Rio 2016: Olympic Wrestling Preview Day 3: Greco-Roman 66kg & 85kg

We’ll begin this preview of Day 3 as we will all future previews, with a link back to our Olympics Wrestling primer, which has a cheat sheet and live stream details.

Also a note that wrestling brackets are random draw and uneven. You can check out the brackets from the 2015 World Championship and the European Olympic Qualification Tournament to give you a better idea of what the Rio brackets will look like.

All to the point that picking place finishers before the weigh-ins are completed and brackets are released (which happens the day before the tournament) is a fool’s errand. Which is perhaps why I find it so much fun.

Greco-Roman 66kg

PICKS

GOLD: Islam-Beka Albiev RUS

SILVER: Frank Staebler GER

BRONZE: Omid Noroozi IRI

BRONZE: Ryu Hansu KOR

CONTENDERS

Some people say this is the deepest weight in the Olympics. Others (me) say, when in doubt, pick the Russian to win. However, Staebler is the returning world champ, a rarity for Germany, and don’t be suprised to see him at the top of the podium. Iran’s Noroozi won gold in London, and although he hasn’t been as effective lately, the Iranians know how to get their team in top shape for the big show. South Korea’s Ryu Hansu has a gold and silver world medal and a gold and bronze from the Asian Championships, which I know because I just looked it up on wikipedia.

…

continue reading in source www.bloodyelbow.com