Former Penn State wrestling star Roman Bravo-Young on Friday clinched a spot to compete for Mexico at the 2024 Summer Olympic Games in Paris.
The two-time NCAA champion competed at 57 kilograms in the Pan-American Qualification Tournament in Acapulco, Mexico. Bravo-Young went 3-0 against opponents Enrique Armando Herrera Huacre, of Peru; Meijas Rodriguez Pedro Jesus, of Venezuela; and Oscar Tigreros, of Columbia.
Despite wrestling at 133 pounds throughout his college career, Bravo-Young participated at 57 kilograms, or about 125 pounds, with Mexico.
“Just a kid from Tucson, Arizona, now we’re going to Paris,” Bravo-Young told FloWrestling Friday. “I don’t think words describe it. You dream of moments like this.”
Bravo-Young closed out his career in Happy Valley as a two-time national champion, five-time All-American, three-time Big Ten champion, Hodge Trophy Finalist and the Penn State Male Athlete of the Year.
He tallied a 100-10 record as a Nittany Lion before announcing he’d take his professional freestyle career to Mexico.
“I’m honored to represent the country my great grandparents and grandparents come from,” Bravo-Young said in July.
Penn State will host the U.S. Olympic Team Trials for wrestling April 19-20 at the Bryce Jordan Center, where a host of current and former Nittany Lions and Nittany Lion Wrestling Club members will be among those competing for a spot on the United States Olympic team.
The 2024 Olympics will kick off on Friday, July 26, and wrestling will take place from Monday, Aug. 5, to Sunday, Aug. 11.
