Unfinished business
Fifth in the World in 2007, Tommy
Rowlands is poised to make a run at being the best big man in the World in 2011
By Craig Sesker TEMPE, Ariz. – Five different heavy-
weights have represented the United States in freestyle wrestling at the World Championships and Olympic Games from 2006 to 2010. Tommy Rowlands was one of them, but it has been more than three years since he was the No. 1 big man in the U.S. The 29-year-old Rowlands continued his comeback in late October by winning the Sunkist Kids International Open title at 120 kg/264.5 lbs. Rowlands placed fifth in the 2007
World Championships before finishing second behind Steve Mocco at the 2008 Olympic Trials. Rowlands did not com- pete in 2009 before coming back to com- petition in early 2010.
Rowlands returned to action last April and placed third in the U.S. Open after falling to eventual champion and 2010 World Team member Les Sigman. Rowlands then lost to Junior World champion Dom Bradley in the semifinals of June’s U.S. World Team Trials. “I took 20 months off, and I really underestimated what it took to come back,” Rowlands said. “I projected to be in a different position for the World Team Trials than what I was in. It’s been hum- bling. There is a whole new mix of guys
36 USA Wrestler36 USA Wrestler
Past World Team member Tommy Rowlands counters Blake Gillis en route to winning the Sunkist Kids International Open title. Larry Slater photo.
that weren’t in the mix in 2008, and now they are. I’m adjusting mentally to the fact that I need to beat the same guys I beat in 2008. Those guys are a lot better now, and they’ve been training and focusing on their development.” Rowlands is part of a strong group of American heavyweights that include Sigman, Bradley and 2009 World bronze medalist Tervel Dlagnev. Rowlands started this season by plac- ing third in Ramzan Kadirov Cup in
Russia.
“There are five or six guys at the World level who are real players for the gold medal, and whoever the American heavy- weight is will be one of them,” said Rowlands, a two-time NCAA champion for Ohio State. “It’s pretty wide open in the U.S. We have five heavyweights in this country who are capable of winning a medal at just about any international tour- nament. Any of those guys can medal at
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