: Bantamweight -- 57 kilograms/125 pounds; Lightweight -- 65 kilograms/143 pounds; Welterweight -- 74 kilograms/163 pounds; Middleweight -- 86 kilograms/189 pounds; Heavyweight -- 97 kilograms/213 pounds; Superheavyweight -- 125 kilograms/275 pounds.
Past men's freestyle weight classes*: Light-flyweight -- 48 kilograms/105 pounds; Flyweight -- 52-54 kilograms/114-119 pounds; Bantamweight -- 54-57 kilograms/119-125 pounds; Featherweight -- 60-63 kilograms/132-138 pounds; Lightweight -- 65-70 kilograms/143-154 pounds; Welterweight -- 76-78 kilograms/167-172 pounds; Middleweight -- 73-87 kilograms/161-191 pounds; Light-Heavyweight -- 80-97 kilograms/176-213 pounds; Heavyweight -- 72-100 kilograms/159-220 pounds; Superheavyweight -- 100-130 kilograms/220-286 pounds.
*A range represents actual weights which varied from year-to-year/Olympics to Olympics.
Team USA medalists in women's freestyle
Here are the names of the U.S. wrestlers who earned medals in women's freestyle competition, listed by each individual Olympics. Note: Three new weight classes -- bantamweight (53 kilograms/116 pounds), welterweight (58 kilograms/128 pounds), and light-heavyweight (69 kilograms/152 pounds) -- have been added for the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Sara McMann after winning a silver medal
Flyweight: Patricia Miranda, bronze
Middleweight: Sara McMann, silver
Heavyweight: No medals for U.S.
2008 Beijing
Flyweight: No medals for U.S.
Middleweight: Randi Miller, bronze
Heavyweight: No medals for U.S.
2012 London
Flyweight: Clarissa Chun, bronze
Middleweight: No medals for U.S.
Heavyweight: No medals for U.S.
Current women's freestyle weight classes for 2016: Flyweight -- 48 kilograms/106 pounds; Bantamweight -- 53 kilograms/116 pounds; Welterweight -- 58 kilograms/128 pounds; Middleweight -- 63 kilograms/139 pounds; Light-heavyweight -- 69 kilograms/152 pounds and Heavyweight -- 75 kilograms/165 pounds.
Team USA medalists in men's Greco-Roman
This is the list of men's Greco-Roman wrestlers who brought home hardware in Olympic competition.
1908 London
Lightweight: No medals for U.S.
Middleweight: No medals for U.S.
Light-Heavyweight: No medals for U.S.
Super-Heavyweight: No medals for U.S.
1912 Stockholm
Lightweight: No medals for U.S.
Middleweight: No medals for U.S.
Light-Heavyweight: No medals for U.S.
Heavyweight: No medals for U.S.
1920 Antwerp
Lightweight: No medals for U.S.
Middleweight: No medals for U.S.
Light-Heavyweight: No medals for U.S.
Heavyweight: No medals for U.S.
1924 Paris
Bantamweight: No medals for U.S.
Lightweight: No medals for U.S.
Middleweight: No medals for U.S.
Light-Heavyweight: No medals for U.S.
Heavyweight: No medals for U.S.
1928 Amsterdam
Bantamweight: No medals for U.S.
Lightweight: No medals for U.S.
Middleweight: No medals for U.S.
Light-heavyweight: No medals for U.S.
Heavyweight: No medals for U.S.
1932 Los Angeles
Bantamweight: No medals for U.S.
Lightweight: No medals for U.S.
Middleweight: No medals for U.S.
Light-heavyweight: No medals for U.S.
Heavyweight: No medals for U.S.
1936 Berlin
Bantamweight: No medals for U.S.
Lightweight: No medals for U.S.
Middleweight: No medals for U.S.
Light-heavyweight: No medals for U.S.
Heavyweight: No medals for U.S.
1948 London
Bantamweight: No medals for U.S.
Lightweight: No medals for U.S.
Middleweight: No medals for U.S.
Light-heavyweight: No medals for U.S.
Heavyweight: No medals for U.S.
1952 Helsinki
Bantamweight: No medals for U.S.
Lightweight: No medals for U.S.
Middleweight: No medals for U.S.
Light-heavyweight: No medals for U.S.
Heavyweight: No medals for U.S.
1956 Melbourne
Bantamweight: No medals for U.S.
Lightweight: No medals for U.S.
Middleweight: No medals for U.S.
Light-heavyweight: No medals for U.S.
Heavyweight: No medals for U.S.
1960 Rome
Bantamweight: No medals for U.S.
Lightweight: No medals for U.S.
Middleweight: No medals for U.S.
Light-heavyweight: No medals for U.S.
Heavyweight: No medals for U.S.
1964 Tokyo
Bantamweight: No medals for U.S.
Lightweight: No medals for U.S.
Middleweight: No medals for U.S.
Light-heavyweight: No medals for U.S.
Heavyweight: No medals for U.S.
1968 Mexico City
Bantamweight: No medals for U.S.
Lightweight: No medals for U.S.
Middleweight: No medals for U.S.
Light-heavyweight: No medals for U.S.
Heavyweight: No medals for U.S.
1972 Munich
Bantamweight: No medals for U.S.
Lightweight: No medals for U.S.
Middleweight: No medals for U.S.
Light-heavyweight: No medals for U.S.
Heavyweight: No medals for U.S.
Superheavyweight: Chris Taylor, bronze
1976 Montreal
Bantamweight: No medals for U.S.
Lightweight: No medals for U.S.
Middleweight: No medals for U.S.
Light-heavyweight: No medals for U.S.
Heavyweight: No medals for U.S.
1980 Moscow
U.S. Boycott
Steve Fraser is one of three American Greco-Roman wrestlers to win an Olympic gold medal
Bantamweight: No medals for U.S.
Lightweight: No medals for U.S.
Middleweight: No medals for U.S.
Light-heavyweight: Steve Fraser, gold
Heavyweight: Greg Gibson, silver
Superheavyweight: Jeff Blatnick, gold
1988 Seoul
Bantamweight: No medals for U.S.
Lightweight: No medals for U.S.
Middleweight: No medals for U.S.
Light-heavyweight: No medals for U.S.
Heavyweight: Dennis Koslowski, bronze
Superheavyweight: No medals for U.S.
1992 Barcelona
Bantamweight: No medals for U.S.
Lightweight: No medals for U.S.
Middleweight: No medals for U.S.
Light-heavyweight: No medals for U.S.
Heavyweight: Dennis Koslowski, silver
Superheavyweight: No medals for U.S.
1996 Atlanta
Flyweight: Brandon Paulson, silver
Bantamweight: Dennis Hall, silver
Lightweight: No medals for U.S.
Middleweight: No medals for U.S.
Light-heavyweight: No medals for U.S.
Heavyweight: No medals for U.S.
Superheavyweight: Matt Ghaffari, silver
2000 Sydney
Bantamweight: No medals for U.S.
Lightweight: No medals for U.S.
Welterweight: Matt Lindland, silver
Middleweight: No medals for U.S.
Heavyweight: Garrett Lowney, bronze
Superheavyweight: Rulon Gardner, gold
2004 Athens
Bantamweight: No medals for U.S.
Lightweight: No medals for U.S.
Welterweight: No medals for U.S.
Middleweight: No medals for U.S.
Heavyweight: No medals for U.S.
Superheavyweight: Rulon Gardner, bronze
2008 Beijing
Bantamweight: No medals for U.S.
Lightweight: No medals for U.S.
Welterweight: No medals for U.S.
Middleweight: No medals for U.S.
Heavyweight: Adam Wheeler, bronze
Superheavyweight: No medals for U.S.
2012 London
Bantamweight: No medals for U.S.
Lightweight: No medals for U.S.
Welterweight: No medals for U.S.
Middleweight: No medals for U.S.
Heavyweight: No medals for U.S.
Superheavyweight: No medals for U.S.
Current men's Greco-Roman weight classes for 2016: Bantamweight -- 59 kilograms/130 pounds; Lightweight -- 65 kilograms/143 pounds; Welterweight -- 75 kilograms/163 pounds; Middleweight -- 85 kilograms/187 pounds; Heavyweight -- 98 kilograms/215 pounds; Superheavyweight -- 130 kilograms/286 pounds.
Past men's Greco-Roman weight classes*: Light-flyweight -- 48 kilograms/105 pounds; Flyweight -- 52-54 kilograms/114-119 pounds; Bantamweight -- 56-59 kilograms/123-130 pounds; Featherweight -- 60-63 kilograms/132-138 pounds; Lightweight -- 65-70 kilograms/143-154 pounds; Welterweight -- 72-78 kilograms/158-172 pounds; Middleweight -- 73-87 kilograms/161-191 pounds; Light-Heavyweight -- 82-97 kilograms/180-213 pounds; Heavyweight -- 82-100 kilograms/180-220 pounds; Superheavyweight -- 93-130 kilograms/205-286 pounds.
*A range represents actual weights which varied from year-to-year/Olympics to Olympics.
Want to know more about past U.S. success on mat at the Olympics? Here are three InterMat features you might enjoy: All about Allie Morrison, 1928 Olympic gold medalist from Marshalltown, Iowa ... the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics ... and a look back at the 1960 Olympics in Rome, with a focus on the three freestylers from Team U.S.A. who brought home the gold: Terry McCann, Shelby Wilson, and Doug Blubaugh.
