What’s Subsequent For Kyle Dake And Kyle Snyder After 2024 Olympics

Kyle Dake navigated his option to worldwide wrestling’s high step with impenetrable protection. 

Kyle Snyder received there with high-powered offense. 

However when the 2024 Olympics got here to an in depth Sunday, each had been left reexamining their biggest belongings as they appear ahead after Paris. 

Dake claimed his second Olympic bronze at 74 kilograms with a livid last-minute comeback Saturday in opposition to Serbia’s Khetik Tsabolov, whereas Snyder’s unbelievable run of 9 consecutive World and Olympic podium finishes got here to an finish Sunday when he positioned fifth at 97 kg. 

Collectively, america males’s freestyle group claimed three medals in Paris — Spencer Lee’s silver at 57 kg and bronzes from Dake and Aaron Brooks (86 kg). It was a pullback from the 5 the Individuals took dwelling from Tokyo in 2021 and in addition marked the primary time the U.S. exited the Olympics with out a males’s freestyle gold since 1968. 

Snyder is 28. He grabbed a gold in Rio and a silver in Tokyo. He has stated he needs to wrestle into his 40s. 

Dake has made no such proclamations after claiming his second Olympic bronze, however the 33-year-old appeared like a man who plans to proceed competing. 

“One thing I nonetheless have to work on shouldn’t be letting guys in on my legs,” Dake stated after his win within the bronze medal bout. “I rating loads of factors there, however it’s a double-edged sword typically.”

The sharper finish was pointing again at Dake within the Olympic semifinals, the place he suffered a 20-12 loss in opposition to Japan’s Daichi Takatani. 

“{That a} powerful one,” Dake stated. “It’s not fairly often I put up 12 factors and lose a match.”

For perspective, Dake allowed a complete of 26 factors in his first 21 profession matches on the World Championships. He received all 21, together with a 6-4 victory final September in opposition to Takatani within the World quarterfinals. 

This time round, nonetheless, Takatani operated extra from area and used his quickness to pepper Dake’s proper ankle with assaults. 

“It simply occurred that approach,” Dake stated. “I really feel like I’m actually quick and if a man takes a low shot on me I really feel actually assured I’m going to attain. If I wrestle him once more, it’s most likely not going to be the tactic. It’s simply going to be go get your palms on him.”

In Snyder’s case, the problem was attending to — and ending — his leg assaults. 

The four-time World and Olympic champion was held to 5 factors in his final two matches of the match — a 6-4 semifinal defeat in opposition to reigning World champ Akhmed Tazhudinov of Bahrain and a 4-1 loss to Iran’s Amir Azarpira. His factors in these two bouts got here on two exercise clock expirations, a step-out in opposition to Tazhudinov and a takedown within the closing seconds when he slid round Tazhudinov on the sting. 

Snyder had a first-period snatch single that he couldn’t capitalize on in opposition to Tazhudinov. Within the last minute of the bronze medal match, he received one hand on a leg however couldn’t get a lock with each palms in opposition to Azarpira. 

Snyder stated he’d be taught from his expertise in Paris and return to work. He stated he must get “higher at setting individuals up, wrestling by means of their thumb blocks and protection and simply ending — every part everybody is aware of,” Snyder stated. “However I’ve simply received to get higher at it and do it in a approach the place I can get to their legs and rating.” 

The fifth-place end in Paris ended Snyder’s string of 9 consecutive World and Olympic podium finishes to start his profession on the Senior stage. For the primary time since 2015, he’ll should undergo the total course of of creating a World Staff fairly than having a move to the best-of-three collection at Remaining X. 

Dake’s last-minute comeback within the bronze medal match permits him to take a seat out to the ultimate collection of Remaining X if he opts to proceed competing. 

Trailing 4-1 with lower than 40 seconds left after a chaotic video evaluation sequence, Dake turned up his tempo to warp-speed stage with fakes and snaps and ran round Tsabolov twice. The primary occasion resulted in a takedown. The second led to a thunderous throw and a 10-4 victory. 

“Coach Cael (Sanderson) has been speaking to me this complete yr and he’s like, ‘All I would like you to do is get two takedowns in 45 seconds. That’s it,’” Dake stated. “I’m wanting over and it’s like, ‘Alright, I’ve received to get two takedowns, let’s go.’” 

The victory made Dake the 14th American to win a number of Olympic medals. 

“I used to be clearly upset (after the semifinals) — I wished to win,” he stated. “Everybody needs to win, and when it didn’t occur, that was powerful. However how do I need to characterize myself? How do I need to characterize my nation? What sort of instance do I need to set for my children and for youths all through the entire world? So exit, it’s a brand new day, and be your greatest on that day.”