Spencer’s competition in Turkey

[edquinn06]

Not a cake walk by any means, but it is Spencer Lee.

FROM FLO:

INDIA - #6 Aman Aman (2022 U23 World gold)

CHINA - #7 Wanhao Zou (2022 World 5th)

TURKIYE - #10 Muhammet Karavus (2021 U20 World silver) OR Suleyman Atli (2019 World silver)

MONGOLIA - Munkh Erdene Batkhuyag (2023 U23 World bronze) OR Zandanbud Zanabazar (2022 World bronze) OR #18 Narankhuu Narmandakh (2022 61 kg World bronze)

NORTH KOREA - #17 Chongsong Han (2023 Asian Games silver)

IRAN - Ahmad Mohammadnezhadjavan (2022 U20 World bronze, 2021 U23 World bronze)

KAZAKHSTAN - Meirambek Kartbay (2023 World 5th) / Yerassyl Mukhtaruly (2023 U23 World 5th)

GEORGIA - Roberti Dingashvili (2024 Euro bronze)

GERMANY - Horst Lehr (2021 World bronze)

 

[GableBeer]

Great test to see where he’s at.

 

[Kinnick.At.Night]

I mean, Gilman has Olympic bronze, world gold and world silver. Nobody is better than a healthy Spencer Lee at 57 kg.

 

[edquinn06]

Great test to see where he’s at.

I wouldn’t put it that way. A failed test means no Olympic’s. He needs to smash and smash he shall.

 

[GableBeer]

I wouldn’t put it that way. A failed test means no Olympic’s. He needs to smash and smash he shall.

I expect nothing less than Spencer qualifying this weight. I just think it is a good test to see where he’s at relative to the world.

 

[edquinn06]

I expect nothing less than Spencer qualifying this weight. I just think it is a good test to see where he’s at relative to the world.

I get yah

 

[24timenattychamps]

I know some of the 57kg guys didn’t want to go to Pan Ams, but there had to be better options than Zane to qualify the weight. I’m sure Spencer would’ve if asked.

 

[GableBeer]

I know some of the 57kg guys didn’t want to go to Pan Ams, but there had to be better options than Zane to qualify the weight. I’m sure Spencer would’ve if asked.

Only Fix, Vito, and Gilman could challenge Zane unfortunately.

 

[honkey69]

Only 1st place at this tournament qualifies?

 

[vhsalum]

I know some of the 57kg guys didn’t want to go to Pan Ams, but there had to be better options than Zane to qualify the weight. I’m sure Spencer would’ve if asked.

Not how it works, nor should it. Zane earned that right when he won the spot.

Gilman, Fix, Vito all could have challenged, but didnt.

 

[vhsalum]

Only 1st place at this tournament qualifies?

true 3rd

 

[24timenattychamps]

Not how it works, nor should it. Zane earned that right when he won the spot.

Gilman, Fix, Vito all could have challenged, but didnt.

Sure, but if you were to ask anybody except maybe Zane’s immediate family who would win in a Lee/Zane match, they would pick Lee. The objective is to qualify the weight, not go by what someone “earned”. Common sense should win out.

 

[IAChief32]

Sure, but if you were to ask anybody except maybe Zane’s mom who would win in a Lee/Zane match, they would pick Lee. The objective is to qualify the weight, not go by what someone “earned”. Common sense should win out.

I agree with this. We are basing this on year old data. IMO, Zane (or anybody else) who doesn't medal at Worlds should no longer be the "guy" in an Olympic year. It seems to happen every 4 years for our 65KG spot. Metcalf in 2016, Retherford in 2021, and Lee in 2024.

 

[edquinn06]

My understanding is top three qualify for Olympic Games. If you make the finals I are done. They don’t wrestle the finals. The two guys who win bronze will wrestle each other for the final spot.

 

[vhsalum]

Sure, but if you were to ask anybody except maybe Zane’s immediate family who would win in a Lee/Zane match, they would pick Lee. The objective is to qualify the weight, not go by what someone “earned”. Common sense should win out.

We do not want a system like that. That would be ridiculous. Zane could easily say - hey that guy just had double ACL surgery.

There are infinite amount of scenarios, and while we would like to guess who would perform better, our country is an actual meritocracy. It shouldn't change because of our feelings. Spencer still has the opportunity to get a spot.

It's no different than 65 in 2020 - Zain SHOULD have won that match against Destribats, and JO was as ready as we've ever seen him and couldn't get a spot because he decided not to do anything.

 

[pawrestler4life]

I know some of the 57kg guys didn’t want to go to Pan Ams, but there had to be better options than Zane to qualify the weight. I’m sure Spencer would’ve if asked.

Spencer attempted to and was also already there, as he just won the Pan Ams the previous week. USA Wrestling stuck with Zane

 

[vhsalum]

Spencer attempted to and was also already there, as he just won the Pan Ams the previous week. USA Wrestling stuck with Zane the process

FIFY

 

[HawkAlum2002]

Spencer attempted to and was also already there, as he just won the Pan Ams the previous week. USA Wrestling stuck with Zane

You have to be a Senior World medalist within the previous four years to challenge for the spot, so Spencer didn't meet the criteria to challenge Richards. The Pan Am Championship that Spencer won doesn't earn you that opportunity.

 

[pawrestler4life]

You have to be a Senior World medalist within the previous four years to challenge for the spot, so Spencer didn't meet the criteria to challenge Richards. The Pan Am Championship that Spencer won doesn't earn you that opportunity.

I’m well aware of this, I never said he “earned the opportunity.” I stated that Spencer won Pan Ams in Acapulco, where the qualifier was a week later. He wanted the opportunity to stay and qualify the weight. USA Wrestling can make the criteria for who they want if needed. They stick with Richards as he was the returning team member.

 

[so cal hawkfan]

Not a cake walk by any means, but it is Spencer Lee.

FROM FLO:

INDIA - #6 Aman Aman (2022 U23 World gold)

CHINA - #7 Wanhao Zou (2022 World 5th)

TURKIYE - #10 Muhammet Karavus (2021 U20 World silver) OR Suleyman Atli (2019 World silver)

MONGOLIA - Munkh Erdene Batkhuyag (2023 U23 World bronze) OR Zandanbud Zanabazar (2022 World bronze) OR #18 Narankhuu Narmandakh (2022 61 kg World bronze)

NORTH KOREA - #17 Chongsong Han (2023 Asian Games silver)

IRAN - Ahmad Mohammadnezhadjavan (2022 U20 World bronze, 2021 U23 World bronze)

KAZAKHSTAN - Meirambek Kartbay (2023 World 5th) / Yerassyl Mukhtaruly (2023 U23 World 5th)

GEORGIA - Roberti Dingashvili (2024 Euro bronze)

GERMANY - Horst Lehr (2021 World bronze)

This is confusing, so Iran hasn’t qualified this weight yet either?

 

[vhsalum]

This is confusing, so Iran hasn’t qualified this weight yet either?

Correct sir.

 

[so cal hawkfan]

Correct sir.

Well I guess that makes sense, they’ve been busy doing other stuff……..

 

[vhsalum]

Well I guess that makes sense, they’ve been busy doing other stuff……..

LOL

Are you talking Israel? I could go on for days about that.

 

[ChiPackHawk]

LOL

Are you talking Israel? I could go on for days about that.

If you even attempt to rationalize or worse yet, defend Iran and their global sponsorship of terror because somehow Israel is involved, you have a pretty warped view of the world right now.

 

[Is_there_vodka_in_heaven]

FIFY

57kg is a perfect example of how the process is currently flawed.

 

[moosemonster]

The Iranian has 19 letters in his last name.
That concerns me.

 

[ping72]

LOL

Are you talking Israel? I could go on for days about that.

If you even attempt to rationalize or worse yet, defend Iran and their global sponsorship of terror because somehow Israel is involved, you have a pretty warped view of the world right now.

 

[Chuck C]

If only there was a board for that…..

 

[NLhawk62]

57kg is a perfect example of how the process is currently flawed.

USA has how many world and Olympic medals at the 57kg weight class in the last 10 years, but it isn’t qualified for this Olympics? That’s the crazy part to me in all of this.

 

[ICWestfan]

I mean, Gilman has Olympic bronze, world gold and world silver. Nobody is better than a healthy Spencer Lee at 57 kg.

I like this post. I don't see anyone on the above list that would be better than Gilman.

 

[HawkeyeFever62]

USA has how many world and Olympic medals at the 57kg weight class in the last 10 years, but it isn’t qualified for this Olympics? That’s the crazy part to me in all of this.

Yes the qualifying the weight thing is very confusing to me.

 

[24timenattychamps]

FIFY

The "process" sucks and is causing Spencer to go to a tournament he shouldn't have to.

 

[el dub]

Yes the qualifying the weight thing is very confusing to me.

No country gets to bring any\every athlete or team to the Olympics. (Maybe the hosts?) There are, in general, more countries with teams than spots. So there she qualifier tourneys. It’s not an open. We’re treated like every other country in the world. We have made attempts to qualify those weights but our chosen representatives failed to make the grade.

Just like World Cup.

But it sounds like some around here think the US should have auto qualifier status. If so, why?

 

[ff141]

The "process" sucks and is causing Spencer to go to a tournament he shouldn't have to.

Well he didn’t make the team to bring home a medal finish top 5 at worlds. Gilman got beat by Zane. Then 3 world medalist didn’t challenge him to qualify at pan ams. Not sure how it would have been fixed.

 

[el dub]

Well he didn’t make the team to bring home a medal finish top 5 at worlds. Gilman got beat by Zane. Then 3 world medalist didn’t challenge him to qualify at pan ams. Not sure how it would have been fixed.

Gilman getting beat by Zain was a head scratcher to me.

 

[98lberEating2Lunches]

If only there was a board for that…..

Might I suggest the Off Topic, Totally Session 3 thread (OTT Session 3)?

 

[24timenattychamps]

Well he didn’t make the team to bring home a medal finish top 5 at worlds. Gilman got beat by Zane. Then 3 world medalist didn’t challenge him to qualify at pan ams. Not sure how it would have been fixed.

They could allow guys with unique circumstances like Spencer to wrestle off for the spot. Again, the goal is to give Team USA the best chance to qualify the weight. Fairness shouldn't matter.

 

[el dub]

They could allow guys with unique circumstances like Spencer to wrestle off for the spot. Again, the goal is to give Team USA the best chance to qualify the weight. Fairness shouldn't matter.

They should change the rules.

 

[ff141]

Gilman getting beat by Zain was a head scratcher to me.

They could allow guys with unique circumstances like Spencer to wrestle off for the spot. Again, the goal is to give Team USA the best chance to qualify the weight. Fairness shouldn't matter.

What were his unique circumstances? Of course he’s a phenom but he’s been hurt for 7 years. And had next to 0 senior level competition.

The one thing that was bantered around on some outlets was letting the US nationals champion challenge which he was. I’ve been an advocate of moving the trials for unqualified weights before Pan-Ams but not everybody likes that either

 

[so cal hawkfan]

The Iranian has 19 letters in his last name.
That concerns me.

You win the internet today, congrats