2016 U.S. OLYMPIAN - 125 kg FS Dlagnev’s recovery sends him to Rio by Gary Abbott
It is no secret that two-time World bronze medalist and 2012 Olympian Tervel Dlagnev has battled with injuries. A long career competing at heavyweight against the biggest and strongest wrestlers in the world takes a toll on the body.
In 2015, Dlagnev made his sixth U.S. Senior-level team with a victory over tal- ented Zach Rey at the World Team Trials in Madison, Wis. However, a few weeks later, because of a back injury, Dlagnev had to pull out of the Pan American Games and was replaced by Rey. It was the same case when Dlagnev could not compete in the World Championships in Las Vegas, and Rey represented the nation there, as well. During the Olympic year, Dlagnev was able to return to the mats. He won a bronze medal at the Paris International in France in January, losing only by one point to longtime rival Komeil Ghasemi of Iran. In early March, he went to the Pan American Olympic Qualifier in his native Texas, winning the gold medal and quali- fying the nation to compete in Rio. Two days before the Olympic Trials, something went very, very wrong. When Dlagnev stepped on the mat on Saturday, April 9, the thousands of fans in the arena and the hundreds of thousands watching on the internet and TV saw the star heavyweight they had followed for many years. Only a few people in the arena knew that Tervel was carrying a secret with him out onto the raised mats. Since there was not a 2015 World medalist in the weight, Dlagnev and all the other heavyweights were in the Challenge Tournament. In his first match, he scored a 10-0 technical fall over Conner Medbery, then stopped 2016 U.S. Open champion Dom Bradley in the semifinals, 5-1. He drew Rey for the best- of-three series in the finals. During his media interviews after the semifinals, Dlagnev didn’t let out the secret. “It has been a weird year, physically and motivationally. It has been bizarre. I am leaning on God’s strength. Praise the Lord. I am trying to have fun, trying to keep it light hearted. Trying to stay healthy. It has been a long time since I have felt 100%. I feel good today. No excuses. I am really excited. I will have a tough guy in the finals. I am glad to be
12 USA Wrestler
Tervel Dlagnev gets a leg attack on Zach Rey in the 125 kg Championship Series at the Olympic Trials in Iowa City. John Sachs photo.
here and have this opportunity,” said Dlagnev.
The matches between Dlagnev and Rey in recent years have often been very close. In the first match in Iowa City, Dlagnev emerged with a 3-1 win. In the second match, Rey grabbed a 3-1 lead scoring a two-point counter exposure early in the second period. With about a minute to go, Dlagnev got in on Rey’s leg, checked off and scored a takedown on the edge to make it 3-3. Dlagnev, who had the tiebreaker, added a last second counter takedown to make it 5-3. Tervel Dlagnev celebrated making his second Olympic Team, and people still did not know his secret.
It was in his interview with John Smith on the live NBC Sports Network broad- cast that Dlagnev spilled the beans. “It feels awesome. To be honest with you, two days ago I didn’t think I’d even wrestle. It is a testament to God’s strength and my coaches. It has been a team effort, including my chiropractor. I was about to quit. It hurt so bad. Lou (Rosselli) said you have got to try. I am glad I did,” he said. Dlagnev did talk about how he battled from behind to win the second match over Rey with the key takedown to tie things up.
“Nothing changed. I still needed a take- down to win. I did what I could and I’m
glad I did. He is so strong. It is hard to do stuff to him. I was fortunate enough to come away with the win,” he said. Back in the Media Mixed Zone, he gave even more details about what he had to overcome to make the team, when he was asked how he felt. “Physically, not good. Emotionally, I am really high. It’s God’s strength through my weakness. I did next to nothing, just in the sauna on Thursday after I flew in. I had a really, really weird scary pain down my back and into my legs. I don’t want to go through that again. At that time, I was- n’t thinking about performance. I was thinking about my future, and playing with my boys, being a dad and a husband. I asked my coaches. They said, if at any time you get scared, hang it up. It never came back,” said Dlagnev. In his interview with Tanith White on the
USOC’s “Road to Rio,” he talked more about believing his career had been over, and his prayers that he did not have to quit and use his back injury as an excuse. He also told her about how his family inspires him.
“They sacrificed a lot, especially with my back. I’d go train and then lay on the couch. It was hard to be a dad. This is a testament to all of their sacrifices. My wife has been awesome, encouraging me and taking the brunt, because two crazy boys is no joke,” he said.
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