Pan American Continental Qualifier Challenge Process

[Wrestleknownothing]

Does anyone know when challenges must be issued by for the US representative at the Pan American Continental Qualifier?

And supposing there are challenges, when will the challenge tournament occur?

As a reminder, a country has to qualify the weight in order to send a representative at the weigh to the Olympics. There are three paths to qualify a weight:

1. Top 5 at Worlds,
2. Top 2 at Continental Qualifiers. Nations may only enter wrestlers in a weight where they have not already qualified,
3. Top 3 at World Qualifier, aka Last Chance. Nations may only enter wrestlers in a weight where they have not already qualified.

Each weight will have just 16 athletes (5 from Worlds, plus 2 per Continent times 4 Continents, plus 3 from Last Chance).

This year USAW altered their criteria to determine who to send to the Continental Qualifier. Rather than automatically send the World Team member at the weight they have the following allowance for challenges:

• A senior world medalist, at any weight, within years (2019-2023) will be given the opportunity to challenge the 2023 Senior World Team Member for the spot.
  • a. If there is more than one challenger in a weight, there will be a single elimination tournament to determine who will challenge the 2023 World Team Member.
  • b. There will be a best of three series between the 2023 Senior World Team Member and the challenger to determine who will earn the spot.

For men's freestyle this only potentially affects 57kg and 65kg. For women's freestyle this only potentially affects 53kg and 62kg. For Greco Roman it potentially affects all weights (though I am not sure if there are qualified challengers).

[nhs67]

I know Johnny D basically said he for sure is challenging.

Do we know who else is (or isn't)?

[bnwtwg]

Can the incumbent (Richards and Lee) decline the challenge and let the challenger have the Pan Am spot by default?

Do I really want to make weight for the right to make weight before I have to make weight considering I just made weight?

I'm thinking Richards much more so than Lee fwiw

Edited November 16, 2023 by bnwtwg

[Wrestleknownothing]

45 minutes ago, bnwtwg said:

Can the incumbent (Richards and Lee) decline the challenge and let the challenger have the Pan Am spot by default?

Do I really want to make weight for the right to make weight before I have to make weight considering I just made weight?

I'm thinking Richards much more so than Lee fwiw

I did not include that part because I didn't think it would happen, but here it is:

• If a 2023 Senior World Team Member, from an Olympic weight, vacates the weight:
  • a. A senior world medalist, at any weight, within years (2019-2023) will be given the opportunity for a wrestle-off.
  • b. The current 2023 #2 and #3 National Team members, at that the vacated Olympic weight, will also be included in the wrestle-off.
  • c. The finals of the wrestle-off tournament will be a best of three series.

*A 2023 Senior World Team Member (Olympic Weights) that chooses not to participate, without a certified medical reason, will automatically lose that month's National Team stipend.

That asterisk puts a small economic hurdle out there if someone just doesn't feel like making weight.

Edited November 16, 2023 by Wrestleknownothing

[bnwtwg]

I'm not saying I would forgo three grand to not make weight, but maybe an ILRTC benefactor sends an extra venmo activity that month lol. Of course Dr. Mikey Carr could also do a workup and determine he has a certified medical reason.

[mspart]

Whatever happens, it will most likely be exciting.   I would think that everyone, but Zain, will want to try to qualify the weights.   This could be very intriguing. 

mspart

[bnwtwg]

3 hours ago, mspart said:

Whatever happens, it will most likely be exciting.   I would think that everyone, but Zain, will want to try to qualify the weights.   This could be very intriguing. 

mspart

Zain vs Dake... yikes. I bet the public match would be close by ritual of habit but that first match was probably a bloodbath.

And that's why we likely see Zain pull a Greezy. Stupid IOC. dumb dumb dumb dumb dumb.

[ILLINIWrestlingBlog]

In an interview with Zane Richards, he said that he will be qualifying the weight at the Pan Am Championships. I haven't heard if anybody has challenged him or Lee for that right, but Zane's planning on making the trip and making weight. 

 

[mspart]

I guess that answers the question for 57kg.  

mspart