How Did the European OG Qualification Impact American Olympic Hopefuls?

In addition to the USA Wrestling Last Chance Qualifier for the 2024 Olympic Trials this past weekend, the 2024 European Olympic Games Qualifier also took place in Baku, Azerbaijan. Two wrestlers at each weight, in all three disciplines, punched their tickets to the Olympic Games in Paris, later this summer. 

While two wrestlers/countries qualified for the Olympics, it also threw a handful of other wrestlers/countries into the mix as needing Olympic berths. They will now need to head to Istanbul, Turkey for the World Olympic Games Qualifier in early May in the last chance available to earn a slot in the Olympics. 

There are five weights (across the three styles) where the United States has not qualified for the Olympics - after missing out on the 2023 World Championships and the Pan-American Qualifier. 

So, the question is, “What does the path to Olympic qualification look like for our American representatives?” In addition to the European’s needing quotas, there will be others from Asia, the Pan-American qualifier, and the African/Oceania qualifier in the mix, as well. 

In order to earn a quota at the OG Last Chance Qualifier, wrestlers will need to place in the top three in their weight class. 

The Asian continental qualifier takes place during the same weekend as our Olympic Trials, so we don’t have a perfect read on the situation just yet. 

Today, we’re focusing on the competitors in men’s freestyle. Tomorrow, we’ll look at the three weights America needs to qualify in Greco-Roman. There won’t be a women’s freestyle article because all six of their weights have been qualified!

57 kg

These wrestlers at 57 kg are from Europe and have yet to qualify their country for the 2024 Olympic Games. Of course, their governing body could choose someone else to represent them at the Last Chance Qualifier. 

Suleyman Atli (Turkey) - 2x World Medalist; 2x Olympian, 2x European Champion, 0-1 @ 2023 Worlds; 1-1 @ European Qualifier

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