Original release by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling

2016 Olympic champion and two-time World champion Kyle Snyder (State College, Pa./Titan Mercury WC/Nittany Lion WC) has officially accepted his 97 kg men’s freestyle berth in Final X.

He will battle for a spot on the 2022 U.S. World Team in Final X Stillwater, presented by Tezos, on Friday, June 3 at Gallagher-Iba Arena on the campus of Oklahoma State University.

Snyder has been the top U.S. wrestler at 97 kg going back to 2015 and has won a World or Olympic medal for Team USA for seven straight years. Snyder was the youngest U.S. World wrestling champion when he won the 2015 World title in Las Vegas, Nev., then became the youngest U.S. Olympic wrestling champion when he won the 2016 Olympic gold medal in Rio de Janiero, Brazil. He added another World title in 2017 in Paris, France. Since then, Snyder has won a 2020 Olympic silver medal, two World silver medals (2018, 2021) and a World bronze medal (2019). Snyder was a three-time NCAA champion and four-time finalist for Ohio State. A native of Woodbine, Md., Snyder was a three-time National Prep School champion for Our Lady of Good Counsel High School, and completed his high school career as a resident athlete at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo., graduating from Coronado High School.

Tickets for Final X Stillwater, presented by Tezos

The Final X series will determine the 2022 U.S. Senior World Teams in men’s freestyle, women’s freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling which will compete in Belgrade, Serbia, Sept. 10-18.

The Team Selection procedures for the U.S. World Teams in each style allows for 2021 Senior World medalists and 2020 Olympic medalists to advance directly to Final X at a specified weight class. Kyle Snyder has met this requirement and accepted his qualification.

There are 15 weight classes contested in Final X Stillwater, five in men’s freestyle, five in women’s freestyle and five in Greco-Roman. The weight classes assigned to the Final X Stillwater are:

• Men’s freestyle: 57 kg, 61 kg, 70 kg, 92 kg, 97 kg
• Women’s freestyle: 55 kg, 59 kg, 65 kg, 68 kg, 76 kg
• Greco-Roman: 55 kg, 63 kg, 72 kg, 82 kg, 130 kg

The Final X opponent for Snyder will be determined at the World Team Trials Challenge Tournament for men’s and women’s freestyle, set for Coralville, Iowa, May 20-22.

Final X Stillwater will be held alongside the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Honors Weekend, which is happening at the Hall of Fame facility next door, June 3-4.

In addition to Final X Stillwater, Final X New York (which serves as the Beat the Streets Annual Benefit this year), will be held at Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City, Wednesday, June 8. There will be 15 other weight classes contested in New York.

.FloWrestling will serve as the host broadcasting partner for both Final X Stillwater, presented by Tezos, and Final X New York, presented by Tezos

FINAL X STILLWATER, presented by Tezos

At Gallagher-Iba Arena at Oklahoma State University, Friday, June 3

Declared Qualifiers to date

Men’s freestyle 97 kg - Kyle Snyder (State College, Pa./Titan Mercury WC/Nittany Lion WC) vs. winner at World Team Trials Challenge Tournament

Men’s freestyle 61 kg – Daton Fix (Sand Springs, Okla./Titan Mercury WC/Cowboy RTC) vs. winner at World Team Trials Challenge Tournament

KYLE SNYDER

Residence: State College, Pa.

Club: Titan Mercury WC

College: Ohio State University

High School: Olney, Md. (Our Lady of Good Counsel); Colorado Springs, Colo. (Coronado)

Born: Nov. 20, 1995

• 2016 Olympic gold medalist
• 2020 Olympic silver medalist
• Two-time World champion (2015, 2017)
• Two-time World silver medalist (2018, 2021)
• 2019 World bronze medalist
• 2013 Junior World Champion (2013)
• 2014 Junior World bronze medalist (2014)
• Three-time Ivan Yarygin Grand Prix champion (2017, 2018, 2021)
• Five-time Pan American Championships gold medalist (2015, 2017, 2019-21)
• Two-time Pan American Games champion (2015, 2019)
• Three-time NCAA champion for Ohio State (2016-18)
• Three-time Prep School National champion for Our Lady of Good Counsel (2011-13)