Frank Molinaro (Photo/Mark Lundy)Only the top two wrestlers in each weight class qualify for the Olympic Games. It was the final Olympic qualifying event.
The 27-year-old Molinaro opened with a 3-2 victory over 2013 World champion David Safaryan of Armenia. In his second match he came from behind to defeat 2015 Junior World silver medalist Yuhi Fujinami of Japan 7-6. After losing to Novachkov, Molinaro defeated Dauren Zhumagazyyev of Kazakhstan 4-1 to advance to the bronze-medal match. He then topped Azamat Nurykau of Belarus 5-2 to secure the bronze medal.
Molinaro is the lone U.S. Olympic Team Trials champion in men's freestyle to fail to qualify for the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
On Saturday, U.S. women's freestyle wrestlers Kelsey Campbell (58 kilos) and Tamyra Mensah (69 kilos) fell short of qualifying for the Olympic Games.
U.S. Greco-Roman wrestler Jesse Thielke (59 kilos) earned his spot in the Olympic Games on Friday by earning a silver medal, while RaVaughn Perkins (66 kilos) and Joe Rau (98 kilos) failed to qualify.
The U.S. qualified 13 of the 18 weight classes for the Olympic Games.
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