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Jordan Burroughs makes a comeback

United+States+wrestler+Jordan+Burroughs+admires+the+gold+medal+he+earned+by+winning+the+mens+-74kg+wrestling+competition+at+the+Summer+Olympics+at+the+Excel+Arena+in+London%2C+England%2C+on+Friday%2C+August+10%2C+2012.+%28Robert+Gauthier%2FLos+Angeles+Times%2FMCT%29
United States wrestler Jordan Burroughs admires the gold medal he earned by winning the men’s -74kg wrestling competition at the Summer Olympics at the Excel Arena in London, England, on Friday, August 10, 2012. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times/MCT)

BY JOEY BAUGHMAN

Back in August of 2016 after a disappointing Olympic performance for wrestling phenom, 2012 Olympic gold medalist, Jordan Burroughs, decided to hang up the wrestling shoes and announced his retirement. In his tremendous career, Burroughs was an extremely decorated athlete and one of the most decorated wrestlers of all time. Interestingly enough, he found most of his success near the end of his collegiate career and after. During Jordan’s freshman year of college, he went just 16-13. However, his work ethic continued to improve, as did his abilities. Over the next three seasons, he piled up 111 wins and took only six losses, finishing his junior and senior years with undefeated records. He concluded his collegiate career with three Big 12 titles, two national championships and the Hodge Trophy for his senior season (wrestling is equivalent to college football’s Heisman trophy).

2012 Summer Games: Men's freestyle wrestling
Jordan Burroughs and Sadegh Saeed Gourdarzi arm in arm during the medals ceremony. Photo courtesy of MCT Campus.

That was just the start. Three weeks after his last college match, Burroughs won the U.S. open at 74 kilograms. Burroughs kept the winning streak going, earning a spot on the United States World Team that year and following through with a World Championship title on September 18, 2011, in Istanbul, Turkey. With the victory, Burroughs became only the fourth wrestler ever to win a NCAA championship and World Championship in the same year. The next year Jordan would go on to make the Olympic team and win the Olympic gold.

Burroughs went on for three years without losing a match on the international wrestling circuit. He finally lost in 2014 at the world championships in Turkey. Just last year, Burroughs had high hopes and competed in the 2016 Rio Olympic games. Everyone was counting on him to bring home the gold as he was very capable of doing so. He ended up losing in the quarterfinal round and did not medal. After this disappointing run, he decided to retire from the sport of wrestling… until now. Burroughs tweeted “I’m not done yet. I’m excited to announce my first tournament of 2017. Feels so good to be back!” on January 2nd, 2017. Jordan plans on continuing his legacy and come back to compete at the highest level of wrestling for a few more years.

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Jordan Burroughs makes a comeback