"First time heading back in years" - Spencer Lee exudes excitement while stepping up for the upcoming generation of wrestlers

Spencer Lee recently expressed his excitement about returning to his youth wrestling club to inspire the new generation of wrestlers. Before starting his Olympic and collegiate wrestling career, Lee trained at the Young Guns Wrestling Club, situated in Pennsylvania.

At his youth club, the Olympic silver medalist trained under the two-time NCAA Division II National Champion Jody Strittmatter. After joining the Young Guns, Lee achieved remarkable milestones, including winning three world championships and three PIAA Championships at Franklin Regional High School in Murrysville.

Lee became the first wrestler from the club to compete at the Olympics (in Paris). Strittmatter visited the French capital to support his former pupil. Years after making his mark in the wrestling world, Lee is heading back to his former club and will be seen sharing his profound knowledge with the young wrestlers. As the club announced the news on Instagram, Lee shared it on his story while exuding his excitement and wrote:

"First time heading back in years!!!"

Spencer Lee won his first Olympic medal by securing a second place in the 57 kg men's freestyle category at the 2024 Paris Games. The result helped him earn an automatic bid at the Final X, where he dominated the lightweight category and earned a spot at the World Championships.

Spencer Lee voices his thoughts on the differences between winning gold and silver medals

Spencer Lee at the Olympic Games 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Getty Images)

In a recent interview with Olympics.com, Spencer Lee expressed his views, pointing out that fans always remember gold medalists more than silver medalists.

“I could have probably named every Olympic gold medallist at my weight class since like 1936… I couldn’t tell you who the silvers were,” Lee said. “That’s not me crapping on myself, it’s just the reality of life. People want an Olympic gold medallist, not a silver medallist.”

Having missed out on the gold medal at the Paris Games by a narrow margin, he added that he is excited to show his best and is preparing for the 2028 LA Games.

“I’m super excited to try and go prove myself as the best in the world,” he added. “It’s very important to me, and it’s also a good stepping stone for the next couple of years to train for LA. One day at a time is my motto. One World Championships, one competition at a time, but all these things are stepping stones and practice for the ultimate goal of the Olympic gold.”

Spencer Lee missed out on the podium finish at the 2025 Wrestling World Championships in Zagreb, Croatia, after falling short of dominating the quarterfinal round.

About the author

Janhavi is a Sports Management graduate working as a US Olympics journalist at Sportskeeda. She emphasizes meticulous research and fact-checking before creating content, relying on multiple sources including social media platforms like Instagram and Twitter, as well as various sports publications.

She has competed in the 10m Air Rifle Shooting event at the national level alongside renowned athletes such as Anjali Bhagwat, Apurvi Chandela, and Anjum Moudgil, which further fueled her passion for the sport.

Abhinav Bindra is her favorite Olympian, and she particularly cherishes his and Neeraj Chopra's gold medal victories as they revolutionized Indian athletes' mindset towards achieving sporting excellence.

If given the opportunity to introduce a new sport to the Olympics, she would choose American Football for its widespread appeal and intense competition. Apart from reporting on the latest news in the world of Olympics, she likes to immerse herself in reading, painting, and traveling.

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Edited by Janhavi Shinde