1948 U.S. Olympic TeamAs 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
1908 London
1912 Stockholm
1920 Antwerp
1924 Paris
Allie Morrison won gold in 19281932 Los Angeles
1936 Berlin
1948 London
1952 Helsinki
1956 Melbourne
Shelby Wilson, Terry McCann and Doug Blubaugh won gold medals at the 1960 Olympics in Rome1964 Tokyo
1968 Mexico City
1972 Munich
1976 Montreal
1980 Moscow
Bobby Weaver was one of seven gold medalists for Team USA in freestyle in 1984 in LA1988 Seoul
1992 Barcelona
Kendall Cross celebrates after winning an Olympic gold medal in Atlanta in 19962000 Sydney
Jamill Kelly finished with a silver medal in Athens2008 Beijing
2012 London
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 medal2008 Beijing
2012 London
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
1912 Stockholm
1920 Antwerp
1924 Paris
1928 Amsterdam
1932 Los Angeles
1936 Berlin
1948 London
1952 Helsinki
1956 Melbourne
1960 Rome
1964 Tokyo
1968 Mexico City
1972 Munich
1976 Montreal
1980 Moscow
Steve Fraser is one of three American Greco-Roman wrestlers to win an Olympic gold medal1988 Seoul
1992 Barcelona
1996 Atlanta
2000 Sydney
2004 Athens
2008 Beijing
2012 London
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.
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