photo from OCUSports.com
An OCU student was named USA Wrestler of the Week and has qualified for the Olympic trials.
Rachel Watters, marketing senior, recently won college nationals for wrestling and defeated a returning national champion who had been undefeated in her college career. Watters was awarded SAC Wrestler of the Week, NAIA Wrestler of the Week and USA Wrestler of the Week.
Through winning college nationals and being awarded these honors, Watters qualified for the Olympic trials Apr. 4-5. Watters has been to the Olympic trials before.
“I wrestled in the Olympic trials in 2016 as well. I was 17 at the time, and I was the youngest competitor,” Watters said.
The Olympic trials are national qualifiers for the USA Olympic wrestling team.
Nicole Tyson, head women’s wrestling coach, said Watters has been working to qualify for a new weight class for the Olympics.
“During the three years before the Olympics, before and after, there are actually eight weight classes, and during the Olympic year there are only six, so there are typically a lot of weight class changes in an Olympic year,” Tyson said.
She is working toward the 68 kilos weight class. One person from each weight class will make a spot on the Olympic team.
Tyson also said she and Rachel will be working hard preparing for the trials but will not be making any major changes to her preparation.
“We’re not going to change what she’s been doing. We’re just going to add to it and perfect it,” Tyson said.
While Watters said she is excited for the Olympic trials, she also said it’s going to be hard to wrestle against her friends for a spot on the Olympic team.
“I’m going to basically have to beat my friends to make an Olympic team, which is kind of a difficult situation, but that’s kind of how wrestling is. There’s one person standing at the end,” Watters said.
No women’s wrestlers from OCU have ever made the Olympic team, but many have made it to the Olympic trials in the past. Tyson was one of them.
“I got fourth place at the last Olympic trials, and I’m an OCU alumna,” Tyson said.
This upcoming Olympics will be in Japan, and Tyson said wrestling is highly regarded in Japan.
“The Japanese women team is the best in the world. They have girls that have actually won every single Olympics since it’s been in existence. Women’s wrestling will be a big deal at this particular Olympics. It’s their top sport,” Tyson said.
Tyson also said she’s hopeful and excited for the possibility of Rachel making the team.
“It would be nice to see Rachel on the team and on the podium at the Olympics,” Tyson said.
The Olympic trials will be hosted Apr. 4-5 at The Bryce Jordan Center in University Park, PA.
For more information on the event, visit The Bryce Jordan Center’s website.
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