Kyle Snyder’s Third Olympics Ends with Fifth Place in Paris
Kyle Snyder’s attempt to win a third consecutive Olympic medal ended with fifth place at Paris 2024. The American reached the men’s freestyle 97kg semifinals before losing to eventual champion Akhmed Tazhudinov, then fell to Iran’s Amirali Azarpira in the bronze-medal match. The result supplied a difficult ending to a campaign built on an exceptional championship record.
An Olympic champion returns for a third Games
Snyder won Olympic gold at Rio 2016 and silver at Tokyo 2020, making Paris his third appearance. He also entered with multiple world championship titles and a college career that had helped establish him among the sport’s leading competitors.
His Rio victory made him the youngest American Olympic wrestling champion. The significance of that achievement lies in how early he reached the highest level, while his later world and Olympic medals demonstrated that the breakthrough was sustained.
Paris presented another field of accomplished opponents. A previous champion brings experience to that setting, but every match still requires a new performance. Snyder’s goal was to return to the top of the podium, with the possibility of a third Olympic medal also at stake.
The semifinal against Tazhudinov
Snyder advanced through his opening matches to face Bahrain’s Tazhudinov in the semifinals on August 10. Tazhudinov won 6–4, moving into the gold-medal match and leaving Snyder to compete for bronze the following day.
The score reflected a competitive contest, but its consequence was clear: Snyder’s route to gold had ended. Tazhudinov went on to win the title, confirming the strength of the opponent Snyder had encountered at that stage.
The semifinal result changed the task rather than ending the tournament. For an experienced medalist, that creates a distinct challenge: setting aside the missed opportunity to reach the final and preparing for the remaining match. The bronze bout still offered a place on the Olympic podium.
Azarpira takes the bronze
On August 11, Azarpira defeated Snyder 4–1 in the bronze-medal match. The Iranian secured the medal, while Snyder finished fifth. USA Wrestling and Penn State’s Olympic training-center report both recorded the outcome, giving the campaign a firm conclusion.
The result ended Snyder’s sequence of Olympic podium finishes after gold and silver at his first two Games.
Sources
- USA Wrestling: Snyder’s career and Paris expectations
- USA Wrestling: semifinal result
- USA Wrestling: fifth-place finish
- Penn State: bronze-medal match
Sources: ohiostatebuckeyes.com; nwhof.org
Tags
Olympic Games, Wrestling
