America's Team Brings Home Two Golds
Great weekend in Colombia for our athletes and a big step forward for the program.
This week I get to update you on wrestling results, and we got some good ones. I was fortunate enough to travel to the u23 Pan Am Championships with four of our athletes and coach for Team USA. Here is the breakdown.
Greco 60k- Joe Couch- Joe was a late replacement for an injured athlete and learned the true meeting of "stay ready" He went 1-2 and placed 5th. This was his first time representing Team USA and he should be commended for stepping in on a week's notice without much training since U23s.
Woman's 57k Sofia Macaluso- Sof hit some bad luck, but still managed to place 5th. She dropped a tight one 7-6 in the semis, and was up big in the bronze match before bumping heads with her opponent and getting pinned. I was thrilled with her offense in this event, she can get to the legs on anyone in the World. We will make some adjustments as we prep her for Albania in October!
Freestyle 57k Charlie Farmer- Gold for Chuck! Charlie had two dominant decisions and tight criteria win in the finals. He, like Sof, is proving that he can get to the legs with ease. His offense is really clicking. No one has had a better spring than Chuck in the country, and he is proving that he belongs in the upper tier of guys at 57k or 125lbs.
Freestyle 125k Lucas Stoddard Very impressive win for Lucas. He got 5 bouts. He dropped a match to the Canadian in pool play, but was able to make serious adjustments and win a chess match rematch in the finals for the gold! The Canadian athlete is an accomplished international guy. Perhaps more impressive was Lucas's dominant win and eventual fall over the Puerto Rican wrestler, who will compete in the Olympics this year. Yes, Lucas- who has less than 25 freestyle matches in his life- dominated a wrestler who was 2nd at the senior Continental Championships and qualified to compete in Paris.
That's what we are doing at West Point WC!!
Thanks for all your support in our endeavors!