On the final stretch to the Olympics, things are looking pretty good for the USA. Among the wrestlers who have made it to Team USA and are waiting to begin their journeys in Paris, Kyle Snyder is undoubtedly one of the frontrunners for the prospect of bringing home a gold medal. The 97kg Olympic gold medalist secured his 10th straight national team appearance in April at the Olympic Team Trials, but dark clouds on the horizon could make it a monumental task to overcome in the French capital.

The 97kg weight class is filled with incredible talent from around the world. Among them, a familiar foe has been on a roll for almost a whole year and is expected to give Snyder a run for his money on the grand stage.

Kyle Snyder ready to set the records straight in Paris

A recent article by FloWrestling lists all the top-seeded wrestlers from across the world who have already secured their tickets to Paris. The 97kg bracket includes names like Magomedkhan Magomedov of Azerbaijan and Georgia’s Givi Matcharashvili. While all of these stars are formidable foes, Snyder will likely be eyeing his chances of meeting the Bahraini Akhmed Tazhudinov once again after their last bout at the 2023 World Championships.

In Budapest, Tazhudinov trounced over the Ohio State wrestler to win the gold medal in the 97kg weight class. Along with that, the 2023 UWW rankings also saw Snyder being beaten by Akhmed for the top spot. With these incidents still fresh in Snyder’s memory, the three-time NCAA champ will understandably want to meet his old foe with all guns blazing.

The challenge posed by Tazhudinov looks even more difficult considering the fact that he has been on a rampage over the last 12 months. Taking on some thrilling talents in several tournaments around the world, Tazhudinov has exerted his dominance again and again. However, Snyder isn’t new to high-stakes matches, and when it comes to the Olympics, everything’s game.

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Snyder isn’t one to be discounted either

The real-life Captain America, Kyle Snyder, is known for his consistency and ability to deliver on big occasions. Earlier this year, Kyle bagged another gold at the 2024 PanAm Championships in Acapulco, Mexico, highlighting his ability to keep up with younger opponents even at the age of 28. In April’s Zagreb Open, Snyder also walked away with a silver. While the Dagestan-born Tazhudinov could pull off another spectacular victory over Snyder, the latter’s experience could well be the difference between them.

Snyder has secured his spot on Team USA after making a steep uphill journey. However, while his fans brace themselves to see Snyder compensating for David Taylor’s absence from the quadrennial event, only time will tell if Tazhudinov can come out on top of his American opponent.