'The real fun starts': US Olympic wrestling team takes shape after trials

IT’S A MARATHON OF INTERVIEWS AND PHOTO OPS FOR TEAM USA IN NYC. JUST PART OF WHAT THEY HOPE IS THEIR JOURNEY ON THE WAY TO GOLD. WHILE IT MAY BE HARD TO COMPETE WITH ALL THAT IS NEW YORK CITY, TEAM USA ISN’T EXACTLY FIGHTING FOR ATTENTION HERE. GOOD, GOOD. CONFIDENT. THEY’VE EARNED IT WITH THE FLASH AND FOCUS ON THEM. WE WANT TO PUT OUR ATHLETES AT THE CENTER OF ALL OF OUR STORYTELLING AND REALLY AMPLIFY ALL OF THE INCREDIBLE STORIES OF EACH OF OUR ATHLETES, THOSE STORIES TOLD FACE TO FACE. AND AS A COMMUNITY COVERING ISSUES FROM MENTAL HEALTH TO INCLUSION. AS A TEAM, MY FAVORITE IS THIS ONE RIGHT HERE. AND IT’S PRETTY CLEAR WHAT TEAM RALPH LAUREN IS BACKING WITH THIS YEAR’S EDITION OF VILLAGE, WHERE HELPING ATHLETES TO LOOK THEIR BEST, AS DID WE ONE ONE BY ONE, MIKE SAN CAMERA READY WITH SOME STORIES WE NEVER SAW COMING FROM RAISING A WAYWARD SQUIRREL. A BABY SQUIRREL JUST STUMBLED ONTO MY PROPERTY AND I THINK IS KIND OF BLIND. DOESN’T SEE WELL AND I’VE BEEN LIKE NURSING IT BACK TO A LEVEL OF COMPETITIVENESS THAT ESSENTIALLY SAYS NO STITCHES, NO PROBLEM. THEY HAD TO TIE MY HAIR IN KNOTS BEHIND MY HEAD TO CLOSE IT BECAUSE THEY LIKE IT WAS JUST QUICK AND THEN I COULD GO BACK OUT. BUT IT THEY TIMED OUT. I WAS IN THE TRAINING ROOM FOR A LITTLE BIT WHILE THE CARD WAS TAKEN DOWN. I HAD TEN MINUTES TO KILL. ANYWAYS, THAT ASIDE, THEIR MESSAGE ONE OF EXCITEMENT AND PRIDE. I’M EXCITED TO GET THERE FIRST AND FOREMOST. LIKE THAT’S THE MOST EXCITING PART. BUT I’M SUPER EXCITED ABOUT HAVING FANS THERE AGAIN. I WANT TO BE THAT 95 YEAR OLD GUY IN THE GYM. YOU KNOW, TRAINING AND PEOPLE ARE GOING, OH HOLY COW, LOOK AT THIS GUY. AND, UH, UM, YOU KNOW, IT. IT’S IT’S I GUESS IT’S MY THERAPEUTIC HAPPY PLACE. WHENEVER SOMEONE ASKS WHAT I WANTED TO DO WITH THE SPORT, I SAID I WANTED TO GO TO THE OLYMPICS. UM, AND NOW I’M HERE AND IT’S VERY SURREAL. UM, BUT. BUT IT’S VERY EXCITING. AND AND I FEEL READY FOR THE MOMENT. TURN YOUR HEAD A LITTLE TO THE LEFT. AND TH

The U.S. Olympic team is coming into shape.Penn State University hosted the Olympic Trials this weekend, with dozens of athletes vying for just 18 spots available on Team USA.The state of Maryland will be well represented at the highest level.Hagerstown native Aaron Brooks put together a major upset, beating the reigning gold medalist and fellow Nittany Lion David Taylor.Brooks defeated Taylor 4-1, marking Taylor's first loss to an American wrestler in seven years. The Penn State wrestlers shared a moment of respect after the match.Video above: Olympic athletes share stories of perseverance, strengthHelen Mouralis, of Rockville, is also a reigning gold medalist. She will return to the Olympic Games after beating Jacarra Winchester 6-0. She notched a takedown just seconds into the match, and the points piled up from there.Kyle Snyder, of Woodbine, will also make the trip to Paris this summer. He didn't give up a single point in his championship series against Isaac Trumble. Snyder won gold in the 2016 Rio Olympics. This will be his third time qualifying for Team U.S.A."It's different. The first time you do it, you're real happy, and now it's almost an expectation of myself. And then, the real fun starts when you make the team, and you're competing for world Olympic medals, so I'm looking forward to training this summer and getting into that," Snyder said.A total of 18 wrestlers made the U.S. wrestling squad, but only 13 of those wrestlers qualified directly for Paris. The other five will head to Istanbul for a world qualification tournament in May in order to make the final roster.There are just over three months remaining until the start of the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. The opening ceremony takes place on July 26.

The U.S. Olympic team is coming into shape.

Penn State University hosted the Olympic Trials this weekend, with dozens of athletes vying for just 18 spots available on Team USA.

The state of Maryland will be well represented at the highest level.

Hagerstown native Aaron Brooks put together a major upset, beating the reigning gold medalist and fellow Nittany Lion David Taylor.

Brooks defeated Taylor 4-1, marking Taylor's first loss to an American wrestler in seven years. The Penn State wrestlers shared a moment of respect after the match.

Video above: Olympic athletes share stories of perseverance, strength

Helen Mouralis, of Rockville, is also a reigning gold medalist. She will return to the Olympic Games after beating Jacarra Winchester 6-0. She notched a takedown just seconds into the match, and the points piled up from there.

Kyle Snyder, of Woodbine, will also make the trip to Paris this summer. He didn't give up a single point in his championship series against Isaac Trumble. Snyder won gold in the 2016 Rio Olympics. This will be his third time qualifying for Team U.S.A.

"It's different. The first time you do it, you're real happy, and now it's almost an expectation of myself. And then, the real fun starts when you make the team, and you're competing for world Olympic medals, so I'm looking forward to training this summer and getting into that," Snyder said.

A total of 18 wrestlers made the U.S. wrestling squad, but only 13 of those wrestlers qualified directly for Paris. The other five will head to Istanbul for a world qualification tournament in May in order to make the final roster.

There are just over three months remaining until the start of the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. The opening ceremony takes place on July 26.

'The real fun starts': US Olympic wrestling team takes shape after trials

Top Picks