U.S. Olympic Wrestling Team: Who Is Jordan Burroughs' Biggest Rival for Gold?

The United States has a long standing tradition of great Olympic wrestlers. Jordan Burroughs should be added to that list.

The New Jersey native is the favorite in the 163-pound freestyle weight class in the London Olympics.

Burroughs, according to a story on philly.com, lives by the mantra “Wrestle … Win … Repeat.” It’s the kind of mantra befitting a champion.

But wrestling in the Olympics has taken its toll on athletes, where no wrestler has defended his gold medal at a second Olympic Games since 1996, this according to the same article.

"

"I'm excited. I've wanted this opportunity for a long time. I'm super-focused on my goal; it's easy to get caught up in all the hype of being a professional athlete," Burroughs said. "My one and only focus at the Olympic Games is to win a gold medal. I have a whole country behind me and I'm ready to go out and win it."

"

During his freshman season at Nebraska, the now 24-year-old Burroughs gained strength and agility, ultimately moving him into a higher weight class. By his sophomore year, he posted a 34-6 regular-season record, captured a Big 12 title and placed third at the NCAA championships. By his third season as a Cornhusker, he was a national champion at 157 pounds and a first-team All-American.

When you look at the weight class, according to themat.com, Burroughs has already met and beaten many of the competitors he will face in London.

Burroughs beat Russia’s Denis Tsargush, the 2009 and 2010 World champion, when he won the world free style title. Tsargush has won the Russian Nationals. Russia could enter Adam Saitiev, who won the European Olympic qualifier this year, to compete as well, according to the article.

Other wrestlers Burroughs may face—Iran’s Sadegh Saeed Goudarzi and Azerbaijan’s Ashraf Aliyev—are very strong and were also beaten by Burroughs last year.

Goudarzi has been second at the last two World Championships, and Aliyev was third last year.

Other wrestlers who could be of interest and on the medal radar in London include Ricardo Robertty Moreno of Venezuela and Hungary’s Gabor Hatos. Moreno was fifth in the world last year, and Hatos was the third best in the 2010 world event.

Burroughs may also see Canada’s Matt Gentry, a past NCAA champion for Stanford. Gentry was a qualifier for his second Olympics, winning the Pan American Olympic Qualifier in March.

Because there has been a lack of consistency in wrestlers from the United States repeating as champion, Burroughs said in the philly.com article that he hopes to buck that trend and prove he more than a one-“games” wonder.

"

"I think that's what our sport needs. A lot of guys get out of wrestling immediately after winning a gold medal, he said. “Every time another Olympics comes around, it's always a bunch of fresh faces. For me to win an Olympic gold and have a chance to win another would be huge for our sport.”

"