Olympics

Gable Steveson Set to Depart for Summer Olympics

The Minnesota heavyweight heading to Tokyo for a chance at Olympic gold

MINNEAPOLIS – University of Minnesota heavyweight and United States Olympic team member Gable Steveson is set to depart for the 2020 Summer Olympics this weekend, where he will compete in the 125-kilogram freestyle bracket in hopes of bringing home a gold medal.

Traveling alongside Gable will be University of Minnesota head coach Brandon Eggum and assistant coach Trevor Brandvold, who will act as Steveson’s personal coaches at the Olympic Games for Team USA.

The Apple Valley, Minn., native is the program’s first Olympian since Jake Deitchler at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and will be looking to earn the program’s first Olympic medal since 2000 when Garrett Lowney won a Greco-Roman bronze medal at 97kg in the Sydney Olympics.

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Olympic Wrestler Gable Steveson Will Only Do His Signature Move in Tokyo If 1 Thing Happens

Gable Steveson is known by many in the wrestling world not just for what he does during a competition, but also for what he does when he wins.

A backflip.

But fans of the now-Olympic wrestler shouldn’t expect to see him do it in Tokyo after just any victory.

“Should I gold medal match,” he told NBC Chicago. “I hope I get to that point. If I wrestle my best, I know I can get there. When and if I can win, put on a good show for America, that flip is coming.”

For Steveson, the dream of becoming an Olympian has already come faster than he ever anticipated, and he hopes to keep his streak going by winning a medal in Tokyo. Watch/continue reading at nbcchicago.com →

Gable Steveson: Going for the Olympic wrestling gold and beyond

The University of Minnesota wrestler talks about his plans for the Tokyo Summer Games, and everything that might come after.

MINNEAPOLIS — It’s 100 days to the Olympic Summer Games and Gable Steveson, a 20-year-old student at the University of Minnesota is preparing to make the trip to Tokyo, Japan. The 260-pounder will represent Team USA as part of the wrestling squad.

Steveson is all smiles sitting in his dorm room, thinking ahead to what it will mean representing his country at the games, saying “It’s crazy that I qualified for the Olympics and I’m going to Tokyo.”

There’s good reason the Junior from the U of M is pumped. He’s the reigning NCAA Division 1 National Champion, a two-time Big Ten Conference champion, two-time All-American and was honored as a top college wrestler. But for him, the Olympics is the ultimate dream come true, “Not many 20 year olds make the Olympic team,” he said. “I think I’m the third or second youngest ever to touch the team and especially in my weight class.”

On the verge of becoming wrestling royalty, you could say his journey started at birth. He’s named after Iowa wrestling legend Dan Gabel. His dad was a wrestler, both his brothers spent time on the mat and Gable was introduced to the sport at a very young age. View/continue reading at kare11.com →

Chasing medals must wait for Minnesota’s Olympic hopefuls

With the Tokyo Games now in 2021, local Olympic hopefuls reset dreams

Tori Dixon had begun to feel it was inevitable. With the sporting world essentially shut down by the coronavirus pandemic, and a rising chorus of voices pushing for the Tokyo Olympics to be postponed, the Burnsville native had started to accept the fact that her Summer Games dream might be deferred.

She was still holding out hope, though, when she woke up Tuesday morning.

“Then I saw my phone was blowing up,’’ said Dixon, a member of the U.S. women’s volleyball team and a former Gopher. “And I read the news.

“Everyone had a million questions, but I was still trying to process what was going on. It was like a bomb dropped, and you just had to pick up the pieces.” Continue reading at startribune.com

Kyle Snyder becomes youngest Olympic champion in U.S. history

RIO DE JANEIRO – Last September Kyle Snyder shocked the world and became the youngest World champion in U.S. wrestling history. Today he leaves Rio with Olympic gold.

Snyder’s legend grew on Sunday afternoon inside Carioca Arena 2 as he became the youngest Olympic wrestling champion in U.S. history at age 20 with a 2-1 victory over eight-time World and Olympic medalist Khetag Goziumov of Azerbaijan.

Scoring opened in the gold medal match with Snyder securing a single leg and driving Goziumov out of bounds for one point. The two traded points off shot clock violations in the second. Snyder was able to fend off every Goziumov attack throughout the match and secure the U.S. its 50th Olympic gold in men’s freestyle.

“It was a tough match. I wrestled that guy like a month ago and he beat me, so I’m happy that I’ve been able to improve on that performance, and, I keep saying it, I’m really thankful and grateful that I’ve even had this opportunity wrestle and my family and friends have been down here, to share it with them,” said Snyder. Continue reading at www.teamusa.org

Snyder advances to Olympic finals, Molinaro searching for bronze on final day in Rio

RIO DE JANEIRO – Both U.S. wrestlers are still in medal contention on the final day of the Olympic Games with 2015 World champion Kyle Snyder wrestling for gold and Frank Molinaro still in the hunt for bronze.

Snyder, the youngest World champion in U.S. history, brutalized his side of the 97 kg bracket to earn a spot in the gold medal match against seven-time World and Olympic medalist Khetag Goziumov of Azerbaijan.

“I am ready to go,” Snyder said. “I am excited. There will be a little break and then I will be ready to wrestle.”

The two behemoths met at the Grand Prix of Germany last month with Goziumov edging Snyder, 2-1. Continue reading at www.teamusa.org