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Barring the 1900 Olympic Games, amateur wrestling has been a part of each and every edition of the Summer Olympics. The USA leads the all-time table with 54 gold medals alongside 43 silver and 36 bronze.
At the Tokyo Olympics 2020, the USA will be sending a 15-member strong amateur wrestling contingent, an upgrade from the Rio Games where they sent only 14 wrestlers.
The USA finished behind Russia, Japan, and Cuba in fourth place with two gold medals and one bronze in the overall medal tally five years earlier. They will be hoping to climb up at least one place.
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The burden of expectations will be put on the shoulders of the women this time. With three World Champions entering the Tokyo Olympics, it will be catastrophic if USA doesn't return with a gold medal in amateur wrestling.
We predict the U.S. will bag two gold and bronze medals each alongside three silver medals at the Tokyo Olympics 2020.
The US' Olympics medal prospects in wrestling
Men's freestyle 57kg - Thomas Gilman
Thomas Gilman beat Vitali Arujau in the finals of the US Olympic Wrestling Trials to book his ticket to Tokyo. However, his medal chances appear very slim. Russia's Zaur Uguev, who won the gold medal at the 2019 World Wrestling Championships, remains a favorite alongside Serbia's top seed Stevan Andria Micic.
Prediction: Round of 16
Men's freestyle 74kg - Kyle Dake
Kyle Dake caused an upset in the US Olympic Wrestling Trials when he beat 2019 Worlds bronze medallist Jordan Burroughs to secure his spot in Tokyo. The competition between the likes of Italy's Frank Chamizo, Kazakhstan's Daniyar Kaisanov, and Russia's Zaurbek Sidakov for the gold medal remains stiff.
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However, with a favorable draw or through the repechage rounds, the Pan American Games winner Kyle Dake can finish on the podium.
Prediction: Bronze medal
Men's freestyle 86kg - David Taylor
The 2018 Worlds gold medallist David Taylor has had a terrific 2021 by winning the Pan-American Games and US Olympic Wrestling Trials. However, it remains to be seen if he can get the better of 2019 Worlds winner and top seed Iran's Hassan Yazdani.
Prediction: Silver medal
Men's freestyle 97kg - Kyle Snyder
Like the previous three names, Kyle Snyder also won the gold medal at the 2021 Pan American Games. However, unlike the other names, the 2016 Rio gold medallist has been seeded second in the Tokyo Olympics.
He lost to Azerbaijan's Sharif Sharifov in the 2019 Worlds and will be eager to get his revenge. Russia's Abdulrashid Sadulaev won the gold medal in the tournament and remains the top pick.
Prediction: Silver medal
Men's freestyle 125kg - Gable Stevenson
The 2021 NCAA Division I Wrestling Champion, Gable Stevenson, earned his Tokyo Olympics berth by winning the U.S. Olympic Wrestling Trials. The 21-year-old Minnesota-born will be competing against the big boys in the highest weight category at his debut Summer Olympics.
However, it won't be easy pickings for him as Georgia's Petriashvili is the firm favorite for the top honors.
Prediction: Round of 16
Men's Greco-Roman 60kg - Ildar Hafizov
Uzbekistan-born Ildar Hafizov will represent the USA in the Tokyo Olympics after donning the colors of his birth country at the 2008 Olympics. But it remains to be seen if he can get the better of Japan's Kenichiro Fumita, who will have home advantage.
Prediction: Round of 16
Men's Greco-Roman 67kg - Alejandro Sancho
Alejandro Sancho will represent the USA in the Tokyo Olympics after getting the better of former Olympian Ellis Coleman. However, his medal aspirations look bleak in a field dominated by Cuba's Ismael Borrero.
Prediction: Round of 16
Men's Greco-Roman 87kg - John Stefanowicz
The Staff Sergeant in the United States Marine Corps, John Stefanowicz, will be competing in the 87kg category. But it will be too far fetched to expect a medal from him as Uzbekistan's Zhan Belunik and Hungary's Viktor Lorincz look set to clash swords in the finals.
Prediction: Quarter-finals
Men's Greco-Roman 97kg - G'Angelo Hancock
G'Angelo Hancock has consistently won medals in the Pan American Games but hasn't been able to translate the success to the global stage. As per the seeding and current form, Russia's Musa Evloev and Armenia's Artur Aleksanyan are set to lock horns in the finals once again.
Prediction: Round of 16
Women's freestyle 50kg - Sarah Hildebrandt
Sarah Hildebrandt won the silver medal in the women's 53kg category at the 2018 World Wrestling Championships, but hasn't enjoyed the same level of success in a lower weight division. It remains to be seen if she can get the better of Azerbaijan's Mariya Stadnik.
Prediction: Quarter-finals
Women's freestyle 53kg - Jacarra Winchester
USA's Jacarra Winchester won the gold medal in the women's 55kg event at the 2019 World Wrestling Championships. But, like the previous name, she is dropping a division below to compete at the Olympics.
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This particular weight division is dominated by Asians with the likes of Vinesh Phogat (India), Mayu Mukaida (Japan), and Pang Qianyu (China) favorites to return with the gold. All said and done, don't count out Winchester for a medal.
Prediction: Bronze medal
Women's freestyle 57kg - Helen Maroulis
Helen Maroulis won the gold medal in the women's 53 kg category at the Rio Olympics but will be participating in a higher weight division this time at the Tokyo Olympics. Japan's Risako Kawai will be eager to come home with a gold medal in front of her home fans.
Also Read: Defending champion Helen Maroulis has a point to prove at Tokyo Olympics
Prediction: Silver medal
Women's freestyle 62kg - Kayla Miracle
Kayla Miracle is seeded fourth in the Tokyo Olympics and will be the first openly female LGBTQ wrestler to participate in the quadrennial extravaganza. Kayla will be hoping to strike a miracle as all four medallists from the 2019 World Wrestling Championships will be participating this time.
Kayla was knocked out in Round 16 and will be hoping to better her performance. Kyrgyzstan's Aisuluu Tynbekova remains the firm favorite to win the gold medal.
Prediction: Quarter-finals
Women's freestyle 68kg - Tamyra Mensah
USA's Tamyra Mensah won the gold medal at the 2019 Worlds and will enter Tokyo Olympics seeded number one. Nigeria's Blessing Oborududu is seeded second but Tamyra beat her comfortably in the Round of 16 at the World Championships.
Having bagged top honors at the Matteo Pellicone Ranking Series earlier this year in Rome, Tamyra looks set to continue her winning spree.
Prediction: Gold medal
Women's freestyle 76kg - Adeline Gray
Like the previous name, Adeline Gray too won the gold medal in the same category as the one she is entering in the Tokyo Olympics. The five-time World Champion suffered a heartbreaking loss in the 2016 Olympics in the quarter-finals.
Entering the competition as the top seed, the 30-year-old will be looking forward to adding an Olympic gold medal to her collection.
Prediction: Gold medal
