STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) — Aaron Brooks defeated reigning 86-kilogram gold medalist David Taylor in consecutive matches Saturday night at the U.S. Olympic wrestling trials, claiming a roster spot at the Paris Olympics.
Brooks beat Taylor 4-1 earlier in the day, his first loss to an American wrestler in seven years. It set up an opportunity for Brooks to sweep the Tokyo gold medalist and fellow former Penn State athlete.
Brooks capitalized with a 3-1 victory in the pair’s second match, as a stalemate was broken with a Brooks takedown in the first period.
After the match, the two shared a moment in the center of the mat.
“I told him I love him,” Brooks said. “He’s one of the first guys to make (Penn State wrestling) what it is.”
Brooks avenged his losses to Taylor in last year’s world championship qualifier, when Brooks dropped two straight matches to get swept. Since the beginning of March, Brooks has won a Big Ten title, his fourth NCAA title, the Hodge Trophy and a spot in the Olympics.
Russian journalist arrested for years
Regulators pleased Union Pacific is using fewer temporary shipping limits
Phish's Trey Anastasio on playing the Sphere, and keeping the creativity going
Mama June admits she's now trying new weight loss drug after 'packing on' 130lbs
John Swinney is crowned as SNP leader
Bank of America profits plunge 18% due to rise in customer credit card delinquencies
Two more endangered ferrets cloned from critter frozen in 1980s
Jim Harbaugh takes fans inside his RV! New Chargers coach, who earns $16m
Chris Hemsworth is 'handpicked' by Vogue editor Anna Wintour to co
Salvador Perez's homer lifts Royals over White Sox 4
Powerful ethnic armed group in western Myanmar claims to capture base and hundreds of soldiers
Bizarre $1,000 ballet flat sneakers take the fashion world by storm