Wrestling in the United States
Wrestling in the United States has a strong regional following in the country especially the Amateur sports scene.[1]
Wrestling in the United States | |
---|---|
Country | United States |
Governing body | USA Wrestling |
National team(s) | United States Olympics team |
International competitions | |
History
Freestyle wrestling was introduced in 1904 and was only disputed by American wrestlers. Free style wrestling had far less history and tradition compared to Greco-Roman but possessed great popularity and developed into a form of entertainment which was performed at fairs and festivals across the United States.[2]
National Governing board
USA wrestling is the national governing for wrestling in the United States. It is also the representative to the UWW (United World Wrestling) which is the international federation for wrestling and the USOC (United States Olympic Committee). USA wrestling consists of over 233,000 members which includes numerous age ranges, coaches, and officials. It is divided into State Associations where each state has its own set of bylaws for which it operates. USA wrestling is accountable for the assortment of contestants to represent the United States in the Olympic and World competitions.[3]
Olympics
The United States is a powerhouse at Wrestling at the Summer Olympics winning 54 gold medals, 43 silvers and 35 bronzes winning 132 medals.[4][5][6] In the 2000 Summer Olympics, taken place in Sydney, American wrestler Rulon Gardner beat three-time champion Aleksandr Karelin to take home the Gold.[7]
References
- Grasso, John (6 March 2014). "Historical Dictionary of Wrestling". Scarecrow Press. Retrieved 11 March 2019 – via Google Books.
- "Wrestling freestyle: Equipment and History - Olympic Sport History". International Olympic Committee. 2018-05-15. Retrieved 2019-03-26.
- "Team USA". Team USA. Retrieved 2019-03-26.
- Nash, John S. (13 August 2012). "The Olympic History of Catch Wrestling". Bloody Elbow. Retrieved 11 March 2019.
- "From mat to ring, WWE's amateur and pro wrestling connection". USA TODAY. Retrieved 11 March 2019.
- "Why 1996 Was the Most Important Year in Wrestling History". Complex. Retrieved 11 March 2019.
- "History of Wrestling | United World Wrestling". unitedworldwrestling.org. Retrieved 2019-03-26.