Greco-Roman at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games starts tomorrow (Monday, August 5) with ’18 World silver medalist Adam Coon (130 kg, NYAC/Cliff Keen) the first of the Americans to take the mat. Coon will face ’23 World Champion/’20 Olympic bronze Amin Mirzazadeh of Iran and, potentially, four-time Olympic champ Mijain Lopez (CUB) after that.
Coon’s opposition is not the purpose of this day-before Q&A with US National Team head coach Herb House, though the topic of draws is touched upon. As promoted on this platform last week, House was set to provide fans and supporters with one final pre-tournament update, which comes on the heels of a week spent training in Normandy. This brief but important battery of questions for House focuses on how the USA Olympic Greco roster has been doing since arriving in-country last week and what their general states of mind are now that, for them, the Games are at last about to begin.
US NT Head Coach Herb House Pre-Olympic Q&A
5PM: How was training during the week in Normandy? How did everyone adjust, and what were the facilities like?
Coach Herb House: Training in Normandy has been intense and focused. We have been pushing ourselves to the limit to prepare for the tough competition ahead at the Olympics. Everyone has adjusted well to the new environment and the facilities have been top-notch, helping us to train at our best.
5PM: The added attention of the Games has been a topic, and to be sure you guys had the press conference earlier this week. How have they been able to decompress as well as focus while still being more in front of the public eye than usual?
HH: The added attention of the Games can be overwhelming, but our Team has been handling it well. We have been able to decompress and stay focused on our goals, even with the increased public eye on us. The press conference was a great opportunity for us to showcase our hard work and dedication to the sport.
5PM: Coon already has his draw and on paper it’s a challenging one. But it’s the Olympics, and the brackets are only 16 guys. Each of the US athletes is going to have a tough draw. I’d imagine that they are all cognizant of this fact.
HH: Absolutely, you hit the nail on the head. The Olympics is the pinnacle of competition, and there are no easy draws at this level. Every wrestler who has qualified for the Games is among the best in the world, so every match is going to be a battle. Our Team understands the challenge ahead and embraces it. We have nothing to lose and everything to gain by stepping onto that mat and giving it our all. The tough draws just add to the excitement and intensity of the competition, and we are ready to rise to the occasion.
5PM: What is the general mood like for our Olympians and how has the team chemistry been since arriving in France?
Coach Herb House: The general mood among our Olympians is one of determination and excitement. We are all focused on representing our country with pride and giving it our all in every match. The Team chemistry has been strong since arriving in France, and we are ready to show the world what we are made of.
2024 Olympic Games Greco-Roman Schedule
*All times ET
*Streaming live on Peacock
Monday, August 5 (Adam Coon, 130 kg)
9:00am-11:00am — Round-of-16 through quarterfinals
3:00pm-4:00pm — Semifinals
Tuesday, August 6 (Kamal Bey, 77 kg & Joe Rau, 97 kg)
5:00am-7:30am — Round-of-16 through quarterfinals; repechage for 130 kg
12:15pm-4:00pm — Semifinals; medal matches for 130 kg
Wednesday, August 7 (Payton Jacobson, 87 kg)
5:00am-7:30am — Round-of-16 through quarterfinals; repechage for 77 & 97 kg
12:15pm-4:00pm — Semifinals; medal matches for 77 & 97 kg
Thursday, August 8
5:00am-7:30am — Repechage for 87
12:15pm-4:00pm — Medal matches for 87 kg
Listen to “5PM57: Kamal Bey and David Stepanyan” on Spreaker.
Listen to “5PM56: Rich Carlson and Spencer Woods” on Spreaker.
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