USA Wrestling's Last Chance Olympic Team Trials Qualifier tournament takes place this weekend in Fairfax, Virginia. What type of impact can we expect those competitors to have on the Olympic Team Trials themselves, and potentially the Olympic Games? Let's investigate!

We can start by taking a look at who won the previous two Olympic Team Trials Last Chance Qualifiers, which occurred in 2016 and 2021 (the 2020 Olympics were postponed a year because of the stupid novel coronavirus). The 2016 Rio Olympics was also the first to have just six weight classes per style. 

2016 Last Chance Winners

Men's Freestyle

57: Obe Blanc

65: BJ Futrell

74: Mark Hall

86: Deron Winn

97: Kallen Kleinschmidt

125: Blaize Cabell

Women's Freestyle

48: Alesha Zappitella

53: Dajan Treder

58: Trinity Griffin

63: Rachael Shannon

69: Lorrie Ramos

75: Tanya Kusse

Greco-Roman

59: Justin LaValle

66: Marco Lara

75: Alec Ortiz

85: Hayden Zillmer

98: John Lorenz

130: Donny Longendyke 

2021 Last Chance Winners

Men's Freestyle

57: Sean Russell

65: Evan Henderson

74: Chance Marsteller

86: Gabe Dean

97: Ben Honis

125: Tanner Hall

Women's Freestyle

50: Sage Mortimer

53: Melanie Mendoza

57: Xochitl Mota-Pettis

62: Michaela Beck

68: Kennedy Blades

76: Jackie Cataline

Greco-Roman

60: Travis Rice

67: Lenny Merkin

77: Austin Morrow

87: Alan Vera

97: Braxton Amos

125: Tanner Farmer

Now we can look back at the Olympic Team Trials and see how everyone did. 

2016 Last Chance Winners

Men's Freestyle

Lost in the round of 16: 57 - Obe Blanc, 65 - BJ Futrell, 86 - Deron Winn, 97 - Blaize Cabell, 97 Kallan Kleinschmidt

Lost in the quarterfinals: 74 - Mark Hall

Women's Freestyle

Lost in the round of 16: 48 - Alesha Zappitella, 53 - Dajan Treder, 58 - Trinity Griffin, 63 - Rachael Shannon, 69 - Lorrie Ramos, 75 - Tanya Kusse

Greco-Roman

Lost in the round of 16: 59 - Justin LaValle

Lost in the quarterfinals: 66 - Marco Lara, 75 - Alec Ortiz, 85 - Hayden Zillmer

Did not compete: 98 - John Lorenz, 130 - Donny Longendyke 

2021 Last Chance Winners

Men's Freestyle

Lost in the round of 16: 65 - Evan Henderson, 74 - Chance Marsteller

Lost in the quarterfinals: 57 - Sean Russell, 97 - Ben Honis, 125 - Tanner Hall

Lost in the semifinals: 86 - Gabe Dean

Women's Freestyle

Lost in the round of 16: 50 - Sage Mortimer, 53 - Melanie Mendoza, 62 - Michaela Beck

Lost in the semifinals: 57 - Xochitl Mota-Pettis, 76 - Jackie Cataline

Lost in the best 2 of 3 finals: 68 - Kennedy Blades

Greco-Roman

Lost in the round of 16: 67 - Lenny Merkin

Lost in the quarterfinals: 60 - Travis Rice, 77 - Austin Morrow, 125 - Tanner Farmer

Lost in the semifinals: 87 - Alan Vera

Lost in the best 2 of 3 finals: 97 - Braxton Amos

As you can see, it's very difficult to win matches at the Olympic Team Trials! This should come as no surprise as the quadrennial event attracts all the best wrestlers in the country and is limited to a mere six weight classes. 

The qualifying system also already takes into account competitors who have had recent success, so most of the top contenders will have no need for the Last Chance tournament, as you can see from this list of 2024 Olympic Team Trials qualifiers. 

Still, in 2021, two of the Last Chance winners made it all the way to the Olympic Team Trials finals, and several others made the Challenge Tournament semifinals. Could one of this year's Last Chance entries make it as far? Could they make the Olympic team? We'll find out soon!