OLYMPIC QUALIFYING HISTORY Russia, USA dominate qualification
Back in the day, countries could bring a wrestler in every weight class to the Olympics if they wanted to. If the nation had the support of their Olympic Committee and the funding to do so, they could bring one per weight class to the Olympics. This all changed in 1996 at the Atlanta Games, as the International Olympic Committee set a numerical limit on the number of athletes who could enter the Olympic Games in each sport. It is known around the world as the Olympic quota. For the first time, there was a qualification process for nations to earn spots in the Olympic Games in wrestling and in other sports. These days, the Olympic tournament
for wrestling is truly an All-Star event. You might say the hardest part about winning a medal in wrestling at the Olympic Games is getting your weight qualified to compete through the very challenging qualifier process. In the six Summer Olympic Games
under this system, the two nations which have dominated the Olympic Qualifying process in wrestling are Russia and the United States. In fact, after those two powerhouses, no other nation is even close. This is a combined total including men’s freestyle, Greco-Roman and women’s freestyle. Counting the 2016 Olympic Games qualifying process, Russia has qualified 105 of 108 possible spots for the Olympic wrestling event, a sizzling 97.2%. Next is the United States, which has qualified 101 of a possible 108 spots in wrestling, an impressive 93.5% Coming in third, way behind these two nations, is Ukraine, with 85 of the 108 spots qualified, which equals 78.7%. In fourth is a tie between Turkey and Kazakhstan, with 76 of the 108 spots, or a 70.4% qualifying standard. As of this printing, the United States will
bring 14 of the 18 weight classes at the Rio Olympics. This puts the USA in a tie for second place in the qualifier stand- ings, tied with Turkey and Azerbaijan with
QUALIFICATION PERCENTAGE SINCE 1996, THE START OF QUOTAS Russia, 105 of 108 = 97.2% USA, 101 of 108 = 93.5% Ukraine 85 of 108 = 78.7% Turkey, 76 of 108 = 70.4% Kazakhstan, 76 of 108 = 70.4% Cuba, 76 of 108 = 70.4% Iran, 63 of 108 = 58.3% Japan, 60 of 108 = 55.5%
14 wrestlers. At the 2016 Olympic Games, the wrestling field is very restricted. The size of each weight class for Rio is 19 men per weight and 18 women per weight. This is for a sport with almost 200 nation- al federations. Consider these facts about Olympic wrestling qualification since 1996: • The United States has been either first or second in Olympic qualifiers every year since the beginning of Olympic qual- ification in 1996. • No country has qualified a full team for the last two Olympic Games. The most for 2016 is Russia with 17. The most in 2012 was the USA with 17. • Since the start of Olympic qualification in 1996, the USA has not qualified seven times. In 2004, Team USA did not have 74 kg in Greco-Roman. In 2008, the USA did not have 60 kg in Greco-Roman. In 2012, Team USA did not have an athlete at 96 kg in Greco-Roman. In 2016, we do not have 66 kg and 98 kg in Greco- Roman, nor do we have women’s freestylers at 58 kg and 69 kg. In order to even better understand the challenges faced in wrestling, you should compare with some of the sports which have a higher quota and more opportuni- ty than our sport. • In swimming at the 2016 Olympics, there are 900 athletes for 32 events, an average of 28 athletes per event. A nation can bring 52 athletes to cover the 32 events. • In track and field at the 2016 Olympics, there are 2,005 athletes for 47 events, an average of 42.6 athletes per event. A
Top 5 countries in Qualification Process in Wrestling: 2016: Russia (17), United States (14), Turkey (14), Azerbaijan (14), China (13) 2012: United States (17), Russia (16), Kazakhstan (15), Egypt (14), Six tied with 13 2008: Russia (18), United States (17), Azerbaijan (15), Kazakhstan (14), Ukraine (13) 2004: Russia (18), United States (17), Ukraine (16), Iran (13), Bulgaria (13), Japan (13) 2000: United States (16), Russia (16), Ukraine (16), Cuba (15), Belarus (14) 1996: United States (20), Russia (20), Ukraine (18), Four tied with 15
14 USA Wrestler
Jesse Thielke celebrates after qualify- ing his weight for the Olympics in the World OIympic Qualifier in Turkey. Dr. Fred Roberto photo.
nation can bring up to three athletes in every event. In swimming, track and field, skiing and
a few other sports, a nation can bring more than one athlete in each event. When you see more than one American on the podium at an event in another sport, please note that in wrestling, regardless of the talent your country may have at a specific weight class, our Olympic team can only bring one athlete in each of the qualified weight classes. There is nothing quite like the pressure
on athletes who have to go into the final few qualifying events in order for their nation to enter an athlete in each specific weight class. Five USA athletes were successful in
the last two World Olympic Qualifiers this year. J’den Cox, Helen Maroulis and Haley Augello got the job done in the first World qualifier in Mongolia, while Jesse Thielke and Frank Molinaro met the stan- dard in the final World qualifier in Turkey.
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