Monday begins Greco-Roman at the 2024 U23 World Championships from Tirana, Albania. And a week later, the Senior Non-Olympic Weight Worlds will take place at the same location. Two World Championship events, right in a row. A scheduling anomaly, but one for which the US has been preparing in earnest with regards to both tournaments, though the U23 competitors had their selection process over four months ago and several of that squad’s roster members have remained quite active ever since. Meanwhile, the Senior Team was formed just last month, but their collective experience is perhaps substantial enough to mitigate what is a short turnaround time.
US National Team head coach Herb House will naturally be involved in both versions of the World Championships, and he is certainly beholden to an intimate degree of knowledge when it comes to most of the athletes who will be representing the stars and stripes in Albania. Shortly after the draws for the U23 World Championships were released, House took a few moments to answer a brief battery of questions pertaining to the dual American contingents and how he views the circumstances surrounding the tournament.
5PM: U23 World Team selection was months ago, whereas the Senior Trials was in September. How do you see the timing playing out for both rosters from a training and competition perspective?
Coach Herb House: The U23 World Team has definitely had more time to prepare, which can give them an edge in terms of cohesion and strategy. On the other hand, the Senior Team has had less time since their Trials, but I still have confidence in them. They’ve been training daily leading up to these tournaments, and that commitment will help them perform well despite the tight timeline. Both Teams are dedicated and ready to compete at a high level.
5PM: The U23 Team consists of a recent Olympian (Payton Jacobson), a Senior National Team member (Max Black), and a few others who are progressing well on the Senior level but are still gathering experience. What is it that you like to see the most out of those guys?
House: I would like to see them step up as leaders and show the others how to perform at big events by leading by example. Their experience can inspire and guide the team, helping everyone rise to the occasion.
5PM: The Senior World Team is only four guys and one of them is Aliaksandr Kikiniou, who was a World bronze in ’09. He has not been to a World tournament in some years. How has held up and what has this been like for him leading up to departure for Albania?
House: Kikiniou’s experience is invaluable, especially with the Senior World Team being so small. He has been pushing himself hard at camp, and his impressive work ethic and determination to win have really stood out. Despite not competing at a World tournament in several years, he has maintained his skills and conditioning. Leading up to this tournament, he’s focused on not just his own performance, but also on mentoring the younger wrestlers and sharing his insights and strategies. It’s inspiring to see how he’s leveraging his experience to prepare himself and contribute to the Team’s success.
5PM: What are the advantages and disadvantages to having these two tournaments back-to-back? Do you think this scheduling is a positive for promoting the sport?
Coach Herb House: Having these two tournaments back to back has advantages, such as reducing travel costs and fostering camaraderie among countries. Overall, I believe this format is positive for promoting the sport, as it showcases high-level competition and engages fans, elevating wrestling’s profile globally.
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