Jax Forrest celebrates his finals win at the 2024 Last Chance Olympic Team Trials Qualifier in Fairfax, Va.
Jax Forrest named USA Wrestling Athlete of the Week presented by U.S. Air Force Special Warfare
by Richard Immel, USA Wrestling
Jax Forrest (Johnstown, Pa./Bishop McCourt) has been named the USA Wrestling Athlete of the Week, presented by U.S. Air Force Special Warfare, on April 10, 2024.
The 17-year-old high school sophomore outgunned a talented 57 kg men’s freestyle field at the 2024 Last Chance Olympic Team Trials Qualifier to secure a spot at the upcoming U.S. Olympic Team Trials in State College, Pa.
Forrest went 4-0 with three technical falls during his time on the mats at James W. Robinson Secondary School in Fairfax, Va. He outscored his four opponents by a combined 45-6 tally. He defeated Gary Steen of Nittany Lion WC, Devan Turner of Indiana RTC and Joshua Rodriguez of Nittany Lion WC to qualify for the finals.
In the championship match, Forrest exploded to a 10-0 technical fall against Nathan Tomasello, a past NCAA champion and four-time NCAA All-American for Ohio State. Forrest scored a four-point fireman’s carry to open the scoring at the 28-second mark. He added a second takedown with a fireman’s carry-to-shrug maneuver just under one minute into the match. The match was iced in 1:18 after Forrest countered a Tomasello shot attempt with a crotch lift for four points.
Forrest recently won a PIAA state title for Bishop McCourt High School. He won a U17 World championship for Team USA in 2022 and is a reigning Junior Nationals champion in freestyle. He is currently ranked No. 2 at 126 pounds and No. 6 pound-for-pound in the FloWrestling National High School Rankings.
To nominate a wrestler for this honor please email the athlete's name, wrestling program, weekly accomplishments, and career accolades to communications@usawrestling.org.
