Amit Elor Turned Her Olympic Debut Into Historic Gold
Amit Elor defeated Kyrgyzstan’s Meerim Zhumanazarova in the women’s 68 kg freestyle final in Paris on August 6, 2024. At twenty, she became the youngest American wrestler, male or female, to win Olympic gold.
Four victories in Paris
Elor began by defeating Türkiye’s Buse Çavuşoğlu Tosun 10–2. She followed with an 8–0 quarterfinal victory over Poland’s Wiktoria Chołuj, then overwhelmed North Korea’s Pak Sol Gum by 10–0 technical superiority in the semifinal.
The final was tighter, but Elor controlled the scoring. She earned a counter takedown and an activity point during the opening period, then protected that 3–0 advantage through a scoreless second period to secure the championship.
A world champion at a new weight
Her Olympic debut followed senior world championships at 72 kg in 2022 and 2023. Moving to 68 kg placed her in an Olympic division, requiring her to reproduce her international success at a different championship weight.
The 2022 title had already made Elor the youngest American senior world champion at eighteen. Paris added another national age record, surpassing the mark established by Kyle Snyder when he won Olympic gold in 2016.
An unbeaten senior start
By the end of the Paris tournament, USA Wrestling recorded Elor’s senior record at twenty-eight wins without defeat. Her Olympic performance combined clear early-round margins with a disciplined final, completing the progression from age-group championships to senior world titles and the sport’s biggest international stage.
Sources
- USA Wrestling: Elor’s four Paris results and championship records
- Team USA: youngest American Olympic wrestling champion
- Amit Elor: world championship weight classes and achievements
