2016 U.S. OLYMPIAN - 85 kg GR Healthy Provisor an Olympian again by Joe Mehling
Four years ago, a 21-year-old Ben Provisor traveled to the 2012 Olympic Games in London to represent his country on wrestling’s biggest stage but failed to reach the podium. Now with more wisdom, and more to fight for, Provisor will return to the Olympic Games at Rio De Janeiro this summer after he bat- tled his way to Olympic Trials glory again. This time, he’s wrestling for more than just himself and his nation. “It is definitely a littler sweeter this time around,” Provisor said. “It makes it more meaningful knowing what I have been through. I got a little baby girl now. It feels pretty good. It has been a long road back here. I am just happy and blessed to be where I am at right now.”
Consider the last four years. Provisor needed surgery on his back to relieve a pinched nerve. Provisor also went under the knife again for a bone spur in his knee and had an incredibly painful sports hernia. Unfortunately, the pain and setbacks did not end as Provisor also ripped a radial collateral ligament and tore a tendon in his elbow, which required yet another surgery and more rehab.
“I definitely got frustrated at times,” Provisor said of his injuries. “I did what I could do for my family by staying at home but I had to make a move. The best thing I have done is move to Florida and start training with the Florida Jets. I moved there with Geordan Speiller and got a lot of one-on-one stuff done.” Provisor was able to compete at a high-level sparingly over the four-year-cycle, mostly at 80 kg and 85 kg, which is up from his Olympic weight of 74 kg. “After I started training again I was up around 90-92 kilos,” Provisor said. “There was just no way I was going back down to 74 kilos again. I turned 24-25 years old and got some ‘man strength.’ There was just no way to get back down to that weight. I moved up a weight class and I am a little more com- fortable now.”
In 2013, Provisor won the U.S. Open and placed third at the
U.S. World Team Trials. A year later he won the Bill Farrell International tournament and placed second at the University Nationals. Provisor kicked off his road to Rio in 2015 with a first place finish at the Dave Schultz Memorial and followed that with second-place finish at the 2016 U.S. Open.
With his body right, his mind at peace and a family to care for, Provisor turned his sights on the 2016 Olympic Trials. He pow- ered through the competition in Iowa City. As the fourth seed at 85 kg, he won in the quarterfinals with a 4-1 victory over 2015 World Team member Patrick Martinez.
In the semifinals, Provisor faced the No. 1 seed and three-
time World Team member Jordan Holm. Using some technical pointers he picked up on while watching film of Holm, Provisor was able to stifle the four-time U.S. Open Champion and advance to finals in a 3-0 victory. “I knew he had a good left gut and I thought he had it on me,” Provisor said. “Luckily I was able to adjust and step over him to put him on his back. I had good position and kept my elbows in. I knew he was looking for a left side under-hook predominantly. I just kept trying to move forward and keep my head down.” Provisor would next face a familiar opponent in the finals series in amazing 36-year old Jake Clark. They battled in the finals at the U.S. Open just months earlier with Clark coming out
Ben Provisor celebrates after earning his second trip to the Olympics with a victory over Jake Clark in the 86 kg Olympic Trials finals in Iowa City. Photo by John Sachs.
victorious.
The outcome would be very different this time around as Provisor imposed his will and closed Clark out in two straight matches. A second-period gut wrench was the difference in a 2- 0 win in the first match. He added an inspiring pin in 2:30 in the second bout to punch his ticket to Rio.
“I have a lot of family here and this is my first big tournament back,” Provisor said following his finals win. “I know I am one of the best Greco-Roman wrestlers in the nation. I haven’t had a chance to prove that in the last few years. I am just happy to be on the mat and doing what I love.” Speaking of love, Provisor is married to women’s wrestling
star Leigh Jaynes-Provisor, a 2015 World bronze medalist and they are raising young daughter Evelyn together. With them in his corner, he knows that this trip the Olympic Games will be dif- ferent.
Leigh did not reach her goal of making the Olympic team, but she will be an important part of Team Provisor when Ben heads off to Brazil for another shot at Olympic gold.
“I was a young boy in 2012,” Provisor said. “I have a family to support. I have my little girl to support. I am going to work hard- er every day for my daughter and for my family.” Healthy and with momentum on his side, Provisor isn’t just looking forward to competing. He has his eyes set on the top of the podium.
“I am a two-time Olympian now,” Provisor said. “Hopefully this time I can bring home that gold medal.”
USA Wrestler 9
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