USA Olympic Wrestling 2016: America's Best Bets for Gold in Rio

The wrestling competition at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games gets started Sunday. The Greco-Roman competition kicks it off, followed by women's freestyle (which, unlike Greco-Roman, allows holds below the waist) and then men's freestyle.

Team USA probably doesn't have the strongest wrestling contingent in Brazil; that distinction goes to Russia, which saw all but one of its 17 wrestlers enter the Games despite Russia's recent athletic doping scandal. 

Still, the Americans have fielded a solid team. At the 2012 London Games, Team USA took home four total medals, including two golds. They could see the same or better results, with contenders like Helen Maroulis (women's freestyle 53 kilograms), Andy Bisek (Greco-Roman, 75 kilograms), Kyle Snyder (men's freestyle, 97 kilograms) and others in the mix for medals.

But you know when it comes to American Olympic fans, all they see is gold. Who are the American favorites to take the top podium position in Rio? Take a look, then take a look at the full schedule of competition.

Jordan Burroughs

The New Jersey native is easily the most famous active American amateur wrestler. And there's a reason for that. Actually several reasons.

He's a three-time world-champion freestyle wrestler at 57 kilograms. He's the world's top-ranked wrestler in that division. And he's the defending Olympic gold medalist.

He's expected to run his record to two-for-two with a gold run in Rio. His speed and athleticism put him head and shoulders above the field. If he's not a lock, he'll do until the lock gets here.

Adeline Gray

Since women's wrestling made its Olympic debut in 2004, no American has topped the podium. In fact, only four women have earned a medal at all, and only one—Sara McMann in 2004—has done better than bronze.

John Locher/Associated Press

That is probably going to change in Rio. That change's name is Adeline Gray.

The native of Colorado is the odds-on favorite to take gold in the 75-kilogram division and, in so doing, make a little bit of history. For an Olympics that has seen several female athletes become stars with their electrifying performances—Katie Ledecky, Simone Biles and Simone Manuel come to mind in particular—Gray looks poised to make her mark as well.