Sebastian Rivera’s Coaching Plans After Paris
Sebastian Rivera joined Columbia University’s wrestling staff as an assistant coach in September 2024 after winning bronze for Puerto Rico at the Paris Olympics.
From competitor to coach
Rivera competed collegiately for Northwestern and Rutgers before representing Puerto Rico internationally. He won the Olympic bronze medal at 65 kilograms in Paris, then moved into coaching while remaining an active international competitor.
Columbia appointment
Columbia named Rivera the David and Michael Barry Assistant Coach of Wrestling. The role placed a recent Olympian on the staff while he transitioned into coaching. Columbia’s official staff profile confirms his appointment and start date.
A continuing wrestling career
The coaching hire did not require Rivera to retire from competition. He later represented Puerto Rico at the 2025 World Championships while serving on Columbia’s staff. The university reported that dual role.
Rivera arrived at Columbia with an existing connection to head coach Donny Pritzlaff. The two had worked together at Rutgers and in international competition, including the Olympics and World Championships. Their continued partnership linked Rivera’s new responsibilities to coaches and training experiences that had helped shape his own development.
His Paris medal followed a dramatic 10–9 victory over Mongolia’s Tulga Tumur-Ochir. Trailing late, Rivera secured a takedown at the finish; a coaching challenge confirmed the decisive points. He had reached that bronze-medal contest through repechage after losing to eventual champion Kotaro Kiyooka, then defeating Moldova’s Maxim Sacultan.
That experience adds a practical dimension to his coaching background. Rivera had navigated both a quarterfinal defeat and the pressure of a final opportunity to reach the podium. His collegiate résumé also included five All-America honors and a 30–1 final season at Rutgers, ending with third place at the 2022 NCAA Championships. Together, those experiences give him examples from college folkstyle and international freestyle wrestling to draw upon when working with developing athletes.
Additional source: Rutgers’ Olympic bronze-medal report.
Sources
Tags: Wrestling
