Olympic Trials Preview: Vera awaits challenge tournament winner at 97 kg

Sitting out into the championship finals at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials is Alan Vera, who stepped up to a new weight class this year and qualified the USA for the Paris Games at the 2024 Pan American Olympic Games Qualifier. Vera, who made two U.S. Senior World Teams at 87 kg, won the December 2023 U.S. Open at 97 kg to get the chance to qualify the weight. Vera became a U.S. citizen after emigrating from Cuba, where he won a Senior Pan American title back in 2016.

The Challenge Tournament will feature two past Senior World Team members, veteran star Josef Rau and rising young talent Braxton Amos. Rau has made three Senior World Teams, with his first back in 2014 down at 80 kg. Rau won the 2016 Olympic Trials at 98 kg, but did not qualify the weight class for the Rio Games. He qualified the USA for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics through the Pan American Olympic Games Qualifier, but was beaten in the Olympic Trials. He is coming off of a bronze medal finish at the Dan Kolov – Nikola Petrov in March, and placed fifth at the 2023 Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile, last November. Earlier last year, Rau claimed a gold medal at the 2023 Pan American Championships.

Amos was a member of the 2022 Senior World Team. In 2021, he won two U20 World medals, a gold in freestyle and a bronze in Greco-Roman. Amos has collected two Pan American Championships silver medals, one in 2019 at the U20 level and one in 2021 at the Senior level. He is a 2022 Final X runner-up and 2022 Senior World Team Trials Challenge Tournament champion.

Nick Boykin, who has made three U.S. age group World Teams, won U.S. Senior Open titles in 2020 and 2021. In 2022, Boykin earned a bronze medal at the Pan American Championships. He wrestles collegiately for Ohio State.

David Tate Orndorff, a 2019 U23 World Team member, qualified for the Trials by placing third at the December 2023 Senior Nationals. Both Boykin and Orndorff have been past Senior National Team members.

George Sikes IV, a 2022 U.S. Open runner-up, qualified through the Bill Farrell International. Sikes was a 2018 U23 World Team member, placing 20th at 87 kg. Michael Altomer, who has made two U.S. age-group World Teams, was fifth at the Senior Nationals. In 2023, Altomer earned spots on both the U20 and U23 World Teams, winning both National Championships in Ohio in June.

Diante Cooper placed second at the 2024 Armed Forces Championships, claiming a spot in the Olympic Trials. Cooper placed sixth at the Arvo Haavisto Cup in 2019 at 130 kg. Brandon Marshall, who qualified by winning the Last Chance Qualifier, was fourth in the 2023 U.S. Open.

Fans looking to attend the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in person can still purchase all session tickets and single session tickets through Ticketmaster.

For those unable to grab a ticket, fear not—all the action from Bryce Jordan Center will be broadcast by NBC properties, April 19-20. The Friday and Saturday evening sessions will be televised on USA Network. NBC’s streaming platform Peacock will host live streams of each mat throughout the competition.

Complete brackets and live results for the U.S. Olympic Team Trials will be hosted on Trackwrestling.com. Fans can also follow @usawrestling on the various social media platforms for regular updates throughout the event.

For more information about the U.S. Olympic Team Trials, please visit usawrestlingevents.com.

Event Schedule

Friday, April 19

10 a.m. (ET) – Challenge tournament prelims, quarterfinals, consolations

6:30 p.m. (ET) – Challenge tournament semifinals, finals

Saturday, April 20

10 a.m. (ET) – Championship series round one (all weights), championship series round two (GR 60-67-77 kg, MFS 57-65 kg), challenge tournament consolations, true third (if necessary)

6:30 p.m. (ET) –Championship series round two, championship series round three (if necessary)

Greco-Roman 97 kg

Best of Three Championship Series

2024 Pan American Olympic Games Qualifier finalist - Alan Vera (New York AC)

Challenge Tournament participants

2023 World Team member – Josef Rau (Titan Mercury WC/Wildcat WC)

2022 World Team member – Braxton Amos (Wisconsin RTC)

2023 Bill Farrell fourth place – George Sikes IV (New York AC)

Dec. 2023 Senior Nationals third place – David Tate Orndorff (Ohio RTC/Titan Mercury WC)

Dec. 2023 Senior Nationals fourth place – Nicholas Boykin (Sunkist Kids WC)

Dec. 2023 Senior Nationals fifth place – Michael Altomer (Curby 3 Style WC)

2024 Armed Forces Greco-Roman runner-up - Diante Cooper (U.S. Air Force)

2024 Final Olympic Trials Qualifier champion – Brandon Marshall (Big Game WC)