Kyle Frederick Snyder (born November 20, 1995) is an American freestyle wrestler and graduated folkstyle wrestler who competes at 97 kilograms.
Snyder is the youngest wrestler ever to win the world, NCAA, and Olympic championships in the same year—a triple crown of American wrestling not accomplished in a generation until he completed his sweep at the 2016 Rio Olympics.[1]
Snyder, nicknamed "Snyderman",[2] became the first Olympic gold medalist to return to college and win an NCAA title, clinching his second consecutive NCAA heavyweight title in 2017 despite tearing cartilage in his chest in the quarter-finals[3][4] and being outweighed by upwards of 40 pounds throughout the tournament.[5] In 2018, Snyder won his third straight individual NCAA title as a heavyweight, this time being outweighed by nearly 60 pounds "in one of the biggest size differences in an NCAA championship match in history",[6] and became the first three-time NCAA heavyweight champion in nearly 30 years.[7]
Along the way he became the youngest American, and only the eleventh ever, to win the Ivan Yarygin Memorial Grand Prix, widely considered the toughest open wrestling tournament in the world.[8] Snyder dominated it with three technical-falls and then a pin in the finals.[9] The following year Snyder became the first American man not only to win back-to-back Yarygin titles, but the only one to win the prestigious tournament more than once at all,[10] earning him Best Foreign Wrestler honors from his Russian hosts.[11]
In 2017, Snyder defeated Abdulrashid Sadulaev at the 2017 World Championships, marking Sadulaev's first loss in his last 75 matches and the third one in his senior career.[12][13] This come-from-behind victory earned Team USA its first World Championship in over 20 years and Snyder his third consecutive individual World or Olympic championship,[14] and led to Snyder being ranked as the best pound-for-pound freestyle wrestler on the planet by Flowrestling in September 2017,[15] a title he would retain in their June 2018 rankings.[16] Snyder's accomplishments led him to being named the winner of the 2017 AAU Sullivan Award,[17] presented annually to top amateur athlete in the United States. He ended his collegiate career as the first wrestler to win the NCAA, World, and Olympic championships as a student athlete.[18]
Career
editIn his first three years of high school at Our Lady of Good Counsel High School in Olney, Maryland, Snyder amassed a 179–0 record, won three prep national championships, and only conceded a single takedown.[19] Named the national high school wrestler of the year by both Intermat[20] and ASICS,[21] Snyder was also ranked as the #1 pound-for-pound high school wrestler in America by FloWrestling after his junior season.[22] He spent his senior year training at the United States Olympic Training Center,[23] competing internationally for Team USA and winning America's first junior world championship in over 20 years[24] while becoming the youngest two-time junior world medalist in American history.[25]
To begin his collegiate wrestling career, Snyder accepted a scholarship from the Ohio State Buckeyes,[26] helping them to an NCAA team championship as a true freshman by finishing as runner-up to a fifth-year senior, Iowa State's Kyven Gadson, in the national finals.[27] A few weeks later, he defeated returning Olympic gold medalist Jake Varner for a chance to represent the U.S. on its 2015 World Team,[28] then became the youngest world champion in American wrestling history by dethroning the reigning world champion.[29] Snyder continued his extraordinary run by returning to Ohio State and rallying for an overtime victory over NC State University's Nick Gwiazdowski, the returning back-to-back heavyweight national champion. Even giving away more than 30 pounds, Snyder was able to end Gwiazdowski's 88-match win streak[30] and earn his first individual NCAA title as a true sophomore.[31]
A few months later Snyder would win his historic gold at the 2016 Rio Olympics—capping his unprecedented streak of winning wrestling's three most prestigious championships in succession before his 21st birthday, defeating the man holding each title along the way.
After returning to Ohio State and winning his second consecutive NCAA heavyweight title at the end of an undefeated 2016–2017 wrestling season,[5] Snyder would avenge his loss to Gadson in the finals of America's 2017 World Team Trials, sweeping him with two straight tech-falls and a cumulative score of 23–2.[32] He would then face another historic bout in the finals of the 2017 Paris World Championships: with Russia and the U.S. tied for first place at 53 points each, Snyder stepped onto the mat for "The Match of the Century"—the team championship, an individual title at 97 kg, and two young legacies were on the line.[33] His opponent was Abdulrashid Sadulaev, a young Russian phenom on a three-year undefeated streak that included two World Championships as well as an Olympic gold, who was then considered the best pound-for-pound wrestler in the world.[34]
Sadulaev moved up a weight class to challenge Snyder, and quickly took a 2–0 lead early in their finals match. But Snyder battled back, and tied the match at 3–3 before the end of the first period, only to have Sadulaev score another takedown and regain the lead. A lead that lasted until the final 20 seconds of the match when Snyder's furious pace allowed him to score a late takedown at the edge of the mat[35]—sealing Team USA's first World Championship in over 20 years, Snyder's third consecutive individual World or Olympic championship, and wresting the title of best pound-for-pound wrestler on the planet away from Sadulaev.[36][15]
In a story recounted to The Washington Post by his college coach, Tom Ryan,[37] after Snyder's thrilling come-from-behind overtime victory which clinched his first NCAA heavyweight title in front of a sold-out Madison Square Garden – a match chosen by fans to be the final one of the night[30] and broadcast live in primetime to millions on ESPN[38] – a maintenance worker approached Ryan to let him know what made Snyder, who'd already made wrestling history as America's youngest World Champion and was named Most Outstanding Wrestler of those NCAA Championships,[31] stand out from his competition the most that weekend: he'd been the only athlete in the entire tournament who continually thanked him for refilling the stadium's water jugs.[39] 2016 Olympic champion Kyle Snyder (USA) lost 0:10 early to Akhmed Tazhudinov (Bahrain) at the World Wrestling Championships in Belgrade 2023 [40]
Freestyle record
edit
High school and junior
editSnyder amassed a 179–0 record in his first three years of high school[19] before becoming the youngest American in over 20 years to win a FILA Junior World Championship in August 2013.[24][25] Snyder was coached by two former World Champions during his gold medal match: Bill Zadick of the Iowa Hawkeyes, who was a college teammate of Jeff McGinness, the youngest ever American FILA Junior World Champion who won the tournament in 1992,[41] as well as Zeke Jones. Although Snyder was unable to repeat his gold medal run in 2014, he brought home a bronze medal, and in the process became the youngest two-time Junior World medalist in American history.[42]
Before bringing home his Junior World title in 2013, Snyder had already decided to forgo his senior year of high school competition and instead compete internationally as a resident athlete at the United States Olympic Training Center beginning in the fall of 2013.[23] In the spring of 2014, at 18 years of age, Snyder was selected to represent Team USA as the youngest-ever member of the Beat the Streets All-Star team that faced off against top-ranked wrestlers from across the world, where he wrestled alongside fellow Americans with multiple NCAA championships and Olympic gold medals such as David Taylor, Brent Metcalf and Jordan Burroughs.[43] Snyder, who competes internationally at 96 kg, lost a tightly contested exhibition match 6–3[44] against Khadzhimurat Gatsalov, the No. 1-ranked wrestler in the world at 120 kg who at 31 years old had won five World Championships and an Olympic gold medal.[45] A few weeks later, Snyder secured a place on his second consecutive United States Junior World Team, winning by technical fall in the national finals.[46]
Snyder hoped to repeat his championship run at the Junior World Championships in 2014, though fell short and lost to Georgy Gogaev of Russia from North Ossetia-Alania in the quarterfinals, and wrestled back for a bronze. Earlier in 2014, Gogaev had defeated two former Division I (NCAA) champions Dustin Kilgore and Cam Simaz,[47] both of whom had won their NCAA titles years earlier, in 2011 and 2012 respectively – while Snyder was still competing in high school.
Junior record
edit
Olympic, collegiate, and senior
editSnyder, just 19 years old at the time, defeated the reigning World Champion at 97 kg, Russia's Abdusalam Gadisov, for his 2015 World Championship in Las Vegas. And then less than one year later, Snyder bested Azerbaijan's Khetag Gazyumov, a former World Champion and two-time Olympic medalist, for his Rio Olympic gold. Additionally, to earn the honor of representing the United States of America on each of those national teams, Snyder had to beat reigning London 2012 Olympic gold medalist Jake Varner in both America's 2015 World Team Trials[48] and the 2016 Olympic Team Trials.[28] Since USA Wrestling's National Team Trials use a best two-out-of-three format for their finals, Snyder had to beat the returning Olympic gold medalist a total of four times, which he did with a cumulative score of 21–6 over the course of their matches.
Snyder, who wrestled collegiately for the Ohio State Buckeyes, is also a three-time NCAA Division I National Champion. His first was won with an overtime victory in a sold-out Madison Square Garden which snapped his opponent's 88-match winning streak, preventing North Carolina State University's Nick Gwiazdowski from winning his third consecutive NCAA heavyweight title.[49] Weighing in for the 285 lb. Heavyweight division at just 226 pounds, Snyder was the lightest heavyweight in the field[50] and was named Most Outstanding Wrestler of the tournament.[51]
For his two international championships Snyder was rewarded with over a quarter million dollars by the Living the Dream Medal Fund, which was founded by "two former collegiate wrestlers-turned Wall Street tycoons," billionaire investment banker Michael E. Novogratz and real estate developer David Barry.[52] Snyder was well endowed with $250,000 for his 2016 Summer Olympics gold and earlier received $50,000 for his 2015 World Championship, money he is allowed to keep since the NCAA made an exception to its rules against student-athlete financial compensation for the Fund.[53]
NCAA record
editNCAA stats
editHighlights
editIn the early minutes of his gold medal Junior World Championships match in 2013, Snyder was thrown to his back by his Armenian opponent, Viktor Kazishvili, and nearly pinned.[24] After fighting off his back and down 4–1, Snyder then ran off 10 unanswered points to secure the victory by technical fall in four minutes and four seconds, his third in his four matches at the tournament.[24][54]
During his 179–0 run during his first three years of high school, Snyder only gave up a single takedown.[55] Snyder, who stopped playing football for his nationally ranked high school team following his sophomore season,[56] is a two-time Washington Post All-Met Wrestler of the Year,[57] and was named the male 2013 ASICS Wrestler of the Year[21] as well as Intermat's 2013 Wrestler of the Year.[20] In November 2013, Snyder became the #1 ranked "Pound for pound" (P4P) American high school wrestler according to Flowrestling.org.[22]
Undefeated in what are considered the top 3 toughest high school wrestling tournaments in America,[58] Snyder won the Walsh Ironman twice, Beast of the East three times, and the Powerade Wrestling Tournament once.[57] Snyder began wrestling for the Ohio State Buckeyes in 2014, placing second in the NCAA championships his freshman year at the 197-pound class individually, and winning a National Championship as part of the Buckeyes' 2014–15 team.
He initially planned to take an Olympic redshirt for the 2015–16 season, but instead chose to return for the Buckeyes and enroll in classes for the spring semester. At the NCAA championships, Snyder won at heavyweight, defeating two-time defending national champion Nick Gwiazdowski of North Carolina State University in overtime 7–5. Snyder was the lightest heavyweight in the field at 226 pounds and finished 11–0 on the season.
Snyder is a 2015 UWW world champion at age 19.
At the 2016 Summer Olympics, he won the Gold Medal bout 2–1 en route to becoming the youngest Olympic Wrestling Champion in USA history at the age of 20, beating Henry Cejudo's record.
Snyder has expressed an interest in Mixed martial arts, wanting to compete in the UFC. He planned to cross train Mixed martial arts with wrestling as he continued his historic world championship runs for Freestyle.[59] Snyder however backtracked on his MMA desires. Snyder said, "I don’t think it’s even down the road. I don’t think that I’m going to fight. I think I’m going to wrestle as long as I can as long as [God] wants me to. We’ll see what happens after that. I don’t foresee it being fighting."[60]
Awards and honors
edit- 2022
Pan American Championship 97 kg
- 2021
2020 Summer Olympics 97 kg
- 2019
World Championship 97 kg- Pan American Games 97 kg
- Yaşar Doğu 97 kg
- Pan American Championship 97 kg
- Dan Kolov Grand Prix 97 kg
- 2018
- World Championship 97 kg
- Yaşar Doğu 97 kg
- NCAA Division I 285 lbs
- Big Ten Conference 285 lbs
- Ivan Yarygin Grand Prix 97 kg
- 2017
- World Championship 97 kg
- Ivan Yarygin 97 kg
- Pan American Championships 97 kg
- NCAA Division I 285 lbs
- Big Ten Conference 285 lbs
- Ohio State University Male Athlete of the Year
- James E. Sullivan Award Winner
- 2016
- 2016 Summer Olympics 97 kg
- NCAA Division I 285 lbs
- Big Ten Conference 285 lbs
- Most Outstanding Wrestler NCAA Division I championships
- Ohio State University Male Athlete of the Year
- 2015
- USA Freestyle Wrestler of the Year
- World Championship world 97 kg
- Pan American Games 97 kg
- NCAA Division I 197 lbs
- Big Ten Conference 197 lbs
- NCAA Division I (team championship as a member of the Buckeyes)[61]
- 2014
- UWW junior world 96 kg
- 2013
- ASICS High School Wrestler of the Year
- UWW junior world 96 kg
- Maryland State Division I 220 lbs
- 2012
- Junior Nationals 96 kg
- Junior Nationals (Greco Roman) 96 kg
- Maryland State Division I 220 lbs
- 2011
- Cadet 96 kg
- Cadet (Greco Roman) 96 kg
- Maryland State Division I 215 lbs
Personal life
editSnyder is married to Maddie Snyder.[62] Snyder is a Christian.[63]
In May 2018, President Donald Trump appointed Snyder to be a member of his Council on Sports, Fitness & Nutrition.[64]
References
edit- ^ Immel, Richard. "Kyle Snyder becomes youngest Olympic champion in U.S. history". Archived from the original on August 22, 2016. Retrieved January 12, 2017.,
- ^ "Meet the Athletes: Kyle Snyder | NBC Olympics".
- ^ "2017 NCAA Wrestling Championships: Ohio State, Olympic star Kyle Snyder wins another title". Archived from the original on November 12, 2017. Retrieved November 11, 2017.
- ^ "Ohio State wrestler Kyle Snyder's dream provides vision". Kyle Snyder. Retrieved March 19, 2018.
- ^ a b "KYLE SNYDER WINS SECOND STRAIGHT NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP". March 18, 2017.
- ^ "Snyder wins NCAA championship in front of record-breaking crowd". WON/F4W – WWE news, Pro Wrestling News, WWE Results, UFC News, UFC results. March 17, 2018. Retrieved March 19, 2018.
- ^ "Ohio State wrestler Kyle Snyder belongs on Buckeyes' Mount Rushmore". springfieldnewssun. Retrieved March 19, 2018.
- ^ "Update: Kyle Snyder wins gold at Yarygin Grand Prix in Russia, just the 11th USA man to win prestigious event". Team USA. Archived from the original on January 31, 2017. Retrieved September 30, 2017.
- ^ "Kyle Snyder Dominates on the Way to Capturing Gold at the Yarygin Tournament in Russia". Eleven Warriors. January 29, 2017. Retrieved September 30, 2017.
- ^ "Woodbine wrestler Snyder first U.S. man to repeat as champion at Ivan Yarygin Grand Prix". January 28, 2018.
- ^ "Snyder wins back-to-back titles and Taylor also gets his gold on last day of Yarygin Grand Prix in Russia". Archived from the original on January 28, 2018.
- ^ "Kyle Snyder savors Russian Tank showdown". OlympicTalk. May 23, 2017. Retrieved September 13, 2017.
- ^ "All 5 Male Olympic Athlete Of The Year Nominees Are World Champs. We Break Down The Field For You". Archived from the original on October 19, 2017.
- ^ "Kyle Snyder Upends 'Russian Tank' Abdulrashid Sadulaev to Earn Second World Championship". Eleven Warriors. August 27, 2017. Retrieved September 13, 2017.
- ^ a b "97 KG". www.flowrestling.org. Retrieved October 6, 2023.
- ^ "International Rankings – Men's Freestyle". www.flowrestling.org. Retrieved June 12, 2018.
- ^ "Ohio St. wrestler Snyder wins Sullivan Award". ESPN.com. April 18, 2018. Retrieved May 17, 2022.
- ^ "Kyle Snyder signs apparel endorsement deal". Team USA. Archived from the original on April 4, 2018. Retrieved April 3, 2018.
- ^ a b Schimmel, Greg (February 24, 2013). "Good Counsel's Kyle Snyder, McNamara's Alfred Bannister win National Preps wrestling championships – Washington Post". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on May 31, 2013. Retrieved September 23, 2013.
- ^ a b ReplyCancel (April 24, 2013). "InterMat Wrestling – InterMat unveils 2012–13 High School All-Americans". Intermatwrestle.com. Retrieved September 23, 2013.
- ^ a b Abbott, Gary (July 14, 2013). "Augello, Snyder named ASICS High School Wrestlers of the Year | TheMat.com – USA Wrestling". TheMat.com. Retrieved September 23, 2013.
- ^ a b "Asics FloRankings - HS | Flowrestling". Archived from the original on November 24, 2013. Retrieved November 7, 2013.
- ^ a b Hiatt, Gabe (April 10, 2013). "Kyle Snyder to leave Good Counsel for Olympic Training Center". The Washington Post. Retrieved September 23, 2013.
- ^ a b c d Hiatt, Gabe (August 21, 2013). "Former Good Counsel wrestler Kyle Snyder wins Junior World Championship – Washington Post". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on October 29, 2013. Retrieved September 23, 2013.
- ^ a b International Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles. "Database". Fila-official.com. Archived from the original on October 9, 2011. Retrieved September 23, 2013.
- ^ Kyle Snyder forgoes Olympic redshirt to wrestle for Ohio State, January 8, 2016, retrieved October 30, 2016
- ^ "NCAA Wrestling Championships: Kyven Gadson vs. Kyle Snyder", The Des Moines Register, March 21, 2015, retrieved January 11, 2017
- ^ a b Olympic Wrestling Trials 2016: Kyle Snyder beats Jake Varner; Jordan Burroughs wins (photos), April 10, 2016, retrieved October 30, 2016
- ^ "Kyle Snyder Becomes Youngest U.S. Wrestling World Champion At 19". Archived from the original on September 14, 2015.
- ^ a b Culpper, Chuck. "Kyle Snyder's legend grows with epic NCAA heavyweight title". The WashingtonPost.,
- ^ a b Ohio State Wrestling Kyle Snyder, retrieved October 30, 2016 [permanent dead link]
- ^ "KYLE SNYDER TOO MUCH FOR KYVEN GADSON AT WORLD TEAM TRIALS". Archived from the original on September 2, 2017.
- ^ "Snyder Wins Showdown of 'Young Legends' to Close Paris 2017 Wrestling World C'ships". United World Wrestling. August 26, 2017. Retrieved October 6, 2023.
- ^ "Post Olympic Pound-For-Pound Rankings - FloWrestling". www.flowrestling.org. August 25, 2016. Retrieved October 6, 2023.
- ^ "Minute By Minute: How Snyder Knocked Off Sadulaev - FloWrestling". www.flowrestling.org. August 28, 2017. Retrieved October 6, 2023.
- ^ "Update: Snyder beats Sadulaev, Burroughs also wins gold, Green takes silver and USA is World Team Champions". Archived from the original on August 28, 2017.
- ^ Ohio State Wrestling Tom Ryan head coach, retrieved February 12, 2017
- ^ NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships Live from Madison Square Garden for the First Time, March 11, 2016,
- ^ Culpepper, Chuck. "Olympic champ Kyle Snyder returns to high school gym to wrestle for Ohio State". The WashingtonPost.,
- ^ "20-Year-Old Wrestler Shatters American Dream of Gold at Wrestling World Championship Upsetting Country's Youngest Olympic Wrestling Champion Kyle Snyder". EssentiallySports. September 19, 2023. Retrieved October 6, 2023.
- ^ "Jeff McGinness Profile – Iowa Official Athletic Site". Hawkeyesports.com. Retrieved November 5, 2013.
- ^ "Database". fila-official.com. Archived from the original on October 9, 2011. Retrieved January 15, 2022.
- ^ Jerry Milani (April 29, 2014). "Nine additional Team USA wrestlers to compete in Beat The Streets matches in Times Square May 7". Team USA. Archived from the original on July 14, 2014.
- ^ Gary Abbot (May 7, 2014). "USA defeats World All-Stars 8-3 in Beat the Streets event in Times Square". Team USA. Archived from the original on May 10, 2014.
- ^ "FILA freestyle rankings". Team USA. Archived from the original on February 28, 2014.
- ^ "Buckeye Kyle Snyder Qualifies for Second FILA Junior World Champ - 13abc.com Toledo (OH) News, Weather and Sports". Archived from the original on July 14, 2014. Retrieved June 15, 2014.
- ^ "USA and Russia Split Pair of Duals in NY; Cornell Wrestle-Offs, Hofstra on the Road and More". November 17, 2013.
- ^ Burroughs, Snyder, Metcalf, Humphrey capture World Team Trials freestyle championships, June 14, 2015, archived from the original on June 17, 2015, retrieved October 30, 2016
- ^ College wrestling: Ohio State's Kyle Snyder ends Nick Gwiazdowski's 88-match winning streak, March 20, 2016, retrieved October 30, 2016
- ^ Ohio State wrestler Kyle Snyder is NCAA's top athlete, March 20, 2016
- ^ 2016 NCAAs: Best finals ever?, March 23, 2016
- ^ Four U.S. World champions presented Living the Dream Medal Fund checks for $50,000, November 5, 2015, archived from the original on November 7, 2015, retrieved October 30, 2016
- ^ Ohio State's Kyle Snyder due $250,000 bonus after wrestling gold in Rio, August 21, 2016, retrieved October 30, 2016
- ^ Abbott, Gary (August 17, 2013). "UPDATED: Snyder wins gold, Dieringer takes silver in freestyle at Junior Worlds in Bulgaria | TheMat.com – USA Wrestling". TheMat.com. Archived from the original on September 22, 2013. Retrieved September 23, 2013.
- ^ Kilgore, Adam. "Kyle Snyder, 20, becomes youngest U.S. wrestler to win Olympic gold". The WashingtonPost.,
- ^ Krider, Dave (July 15, 2012). "Kyle Snyder gives up football for wrestling career". MaxWire National Blog.
- ^ a b "Wrestling Wrestler of the Year – 2012–13 Winter All-Met". The Washington Post. Retrieved September 23, 2013.
- ^ "WrestlingReport.com". WrestlingReport.com. Retrieved September 23, 2013.
- ^ "Olympic gold medalist Kyle Snyder plans to pursue UFC career immediately | FOX Sports". FOX Sports. September 12, 2016. Retrieved January 18, 2017.
- ^ "Kyle Snyder: A Different Kind of Greatness - the Fight Library". The Fight Library. January 3, 2020.
- ^ Ohio State wins 2015 NCAA Wrestling Championships – Big Ten.org
- ^ "KYLE SNYDER". Archived from the original on July 16, 2020. Retrieved July 25, 2020.
- ^ Ackerman, Jon (July 24, 2020). "5 Christ-following Olympians to follow leading up to the 2021 Tokyo Games". Sports Spectrum. Retrieved July 25, 2020.
- ^ "President Donald J. Trump Announces Intent to Nominate and Appoint Personnel to Key Administration Posts". whitehouse.gov. May 4, 2018. Retrieved January 13, 2019 – via National Archives.
External links
edit- Kyle Snyder at United World Wrestling
- Kyle Snyder at the International Wrestling Database
- Kyle Snyder at USA Wrestling
- Kyle Snyder at Team USA (archive October 27, 2021)
- Kyle Snyder at Olympedia (archive)
- Kyle Snyder at Olympics.com
- Kyle Snyder at the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics
- Kyle Snyder at the Lima 2019 Pan American Games
