USA Junior Wrestling Training Camp To Be Held at Hearnes Center – Mizzou Athletics
COLUMBIA, Mo. — The Team USA Wrestling Junior Team will hold its training camp at Hearnes Center from August 1-5. The camp will act as a tune up for the team’s upcoming trip to United World Wrestling Junior World Championships in Ufa, Russia, from August 16-22.
Of the 10 wrestlers 20 and younger that qualified to represent the United States, three are Tigers. Freshmen Rocky Elam, Colton Hawks and Keegan O’Toole each qualified for the team by winning their respective weight classes in May at the UWW Junior National Championships in Coralville, Iowa.
Wrestling at 74 kg, O’Toole claimed a back-to-back UWW Junior National freestyle title by winning his best-of-three series by technical fall and shutout. He will get the chance to represent the United States one year late after there not being a Junior World Championships in 2020 due to COVID-19.
Wrestling at 86 kg, Hawks punched his ticket by sweeping his best-of-three series as well, winning a tightly contested 6-5 first match and convincingly winning the second with a pin in 4:00.
Wrestling at 92 kg, Elam did not cede a match in his best-of-three series, winning the first by technical fall and working to a 3-2 decision in the second. He will follow in his brother, Mizzou wrestler Zach Elam’s footsteps on the world stage. Zach competed for the United States at the Junior World Championships in 2018.
Hear from head coach Brian Smith on the USA Junior Team camp being held in Columbia:
“We are excited to welcome the junior camp to the Hearnes. It speaks to the commitment of both our athletes and our coaches to have three of our own wrestlers have the privilege to compete for the United States on the world stage.”
Hear from USA junior head coach Kevin Jackson:
“The world team is excited to train at University of Missouri’s world-class training facility in preparation for the Junior World Championships. [Mizzou’s] commitment to wrestling is great; proven by their three junior world team members and and strong wrestling tradition. USA Wrestling would like to thank Coach Smith, his staff and Mizzou’s administrators for making it happen.”
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