Kyle Snyder Leads U.S. to Gold Medal Sweep in Wrestling at Pan American Games

Snyder secures third consecutive continental title, while teammates dominate to bring total golds to four; strong performances suggest a promising run at Paris Olympics next year.

• Two-time Olympic medalist Kyle Snyder led the U.S. wrestling team to a clean sweep of the four gold medals at the first day of the Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile.
• Snyder, 27, won all his bouts to secure his third consecutive continental title. This strong performance makes him a likely qualifier for the Paris Olympics next year.
• Despite injury setbacks during the current Olympic cycle, Snyder has managed to win three world championship medals recently and is currently riding the longest Olympic and World medal streak in American history; a total of nine in a row since 2015.
• Joining Snyder in the winner's circle were his teammates: 24-year-old Mason Parris, who won in the 125 kg category; 29-year-old Zane Richards, who secured a gold in the 57 kg category; and 27-year-old Tyler Berger, who topped Cuba's Franklin Marén 3-0 in the 74-kilogram category.
• According to U.S. team coach Joe Russell, the Pan American Games experience helped prepare the team for the Olympic atmosphere, crediting the energetic, if not always supportive, crowd for raising the team's spirits.

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