Former University of Iowa star Spencer Lee was beaten by accomplished Japanese wrestler Rei Higuchi in an extremely close, competitive 57 kg (125.5 pound) Olympic men’s wrestling freestyle final Friday.
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Former University of Iowa star Spencer Lee was beaten by accomplished Japanese wrestler Rei Higuchi in an extremely close, competitive 57 kg (125.5 pound) Olympic men’s wrestling freestyle final Friday.
Former University of Iowa three-time NCAA champion and Hawkeye Wrestling Club member Spencer Lee became the first Hawkeye to reach the Olympic finals since Tom Brands in 1996. He earned silver after a 4-2 loss to Japan’s Rei Higuchi in the 125.5-pound final.
After being a training partner in Rio, and injured and unable to compete in Tokyo, 25-year-old Spencer Lee finally made his Olympic debut on Thursday. Following three convincing victories, the three-time NCAA champion for Iowa will wrestle for a gold medal at 57 kg (125.5 pounds) on Friday.
Former Iowa wrestler Spencer Lee has advanced to the men’s freestyle 57 kg gold-medal match at the Paris Olympics. The 3-time NCAA champion won by technical fall in the quarterfinals and semifinals Thursday after a tight opening-round triumph.
Spencer Lee’s mother, Cathy, is a native of France. His Olympic debut will be in the country many of his maternal relatives still live. He will get to wrestle in front of his maternal grandmother for the first time when he opens against China’s Wanhao Zou Thursday in Paris.
After his final college season and a brief showing at the 2023 U.S. Open, Lee took a break from wrestling and traveled to Japan. He visited Tokyo and other places in the country, attempting to get the sport off his mind. He came back determined to compete and will contend for an Olympic gold, starting Thursday.
Wrestling began Monday but Spencer Lee will compete Thursday at 125.5 pounds (57 kilograms) in men’s freestyle at the Olympic Games in Paris. Lee is the 20th Hawkeye wrestler to wrestle in the Olympics.
Iowa Athletics is “running a lot of different models” as it prepares for eventual revenue sharing with athletes, athletics director Beth Goetz said Wednesday at Big Ten football media days.
The 2024 Olympics will feature at least seven current or former University of Iowa athletes.
Former Iowa football standouts Shonn Greene and Adrian Clayborn are among the 2024 inductees into the Iowa Athletics Hall of Fame, the athletic department announced Thursday.
Iowa two-sport standout Ben Kueter announced Monday night he is going to focus on wrestling for the next 10 months, days after winning his age-group national title.
Ben Kueter was a senior at Iowa City High when he won a U20 World Championship. The Hawkeyes’ heavyweight, who plays football, earned a shot at another world gold after claiming the age-level national title.
The University of Iowa has a new home befitting one of college wrestling’s top schools. In a changing college athletics landscape, the new state-of-the-art facility is another step toward keeping pace with leaders in men’s and women’s wrestling.
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