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17 Oklahomans in the Olympics

With the Olympic Trials for wrestling taking place this weekend, it seemed like a good time to look back at all of the Oklahoma wrestlers that have competed in the Olympics. Wrestlers that either graduated from an Oklahoma high school or wrestled at OU or OSU have earned an impressive 22 Olympic medals since Cushing’s Bobby Pearce and Perry’s Jack VanBebber won Gold Medals in the 1932 Olympics held in Los Angeles.

Three former or current OSU wrestlers are seeded in the upcoming Olympic Trials as they attempt to join the illustrious group of past Olympians. The Trials will take place April 2-3 in Fort Worth with the champion at each weight representing the United States in the Summer Olympic Games scheduled to take place August 1-7 in Tokyo, Japan. Oklahomans seeded at the Trials are listed below.

Olympic Trials Seeds
Daton Fix (Sand Springs and OSU) – 2nd seed at 57 kg (Thomas Gilman is number one seed)
Jordan Oliver (OSU) – 3rd seed at 65 kg (Zain Retherford is number one seed and Yianni Diakomihalis is number two)
A.J. Ferrari (OSU) – 6th seed at 97 kg (seeded ahead of Ferrari are Kyle Snyder, J’den Cox, Kollin Moore, Hayden Zillmer, Mike Macchiavello, Kyven Gadson and Ty Waltz)

Oklahoma Olympic Gold Medalists
1932 Bobby Pearce – Cushing and OSU
1932 Jack VanBebber – Perry and OSU
1936 Frank Lewis – Cushing and OSU
1960 Doug Blubaugh – Ponca City and OSU
1960 Shelby Wilson – Ponca City and OSU
1964 Yojiro Uetake – OSU (wrestling for Japan)
1968 Yojiro Uetake – OSU (wrestling for Japan)
1972 Wayne Wells – John Marshall and OU
1984 Dave Schultz – OSU and OU
1984 Mark Schultz – OU
1988 John Smith – Del City and OSU
1988 Kenny Monday – Tulsa Washington and OSU
1992 John Smith – Del City and OSU
1996 Kendall Cross – Mustang and OSU

Oklahoma Olympic Silver Medalists
1936 Ross Flood – Blackwell and OSU
1952 Tommy Evans – Tulsa Rogers and OU
1956 Danny Hodge – Perry and OU
1992 Kenny Monday – Tulsa Washington and OSU
2004 Jamill Kelly – OSU

Oklahoma Olympic Bronze Medalists
1952 Josiah β€œJoe” Henson – Tulsa Central and OSU
1976 Gene Davis – OSU
2012 Coleman Scott – OSU

Oklahoma Olympic Wrestling Participants
Wayne Baughman (John Marshall and OU) – 1964, 1968 and 1972 Greco Teams / 1976 Freestyle Coach / 1980 Greco Coach
Richard Beattie (Ponca City and OSU) – 1956 (did not compete due to illness)
Clarence Berryman (OSU) – 1928 (6th)
Jack Blubaugh (Ponca City and OSU) – 1952
Bill Borders (Tulsa Webster and OU) – 1952
George Chiga (OSU) 1936 Canadian Team
Quincy Clark (OU) – 2000 Greco
Daniel Cormier (OSU) – 2004 (4th) / 2008 (did not compete due to injury)
Ray β€œDuke” Clemons (Central Oklahoma) – 1936
Melvin Clodfelter (Enid and OSU) – 1932
Kendall Cross (Mustang and OSU) – 1992 (6th)
Gene Davis (OSU) – 1972
Dick Delgado (OU) – 1956
Bobby Douglas (OSU) – 1964 (4th) / 1968 (did not compete due to illness) / 1992 Coach
Melvin Douglas (OU) – 1996 and 2000
Roy Dunn (OSU) – 1936
Tommy Evans (Tulsa Rogers and OU) – 1956 (wrestled both freestyle and Greco) / 1968 Coach
Jared Frayer (OU) – 2012
Ed Gallagher (OSU) – 1936 Honorary Coach
Harry Geris (OSU) – 1972 and 1976 Canadian Team
Art Griffith (OSU) – 1948 Coach
Eric Guerrero (OSU) – 2004
Ralph Hammonds (OSU) – 1928
Sam Hazewinkel (OU) – 2012
Danny Hodge (Perry and OU) – 1952 (5th)
Richard Hutton (Tulsa Webster and OSU) – 1948
Jimmy Jackson (OSU) – 1976
William Jernigan (Tulsa Rogers and OSU) – 1948
Dale Lewis (OU) – 1956 and 1960 Greco Teams
Guy Lookabaugh (OSU) – 1924 (4th)
Earl McCready (OSU) – 1928 Canadian Team
Steve Mocco (OSU) – 2008
Kenny Monday (Tulsa Washington and OSU) – 1996 (4th)
Hal Moore (OSU) – 1948 (6th)
Hugh Peery (Tulsa Central) – 1952
Rex Peery (Stillwater and OSU) – 1964 Coach
Port Robertson (Edmond and OU) – 1960 Coach
J. Robinson (OSU) – 1972 Greco
Myron Roderick (OSU) – 1956 (4th) / 1964 Assistant Coach
Greg Ruth (OU) – 1964
John Smith (Del City and OSU) – 2000 Coach
Mark Schultz (OU) – 1988 (6th)
Ray Swartz (Stillwater and OSU) – 1952 Coach
Harley β€œDoc” Strong (Cushing and OSU) – 1936
Ralph Teague (Southwestern) – 1932

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