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Discussion Topic: Tommy Rowlands returns on quest for 2012 Olympics
Bob Preusse added to this discussion on November 23, 2010
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as Mark Twain said, "Rumors of my death have been greatly exagerrated", thus TommyR is back--- from USA WR:
2007 World Team member Tommy Rowlands returns on quest for Olympic team berth
Since his days as a high school wrestling star in Columbus, Ohio, Tommy Rowlands has pursued a dream of winning an Olympic gold medal. Rowlands qualified for the 1999 Junior World Team in freestyle while still in high school, placing fourth. He stayed at home and was a star at Ohio State, winning two NCAA titles at heavyweight (2002, 2004) and four All-American honors. Rowlands freestyle skills were displayed when he won a gold medal at 96 kg/211.5 lbs. at the 2006 World University Games in Turkey. Rowlands moved up to heavyweight in freestyle, and reached the top spot in the USA at 120 kg/264.5 lbs. when he placed fifth at the 2007 World Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan. He won the 2008 U.S. Open, but was defeated in the finals of the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials by longtime rival Steve Mocco. Rowlands did not wrestle the next year, concentrating on a career in business and helping administer the Ohio Regional Training Center wrestling program. Rowlands decided to come out of retirement last season and finished the season placing fourth at the World Team Trials. Rowlands trains daily with past World Team members Tervel Dlagnev and J.D. Bergman at the Ohio RTC.
He has had a strong start this season, winning gold medals at the Sunkist Kids International and the Hargobind International in Canada. At Hargobind, he also won the featured challenge match against 96 kg champion Wynn Michalak for a $5,000 bonus prize. He placed second behind Dlagnev at the NYAC Freestyle International. Against a talented U.S. field at 120 kg, Rowlands seeks to return to the top of his weight class again this year.
LOCAL INFO: Lives in Hilliard, Ohio, attended Ohio State, originally from Columbus, Ohio.
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