Taylor fails to reach Olympics after shock defeat in US trials
USA TODAY – One of the biggest stars in US wrestling has failed to qualify for the Summer Olympics.
In a shocking twist, two-time defending world champion and reigning Olympic gold medalist David Taylor will miss out on the 2024 Paris Games after losing to fellow Penn State product Aaron Brooks on Saturday night at the Olympic trials.
Taylor, 33, got an automatic bye to the final at the Olympic trials by virtue of his past performances, needing only to win two of three bouts against Brooks to lock up his spot on Team USA. But he came out flat in the first match at 86 kilograms Saturday morning, losing 4-1. And a 3-1 defeat to Brooks on Saturday night followed, stunning the crowd at the Bryce Jordan Center on the campus where they both previously starred.
“He’s one of the first guys to make this program what it is,” Brooks said. “It’s been a blessing, being around him and watching what he does.”
It was an almost unfathomable outcome for the wrestler known by fans as “Magic Man,” who has been arguably the most dominant male wrestler for the US over the past five years. Prior to this weekend’s Olympic trials, Taylor had won 26 of 27 matches dating back to the start of 2019 and beat opponents by a combined score of 226-19. His lone loss came in the final of the 2021 World Championships against Iranian rival Hassan Yazdani. The two men were heavily favored to face off again in Paris, likely with a gold medal on the line.
Instead, Taylor becomes the latest US star to be foiled by the country’s trials system, in which even the most accomplished athletes are forced to earn their place.
Only one athlete per country per weight class is allowed to compete at the Olympic Games.
Ultimately, Team USA’s gold-medal hopeful was foiled by Brooks, a 23-year-old who just wrapped up his collegiate career with a fourth consecutive NCAA title.