On Sunday night at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials, Askren more than convinced the crowd at the Thomas & Mack Center that he is not only the No. 1 man in the United States, but also one of the best hopes for a medal in Beijing. The confident Askren, who picked up his first U.S. Nationals title in April, won two matches to zero over Tyrone Lewis to make his first U.S. Olympic Team at 74 kg.
Andy Hrovat, Daniel Cormier, and Steve Mocco also won titles on Sunday night to earn berths on the 2008 U.S. Olympic Freestyle Team.
Hrovat, who was a member of the 2006 U.S. World Team, defeated Mo Lawal two matches to one to make his first U.S. Olympic Team at 84 kg. Hrovat avenged his U.S. Nationals finals loss to Lawal by picking up a two-point exposure with seven seconds left in the final period of the final match.
Cormier made his second U.S. Olympic Frestyle Team by completely dominating Damion Hahn in consecutive matches. Cormier, who has not lost to a U.S. wrestler at 84 kg since the 2005 U.S. Olympic Team Trials, gave up the first takedown of the first match against Hahn, but then rolled to easy victories the rest of the way without surrendering another point.
Mocco toppled arch-rival Tommy Rowlands in hard-fought three-match series to make his first U.S. Olympic Team at 120 kg.
In Greco-Roman, Adam Wheeler scored an upset victory over 2005 World bronze medalist Justin Ruiz to make the 2008 U.S. Olympic Greco-Roman Team at 96 kg. Dremiel Byers, who won a World title in 2002, made his first U.S. Olympic Team at 120 kg by defeating Army teammate Timothy Taylor in three matches.
The total attendance for the three-day event was 22,642.
Final Brackets
Day 1 Recap
Day 2 Recap
Rev Audio
Freestyle:
Henry Cejudo (55 kg)
Mike Zadick (60 kg)
Doug Schwab (66 kg)
Ben Askren (74 kg)
Andy Hrovat (84 kg)
Daniel Cormier (96 kg)
Steve Mocco (120 kg)
Greco-Roman:
Spenser Mango (55 kg)
Joe Betterman (60 kg)
Jake Deitchler (66 kg)
TC Dantzler (74 kg)
Brad Vering (84 kg)
Adam Wheeler (96 kg)
Dremiel Byers (120 kg)
Women's Freestyle:
Clarissa Chun (48 kg)
Marcie VanDusen (55 kg)
Randi Miller (63 kg)
Ali Bernard(72 kg)
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