Rio 2016 Olympic freestyle day 4 – Team USA recap

The 2016 Summer Olympics haven’t been the most fun for the men on Team USA, but J’Den Cox earned the second medal for Team USA when he brought home a bronze medal on Saturday.

The 21-year old, two-time NCAA division champion proved that he may be the future face of USA Wrestling as he earned this medal in his first time competing on the world’s stage. He did so with added theatrics in the win over Cuba’s Reineris Salas Perez. With a 1-0 lead heading into the final moments, he shot for a single leg that turned into a dramatic scramble in which neither man would come out with any points.

However, the coaches from Team USA contested that Cox scored and won the challenge. The Cuban coaching team then stormed the mat and Perez refused to continue wrestling.

Cox was exceptional during his first Olympic outing as he was not taken down at any point in his four matches. The only points that he gave up were due to step outs and one was a shot clock point.

Tervel Dlagnev was also competing for Team USA and he finished the day in the fifth position. He won his first two matches, but a leg injured sustained in the second hampered him in the final two matches of the day.

Frank Molinaro and Kyle Snyder are set to compete on the final day of wrestling on Sunday.