DOUBLE DUTY
Wrestlers receive an opportunity to compete in the World Team Trials for freestyle and Greco-Roman this year
By Craig Sesker Wrestling fans can’t wait to see a potential World Team Trials rematch between standouts Jordan Burroughs and David Taylor. Their epic U.S. Open finals match, where Burroughs rallied
for a dramatic 7-6 win in Las Vegas, has become one of the most talked about matches in recent memory. But the highly-anticipated rematch may not happen if a guy
like Justin Lester has anything to say about it. Lester was among a number of top U.S. Greco-Roman wrestlers considering entering the U.S. World Team Trials for freestyle on May 31-June 1 in Madison, Wis. If Lester wrestles freestyle, he would compete in the same
weight class as Burroughs and Taylor at 74 kg/163 lbs. Lester is a two-time World bronze medalist in Greco who also is a past University Nationals champion in freestyle. This is the first time since 1999 that the United States World
Team Trials for Greco-Roman and freestyle will be held on sep- arate dates, and that could lead to some compelling matchups in Madison. The Greco-Roman World Team Trials will be held on June 13-
14 in Daytona Beach, Fla. That will give wrestlers a chance to wrestle in both Trials events. Lester won titles at the Armed Forces Championships this
year in freestyle and Greco. He won a U.S. Open Greco title in April. “I think there is a good chance I will wrestle in the freestyle
Trials,” Lester said in early May. “I’ve always enjoyed wrestling freestyle, and I’ve always wanted a chance to see what I can do in freestyle on the Senior level.” So what is the main reason for changing the Trials format? “The U.S. has great athletes who can win Olympic and World
medals in both styles,” said Steve Fraser, the long-time U.S. National Greco-Roman coach. “By separating the Trials, we hope to allow the many great athletes that may not make the freestyle World Team to actually participate in the Greco Trials. This strategy we hope will do two things – allow for the Olympic dream to be possible for more of our country’s best wrestlers, and strengthen our Greco-Roman pool of potential Olympic champions.” Top young prospect Ryan Mango is among the wrestlers who
excel in both styles. Mango plans to compete in the World Team Trials in Greco and freestyle. Mango excelled in both styles coming up through the USA
Wrestling age-group ranks. He won Junior and Cadet National titles in both Greco and freestyle.
Ryan Mango (right) battles Jesse Thielke in the finals of the U.S. World Team Trials in 2013. USA Wrestling file photo.
Mango placed sixth at the U.S. Open in freestyle. He was
second in the 2013 World Team Trials in Greco. Mango’s brother, Spenser, is a 2012 Olympian who placed
fifth at the 2013 World Championships in Greco. “My brother and I are in the same weight class now in Greco,
so I wanted to give freestyle a try,” Ryan said. “I have an oppor- tunity to wrestle in both events now, so why not try it?” With the change in international weight classes this year,
Ryan and Spenser Mango will now be in the same weight class of 59 kg/130 lbs. in Greco. Spenser Mango has already qualified for the finals of the
World Team Trials by virtue of winning the U.S. Open. If Ryan wins the Greco challenge tournament in Daytona Beach, he would be matched against his brother in the final-round series. So what happens if Ryan Mango makes the Greco finals at
the Trials against his older brother? “If I don’t make the World Team in freestyle, then we are
going to have to wrestle each other,” Ryan said. “We are both competitors and we understand our relationship, on and off the mat. My mom won’t be able to watch – she’s not a big fan of the idea. She doesn’t want us to wrestle. It’s just healthy competi- tion, and Spenser understands. He’s fine with it.” Jordan Holm, a 2014 U.S. Open champion and 2013 World
Team member in Greco, also was thinking about wrestling at the freestyle Trials. He wrestled freestyle and Greco at the 2010 World Team Trials before shifting his focus to Greco. “Having an opportunity to wrestle both styles is certainly intriguing to me,” Holm said. “It might be fun to do. This format might help us recruit a broader base of athletes into Greco.” Heavyweight Tyrell Fortune is another wrestler who could
benefit from the new format. Fortune won a bronze medal in freestyle and placed fifth in Greco at the 2013 World University Games. Heavyweight Jarod Trice is a past University Nationals champion in freestyle and Greco. He placed fifth at the 2014 U.S. Open in freestyle. Sam Hazewinkel is another dual threat. Hazewinkel was a University World champion and a U.S. Open champion in Greco before switching to freestyle. He made the 2012 Olympic Team in freestyle and won a U.S. Open freestyle title in April.
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